Chile & Argentina: Patagonian Wilderness

Welcome to Santiago, a leafy metropolis wedged between the Chilean coastline and the Andean foothills. Spirited and worldly, with a burgeoning arts scene and plenty of charisma, Santiago is an historical hub on the cusp of a modern-day revival. Your A&K representative will meet you at the airport and escort you to your hotel in the vibrant Lastarria district. Ease into local time as you discover this creative neighbourhood at your leisure: admire the colonial-style architecture or simply seek out the rooftop bar for laid-back drinks and Andes views.

The Singular Santiago

Santiago is the perfect place for strolling through leafy neighbourhoods. Enjoy an expertly guided, private walking tour with a charming local who has plenty of Chilean stories and historical prowess to spare. Discover the historical evolution of the city, which dates back to the Spanish conquerors, with its stunning architecture. Wander around the quirky Plaza de Armas, watching artists at work, friendly chess games and street performances, before you travel back in time at the Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino.

The Singular Santiago | Meals: B

Today, take to the sky for your flight to Puerto Natales, a formerly modest fishing port on the Señoret Channel in Chile’s southern Patagonia — the gateway to Torres del Paine National Park. For the next three nights you’ll be staying at Chile’s most talked about hotel, a cosy haven, which marries striking luxury with incredible views over the Patagonian fjords. This afternoon, you’ll meet with your local naturalist who’ll discuss the selection of wilderness adventures available to you over the coming days.

The Singular Patagonia | Meals: BD

Spend two days at leisure choosing from an array of shared expeditions into otherworldly landscapes of granite spires, ice and deserted pampas that are the Torres del Paine: choose an adventure that nourishes the soul and meets your fitness level. Perhaps sail through the Patagonian Fjords and marvel at the Balmaceda and Serrano glaciers. Observe the prolific wildlife, including flamingo, condor and guanaco — a llama-like native of South America and tasty bait for pumas. Meet local Patagonians and learn their way of life. Or trek far off the beaten path and see firsthand how the jagged granite ridges and spires are magnificently serrated. Celebrate your discoveries the Patagonian way — with a feast of meats barbecued over hot coals.

The Singular Patagonia | Meals: BLD

Embark on your spectacular southern Patagonia cruise, aboard the Ventus Australis, and spend the next five days on an immersive expedition to the fjords, channels and glaciers of the southern-most tip of South America. Following a welcoming toast, the ship will depart for one of the remotest corners of the earth. During the night, cross the Strait of Magellan and enter the labyrinth of channels that define the southern extremes of Patagonia.

Ventus Australis | Meals: BD

From dawn, sail up Seno Almirantazgo Fjord — rich in stunning marine life, including elephant and leopard seals, and black-browed albatross. Go ashore at Ainsworth Bay via Zodiacs for a rare immersion into the wilderness. Keep your eyes peeled for southern elephant seals and an extraordinary abundance of birdlife as you follow your guide into the sub-polar forest, past streams and waterfalls, moss-covered rock faces, peat bogs and beaver habitats. For those after a more strenuous hike, traverse the crest of the glacial moraine. Both excursions afford staggering views of Marinelli Glacier and the Darwin Mountains. After lunch, board the Zodiacs again for an incredible visit to the more than 4,000 penguins of Tucker Islet.

Ventus Australis | Meals: BLD

Overnight sail around the western end of Tierra del Fuego via its dramatic arterial channels to Pia Fjord and the mighty Pia Glacier. On arrival at the glacier, head out in a Zodiac boat to get the full impact of the glacier's sheer size and mesmerising beauty, before disembarking for a hike to a stunning panorama. Back onboard, continue east along the Beagle Channel through Glacier Alley. Keep your eyes fixed on the glowing white and blue tidewater glaciers that spill from the huge Patagonian Ice Field sprawled across the snow-capped Darwin Range.

