Patagonia: Journey to the End of the World with Easter Island (SFQ)

18 days from Santiago to Buenos Aires

2023 Tour Details

Whereas most fairy tales conclude with “The End,” that is exactly where this one begins. In this vast kingdom of jagged peaks, massive fjords, and imposing glaciers stretching across the southernmost tips of Argentina and Chile, you are the sovereign of this dramatic domain affectionately referred to as the “end of the world.” Surrounded by the granite pillars of Torres Del Paine National Park, standing tall before the advancing Perito Moreno Glacier, and cruising through the majestic scenery of the Beagle Channel, you will reign before glorious vistas, bask in triumphant scenery, and even prevail over a colony of Magellan penguins on this tour of pristine Patagonia. As no ordinary toast will do for such a colossal experience, you’ll rejoin civilization in Buenos Aires to raise your glass to the ornate teatros, the charming tea rooms, and of course, the steamy tango. Leave no stone uncovered on the hunt for archaeological treasures on the world’s most isolated inhabited island. Home to the world’s largest open-air museum and nearly 1,000 mysterious Moai statues, Chile’s Easter Island is an intriguing extension to your South America vacation.

To know more about the visas for this vacation, click here

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 DESTINATIONS & SIGHTSEEING

Sightseeing:

EASTER ISLAND
Two days of guided sightseeing

SANTIAGO
LF Visit Santa Rita Winery with a wine-making experience; Santiago sightseeing with a Local Guide; visit La Vega Central Market and a local pub

PUERTO NATALES
Visit Milódon Cave

TORRES DEL PAINE NATIONAL PARK
Stay inside the national park; Torres del Paine National Park sightseeing, view Lago Grey; see Los Cuernos, Salto Grande, Laguna Azul, Cascada Paine, and Laguna Inges; Organic cocktail demonstration

EL CALAFATE
Cruise Lago Argentino, see Upsala Glacier, and visit Estancia Cristina; visit Los Glaciares National Park and Perito Moreno Glacier

USHUAIA
LF Cruise the Beagle Channel to Martillo Island; visit Tierra del Fuego National Park

BUENOS AIRES
LF Private wine tasting with sommelier and dinner at a local restaurant; city sightseeing with a Local Guide; visit the Metropolitan Cathedral and Recoleta Cemetery; LF Tango lesson, dinner, and Tango show

Notes:

  • Participation in this tour requires guest's name exactly as it appears on his/her passport, D.O.B., gender, and nationality at the time of booking.

 Meals

 Meals & Itinerary

Breakfast daily, 8 lunches, 5 dinners

 Itinerary

Day 1

ARRIVE IN SANTIAGO, CHILE Welcome to Chile!
Be met by a Globus representative.

Day 2

SANTIAGO–EASTER ISLAND Island Intrigue
Fly from Santiago to Easter Island, considered the world’s largest open-air museum, boasting over 400 moai, ruins, and temples.
Breakfast Breakfast

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
HISTORY & MYSTERY Check off this bucket list destination when you travel to the most remote island in the world. Located 2,200 miles off the coast of Chile, this island is a territory of Chile but, feels more like Polynesia. At the time of the arrival of the Europeans in the 18th Century, the island had been completely decimated of all resources, the population was no larger than 700 people, the now famous moai toppled, and history forgotten. Many mysteries endure around the island’s history.

Day 3

EASTER ISLAND Curious Quarries
Your first stop on your private tour will be Ahu Vaihu, where eight large moai lie in ruins. Continue on to Ahu Akahanga. According to legend, this is the burial site of the first king of Easter Island (Hotu Matu’a). Next, at the Rano Raraku quarry, you’ll find 394 statues in various stages of completion. It appears that the moai production was abruptly abandoned, leaving us a frozen snapshot that reveals how the moai were carved out of volcanic rocks. At Ahu Tongariki, see 15 beautifully restored moai, and at Ahu Te Pito Kura, see the largest moai ever transported and erected. Last stop is the beach of Anakena, where King Hotu Matu’a first landed on Rapa Nui.
Breakfast Breakfast Lunch Lunch

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
LEGENDS & LORE Over 600 of these massive volcanic rock sculptures pepper the island and many date back to 700 AD. Each of these structures, some close to 40 feet tall and 80 tons, were carved from one single rock. If an imperfection was found, it was abandoned. It remains an enigma how these massive moai were transported from there quarries. Now you get the opportunity to stand next to one and arrive at your own theory!

