Yampu Latin America Tours » South America Combined Country » Santiago, Torres del Paine, Mare Australis Cruise, Ushuaia and Buenos Aires

Starting Price:	$6,086.00
Trip Length:	15 days

Interests:

Soft/Multi Adventure
Off The Beaten Path
Ecotourism/Wildlife
Cruises
Historical and Cultural

The Mare Australis

Glacier in Torres

Santiago

Santiago, Torres del Paine, Mare Australis Cruise, Ushuaia and Buenos Aires

Description Pricing Itinerary Hotels

Mare Australis and Via Australis are the new expedition cruise ships of Cruceros Australis in the waters off Patagonia (900,000 square kilometers in the south portion of the continent) and Tierra del Fuego (at the very bottom of Patagonia). From your outside cabin, you will see spectacular views of glaciers, forests and mountains as we cross from Chile to Argentina. Yampu travelers will also tour Santiago and Buenos Aires.

Prior to the cruise we will visit the towering granite “cuernos” or horns as they are called in Torres del Paine National Park, and which are perhaps the best-known image of Chile. Enormous glaciers mark the northern boundary of the park. This is the southern extreme of the Patagonia Ice field— the world’s largest.

We will also spend two days in Santiago to visit this fascinating and modern city. Near Santiago we may visit Vina del Mar and Valparaiso, Valle Nevado, Isla Negra and the Pablo Neruda Museum or the wineries Cousińo Macul winery and Concha y Toro. Trip ends in Buenos Aires, Argentina, we will spend three fantastic days touring this cosmopolitan city.

This tour includes international airfare from Miami (US), on non-holiday dates. You do not need to fly via Miami; Yampu will fly you the most direct way to your city of destination. Depending on your travel dates and proximity of travel, we will quote you the most economical surcharge from your city or country of origin.

Additional information on this trip:

Days of Week the Trip can Start:
Wednesday, Saturday
Dates this trip is NOT available for online booking (please submit a regular request):
20 December - 02 January
Visited Cities:
Santiago, Puerto Natales, Torres del Paine, Buenos Aires

Day 1

Take overnight flight to Santiago.

Day 2

Reception at Santiago airport and transfer to your selected hotel in the heart of the city. Afternoon city tour Santiago. A journey through the main streets of the civic center of the city of Santiago, viewing the neoclassical Moneda Palace, built in the 18th century and current seat of government, the Plaza de Armas, or main square with its cathedral, the Museum of National History and the Central Post Office, all with very different architectural styles. Continue to the Parque Forestal, based on the Champs d’Elysee in Paris, the Fine Arts Museum and Santa Lucia Hill, where the city was founded in 1541. Continue to the bohemian area of Bellavista and climb San Cristobal Hill for a panoramic view of the city with the Andes Mountains in the background. The tour finishes with a visit to the handicraft village of Los Graneros del Alba (closed Mondays; an alternative is chosen). Return to your hotel.

Day 3

Full day of touring around Santiago. On this day you may choose from one of the following excursions: Vina del Mar and Valparaiso; Valle Nevado; Isla Negra - Pablo Neruda Museum; Cousińo Macul and Concha y Toro wineries.

Day 4

Santiago - Punta Arenas - Puerto Natales
Transfer to the airport to take the flight to Punta Arenas. Reception at the airport and transfer to the bus station to take the bus to Puerto Natales. Upon arrival transfer to your hotel. Evening at leisure to rest before your excursion to the Torres del Paine Park.

Day 5

Torres del Paine National Park
Full day excursion to Torres del Paine National Park. Enroute we will visit the Milodón Cave, where the remains of a prehistoric animal were found in the last century. The Torres del Paine National Park was declared a biosphere reserve by UNESCO in 1978. The park covers an area of 160,000 hectares. The most important attraction is the central mountain range where the Horns of Paine are found, and also the needles which were formed by the action of the many glaciers surrounding the rock. There are also many impressive lakes, glaciers, waterfalls and a quite varied flora and fauna—which makes this one of the most famous places in Chile to visit. Lunch (included) is in a restaurant in the park itself. Transfer to a hosteria in the park in the late afternoon.

