Chiloe and Patagonian Lakes

Arrival in Buenos Aires, Argentina’s elegant, historic and cosmopolitan capital. This evening we will have a welcome dinner at one of Buenos Aires premier establishments.

Enjoy a privately guided tour of this fascinating city. The tour will take in the main highlights, but our guide will also help us to really get under the skin of Buenos Aires. In the evening we will enjoy a unique dining experience which cleverly blends exquisite food and wine, local culture and social integration. We will learn how to make traditional empanadas, even competing against our fellow guests.

Today we take a flight to Bariloche. San Carlos de Bariloche lies on the southern shores of Lake Nahuel Huapi in the foothills of the Andes. Its location is stunning, with its Alpine-styled architecture, its picturesque lakeside setting overlooked by mountains and forests as well as numerous boutique chocolate shops and St. Bernard dogs, the city has a Swiss-like atmosphere.

This morning we leave the city behind to take in the breath-taking views offered by Llao Llao Peninsula’s short circuit tour. Home to a number of protected species as well as the iconic Llao Llao Hotel, the peninsula is nothing short of spectacular. We begin on the southern shore of the famous Lake Nahuel Huapi before heading to Mt Campanario where we take a 10-minute chairlift ride to the top of the mountain. The afternoon is free to enjoy Bariloche town.

It’s time for the wonderful 7 Lakes Drive!
Today we will drive towards the north, skirting Lake Nahuel Huapi to Villa La Angostura and on to San Martin. This is the famous Seven Lakes Route, on which you will see the beautiful Lakes Espejo, Correntoso, Escondido, Villarino, Falkner, Machónico and Lácar. On the way back to Bariloche we pass by the meeting point of the Traful and Limay rivers, where the spectacular Enchanted Valley is located.

From Bariloche, our journey across the border to Chile will be a combination of scenic bus rides and lake crossings. We take Swiss-style architecture, lakeside drives and cross the Andes at an altitude of 976m. We will cruise on Lake Todos Los Santos, one of Chile’s most beautiful lakes with spectacular volcano and mountain views when the weather is clear. Puerto Varas and Puerto Montt lie at the southern end of the Lake District under the shadow of the snow-capped Osorno and Calbuco volcanoes.

Today we will visit two of the region's most stunning natural wonders, the Osorno Volcano and Petrohué Falls. Despite its low altitude, the upper slopes of Osorno volcano are covered in glaciers and the views from the top are truly spectacular. From here we continue to the Pertohué Falls located deep in the Vincente Perez Rosales National Park. The chute-type, icy cold, blue-green falls stem from the Todos los Santos Lake the next and final stop on today's trip.

We sail to Chiloe Island, perhaps encountering sealions, pelicans and sea birds native to this area. On Chiloe Island we will head to Ancud city to visit the San Antonio Fort; an historic landmark that is one of the last Spanish fortifications in Chile.
We continue to Dalcahue to visit an interesting Palafito market. The wooden based construction is built over the water with a spectacular sea view. We also take in the Handicraft Market and walk to the local World Heritage listed church.

Today we head south from Castro and can enjoy the country life as we pass small farms dotted with grazing animals and several beautiful lakes. Arriving at Chiloé National Park we´ll do an easy hike in the forest which is home to an important biodiversity of species. After our hike, we´ll visit the indigenous community of Quilque, where we´ll enjoy a local light lunch and then stop at Chonchi to visit its World Heritage wooden church.

We depart Chiloe Island by ferry and return to Puerto Montt, stopping at Angelmó, a small bay at the west end of Puerto Montt. Angelmó can be divided into two main areas. The first part is a long street bursting with many stalls selling traditional Chilean handicrafts. The second area is the harbour where we will find the fish market and restaurants. Angelmó is a seafood extravaganza with a large variety of fresh fish and seafood.

Depart Puerto Montt with wonderful memories, and a new respect of our wonderful planet courtesy of Patagonia.