Day 4

EASTER ISLAND Cauldrons & Cryptic Carvings
This morning, your private tour visits the Rano Kau Volcano, with a caldera that contains one of the island’s freshwater lakes. At the nearby ceremonial village of Orongo, see the restored houses and remains of an ancient Ahu. Head to Ana Kai Tagata, an ancient cave with wall paintings on the rock. This afternoon, visit Ahu Akivi, with seven restored moais in the middle of the island. According to legend, the statues represent the seven scouts sent to Easter Island by King Hotu Matu’a. Finally, visit the Puna Pau topknot quarry with its red scoria stone, where the Pukaos on top of the moai were made.
Breakfast Breakfast

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
HISTORIC SPOT Hear the legend of The Birdman Competition on an excursion to the sacred site of Orongo, where an ancient annual competition began at the sacred site of Orongo and was used to determine the Birdman, a sacred position, for the year. The challenge required contestants (appointed by a sponsor) to descend the steep cliffs from Orongo, swim offshore to an islet, and wait for the first tern egg of the season, and then return it safely to their sponsor at Orongo. Upon delivery of the egg, the sponsor became a leader of the island for the year.

Day 5

EASTER ISLAND–SANTIAGO Return to Santiago.

Day 6

SANTIAGO On the Town in Santiago
Today is free for exploring on your own.
Breakfast Breakfast

FREE TIME TIPS
EXPLORE MORE Stroll the vibrant streets of Santiago to explore art galleries, museums, shops, and restaurants. Browse the Central Market for traditional Chilean cuisine or take in the views with a hike through the surrounding hillsides. Later, enjoy a night out in any one of the city’s exciting spots in Barrio Bellavista.

Day 7

SANTIAGO Toasts of the Town
After breakfast, embark on a city tour with a Local Guide who will show you the highlights of this great city of colonial and contemporary contrasts. See the famous Government Palace, Plaza de Armas, the Cathedral, and Santa Lucia Hill. After lunch at a local restaurant, visit La Vega Central Market to learn about traditional Chilean food including steaming pots of cazuela and humitas, similar to tamales! Enjoy a terremoto cocktail (meaning ‘earthquake’ and made of Chilean wine, liqueur, and sorbet) at a local pub before a visit to Cerro San Cristobal for stunning views of Santiago and the Andes.
Breakfast Breakfast Lunch Lunch

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
LOCAL TASTES Visit La Vega Central Market, the area’s largest local market housing more than 2,000 traders selling the most local produce, where. A majority of local restauranteurs source their ingredients. During your visit, discover not only typical Chilean foods but also food from neighbouring countries as well.

Day 8

SANTIAGO–PUNTA ARENAS–PUERTO NATALES Patagonia Pleasures
Depart Santiago and fly to Punta Arenas on the Strait of Magellan, gateway to Chile's Patagonia. Head to Puerto Natales on a scenic drive through the Patagonian steppe passing rivers, forests, mountains, and ranches. Enjoy dinner at the hotel tonight.
Breakfast Breakfast Lunch Lunch Dinner Dinner

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
EPIC RIDE Your drive today takes you through the Patagonian steppe or desert. Keep an eye out for guanacos (a type of camelid) commonly found in this region, along with condors, fox, chinchilla, and, for the very lucky, the more elusive puma.

Day 9

PUERTO NATALES–TORRES DEL PAINE NATIONAL PARK Fossils, Flora & Fauna
Visit the legendary Milódon Cave, where prehistoric fossils dating back 14,000 years ago, including those of a saber-toothed tiger and a gigantic sloth weighing over a ton, have been found. Venture into Torres del Paine, one of the most spectacularly scenic regions in the world. During your visits to see the famous sites, including Los Cuernos, Lago Pehoe, and Salto Grande, you are guaranteed to get a glimpse of some of the park’s fauna, such as herds of guanacos, foxes, swans, and birds. Also stop at Lago Grey to see the imposing Grey Glacier, floating icebergs, and the beautiful views and rugged landscapes! Arrive at your hotel where you will be treated to an organic cocktail demonstration which includes a walk through the garden to pick the ingredients followed by a lesson to learn how to make popular drinks from the region. Dinner is at the hotel this evening.
Breakfast Breakfast Lunch Lunch Dinner Dinner

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
NATURAL WONDERS Spanning a massive area, this park was named a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1978. Cascading waterfalls, roaring creeks, shimmering lakes, and jagged mountains are just a part of what Paine offers.

