On this magnificent trip you will not only follow the route of one of the world’s most important scientists and explorers, but also experience Patagonia’s well-preserved nature at its best: Age-old glaciers, legendary Cape Horn, the Strait of Magellan, the Beagle Channel, Land of Fire and its lush evergreen southern rainforests are only some of the highlight during this trip, which also includes a world class cruise experience connecting Chilean and Argentinean Patagonia.

Day 01: SANTIAGO
Welcome by your guide at Santiago Airport and transfer to your Hotel.
In the afternoon you will get to know the mayor highlights of the Chilean capital. Including visits to the city’s civic centre with the neoclassical La Moneda Palace, the Plaza de Armas, the exuberantly landscaped Santa Lucia Hill and a visit to the traditional handicraft market Pueblito Los Dominicos. Overnight In Santiago.

Day 02: NATIONAL PARK LA CAMPANA & VALPARAISO
“One cannot avoid feeling astonished when thinking about the forces that lifted these mountains, even more so, on the countless centuries that were necessary to flatten out such considerable parts of these colossal masses.” Charles Darwin at La Campana

This is one of the most attractive day excursions from Santiago, combining nature and culture, you will get to experience first hand the same views and scenery that Charles Darwin saw in his visit to Chile in 1834. In the morning you will be picked-up from your hotel to drive north towards La Campana National Park. Here we will reach one of the last remaining habitats of the Chilean palm tree, a species in danger of extinction. The park is ideal for climbing and hiking and has beautiful paths which can be enjoyed all year round. Continuing our tour we will get to Palmar de Ocoa, a place on the northern edge of the park. Its main attraction is the “Kan Kan” or palm tree forest. We will start an easy hike, following a trail along the Rabuco brook to observe the full magnificence of the palm grove with trees up to 30 m / 98 ft and a thousand years old. With a bit of luck we may see wildcats, skunks, eagles and chinchillas and a wide variety of birds. The tour continues with a visit of Valparaíso, the oldest and most important port of Chile. We drive towards the Pacific Ocean, passing the agricultural valleys of Curacaví and Casablanca finally reaching Valparaíso. Valparaiso’s picturesque layout, enhanced by the surrounding hills that seem to dive into the ocean, remind us that this was once the most important maritime destination of the Pacific coast before the Strait of Panama was opened to navigation in 1914. We will visit the old town with its new government house, the Plaza Sotomayor, the Plaza Victoria, the cathedral and the harbour area. Afterwards we will see the colourful hill neighbourhoods. Here, high above the city, there is a fantastic agglomeration of brightly painted houses and a fantastic view over the city. The upper and lower parts of the city are connected with 16 funicular railways constructed around the turn of the century when the city experienced tremendous growth. In the afternoon, return to your hotel in Santiago. (B)

DAY 03: SANTIAGO – PUERTO MONTT – PUERTO VARAS
Pick up at your hotel and drive to Santiago Airport, for your flight to Puerto Montt. After arrival you will visit the most important sights of Puerto Montt. Puerto Montt is the capital of the 10th region and it is the main gateway to the Lake District and Patagonia. It is situated in the middle of the huge Reloncaví Bay. Puerto Montt was founded in 1853 by Don Vicente Pérez Rosales. The German immigrants at that time had a strong influence on its foundation. The main economical activities of Puerto Montt are cattle and dairy farming, agricultural activities, fisheries and salmon farming as well as tourism. Our first site will be the fish- and handicraft market Angelmó. The place is well known for its fresh fish and seafood, local cheese from local farms and other fine and natural products. We may see the local fishermen bringing and selling their fresh fish and seafood. Angelmó is also famous for its typical Chilean handicraft. There are many small shops selling their wool, wood and lapis lazuli crafts. We will continue our tour driving along the coastal road to the city centre to visit the main square, the “Plaza de Armas”. Here we will visit the beautiful church, built in 1856. Afterwards we will drive to nearby Puerto Varas, a beautiful small resort town on the shores of the Llanquihue-Lake. Overnight in Puerto Varas (B)

DAY 04: CHILOÉ ISLAND

“A great number of trees and their flowers release their scent into the air, not dissipating the sense of rain forest … Many dead trees like skeletons give to this forest a solemn characteristic, which one cannot see in the civilized countries” Charles Darwin in Chiloé

This day we will embark on a ferry to cross to the mythical island of Chiloé, the second largest island in Chile (and South America), after the Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego. This beautiful archipelago situated south of Puerto Montt, linked to the mainland by ferries which cross the Chacao channel, is definitely a world apart. Whether on dry land or in their remarkable boats, Chiloé islanders honor the sea and their fascinating legends and myths. Chiloé is an archipelago made up of many islands. One comes across wonderfully structured old churches, colorful markets full of sea and agricultural produce, knitted goods, woven baskets, ornaments and thick pure woolen blankets. Chiloé's unique and delicious local cuisine features Curanto, a local dish consisting of all sorts of shell fish, smoked meats and pork steamed over hot stones sunk into the ground. In part because of its physical isolation from the rest of Chile, Chiloé has a very special architecture and local culture. It has a rich folklore with many mythological beliefs and spirits. The Spanish who arrived in the 16th century and the Jesuit missionaries who followed constructed hundreds of small wooden churches in an attempt to bring God to a pagan land. The result was a mixing of Catholic and pagan beliefs. These unique buildings have been designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Darwin discovered some new species like the unique Fox of Chiloé also called Darwin’s Fox (Lycalopex fulvipes) and a bit furthermore to the south he first described the famous Darwin Frog (Rhinoderma darwinii) endemic to the Chilean Patagonia region. Overnight in Puerto Varas. (B)