Ventus Australis | Meals: BLD

Sail through Nassau Bay and into the remote cluster of uninhabited islands that include legendary Cape Horn, the notorious ship graveyard of the turbulent Southern Ocean. Weather conditions permitting, go ashore to admire the lighthouse, Chapel and modern Cape Horn Monument — a stone monument that honours seafarers who’ve made it through these treacherous waters alive. This afternoon anchor at historic Wulaia Bay, renowned for its archaeological sites of the Yámana people. Explore the museum to learn about the 10,000-year history of the Yámana people and the early Europeans who lived in the region. You have a choice of three hikes (varying grades) through an enchanted Magellan forest to a dramatic vista overlooking the bay.

Ventus Australis | Meals: BLD

Sail into Argentine waters and dock in the world’s southernmost city, Ushuaia, your gateway to the Patagonian paradise of Tierra del Fuego. This beautiful city, perched dramatically between the Martial mountains, the bay, and the Beagle Channel, is popular for its sheer beauty, spectacular marine wildlife, and for its acclaim as the city at the ‘end of the world’. Drop your bags at your luxurious hotel set on a magnificent outcrop overlooking the Beagle Channel and get straight to the heart of the town’s beguiling history at the military prison, where tales of the most notorious residents will astonish and amaze. Spend the rest of the day at leisure.

Arakur Ushuaia | Meals: B

Embark on a voyage through history aboard the Tierra del Fuego Southern Train. This railway, with a captivating backstory of being utilised by inmates from penal colonies until 1947, takes you on a scenic 45-minute ride, crossing the Pipo River and traversing the narrow gorge of Canadon del Toro. Along the way, you'll encounter reconstructed camps once inhabited by the Yamana and Selknam indigenous peoples.

At the end of the train journey you will be met by a vehicle and an expert guide who will accompany you into Tierra del Fuego National Park, a 150,000-acre preserve. It encompasses a pristine wilderness of dramatic landscapes, including snow-capped mountains, dense forests, numerous lakes and picturesque coastal areas. Spend some time exploring the natural splendours of this remarkable area including Lake Acigami and Lapataia Bay with the opportunity to enjoy some walking, or simply relaxing and embracing the solitude of this remote, primal landscape. Afterwards, return to Ushuaia by road.

Arakur Ushuaia | Meals: BL

Take to the skies once more for El Calafate, gateway to Los Glaciares National Park. Upon arrival your local host will transfer you to your luxury Relais & Chateaux accommodation set on a 10,000-acre paradise, an oasis in the middle of the barren Patagonian landscape. Spend time relaxing and soaking up the extensive views, take a stroll around the property or venture further afield for horse-riding, mountain biking, hiking or birdwatching.

EOLO Patagonia’s Spirit | Meals: BD

If you only plan on visiting one glacier in your life, this is the one to pick: experience a once-in-a-lifetime walk on Perito Moreno Glacier. Drive across the steppe, admiring black-necked swans, flamingos, steamer ducks, coots and Magellan goose to the National Park access gate, where expert guides will help you to put on a pair of crampons and explain how to use them. Then step on to the glacier itself for a hike through the fascinating landscape of streams, small lagoons, gullies, crevasses and plenty of ice formations. Afterwards, watch building-sized icebergs calve from the face in a dramatic audible crash, as you traverse steel catwalks (almost 4000m total) that allow you to see, hear and photograph the blocks tumble into the lake below.

EOLO Patagonia’s Spirit | Meals: BLD

Transfer to the airport for your flight to the cosmopolitan Argentine capital where creative talent, atmospheric cafés and aristocratic homes abound. Your A&K representative will accompany you to your luxury accommodation in the Recoleta neighbourhood, where neo-classical mansions sit alongside bustling street markets. This afternoon, take in the city at leisure, before an evening spent in the seductive embrace of Argentina’s most sensuous dance. Hosted in the radically elegant ballroom of Philippe Starck-designed Faena Hotel, let the live band and Rojo Tango dancers dazzle, as you indulge in a gastronomic feast expertly paired with Argentinian wines.

Four Seasons Buenos Aires | Meals: BD

Set off on a final walk around this enchanting city, before a private transfer to the airport for your onward journey.

Meals: B