Day 10

TORRES DEL PAINE NATIONAL PARK Peak Perfection
Today, enjoy a full day exploring the park. See Los Cuernos, or “the horns,” the iconic jagged granite peaks that loom over the windswept plains. Next, view the spectacular waterfall, Salto Grande in the park’s lake district. After lunch at the hotel, head to the Laguna Azul where you have a good chance of seeing some of the park’s wildlife, including guanacos and condors. End the day at Cascada Paine, a beautiful waterfall surrounded by rugged vistas.
Breakfast Breakfast Lunch Lunch Dinner Dinner

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
PICTURE PERFECT Discover the breathtaking beauty of Torres del Paine, considered by many who visit to be the world's most spectacular national park. From its dramatic and jagged peaks to the deep blue lakes and vast grasslands, its glacial lakes and rivers will sweep you away into a world unlike any other.

Day 11

TORRES DEL PAINE NATIONAL PARK–EL CALAFATE, ARGENTINA Earthly Treasures
After breakfast, take an easy guided hike to Laguna Ines in search of an array of birds and other wildlife that can be found here. Next, depart for El Calafate, a lovely village on the southern shores of Lake Argentino. Originally a simple sheltering destination for wool traders, today El Calafate serves as the entry point for the UNESCO Natural Heritage Site of Los Glaciares National Park.
Breakfast Breakfast Lunch Lunch

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
EPIC RIDE Leave Chile today for Argentina and its breathtaking Patagonian landscapes. Sit back and relax today as you cross the border while admiring the rugged landscape, glacial lakes, and maybe even some Patagonian wildlife.

Day 12

EL CALAFATE. GLACIER CRUISE & ESTANCIA CRISTINA Ice Sculpture & Lake Shores
Today, a cruise on Lago Argentino takes you up close for views of icebergs and Upsala Glacier, one of the longest in South America at over 35 miles long. Disembark at a historic ranch, Estancia Cristina, on the shores of Lago Argentino. Whether you prefer a quiet day of touring and history or more adventurous activities, like trekking or exploring by 4-wheel-drive vehicle—the choice is yours during your ranch visit.
Breakfast Breakfast Lunch Lunch

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
TIMELESS TRADITION Spend time today at Estancia Cristina, a local ranch dating back to 1914 found deep in remote Patagonia in Los Glaciares National Park. Your time on the ranch can be spent as you please: horseback riding, hiking, 4x4 excursion, or relaxing at the ranch.

Day 13

EL CALAFATE. EXCURSION TO PERITO MORENO GLACIER 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 your walking tour along the catwalks, marvel at the breathtaking glacier views and, with some luck, see the ice calve and break into the waters below.
Breakfast Breakfast

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
SPECTACULAR SIGHTS 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.

Day 14

EL CALAFATE–USHUAIA A Wilderness at the End of the World
After breakfast, fly to Ushuaia, Argentina—the end of the world! You’ll have the opportunity to see the Andes Mountains from a LF cruise along Beagle Channel. Bask in the feeling of being in the southernmost city in the world, and watch for sea lions, albatrosses, skuas, and other interesting Patagonian fauna. Arrive at Martillo Island, where you have the chance to see a colony of Magellan penguins!
Breakfast Breakfast

LOCAL FAVORITE
WILD WONDERS Visit Martillo Island, home to a colony of Magellanic penguins on an island in Tierra del Fuego. Discover the burrows and nests in the ground and learn about the different types of penguins found in this remote part of the world.

Day 15

USHUAIA. TIERRA DEL FUEGO NATIONAL PARK EXCURSION A Fragile Land of Fire
Today, discover Tierra del Fuego National Park, the southernmost national park in the world. Hike around the park, escorted by an expert Naturalist. With stops at Bahia Lapataia, Lago Roca, and Bahia Ensenada, you’ll gain a deeper appreciation for the delicate ecosystems here.
Breakfast Breakfast Lunch Lunch

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
NATURAL WONDERS Explore the southernmost national park in the world and all its wonders in Tierra del Fuego National Park. Look skyward to spot any of the 50 fascinating bird species who call this paradise home, including Magellanic woodpecker, Andean condor, and austral parakeet. Closer to earth, you’ll watch for other inhabitants like red foxes, muskrats, and guanaco.

