Sample the unique cultures of South America on this thrilling vacation to Brazil, Argentina, and Chile, including stays in Rio de Janeiro, Iguassu Falls, Buenos Aires, Bariloche, Santiago, and Easter Island. On this tour, you’ll see some amazing scenery and natural wonders, including Iguassu Falls, located on the border of Brazil and Argentina. See the falls from both sides—with their thunderous roar, torrential downpour, and brilliant rainbows. Everywhere you look, there is water pouring down! Words cannot describe the sheer wonder of the falls! But that’s not all…even more beauty awaits you in Bariloche, which boasts some of Argentina’s most glorious scenery. Take a chairlift ride to a lookout point at Cerro Campanario, rated one of the top 10 viewing spots by National Geographic. Experience breathtaking panoramic views and breathe fresh mountain air. In addition to beautiful scenery, you’ll also experience the vibrant cities—Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, and Santiago—and enjoy a guided sightseeing tour in each city. A highlight of any trip to Rio is the Christ the Redeemer statue, the 98-foot statue of Jesus that was elected a New Seven Wonders of the World. In Buenos Aires, stroll the streets of this friendly town and experience a Tango show—a passionate, sizzling dance. You’ll even have the chance to dance the Tango at a lesson! Outside of Buenos Aires, visit an estancia (ranch) to learn about the life of gauchos (cowboys). In Santiago, you’ll have an opportunity to take an optional excursion to Chile’s wine country. Finally, be amazed in Easter Island, one of the most isolated islands on earth. By about 300 AD, a small group of Polynesian seafarers settled on the island, and they eventually began carving the hundreds of giant stone head statues—called moai—that still pepper the island. You’ll have an opportunity to see the moai as well as visit the volcano and caves. From the lakes and mountains to the towns and cities, this vacation through South America is a remarkable adventure!
Itinerary:
Day #1 Arrive in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Welcome to South America’s largest and most populous country. This afternoon, meet your Tour Director and fellow traveling companions for a drive along famous Ipanema and Copacabana Beaches to the base of 1,300-foot-high SUGAR LOAF MOUNTAIN. Ascend by cable car to its summit, where you can savor spectacular vistas of the city. Next, toast the start of a memorable vacation at a local restaurant with caipirinhas, a favorite Brazilian cocktail. Cap off the evening with a welcome dinner. (D)
Day #2 Rio de Janeiro. Today, visit the statue of Christ the Redeemer crowning CORCOVADO MOUNTAIN, a rounded peak rising 2,300 feet from the bay below. Take the scenic cog railway ride to its top, where a 360-degree panorama affords sweeping views. Proceed to bustling downtown Rio. View the Sambodromo and visit the CATHEDRAL. This evening, it’s off to a CHURRASCARIA for a feast of barbecued meats marinated and roasted over charcoal in true Brazilian style. Later, experience a SAMBA SHOW, where the sheer vitality of this country explodes in a colorful extravaganza. (B,D)
Day #3 Rio de Janeiro. A day of leisure or you may wish to enjoy a Guanabara Bay cruise, offering spectacular views of Rio and its beaches. This afternoon, consider an optional trip to historic Petropolis, once the former summer palace of Emperor Dom Pedro II and now a mountain resort. (B)
Day #4 Rio de Janeiro–Iguassu Falls. A flight from Rio takes you to IGUASSU FALLS. Experience the clouds of spray, the incessant roar, and the surrounding luxuriant tropical growth that make this an unforgettable natural wonder. Spend the afternoon enjoying the magnificent panorama of waterfalls from the Brazilian side. Your Local Guide introduces the spectacle of this 2-mile-wide torrential downpour, with some cataracts as high as 250 feet, which is nothing short of hypnotic. (B,D)
Day #5 Iguassu Falls. Today, journey to the Argentine side of IGUASSU FALLS, where you will take the ECOLOGICAL JUNGLE TRAIN and enjoy a closer perspective on a walking tour of the falls. Meander along the walkways from atop the falls, and enjoy an exhilarating perspective looking over the precipice of the falls as the water plunges to the rocks below. You will also have the chance to walk through the rainforest on the lower falls trails that will bring you up close to some of the smaller cataracts. Return to the hotel, where the remainder of the day is at your leisure. (B)
Day #6 Iguassu Falls–Buenos Aires, Argentina. Today, fly to Buenos Aires. After arriving, an orientation walk acquaints you with the “Paris of South America” and its wide boulevards and outdoor cafés. (B)
