Patagonia: The Last Wilderness

Few cities can match the unbridled energy of Buenos Aires. Sun-bleached boulevards, fascinating neighborhoods, cutting-edge restaurants and sultry dancehalls set the stage for a festive expression of Argentine identity. Get to know Buenos Aires in the company of your expert Resident Tour Director. Recoleta Cemetery, the Plaza de Mayo, the San Telmo neighborhood and La Boca each add a layer to the city’s mystique. A walk along Caminito Street, with its brightly colored houses and diverse museums, offers easy-going cultural immersion. This evening, gather for a welcome dinner served family style.

Fly to Ushuaia, arriving with enough free time to enjoy your resort’s amenities such as hiking trails and thermal pools. Later, relax with a cocktail before dinner.

The world’s southern-most city, Ushauia is the perfect jumping off point for exploring the Beagle Channel and magnificent Tierra del Fuego. Discover the rich family legacy of Estancia Harberton, a sixth-generation farm and Argentine National Historical Monument. Cruise to Martillo Island for a walk through a teeming rookery of Magellanic penguins, mingling with doting parents and empty nesters alike. Later, relax and embrace the solitude of the primal landscape of Gable Island, where wind, waves and birds make the only sounds.

Take in some of Ushaia’s highlights before flying to El Calafate, a town of well-kept gardens and pretty homes that presents a rustic slice of Patagonian rural life. Serving as the gateway to glacial adventure, El Calafate is nestled on pristine Argentino Lake.

Behold in the rugged natural beauty that surrounds you on a cruise on Argentino Lake that showcases the scenic inlet of Seno Mayo. Get up close to limestone rock formations and take an interpretive walk in the biodiverse Andean Patagonian forest. Continue to Perito Moreno Glacier for a hike along walkways that provide diverse perspectives on the ancient, irresistible mass of ice.

Crossing from Argentina into Chile, arrive in Puerto Natales, in Torres del Paine National Park. Horseback riding, trekking and mountain biking are all on tap at your elegant hotel, so you discover the wild outdoors on your own terms.

Jagged, snow-capped peaks with glaciers sprawled between them soar over deep, rocky fjords filled with icy waters rich in marine life. Along with evergreen forests and the occasional ranch, these are the natural wonders that beckon you to once again roam through Torres del Paine — a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve renowned for its granite spires and deserted pampas. Scan the serrated peaks and you may glimpse a soaring Andean condor riding an updraft. By night, the Patagonian sky is awash with starlight.

Today, A&K makes it possible to personalize your experience with one of these Design Your Day activities.Cruise the Patagonian Fjords to Two Glaciers (weather permitting), witnessing their majesty and power up close.Ride Horseback at Puerto Consuelo, the first ranch in the region, and roam through the surrounding landscapes.Trek to Condor Lookout on Mount Benitez, viewing rock paintings en route and watching condors in flight.Any choice is sure to build an appetite for the interactive experience awaiting you as you help a chef prepare a barbecue and savor the result for dinner.

Fly to Santiago, Chile’s capital, a history-laden city set against the backdrop of the Andes that sits some 2,000 feet above sea level. Your hotel is located in El Golf, Santiago’s most prestigious and refined neighborhood.

Colonial-era architecture takes center stage on visits to the Palacio de La Moneda (presidential palace) and the Plaza de Armas, with its impressive Metropolitan Cathedral and Central Post Office. Ride by cable car up San Cristóbal Hill to behold the graceful statue of the Virgin Mary and take in the expansive views of Santiago for a suitably spectacular finish to your Patagonian adventure. Your touring completed, take your private transfer to the airport for your departing flight.