Our fascinating tour offers a fabulous insight to Patagonia, combining two of South Americas most famous cities, cosmopolitan Santiago with the elegant and vibrant Buenos Aires. Travel through the delightful colonial city of Valparaiso and the contrasting city of 'the Garden city' Vina del Mar. Enjoy a once in a lifetime experience of sailing through magnificent glaciers, possibly spotting dolphins and seals and delight at the dominance of the stunning icebergs.
Escape the hustle and bustle of city life and immerse yourself in the tranquillity of the Pantanal's pristine wilderness, where the sounds of nature and the star-filled skies create a sense of peace and serenity. Nestled in one of the lushest, most picturesque regions of Brazil’s Pantanal, the lodge provides its guests the opportunity to access hundreds of species of wild animals, birds, and fish.
Dinner
Upon arrival in Chile, you'll be transferred to your hotel for check-in. In the afternoon, explore vibrant Santiago, set against the stunning Andes. Visit the city's historic heart, featuring beautiful baroque buildings and Santa Lucia Hill, where Spanish conquistadors founded the city in the 16th century.
If you are arranging your own international flights, free airport transfers are available and included in the price. Transfers need to be booked with us at least two weeks before the tour starts and you will need to provide your inbound and outbound flight details.
Breakfast
Following breakfast, today is a tale of two cities. Valparaiso is a colonial city presenting an excellent example of late 19th century urban and architectural development in Latin America, considered a World Heritage site by UNESCO. Enjoy a ride on a traditional cable car and delight in the outstanding colours of the cliff top homes, bohemian culture and outstanding sea views. Continue to the coastal city of Vina Del Mar, a sharp contrast to neighbouring Valparaiso, known as the 'Garden City', a fascinating and beautiful location where you will enjoy delightfully expansive parks, fabulous architecture and the crystal-clear waters of the Pacific Ocean. There will be an opportunity to visit La Sebastiana museum at an additional fee, famous for inspiring the Chilean Poet Pablo Neruda.
Breakfast
Today is your opportunity to immerse yourself in the vibrant culture and dynamic atmosphere of Santiago at your own pace. Wander through the bustling streets, explore local markets, or visit the city's many museums and galleries. You might choose to stroll through the historic Plaza de Armas, the heart of Santiago.
For those interested in Chilean wine, an optional excursion to the renowned Santa Rita vineyard is available. Here, you can learn about the winemaking process and enjoy a tasting of some of the region's finest wines *At a fee. Must be booked at least 24 hours in advance.
Breakfast
Following breakfast transfer to Santiago airport for your flight to Punta Arenas. On arrival, you will be met and enjoy a tour of the small isolated city of Punta Arenas. Continue to Puerto Natales, gateway to Parque Nacional Torres del Paine. This charming town lies on the shores of the Sound of Ultima Esperanza. After checking into your hotel, the rest of the day is free for you to enjoy at your leisure.
Breakfast & Lunch
Today you will board a ship to sail the Channel of Last Hope, marvel at the awe-inspiring glaciers which sharply pierce the ocean from the southern continental ice field. Enjoy the stunning views as you sail past the famous Heritage Building, a slaughterhouse dating back to 1913 before continuing through the Senorat canal. Hopefully, you will catch sight of the Magellan Dolphins, frequent visitors to this area and possibly as a graceful sea lion whilst admiring the Condor birds by a stunning waterfall.
Disembark for a walk towards the Serrano glacier along the shores of Tempanos Lagoon and through a native forest. The massive icebergs and breathtaking landscapes make for an unforgettable experience. Your guide will share insights into the region's natural wonders, enhancing your appreciation of this unique environment.
Breakfast & Lunch
Prepare for an unforgettable adventure in Torres del Paine National Park, a place of unparalleled natural beauty. Start your day with a scenic drive into the park, where you'll be greeted by the sight of the iconic three granite peaks of the Paine mountain range, soaring up to 2,500 meters above sea level. Your exploration begins with a visit to the park's stunning lakes and waterfalls. Marvel at the turquoise waters of Lake Pehoé and the powerful Salto Grande waterfall. Keep your camera ready to capture the breathtaking landscapes and the diverse wildlife, including guanacos, foxes, and a variety of bird species.
