Patagonia: Mountains, Glaciers & Windswept Beauty
March 7 -19, 2028
A small group discovery tour with a maximum of 24 guests and average of 18
Patagonia: Mountains, Glaciers & Windswept Beauty
March 7 -19, 2028
13 Days from Santiago to Buenos Aires
Chile • Argentina • Patagonia
There are few places on earth as spectacular - or as wonderfully remote - as Patagonia.
Join Blue Skies Travel on this Globus journey through the dramatic landscapes of southern Chile and Argentina, where soaring granite peaks rise above turquoise lakes, enormous glaciers spill toward the water, and windswept plains stretch into the distance.
We’ll experience the magnificent scenery of Torres del Paine National Park, stand before the immense Perito Moreno Glacier, cruise the legendary Beagle Channel, and travel to Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world. Along the way, we’ll encounter Patagonia’s remarkable wildlife, including a visit to a colony of Magellanic penguins.
After exploring one of the wildest and most beautiful corners of the planet, we’ll finish in cosmopolitan Buenos Aires, where elegant architecture, wonderful food, and the passion of Argentine tango provide a fitting finale.
Best of all, this is a Globus Small Group Discovery tour, designed for a more intimate travel experience with no more than 24 guests.
13 extraordinary days. Two countries. One of the most breathtaking landscapes on Earth.
Escorted by Blue Skies Travel
Call 302-893-4571
or email: margo@blueskiestravelcenter.com
DAY-BY-DAY
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Santiago, Chile
Welcome to Chile! Blue Skies Travel will coordinate your flights, and those who choose to can travel together with Margo. Upon arrival in Santiago, we’ll meet our Globus Tour Director and get ready to begin our Patagonia adventure.
Day 2: Explore Santiago
Toasts of the Town
After breakfast, we’ll set out with a local guide to discover Santiago, a fascinating mix of colonial history and modern city life. We’ll see the Plaza de Armas, Santiago Cathedral and Santa Lucía Hill before enjoying lunch at a local restaurant.
Next, we’ll visit bustling La Vega Central Market, where we’ll get a taste of everyday Chilean life and learn about traditional favorites such as cazuela and humitas.
Then it’s time for a true local experience: a terremoto, or “earthquake,” cocktail made with Chilean wine, liqueur and sorbet. We’ll finish our sightseeing with a funicular ride up Cerro San Cristóbal for spectacular views over Santiago and the Andes.
Breakfast and Lunch included.
Day 3: Santiago to Puerto Natales
Patagonia Begins
Today we leave Santiago behind and fly south to Punta Arenas, on the legendary Strait of Magellan and the gateway to Chilean Patagonia.
From here, we’ll travel through the vast Patagonian steppe to Puerto Natales, with rivers, forests, mountains and sprawling ranchlands unfolding along the way. Keep your eyes open for some of Patagonia’s wildlife, including guanacos, condors, foxes and chinchillas—and, if we’re lucky, an elusive puma.
Tonight, we’ll settle into our hotel in Puerto Natales and enjoy dinner together.
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included.
Day 4: Puerto Natales to Torres del Paine
Into the Wild
Our day begins at legendary Milodón Cave, where prehistoric fossils dating back some 14,000 years have been discovered, including remains of a saber-toothed cat and the enormous giant ground sloth that gives the cave its name.
Then we venture into magnificent Torres del Paine National Park, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and one of Patagonia’s most spectacular landscapes. With a local guide, we’ll explore a world of jagged granite peaks, brilliant blue lakes, waterfalls and wide-open wilderness.
Our adventure includes some of the park’s most famous sights, including Los Cuernos, Lago Pehoé and Salto Grande, as well as Lago Grey, where we’ll take in views of Grey Glacier and its floating icebergs. Along the way, watch for guanacos, foxes, swans and an extraordinary variety of birdlife.
After an unforgettable day in the park, we’ll have time to relax at our hotel before enjoying a traditional barbecue dinner featuring fresh ingredients from the hotel’s own garden.
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included.
Day 5: Torres del Paine National Park
Peak Perfection
Today we’ll spend a full day exploring the extraordinary landscapes of Torres del Paine National Park.
We’ll see Los Cuernos, the park’s iconic jagged granite “horns” rising dramatically above the windswept plains, and visit Salto Grande, a thundering waterfall surrounded by mountains and brilliant blue lakes.
After lunch at our hotel, we’ll continue to Laguna Azul, one of the park’s most beautiful areas and a wonderful place to watch for guanacos, condors and other Patagonian wildlife. We’ll end our day at Cascada Paine, where rushing water and rugged mountain scenery provide one more spectacular Patagonia view.
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included.
Day 6: Torres del Paine to El Calafate
From Chile to Argentina
We’ll begin the morning with an easy guided hike to Laguna Inés, keeping watch for the birds and wildlife that thrive in this remote corner of Patagonia.
Then we cross the border into Argentina, traveling through a dramatic landscape of wide-open plains, rugged mountains and glacial lakes. Keep an eye out for wildlife along the way.
Our destination is El Calafate, a charming town on the shores of Lake Argentino. Once a stopping point for wool traders, today it is the gateway to Los Glaciares National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to some of Patagonia’s most extraordinary glaciers.