DAY 05: PUERTO VARAS – PUERTO MONTT – PUNTA ARENAS
Pick up at your hotel and drive to the Airport Puerto Monnt (flight to Punta Arenas. After arriving and transfer to your hotel, we start to explore the city of Punta Arenas. Our picturesque tour will begin at the Margiorino Borgatello Museum, whose collection includes ethnic Patagonian artefacts, examples of the region's flora and fauna, as well as displays of the social and economic history of the region. We will continue our tour with a visit to monuments like the Ovejero (shepherd), Monument to Ferdinand Magellan, and the Croatian Colonists` Monument, among others. Finally we will visit a lookout on Cerro de la Cruz (Hill of the Cross), where there are spectacular views over the city, the Strait of Magellan and Tierra del Fuego.
(B)

DAY 06: CRUISE FROM PUNTA ARENAS (CHILE) TO USHUAIA (ARGENTINA)

"many glaciers beryl blue most beautiful contrasted with snow" Charles Darwin at the Beagle Channel

Welcome cocktail reception on board. Immediately afterwards the ship departs for the utmost part of the world. Our excursion will take us through the Strait of Magellan and the Beagle Channel, this latter one named after the ship that served Captain Fitz Roy and 22 year old sidekick Darwin to explore one of the most breathtaking wilderness regions in the world: Southern Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego.(B,L,D)

Day 07: Ainsworth Bay - Tucker Islet
At dawn, we continue the navigation through Almirantazgo Sound until finally arriving near Marinelli Glacier in Ainsworth Bay both located in the Darwin mountain range, where we will enjoy a walk to a beaver dam hidden in the midst of a marvellous Magellan forest. On the beach we may observe a colony of elephant seals, to then continue to Tucker Islet, where we view colonies of Magellan Penguins and Cormorants from the Zodiac boats. The islet's penguins migrate in April; as replacement we will visit Brookes Bay for a short walk to see an impressing glacier. (B,L,D)

Day 08: Pia Glacier - Glacier Alley
We will navigate through the main part of Beagle Channel to reach Pia Bay, where we disembark near Pia Glacier. We will take a short hike to a lookout point with a spectacular view of the entire glacier tongue, stretching from high up in the mountains all the way down to the sea. After this unforgettable experience, we will continue sailing along the northwest arm of Beagle Channel through the majestic "Glacier Alley": Spain, Romanche, Germany, Italy, France and Holland Glaciers. Surpassing the beauty of some local National Parks, these extreme Patagonian landscapes will probably leave you in awe. (B,L,D)

Day 09: Cape Horn - Wulaia Bay
“There is something very solemn in these scenes, at no time does the consciousness in what a remote corner of the world you are then standing come so strongly before the mind." Charles Darwin about Cape Horn

We will sail through the Beagle and Murria channels to reach Cape Horn National Park (weather permitting). Cape Horn, on Hornos Island, is a sheer 425 m (1,394 ft) high rocky promontory at the meeting point of the Atlantic and the Pacific Ocean. This mythical place is known as the "end of the world" and a visit is a singular privilege. The park was declared a World Biosphere Reserve by the UNESCO in June 2005. In the afternoon, we will go ashore in historic Wulaia Bay, once the site of one of the region's largest aboriginal settlements. This area is also renowned for the mesmerizing beauty of its vegetation and geography. Walking through Magellan forest of Lengas, Coigües, Canelos, ferns and other native vegetation, we will reach a lookout point. By doing so we will be able to experience the essence of Patagonia, a place of many contrasts and landscapes that keeps on inspiring all travellers that decide to set foot on such a remote destination.(B,L,D)

Day 10: USHUAIA
Arrival to Ushuaia, Argentina's most important city in Tierra del Fuego, and the southernmost city of the world. Located on the Martial mountain range, it was built on different levels, which combined with its colourful nature, makes it very attractive. Facing the bay that gave name to the city and with views of Navarino and Hote Islands (Chile), Ushuaia is home of 40000 inhabitants. Our tour will take you to such spots as the old quarter of the city and the harbour, all of this through the steep streets that go up and down the mountain. This way we will get some of the colourful sights that Ushuaia is famous for. We will finish our excursion by visiting the End of the World Museum, which is located in one of the cities oldest buildings. Souvenirs, postcards and books can be purchased here. In addition to this, your passports will be stamped as a reminder for visitors that have visited the southernmost city in the world. (B)

DAY 11: USHUAIA – BUENOS AIRES
This day our transfer will pick you up from your hotel and take you to Utopia’s airport, from where you will fly to the spectacular city of Buenos Aires, famously known for its architecture and night life you will get to experience one of South America’s most cosmopolitan cities. (B)

DAY 12: BUENOS AIRES CITY TOUR
This Day you will visit the most famous districts of Buenos Aires, discovering the history and present of the city. We will start off at the famous “Plaza de Mayo”, and then venture out to the old “tango” districts of Buenos Aires: Monserrat, San Telmo and la Boca. We will then move on to the busiest areas - Puerto Madero, Retiro and Plaza San Martín - and then, districts with wonderful green spaces and old residences: Palermo and Recoleta. (B)

DAY 13: BUENOS AIRES
Transfer to Buenos Aires Airport. International Flight.(B)