The Epic Pantagonia

Arrive in Buenos Aires, where grand boulevards, historic neighbourhoods and an acclaimed dining scene provide an elegant introduction to South America. Settle into the city and begin discovering its distinctive character, from sophisticated Recoleta and lively Palermo to the colourful streets of La Boca and atmospheric San Telmo. This cosmopolitan beginning provides a striking contrast to the Patagonian wilderness that awaits farther south.

Explore some of Buenos Aires’ defining landmarks, including Recoleta Cemetery, the resting place of many prominent Argentines including Eva Perón. Afterwards, continue south to Ushuaia, spectacularly positioned between the mountains of Tierra del Fuego and the Beagle Channel. Arriving in the world’s southernmost city marks a dramatic transition from Argentina’s cosmopolitan capital to the forests, fjords and serrated peaks of its far southern frontier.

Venture beyond Ushuaia with an expert wildlife guide and discover the extraordinary islands of Tierra del Fuego. Sail across the Beagle Channel towards Martillo Island, where large colonies of Magellanic penguins gather along the shoreline. Continue to remote Gable Island, surrounded by rugged scenery and the cold southern waters of the archipelago, before pausing for lunch and local wine at a historic 19th-century waterside estancia.

Continue north to El Calafate, the gateway to the immense wilderness of Los Glaciares National Park. Once a remote sheep-ranching settlement beside Lake Argentino, the town is now surrounded by some of Patagonia’s most dramatic landscapes. Settle into the region and take in the vast steppe, distant mountains and glacial waters that define this corner of southern Argentina, preparing for a closer encounter with one of Patagonia’s greatest natural wonders.

Cross the turquoise waters of Lake Argentino by boat for an unforgettable encounter with Perito Moreno Glacier. Rising dramatically from the surrounding wilderness, this immense wall of ice is constantly shifting and reshaping itself. Experience the glacier at close range, listening for the deep cracks that precede enormous sections of ice breaking away and crashing into the water below. It is one of the defining spectacles of Argentine Patagonia and a highlight of the journey.

Cross the border into Chile and continue to Puerto Natales, the gateway to the remarkable landscapes of Torres del Paine National Park. Your exploration of Chilean Patagonia begins this afternoon, with expert local guides introducing a wide selection of adventures suited to different interests and abilities. Horseback riding, trekking, kayaking, mountain biking and birdwatching are among the possibilities, each offering a different perspective on this immense wilderness.

Delve deeper into Torres del Paine, where immense granite towers rise above brilliant lakes, open pampas and forests shaped by the region’s powerful winds. Choose from guided explorations designed around your preferred pace, with opportunities to trek, ride or explore the park’s diverse landscapes. Keep watch for guanacos roaming the plains and birdlife around the lakes and wetlands while experiencing one of South America’s most celebrated wilderness areas.

Enjoy another full day surrounded by the immense landscapes of Chilean Patagonia. Select an adventure that reveals a different side of Torres del Paine, whether hiking beneath mountain peaks, riding across open terrain, kayaking on glacial waters, cycling through the wilderness or joining a glacier cruise. With routes available for different levels of activity, the day can be shaped around your preferred balance of adventure and immersion in the landscape.

Leave Patagonia behind and continue to Santiago, dramatically positioned beneath the snow-capped Andes. Discover a capital where colonial landmarks coexist with energetic contemporary neighbourhoods, restaurants and bars. Explore the historic centre around Plaza de Armas and La Moneda before experiencing another perspective on the city from San Cristóbal Hill, reached by cable car and offering expansive views across Santiago and its mountainous surroundings.

Enjoy your final moments in Santiago before departing Chile. Your journey concludes after travelling from the cultural energy of Buenos Aires to Tierra del Fuego’s penguin-filled islands, the immense Perito Moreno Glacier and the extraordinary wilderness of Torres del Paine. Together, Argentina and Chile reveal Patagonia at its most dramatic — a landscape of fjords, ice fields, mountains, forests and open pampas balanced by exceptional stays and privately guided exploration.