Hotel Explora in Paine Towers Park Patagonia Plus Highlighting the Best of Patagonia in Argentina and Chile with Buenos Aires, Lake District Crossing, Iguassu Falls, and Rio de Janeiro 22 Days Mare Australis cruise

Locally Hosted Independent Tour Travel period: September - April NOTE: Day of departure entirely dependent on operational logistics

ITINERARY (Subject to change without notice):

Day 1 - Depart USA: Depart Miami, New York or Los Angeles on overnight flight

Day 2 - Arrive Buenos Aires: Morning arrival in Buenos Aires. Meet and transfer to the Alvear Palace Hotel for 3 nights with buffet breakfast daily.

Day 3 - Buenos Aires :   Morning visit to the main points of interest in this sophisticaed, European style city often called "The Paris of SouthAmerica" including historic San Telmo, colorful La Boca, Plaza de Mayo with Casa Rosada, Catheral and Cabildo, fashionable Recoleta among other places of interest. Afternoon at leisure to explore at your own pace. This evening enjoy a cabaret style tango show at the Rojo Tango Experience, including transfers and dinner. (B/DS)

Day 4 - Buenos Aires: Full day at leisure to explore Buenos Aires at your own pace. You might want to explore eclectic Palermo Soho or fashionable Recoleta or the many art galleries and museums in the city. Or you might arrange for a day in the pampas, with a visit to San Antonio de Areco to visit the Gaucho Museum and visit an estancia with traditional "asado" barbeque lunch. (B)

Day 5 - Buenos Aires - Ushuaia: Morning flight south to Ushuaia, southernmost city on earth. Transfer to the charming Hotel Las Hayas, with privileged vistas over the town and bay. In the afternoon, visit the main points of interest in this city, the southernmost on earth, including a visit to the museum with artifacts of the colorful history of the city. (B)

Day 6 - Embarkation on M/V Mare Australis: Morning excursionon the Train at the End of the World, a historic and scenic journey, and on to Lapataia Bay in Tierra del Fuego National park, with lunch and eventual late afternoon transfer to the port for 5PM embarkation on the M/V Mare Australis. (B/L/D)

NOTE: Departure day from Ushuaia might be Wednesday on the Mare Australis or Saturday (Sunday beginning September 2006) on the sistership Via Australis, totally dependent on what works in conjunction with Explora set entry dates. The cruise itineraries are essentially the same. If necessary the itinerary may be reversed in order to coordinate the cruise and Explora.

Day 7 - Cruising Patagonia: Morning navigation through the Beagle Channel and Murray Channel to Cape Horn National Park for debarkation and visit. Cape Horn is and island with a natural sea wall of almost 425 meters high. It's beaches and steep cliffs support a variety of birds, including kelp gees, steamer ducks and blac-browned albatros. It marks the southernmost point of South America and extends into Drake Passage, the antarctic strait connecting the South Atlantic and South Pacific oceans. Later in the day visit the historic Walaia Bay, one of the most important indigenous sites of the region.

Day 8 - Cruising Patagonia: Morning cruise to the Bay of the Gunter Plushow Glacier where you will disembark for a hike near the glacier. Then continue cruising through channels of O'Brian and Ballenero, Desolada Bay, Paso Aguirre and Breakneck Channel. (B/L/D)

Day 9 - Debarkation, Punta Arenas and fly to Santiago: Early morning visit to Magdalena Island with an enormous Magellan penguin colony with over 120,000 in different stages of breeding and historic San Isidro Lighthouse. Return cruise to Punta Arenas for debarkation and transfer to Hotel Jose Nogueira for overnight stay In the afternoon visit the main points of interst of this southernmost city in Chile, including the regional museum for a look at the indigenous peoples, flora and fauna of the area. (B)

Day 10 - Punta Arenas - Paine Towers National Park: Morning pick-up by Explora and transfer into Paine Towers National Park for four night stay at the Hotel Explora. (C/L/D)

Please NOTE: During your stay you will enjoy all meals, an open bar and a daily menu of excursions. Each night the resident guides will discuss the options for activities the next day - they range from half day, easy excursions to full day, difficult excursions and include walks, hikes, treks, horseback riding and motorlaunch excursions. The excursions are designed to give you ample time to explore the beauties of the park. Explora also has its own stables and offers a variety of horseback excursions in the park.