Day 6

Torres del Paine
Day of leisure in Torres del Paine. Optional excursions available at the Hosteria (see below for sample excursions offered at Hosteria. Exact options will depend on lodging available for confirmation). Overnight in Torres del Paine.

Day 7

Torres del Paine - Punta Arenas
Morning of leisure. Afternoon, transfer to Punta Arenas. Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel.

Day 8

Transfer to the port to embark on the expedition cruise ship Mare Australis or Via Australis (Saturday or Tuesday only) . The captain and crew will give a welcome cocktail reception on board. Immediately afterward, the ship will set sail for the uttermost part of the earth. Through the Strait of Magellan, we will travel to Southern Patagonia, including Tierra de Fuego. This is the beginning of a great adventure!

Day 9

Ainsworth Bay - Brookes Glacier
During the dawn’s early light, our ship will continue navigating through Almirantazgo Inlet, until arriving near Marinelli Glacier in Ainsworth Bay, where we will enjoy a walk to discover a beaver dam in the midst of a marvelous Magellanic forest. On the beach, we will observe a colony of elephant seals. Continuing the voyage, we will reach Brookes Glacier Bay, which is surrounded by several glaciers, providing an awe-inspiring spectacle. Here, we will walk near Brookes Glacier.

Day 10

Pia Glacier - Glacier Alley
We will navigate the main part of the Beagle Channel to enter Pia Bay and disembark near the glacier of the same name. We will take an excursion to a lookout point that is ideal for viewing the mountain range where the glacier originates and its flow all the way to the sea. After this unforgettable experience, we will sail again along the northwest arm of the Beagle Channel through majestic “Glacier Alley”: Spain, Romanche, Germany, Italy, France and Holland glaciers.

Day 11

Cape Horn and Puerto Williams
We will sail through the Beagle and Murray Channels to disembark in Cape Horn National Park. Cape Horn, a sheer, almost 425-meter-high promontory, where the Atlantic and Pacific oceans merge, was discovered in 1616 by a Dutch commercial expedition organized by Isaac Le Maire. The Cape owes its name to the Port of Hoorn, the expedition’s departure point. In the afternoon, we will disembark in Port Williams, the southernmost town in the world, where you can take optional excursions, such as to the Martin Gusinde Museum or a flight over Cape Horn.

Day 12

Ushuaia
Arrival in Ushuaia, the most important Argentine city in Tierra de Fuego, and the southernmost city in the world. We will disembark at 8 a.m. Departure to Tierra del Fuego National Park, located only 12 kilometers (7 miles) away from the city. It preserves typical species of the Andean-Patagonic Forest, such as firebushes, beech trees, ńires, box leafed barberries and flowers, spread in an area of 63,000 hectares. Before entering the park, board the Train to the End of the World and enjoy an unforgettable trip along the original embankment where the old prisoners’ train ran until 1947 for their expeditions in search of wood for heating. The highlight of the park is Lapataia Bay, the southernmost tip of the continent, with a wonderful view of the Beagle Channel. Here, the old inhabitants of the area have left their testimony in the “concheros,” incredible archeological deposits. Afternoon, transfer to the airport to take the flight to Buenos Aires. Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel.

Day 13

Tour of Buenos Aires, an impressive city that combines the atmosphere of an old European town with that of a Latin American capital. On this tour, you will come to appreciate its characteristics, its history, its architecture, its culture and its best stories. We will visit the center of the city, San Telmo, La Boca, Puerto Madero and Palermo, with stops in Plaza de Mayo, Caminito and La Recoleta. Tour is done on group basis and may involve wait times picking up other passengers at different hotels. We recommend that this tour be done privately in order to avoid this, at an additional cost of $ 42 per person, based on two people ($ 84 based on one person).

Evening tango show
At night, you will be treated to an unforgettable tango show performed by the best dancers and singers, while enjoying a delicious meal. This is the perfect way to leave Buenos Aires, the city of tango. Return to the hotel.

Day 14

Fiesta gaucha
Full-day excursion to an estancia for a typical barbeque lunch and a folklore/gaucho show. Here we will learn about the customs of the Argentinean gaucho and his abilities on the horse that will leave you breathless. The meat will be cooked “a lo gaucho,” outdoors on the barbeque. Lunch and drinks included. Afternoon, return to Buenos Aires.