Day 16

USHUAIA–BUENOS AIRES The Boulevards of Buenos Aires
Fly to Buenos Aires today, the “Paris of South America” and capital of Argentina. Fabulous food, shopping, and architecture all converge here to create a distinctly Latin vibe. Tonight, enjoy LF Argentinian dinner party with local specialties and wine.
Breakfast Breakfast Dinner Dinner

LOCAL FAVORITE
LOCAL TASTES Tonight’s dinner is an Argentine Experience! Enjoy a five-course dinner of Argentina’s most famous food (including steak) paired with a variety of the region’s wines. You will also learn how to make your own empanada along with the different folding techniques as well.

Day 17

BUENOS AIRES Dinner, Dancing & Dazzling
Your included sightseeing this morning starts in La Boca, a vibrant district and site of the city’s first port. Take a short walking tour of this unique enclave at the mouth of the river and then on to San Telmo, famous for its late-colonial buildings and as a popular gathering spot for artists. At the Plaza de Mayo, see La Casa Rosada (the President’s Pink House) and the Metropolitan Cathedral, which houses San Martin’s Mausoleum. Drive past the ornate Teatro Colón opera house before reaching Recoleta Cemetery, burial site of Eva Perón. After an afternoon at leisure, top off the evening at a famous Tango club. Start with a LF dance lesson, followed by a farewell dinner of Argentine steaks and other local specialties, and end with a show featuring flawless performances of Latin America’s most sensuous dance—the Tango!
Breakfast Breakfast Dinner Dinner

LOCAL FAVORITE
CULTURAL GEMS The Tango and Argentina go hand in hand and tonight you will visit a local milonga, or tango house, where professional tango dancers teach the traditional techniques of the Argentine Tango. After learning some of the key dance moves, the professionals will delight you in Tango Show featuring the dance as it has evolved through the ages. Plus, dine on Argentine specialties and wine too!

Day 18

BUENOS AIRES Safe travels until we meet again!
Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning.
Breakfast Breakfast

 Tour Director

With Globus, there’s no better way to get to know your destination than through the eyes of your Tour Director. Averaging over a decade... we’d like you to meet a Tour Director, who is representative of the type of expert that will be with you on your vacation.

FERNANDO BORDALLO

Escorting tours for more than 20 years

"Born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, I speak English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese. I became a Tour Director in 1986, and I love my work. It's so great to see guests engage with the diversity of South American countries -their traditions and contrasts. I love sharing the history of these countries, watching the group interact during the trip, and knowing I play a fundamental role in the success of the trip."

Tour Director -  FERNANDO BORDALLO

 Accommodations

SANTIAGO

HYATT CENTRIC LAS CONDES SANTIAGO

Hotel as shown or similar
First-Class
  Free Wifi

EASTER ISLAND

HOTEL TAHA TAI

Hotel as shown or similar
Moderate First-Class
  Free Wifi

PUERTO NATALES/PATAGONIA

REMOTA

Hotel as shown or similar
Superior First-Class
  Free Wifi

TORRES DEL PAINE/PATAGONIA

HOTEL LAS TORRES

Hotel as shown or similar
Superior First-Class
  Free Wifi

EL CALAFATE

KOSTEN AIKE

Hotel as shown or similar
Moderate Deluxe
  Free Wifi

USHUAIA

CILENE DEL FARO

Hotel as shown or similar
First-Class
  Free Wifi

BUENOS AIRES

HILTON BUENOS AIRES

Hotel as shown or similar
Deluxe
  Free Wifi

 Optional Excursions

Contact your Travel Consultant for more information.
Price Ranges

$ ($50 USD and under)
$$ ($51 - $100 USD)
$$$ ($101 - $150 USD)
$$$$ (Over $150)



* The "Starting at" or listed price is based on the lowest price available to book. Price is per passenger based on double occupancy and does not include airfare; additional fees/charges are not included. If a price is crossed out, the new price includes a limited time promotional offer(s) – please review current promotions or deals for additional information. Some tours require intra-vacation flights (and in some cases intra-vacation segments must be purchased from Globus).