Day 11 - Paine Towers National Park: Today enjoy excursions as offered by the Hotel Explora. (B/L/D)

Day 12 - Paine Towers National Park: Once again, enjoy excursions as offered by the hotel. (B/L/D)

Day 13 - Paine Towers National Park: Once again, enjoy excursions as offered by the hotel. (B/L/D)

Day 14 - Paine Towers National Park - Punta Arenas - Puerto Montt: Morning departure by Hotel Explora van or five hour drive south along the rolling steppes of Patagonia to Punta Arenas airport where you catch your flight north along the Andes to Puerto Montt, gateway to the scenic Lake District of Chile and Argentina. Meeting and transfer to YanKee Way Lodge, on the shores of Lake Llanquihue Lake with spectacular views of Osorno volcano, for dinner and overnight. (B/D)

Day 15 - Puerto Montt - Bariloche: Morning transfer to begin the Lake District crossing. Drive to Petrohue to visit the scnic "rapids" referred to as "waterfalls" and then board your motorlaunch for cruise across spectacular Lake Todos Los Santos, also known as Lake Emerald due to its vivid blue-green coloured waters. The pleasant atmosphere and its natural beauty will impress you. After a two hour journey, arrival in Peulla for motorcoach crossing over the Perez Rosales pass to reach Puerto Frias for Argentine immigration and custom formalities. Then board a launch to cross Lake Frias up to Puerto Alegre for a short bus ride to Puerto Blest where you once again board a launch and cross the beautiful Lake Nahuel Huapi, and Puerto Panuelo for transfer to the Hotel Llao Llao for two night stay. (B)

Day 16 - Bariloche: Day at leisure to explore this charming Alpine-style summer and winter resort town at your own pace or arrange for golf or a spa visit at the hotel. (B)

Day 17 - Bariloche - Buenos Aires - Iguazu Falls: Morning transfer to the airport for flight to Buenos Aires for connecting flight to Iguazu Falls, arriving in the early afternoon.  Meeting and transfer to the Sheraton Iguazu, with Falls view accommodations for your ovenright stay. This afternoon visit the Argentine side of these spectacular falls  with 275 falls spanning a 2-mile wide precipice via a series of walks. One catwak takes you to the edge of Devvil's Throat; two others take you down along the base of falls, offering the "Up Close and Personal" encounter with the falls. (B)

Day 18 - Iguazu Falls - Iguassu Falls - Rio de Janeiro:  In the morning cross over to the Brasilian side of the falls and spend the day exploring, from the Brazilian side, with wide panoramic vistas. Eleanor Roosevelt is said to have exclaimed upon viewing these falls: "Poor Niagara! This makes Niagara look like a kitchen faucet!". You'll also take the Macuco Safari and motorlaunch excursion for a ride along the turbulent river for different views of these falls, including ducks in and out of the cascades themselves. Also stop by the Parque de Aves for a visit to the huge walk-through aviaries and butterfly farm.  Lunch included en route, with late afternoon transfer to the airport for flight to Rio de Janeiro, Cidade Marivilhosa.  Meeting upon arrival and transfer to your hotel, the venerable Copacabana Palace on famed Copacabana beach for three night stay. (B/L)

Day 19 - Rio de Janeiro: Full day excursion discovering the highlights of the "Cidade Maravilhosa". Drive through lush Tijuca Forest and take the modern cogwheel train for 20-minute ascent up famed Corcovado Mountain. Then 220 steps take you to the base of the statue of Christ the Redeemer for a spectacular 360 degree panorama of Rio. Time for photographing Rio from this vantage point. Then continue with two stage cable-car ascent to the summit of Sugar Loaf for yet another panoramic vista of Rio. En route enjoy lunch at one of the popular "churrascarias", Brazil's barbeque restaurant with a never ending array of food! (B/L)

Day 20 - Rio de Janeiro: Day at leisure to explore at your own pace, visit the Hippi Market in Leblon, arrange optional tours, relax on the beach or poolside. This evening you might want to arrange optional dinner at one of Rio's popular seafood restaurants and then take in a two hour samba extravaganza with costumes, music and dance from Rio's famed Carnival. (B)

Day 21- Depart Rio de Janeiro: Another day at leisure to explore Rio at your own pace. No need to hurry through the day as your room is paid for late check-out.  Evening transfer to the airport for your overnight departure flight. (B)

Day 22 - Arrive U.S.A.: Morning arrival in your USA gateway city. Clear immigrations and customs and make connections to your home city.

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