Enjoy a prepared box lunch before embarking on a short hike to Grey Lake. This hike offers spectacular views of the lake's many icebergs, which have calved from the impressive Grey Glacier. As you walk along the shores of the lake, you'll be surrounded by the dramatic scenery of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field. Throughout the day, your guide will share fascinating insights into the park's geology, flora, and fauna, enhancing your appreciation of this unique environment.
Breakfast
After breakfast, begin your journey to Argentina, stopping for lunch en route. Upon arrival, you'll be greeted by your local representative and check in at your hotel in El Calafate, the gateway to the Perito Moreno Glacier.
Breakfast & Dinner
Set off from your hotel towards the awe-inspiring Perito Moreno Glacier, located in Glacier National Park, about 80 km from El Calafate. The journey begins with scenic views of Lake Argentino and Redonda Bay, where you can spot a variety of birdlife. As you travel through the Patagonian steppe, the landscape gradually transforms into lush forests filled with ñires, lengas, and cherry trees as you approach the National Park.
The Perito Moreno Glacier is a colossal river of ice, covering 257 square kilometers, stretching 30 kilometers in length, and 4 kilometers in width. The glacier's front wall towers 50 to 60 meters above the lake, with ice depths reaching 250 to 350 meters. This constantly moving glacier creates dramatic landslides and thunderous ice calving, making it a spectacular natural wonder. Declared a World Heritage Site, the glacier offers an unforgettable visual and auditory experience.
During the excursion, walk along the well-maintained paths that provide various viewpoints of the glacier, allowing you to appreciate its immense size and beauty from different angles. The combination of the glacier's striking blue ice, the surrounding mountains, and the pristine environment makes this a highlight of your trip.
End you day with an included dinner at your hotel tonight.
Breakfast
Spend the day exploring El Calafate at your own pace. You can choose to visit the Glaciarium, a museum dedicated to the geology of glaciers, explore the Laguna Nimez Nature Reserve for birdwatching, learn about Patagonia's history at the El Calafate Historical Interpretation Center, or stroll along Avenida Libertador to enjoy the local atmosphere.
Breakfast
Following breakfast transfer to the airport for your flight to the vibrant city of Buenos Aires. Flight times vary. Upon arrival, settle into your hotel and take some time to relax and unwind after your journey.
Breakfast
Enjoy a half day city tour commencing in the historic Plaza de Mayo, the site of the 1810 revolution and now a hub of political life. From here you will see the Casa Rosada government palace and its famous balcony where Eva Peron used to address the people. Continue to the picturesque and colourful neighbourhood of La Boca with its famous street 'Caminito' whose architecture reflects the European influence of the late 19th century. In the evening marvel at a traditional tango, show whilst enjoying dinner. Tango originated in the 1880 ghettos which were populated by Italian and Spanish immigrants, Africans and Gauchos. From this intersection rose the 'Comrpraditos', whose songs, lyrics, and dances reflect 'el duelo de cuchilleros', or knife fights characteristic of the social ambience. The tango rose from a mix of Cuban and Spanish rhythms, some polka, and according to some, also a bit of African music.
