Chile, Argentina & Patagonia, 12 - 20 April 2020

Experience the beauty of Patagonia. See alpine lakes and meadows, jagged

mountain peaks and ancient glaciers as you travel through some of the most

breath-taking scenery in South America.

Day 1, 12. April 2020: Punta Arenas, Chile

After arrival, transfer to your hotel; city tour.

Pirates, explorers, wars and awe-inspiring wildlife, the Strait of Magellan has seen it all and has plenty

of stories to tell. In the afternoon we will introduce you to the capital city of Chile's southernmost

region, Punta Arenas. There’s beautiful architecture to admire, museums, a fort and a stunning

cathedral to visit. We will also visit the Victoria Noa Museum, an unquestionable icon of this southern

Chilean city. The unmistakable figure of Nao Victoria, an exact replica of a sixteenth-century ship,

features more than 25 meters of length, 7 meters of width, 3 decks, 3 masts, 5 sails and about 28

meters in height.

Overnight in Punta Arenas

Day 2, 13. April 2020: Punta Arenas & Puerto Natales

In the morning, you will have some time to explore Punta Arenas on your own.

After lunch, on our way to Puerto Natales, we will visit the Patagonian ranch Olga Teresa, which is only

1 one hour from Punta Arenas and probably one of the most accessible locations in the world to see

and photograph the world’s heaviest flying creature: the majestic Andean Condor. Their observation

is best done in the afternoon, when birds come back to their roost for the night. Dedicated local guides

will show you the birds through top-quality spotting scopes while telling you about the story of this

particular roost and the ongoing research involved. Experience the feeling of seeing these colossal

birds flying low and at close range amidst the dazzling scenery of the remote Chilean Patagonia; you

will be thrilled by their sheer size, their presence and the way they fly and circle above with gracious

ease, while you admire one of the most emblematic birds in South America and the world.

On this dedicated condor watching trip, you will have a private naturalist guide as well as a

professional driver during the whole duration of the journey. In addition to that, English-speaking

condor researchers will show you the condors using a top-quality field glasses.

Afterwards, we will take you to your hotel in Puerto Natales.

Overnight in Puerto Natales

Day 3, 14. April 2020: Puerto Natales. Torres del Paine [Full Day Tour]

Departure from your hotel to the Milodon Cave, located 24 kilometers north of Puerto Natales. Before

reaching the cave, the access path passes by the "Silla del Diablo" (Devil's Chair), a name that comes

from the popular imagination given to a rocky structure that looks like an armchair and which is said

to have been the "seat" of the Mylodon and which legend has transformed into the "devil".

We will continue along the new access road to Torres del Paine National Park, where we will be able

to observe lagoons and mountain ranges along the way. Then, it is possible to admire the beautiful

landscape around us from the Lago Grey viewpoint (view of the Grey Glacier, the Paine Massif and

Lago del Toro). A couple of kilometers ahead, it is possible to observe the Cuernos del Paine, reaching

the fork that leads to the Lake Grey area. In this sector we will be able to make a pleasant walk along

the shore of Grey Lake and if the conditions allow, it is possible to access the viewpoint of Grey

Peninsula.

After a lunch break, we start the second part of our visit to Torres del Paine National Park heading for

the Salto Grande sector. We will visit the Nordenskjold Lake Viewpoint and continue to enjoy

spectacular views on our route that gradually brings us closer to the Laguna Amarga sector. After

admiring this spectacle, we will return to the city of Puerto Natales passing by the Mirador del Lago

Sarmiento.

Overnight in Puerto Natales

Day 4, 15. April 2020: Puerto Natales. Balmaceda and Serrano Glaciers

Early morning, transfer to the port of Puerto Natales where we board our ship.

Nearly untouched by man, the Balmaceda and Serrano Glaciers are part of the southern ice fields.

They can be found in the southern part of Torres del Paine National Park in Chilean Patagonia. Sail

through the Ultima Esperanza Fjord from Puerto Natales on this Balmaceda and Serrano Glacier Tour

– it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Surrounded by pine trees, Serrano Glacier transcends deeply into a lagoon and even changes color

depending on the lighting! The astonishing Balmaceda glacier is found in Bernardo O’Higgins National

Park. Experience these stunning formations while they still exist and enjoy the sight of wildlife and a

unique flora of the area. Observe native wildlife and enjoy a delicious Whiskey with millennial ice.

When you reach the Serrano Glacier, you can disembark and walk through the Patagonian forest full

of coihues (native trees with similar wood to oak) and canelos (another typical tree of the area).

We return to Puerto Natales at around 2.00 pm.

Spend the afternoon at leisure or join a hike!

Overnight in Puerto Natales

Day 5, 16. April 2020: Puerto Natales / El Calafate

After breakfast, we will take you to charming El Calafate in Argentina. El Calafate is a town near the

edge of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field in the Argentine province of Santa Cruz. It’s mainly known

as the gateway to Los Glaciares National Park, home to the massive Perito Moreno Glacier, whose

ever-shifting icy landscape is popular for hiking and sightseeing.

