Overview

Patagonia, a mythic land of glaciers, volcanoes, fjords, primeval forests, gauchos, and pampas, beckons the experienced traveler who recognizes its unique charms. Stretching across the southern reaches of Argentina and Chile, it is a world unto itself.




Begin in cosmopolitan Buenos Aires before flying to Ushuaia, the world’s southernmost town and gateway to Tierra del Fuego National Park. Embark the Stella Australis for three days of cruising the fjords of Cape Horn, the Beagle Channel, and the Straits of Magellan. Explore Cape Horn National Park, view glaciers from zodiacs, and watch the antics of Magellenic penguins on Magdalena Island.

Spend four nights at the Explora Lodge in Patagonia’s crown jewel, Torres del Paine National Park, whose surreal windswept steppes, black-slate-covered granite peaks, and sheer, frozen cliffs rank among South America’s most stunning and diverse landscapes. The park is part of the United Nations’ World Network of Biosphere Reserves, and each of its several distinct ecosystems contains a profusion of flora and fauna found nowhere else on Earth.

More than 40 mammals live in the park, including guanacos, pumas, and Patagonian gray foxes, as well as some of the world’s rarest bird species—Andean condors, crested cara caras, and black vultures. Conclude the expedition with the sights and sounds of ice crashing into Lago Argentino from the massive Perito Moreno glacier, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.