Breakfast and Lunch included.
Day 7: El Calafate & Glacier Excursion
Ice Breakers
A must for all visitors to Argentina is a visit to Perito Moreno Glacier (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) in Los Glaciares National Park. During our walking tour along the catwalks, marvel at the breathtaking glacier views and, with any luck, see the ice calve and break into the waters below.
Explore Perito Moreno Glacier, which forms part of the Patagonian Continental Ice Field. From here, 13 glaciers descend on the Atlantic side to flow into the Viedma and Argentino Lakes with one of the few glaciers in the world that is still advancing.
Breakfast included.
Day 8: Explore El Calafate
Chill Out!
Sleep in! This morning is yours to enjoy El Calafate at your own pace. Stroll along the turquoise waters of Lake Argentino, browse the shops, linger over coffee or find a great spot for lunch.
This afternoon, we’ll visit the fascinating Glaciarium: Patagonia Ice Museum to discover the secrets of Patagonia’s enormous ice fields and the forces that created this remarkable landscape.
Then we’ll take the ice theme one step further with a visit to GlacioBar, Argentina’s first ice bar, where nearly everything—including the glasses—is made of ice. Bundle up and enjoy a frosty drink!
Tonight is free to choose your own restaurant and enjoy El Calafate on your own.
Breakfast included.
Day 9: El Calafate to Ushuaia
Penguins at the End of the World
Today we fly to Ushuaia, dramatically situated between the Andes and the Beagle Channel at the southern tip of Argentina.
Then comes one of the highlights of our trip: a cruise along the legendary Beagle Channel, surrounded by mountains and some of the wildest scenery on the planet. Watch for sea lions, albatrosses, skuas and other Patagonian wildlife as we cruise toward Martillo Island.
And then come the penguins! Martillo Island is home to a colony of Magellanic penguins, giving us the chance to see these irresistible residents in their natural habitat.
Mountains, the Beagle Channel, wildlife and penguins at the southern reaches of the world—this is Patagonia!
Beagle Channel cruise is weather permitting.
Breakfast included.
Day 10: Ushuaia & Tierra del Fuego
The Road Ends Here
Today we venture into Tierra del Fuego National Park, where the Andes meet the sea at the very bottom of South America.
With an expert naturalist, we’ll hike through forests and along lakes and dramatic bays to Bahía Lapataia, where Argentina’s National Route 3 comes to an end. We’ll also explore Lago Roca and Bahía Ensenada, surrounded by the rugged mountains and waterways that make this remote landscape so extraordinary.
This is less about checking wildlife off a list and more about experiencing what it feels like to stand at the very edge of a continent.
Breakfast and Lunch included.
Day 11: Ushuaia to Buenos Aires
From Wilderness to Wine
Today we trade Patagonia’s wild landscapes for the energy and elegance of Buenos Aires, Argentina’s cosmopolitan capital.
Tonight, we’ll dive right into Argentine culture with a fun five-course dinner featuring local favorites -- including, of course, Argentine steak -- paired with regional wines. We’ll even learn to make and fold our own empanadas.
After days at the edge of the world, welcome back to civilization!
Breakfast and Dinner included.
Day 12: Explore Buenos Aires
Tango, Anyone?
Today we discover the many personalities of Buenos Aires, from colorful La Boca and historic San Telmo to Plaza de Mayo, the grand Teatro Colón and Recoleta Cemetery, final resting place of Eva Perón.
The afternoon is yours to explore before a fabulous finale tonight. We’ll head to a famous tango club, where we’ll try a few steps ourselves during a tango lesson, then sit back and enjoy the professionals over our farewell dinner.
A fitting finish to an extraordinary Patagonia adventure!
Breakfast and Dinner included.
Day 13: Depart Buenos Aires
Safe travels until we meet again!
Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning.
Breakfast included.
Accommodations
Doubletree by Hilton Santiago Vitacura
Ideally located in the upscale Las Condes neighborhood within easy walking distance of the Costanera Shops. All rooms equiped with Wifi, LCD TV, mini bar, tea and coffee making facilities and ergonomic desk and chair.
Pricing
Double occupancy rates per person - $10,011
Single occupancy rate per person - $12,391
Travel protection per person - $399
A deposit of $250 per person is due upon reservation. Space is limited and reservations are made on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Ask me about airfare as well as extra nights in Santiago pre-tour or Buenos Aires post-tour.
Rates, availability and all terms and conditions subject to change until booking is confirmed.
Contact Margo McDonough at Blue Skies Travel Center today.
302-893-4571 or margo@blueskiestravelcenter.com.
Your Host
About Your Group Trip Coordinator
Margo McDonough started Blue Skies Travel Center in 2016, after earlier work in the travel industry for such companies as J.P. Morgan Chase. She has planned and escorted numerous trips, both domestically and internationally, for local organizations, including University of Delaware’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, Food Bank of Delaware, Kennett Area Community Service, and Traditions at Longwood community.
McDonough is a member of the American Society of Travel Advisors, is fully insured, and is supported by host agency Uniglobe Travel Center and Virtuoso, a luxury travel consortium.