Breakfast & Dinner
Transfer to the airport for your flight to Cuiaba. On arrival you’ll be met and transferred to Pousada do Rio Mutum lodge, passing through a series of traditional villages and beautiful landscapes en route, coloured with vibrant wildlife. After checking in to the lodge, you’ll be taken for an orientation to familiarise yourself with the lodge, the surrounding area, and the activities that are available to you. In the evening a delicious piranha soup will be served as an appetiser with your evening meal. After dinner, there’ll be an evening excursion of nocturnal animal spotting by jeep to introduce you to the surrounding area.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
This morning, enjoy a stroll through the jungle and open fields where you’ll be introduced to the unique, vibrant ecology of the region. Having the largest diversity of bird species in the world, the Pantanal is especially well suited to bird watching. After taking lunch at the lodge there’ll be an afternoon boat ride on the Mutum River where – due to its crystal clear waters – it’s possible to see giant otters, stingrays, and shoals of small fish, whilst on the Mutum river banks, a large variety of birds can be seen.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
After taking breakfast at the lodge you’ll be guided to take a boat ride to Cuiabá Mirim – a small village of fishermen located on the Cuiabá river banks. In the afternoon there’ll be a jeep ride to seek out more of the local wildlife – the trails offer a particularly great opportunity to witness some of the mighty macaws who’ve settled in the area. In the evening you’ll be served a 3 course dinner at the lodge.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Spend the sunrise canoeing on the Mutum river to witness the beauty of the majestic wildlife here in the Pantanal at the break of dawn. For the intrepid travellers amongst you there’s a chance to go horse riding too, and – as the sun begins to set – you'll be treated to an evening boat tour to enjoy the contrasted palette of colours over the rainforest during this magical, twilight hour.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Your final day at the lodge will be a special one, beginning with an early rise to catch the dawn chorus of the Pantanal birdlife from the comfort of your paddleboat on the Cuiabá river. Once you've returned to the lodge you’ll be served breakfast and afterwards you’ll be transferred to the airport for your return flight back to the UK, giving you a chance to look over the amazing photos you’ll have captured from spending the last few days with the spectacular array of wildlife found here.
If you are arranging your own international flights, free airport transfers are available and included in the price. Transfers need to be booked with us at least two weeks before the tour starts and you will need to provide your inbound and outbound flight details.
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The order of events and sightseeing may vary according to local conditions or for operational purposes. The schedules of the domestic airlines in country are subject to frequent changes. For this reason, we have indicated approximate times only. Your local guide will inform you of any schedule changes as they are informed of them. The driving times listed are point to point and do not include the duration of excursions or stops en route. Some road construction and/or weather conditions may lengthen the driving times. Our intention is to adhere to the day-to-day itinerary as printed; however, order of events and sightseeing may vary according to local conditions.
If booking more than 12 weeks before departure a deposit of £295.00pp will need to be paid at the time of booking with the full amount payable at 12 weeks prior to departure. The deposit applies to adults and children. If you are within 12 weeks of travel then the full balance of the holiday will be payable.
To enter Chile, your passport should have an ‘expiry date’ after the day you plan to leave Chile. You can visit Chile for up to 90 days without a visa.
The Chilean immigration authorities will give you a tourist card (‘tarjeta de turismo’), an A5-sized white form. Keep it safe and give it to immigration when you leave the country.
To enter Argentina, your passport must be valid for the proposed duration of your stay. If you are a resident in Argentina, your passport must be valid for entry. You can visit Argentina without a visa for business or tourism for up to 90 days.
We strongly recommend that you and all members of your party are suitably insured as soon as you book your holiday. It is a condition of booking that you must have suitable travel insurance. It is important that you purchase travel insurance that suitably covers your participation in whatever activities you may undertake at the time that you make your booking. To assist you with this, we have arranged travel insurance in partnership with Holiday Extras, including up to a 20% discount, which is given to all Mercury Holidays customers. To arrange your insurance with Holiday Extras, please visit https://www.mercuryholidays.co.uk/info/insurance for more details. Please ensure you provide us with the name of your insurer, policy number and their 24 hour emergency contact number as soon as possible. Mercury Holidays will not be liable for any costs incurred by you due to your failure to take out suitable travel insurance from the date of booking.
It is your responsibility to check any health and vaccination requirements applicable to your booked arrangements. We can only provide general information about this. Health and hygiene facilities and disease risks vary from country to country. You should take health advice about your own needs as early as possible and in good time before your departure. Sources of information include; www.fco.gov.uk, www.travelhealthpro.org.uk/, www.hpa.org.uk, your General Practitioner or a specialist clinic.
This tour is accessible to most people with an average level of fitness and normal mobility. It involves moderate days of walking on uneven paths and small hills and getting on and off coaches and boats. This tour is not suitable for anyone with walking difficulties.