Day 15

Morning of leisure in Buenos Aires
Evening, transfer to the airport to take the flight back home.

Suggested Hotels by City and Category *

Santiago
3-star	Diego de Almagro, Panamericano or similar.
4-star	Orly, Galerias Santiago or similar.
5-star	Santiago Marriott, Bosque Park & Suites or similar.
Airport	Holiday Inn Express (Santiago Airport), across from the airport
Deluxe	Ritz Carlton, Grand Hyatt Regency, San Cristobal Tower or similar.
Puerto Natales
3-star	Weskar Lodge , Aquaterra or similar.
4-star	Altiplanico Hotel, Martín Gusinde or similar.
5-star	CostAustralis (city view) or similar.
Deluxe	CostAustralis (sea view), Indigo Hotel (sea view) or similar.
Remota Hotel	Remota Hotel - Half Board
Torres del Paine
3-star	Hosteria Cerro Guido and Hosteria Rio Serrano in standard room, or simlar
4-star	Hosteria Cerro Guido and Hosteria Rio Serrano in Superior room, or simlar
5-star	Hosteria Lago Grey, or similar
Buenos Aires
3-star	Hotel Babel, Esplendor Palermo Soho or similar.
4-star	Howard Johnson Recoleta Boutique, Design Suites, Esplendor, or similar.
5-star	Plaza Marriott, Hotel Madero, Melia Recoleta Plaza or similar.
Boutique Hotels	Mine, Bobo Palermo, Miravida Soho, Legado Mitico Boutique Hotel.
Deluxe	Alvear Palace, Four Seasons, Faena, Palacio Duhau Park Hyatt or similar.

* Subject to confirmation at time of booking

15 days , from $6086

Occupancy Type	3-star	4-star	5-star	Deluxe
Double	$6086	$6978	$7535	$8167
Single	$8805	$9470	$10174	$11411

Prices shown above are per person, in US Dollars ($).

Optional excursions at Hosteria las Torres:
The Towers
Type: horse riding and/or walking
Demand: high
Duration: 6-8 hours
One of the main attractions of the renowned Torres del Paine National Park, these rock formations are 1,000 meters of naked granite stabbing the heavens with three colossal towers. The trail penetrates a valley covered in forests, streams, slopes and wildlife.

The Cuernos
Type: horse riding or walking
Demand: medium
Duration: 7-8 hours
This beautiful trail tours through a diversity of local plants such as the Notro, which blossoms powerful red flowers in November and December. Along the trail there is a peaceful lagoon usually inhabited by a family of caiquenes (wild upland geese).

Full Paine
Type: vehicle and walking
Demand: low
Duration: 8-10 hours
The day starts off in a vehicle. Driving through the length of the park, we reach the Grey Lake and the National Park Torres del Paine. Guanacos, foxes and birds are sighted along the way. This is an excellent excursion to see the park as a whole. Once at Grey Lake, our guide will explain how glaciers have sculpted the entire region. Along the way, we may see extraordinary icebergs that have broken off the main glacier.

Salto Grande
Type: vehicle and walking
Demand: low
Duration: 4-5 hours
The inner roads of the park will delight the passenger with its beauties until Salto Grande is reached. A short walk leads to this waterfall which flows into the turquoise waters of Lake Pehoe.

Lake Nordjenskold
Type: walking or horse riding
Demand: low
Duration: 2-3 hours
This light path borders Mount Almirante Nieto, passes the romantic Luguna Inge and reaches the emerald-green Lake Nordenskjold. The path promises a soft walk or a pleasurable ride among powerful nature. The lake extends to the foot of the colossal mountain Almirante Nieto. Cost: $35-100 per person, to be paid directly at the hosteria.

Prices include air transportation from Miami to Santiago and Buenos Aires to Miami in economy class, domestic air from Santiago to Punta Arenas and Ushuaia to Buenos Aires, hotel accommodation with daily continental breakfast, cabin accommodation on Mare or Via Australis including all meals and activities, guided tours in English including all entrance fees, all transfers between airports and hotels with assistance and baggage handling; meals where specified. Local airport taxes that are payable in the country of destination are not included. Taxes and security fees that can be paid at time of ticketing are already included in the quote (if airfare has been included in the quote).

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