After a quick lunch, your next adventure begins: We leave through route number 11, bordering Lake

Argentino. From the beginning, the journey offers very pleasant surprises. Leaving El Calafate, we can

see at the right the Lake Argentino with its Redonda Bay.

In it we can appreciate an important variety of bird fauna, from which the black neck swan, the

flamingo, the vapor duck, the coot and the cauquen stand out.

During the first 40km we travel through the Patagonian Steppe, then enter the National Park to

observe the tree area vegetation that is mostly made of the “notofagus” family (ñires, guindos and

lengas), cinnamon trees, and flowers of different colors, among which the “notro” stands out because

of its intense red color that corresponds to the Patagonian Andean Forest.

We arrive at the “curva de los suspiros” (sigh curve), named this way because it is the first panoramic

viewpoint of the Perito Moreno Glacier.

There is a short stop to take pictures and we move forward to Bajo las Sombras Port.

Enjoy a one hour navigation through the southern arm of the iceberg channel in order to have different

views of the Perito Moreno Glacier wall.

Back ashore, we make use of a system of balconies and footbridges that allow you to enjoy walks along

different paths and to have really amazing views of the Glacier.

Overnight in El Calafate

Day 6, 17. April 2020: El Calafate. Los Glaciares National Park

The Patagonian ice field is, after Antarctica, the largest concentration of ice on the planet. Its glaciers

descend from 1,500 to 200 metres above sea level enabling unique access and viewing of the glaciers.

Los Glaciares National Park offers a magnificent combination of forest, lakes, mountains, ice and

steppes with over 200 glaciers. The most renowned being Spegazzini, rising 135 meters above sea

level, Upsala covering an entire valley with an approximate extension of 765 Km2 and a length of 53

km, and Perito Moreno Glacier, constantly advancing and causing the spectacular rupture of the wall

of ice, providing one of Nature’s most impressive sights.

Enjoy a full day journey to one of the most wonderful places in Southern Patagonia. A truly memorable

experience. We Navigate the northern arm of Lake Argentino across the Boca del Diablo, the

narrowest part of the lake. Cruise up the Upsala channel, towards the spectacular Upsala Glacier

allowing you to admire the mesmerizing natural landscapes of icy, deep blue rivers and enormous

icebergs floating past. The boat tour then continues on to the Spegazzini Channel, where you will get

the chance to see the Seco Glacier, finally reaching the highest Glacier in the National park, the

Spegazzini Glacier, with its spectacular steep, dramatic icescape that curves down the mountainside

into lake. As this breathtaking Patagonian Glacier tour comes to an end you are transported back to El

Calafate, via Punta Bandera Harbour.

Overnight in El Calafate

Day 7, 18. April 2020: El Calafate & Punta Arenas

Today we will take you from El Calafate back to Punta Arenas. Lunch break in Puerto Natales.

(Alternatively: lunch box).

You'll probably see a lot of Guanacos—the native South American relative to the Lama, on

the way.

Overnight in Punta Arenas

Day 8, 19. April 2020: Punta Arenas

Early in the morning we will pick you up from your hotel to go towards the terminal in Tres Puentes

and take the ferry to Tierra del Fuego Island, sailing by the Magellan Strait for 2 hours and 15 minutes

until we arrive at Chilota Bay. From this last point, we will be heading to Porvenir, where we will have

time to enjoy our lunch box and a visit at the Fernando Cordero Ruesque Museum.

We will follow our way by land, boarding the Inútil Bay for 110 km until reaching the Pingüino Rey

Park. There, you will experience the king penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus), which is the second

biggest out of 18 penguin species around the world.

The park has trails and viewpoints which are strategically placed in order not to disturb the species.

The king penguin is a migratory bird that moves from one place to another in search of food, and ever

since the creation of the park, the bird population has continued to increase making the park one of

the most attractive places in Tierra del Fuego.

The penguins are highly attractive for photography lovers. These birds are characteristically colored

grey from head to tail, with white, yellow and orange tones on their fronts as they age. Parque

Pingüino Rey also protects other bird species who come to feed and rest in one of the most remote

places on the planet.

Afterwards, return to Punta Arenas.

Farewell dinner in town.

Overnight in Punta Arenas

Day 9, 20. April 2020: Punta Arenas

Joining our extension? After breakfast, transfer to the airport in Punta Arenas. Flight to Puerto Montt.

Departure: 9.45am.

For all others: Transfer to the airport at 1pm. Departure of your flight to Santiago: 3.45pm.

Vegan Travel Tour Director: Dirk Bocklage

You will receive:

• Comfortable accommodation in hotels (4 or 5 stars). Private bathroom, unless otherwise indicated in the itinerary.

• Full board (breakfast, lunch, dinner).

• All transport as listed in the itinerary.

• Experienced tour guides.

• Entrance to national parks, museums and attractions that we may visit as a group.

• Occasional extras such as pre-dinner drinks, nibbles and other surprises you are sure to enjoy.