The currency in Chile is the (Chilean Peso (CLP). We recommend that you exchange your currency before you leave the UK. The currency in Argentina is the (Argentinian Peso (ARS). We recommend that you exchange your currency before you leave the UK.
As normal practice you may be asked for your credit card details on check-in at the hotel in order to cover any extras incurred during your stay. If you do not have a credit card, you may be asked for a cash deposit. MasterCard and Visa are widely accepted in hotels as well as American Express.
You will need to take some extra money with you to cover any meals where these are not mentioned on your itinerary and personal purchases, such as souvenirs, drinks and snacks. Approximately (£500-£600) per person should be sufficient for the duration of your tour. Please also bear in mind that there will be several shopping opportunities throughout your tour.
Tipping is at your discretion; however we would recommend approximately ($3.00-5.00) per day. Tips are accepted in the local currency, however it is asked that if you do not tip in the local currency that you only pay with notes, as coins cannot be exchanged.
This is an escorted tour, meaning the you will have the services of an English-speaking guide during each excursion ensuring that you have first-hand knowledge at all times.
Private Tour: If you have booked a private tour then you will be accompanied by a Driver Guide or a Driver and Local Guides. These will be available to you during all scheduled sightseeing. Private Tours can depart on any day of the week depending on flight and train schedules and the opening days of the attractions. They will follow the itinerary as described in the brochure unless you have been advised otherwise and you will still have all of the same meals, sightseeing and local excursions included.
During your extension, you will be accompanied by in-house guides from the lodge during your excursions and activities.
Your accommodation is selected for convenience, location, comfort or character, and can range from business hotels to leisure hotels. Hotel accommodation is generally rated as local three to four-star standard, but please note there is no international classification system for hotels, and differences in facilities and quality do exist compared to what you might expect in the UK. All group tours hotels have private bathroom facilities and air-conditioning, where needed. Rest assured that all accommodation used by Mercury Holidays is regularly inspected by our staff and partners to ensure that standards meet your needs.
Breakfast is always western style and served in the hotel each morning. Dinner (when included) will be taken in local restaurants or at the hotel. A variety of restaurants are visited giving you the chance to experience a range of dishes and flavours.
Vegetarian and Vegan meals can be catered for. Please contact Customer Experience for questions about other dietary requirements or allergy information.
It is important to note that drinking the tap water, even in developed counties, may contain unfamiliar elements that can cause upset stomachs. In less developed countries water is not filtered in the same way as the UK. On your arrival into Chile, you will be given a reusable bottle to carry with you throughout your tour, filtered water will be available throughout your tour for you to refill your bottle.
Upon arrival at Santiago’s Arturo Merino Benitez International Airport, you will be met after exiting baggage claim and Customs by a Southbound representative holding a Mercury sign who will assist with your transfer to the hotel. Should you have difficulty locating the guide, please wait at “La Pica Restaurant” opposite the main exit between gates 3 and 4.
To ensure you meet the correct representative, always ask them to confirm your name; authorized guides will have it on their list. If in doubt, call Southbound Travel at (+56 9) 9639 1191 for assistance.
If you need to contact your representative during you stay the details are:
Chile (Southbound Travel) Address: Cowork Latam Apoquindo Avenue 2930, Las Condes - Santiago-Chile Telephone 24 hour: 00 569 9639 1191 E-mail: emergency@southbound.travel
Argentina (Eurotur) Address: Viamonte 486, Buenos Aire, Argentina Contact number: 0054 11 4312-6077 Email: patricia.parra@eurotur.tur.ar
Argentina: When calling from a UK number: 0054 911 6878 1562
When calling from a local number in Argentina: 11 6878-1562 / 11 4992-136 E-mail: 247@eurotur.tur.ar
Pantanal Wildlife Extension: Blumar, Address: Rua Siqueira Campos, 43 - cob 02, Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, 22031-901 Phone: 0055 21 2142 9300 E-mail: juliepires@blumar.com.br
Emergency contact information: 24-hour phone number: 0055 21 99109 7256