Day #7 Buenos Aires. Your sightseeing starts in La Boca, a colorful district and site of the city’s first port. Take a short walking tour of this unique neighborhood and then on to San Telmo, famous for its late-colonial buildings and a popular gathering spot for artists. At Plaza de Mayo, see La Casa Rosada (the President’s Pink House) and the METROPOLITAN CATHEDRAL, housing San Martin’s Mausoleum. Drive past the ornate Colon Opera House before reaching the CEMETERY OF THE RECOLETA, burial site of Eva Peron. After an afternoon at leisure, top off the evening at a famous TANGO CLUB. Start with a [LF] DANCE LESSON followed by dinner of Argentine steaks and other local specialties and end with a show featuring flawless performances of Latin America’s most sensuous dance—the Tango! (B,D)
Day #8 Buenos Aires. Enjoy a full day at leisure, with an optional excursion to visit another South American country—Uruguay. Travel by catamaran to the World Heritage City of Colonia del Sacramento. Founded by Portuguese settlers from Brazil in 1680, this town held a strategic position as a smuggling outpost for transporting British goods across the Rio de la Plata into the Spanish colonies throughout the 17th century. Today, its charm lies in its narrow streets and colonial buildings. (B)
Day #9 Buenos Aires. Excursion to the Pampas. Today, head into the heart of the pampas (grasslands) and immerse yourself in the atmosphere of rural, country life at a working [LF] ARGENTINE ESTANCIA (ranch). After a traditional welcome with empanadas and local beverages, get acquainted with the lifestyle of real gauchos (cowboys) on a horseback ride or carriage ride through the pampas. Later, at lunch, enjoy a colorful feast, complete with world-renowned Argentine beef, salad, desserts, local wine, and live music and dance by the gauchos themselves. Top off the day with a horsemanship show by the gauchos before saying adios to the countryside and heading back to the city. (B,L)
Day #10 Buenos Aires–Bariloche. Fly south to Bariloche in Patagonia on the shores of fjord-like Lago Nahuel Huapi in the heart of Argentina’s Lake District. Arrive in the early evening, with time to enjoy a leisurely stroll through the picturesque town center. See the city hall, the clock tower in Municipality Square, and the famous chocolate factories. (B,D)
Day #11 Bariloche. This chic alpine resort boasts some of the most glorious scenery in the country. Cameras should be ready for today’s chairlift ride to a lookout point at CERRO CAMPANARIO. You’ll want to capture the vistas of surrounding lakes and Andes mountain peaks. The tour continues with a leisurely drive around the Llao Llao Peninsula, Lago Moreno, and Lopez Bay. (B,L)
Day #12 Bariloche–Puerto Varas, Chile. Set out today for your [LF] ANDES LAKE CROSSING! Board a boat for the CRUISE across Lago Nahuel Huapi to Puerto Blest. Proceed by motorcoach and see emerald lakes, thick pine forests, and the snowcapped peaks of the Andes Mountains. Look out for soaring Osorno Volcano as you cross Lago Todos los Santos by CATAMARAN. Skirt the southern shore of Lago Llanquihue on the way to Puerto Varas. Drive to your hotel along the rosebush-lined streets of this lakeside resort. (B,L,D)
Day #13 Puerto Varas–Puerto Montt–Santiago. Your morning tour of the nearby seaport of Puerto Montt in Chilean Patagonia takes you to the harbor brimming with fishing vessels and along a busy waterfront lined with seafood stalls. Transfer to the airport for your flight north to Santiago. Perched between the Pacific Ocean and the Andes, Santiago has evolved as the country’s political, commercial, and cultural capital. Tonight, dinner is at the hotel. (B,D)
Day #14 Santiago. Today, your Local Guide traces the city’s history and heritage on a guided city tour. Start at La Moneda, the official Government Palace, before heading to the Plaza de Armas, the main square, with a visit to the 18th-century CATHEDRAL. Your afternoon is at leisure. This evening, you may opt to join a Chilean Folkloric Dinner Show. (B)
Day #15 Santiago. The day is free for independent activities. You may want to take advantage of an optional excursion to the beautiful coastal region west of Santiago. Drive through the hills of Chile’s wine country to the historic port of Valparaiso, and continue along the coast to nearby Viña del Mar. Tonight, your Tour Director hosts a special farewell dinner to celebrate a great touring adventure. (B,D)
Day #16 Santiago–Easter Island. Fly from Santiago to Easter Island, considered the “world’s largest open-air museum.” (B)
Day #17 Easter Island. Spend the day exploring Rapa Nui (Easter Island) with a Local Guide. Your first stop will be AHU VAIHU, where eight large moai lie in ruins, then on to AHU AKAHANGA, also known as the platform of the king. According to legends, this is where the first king of Easter Island is buried. Continue to RANO RARAKU, the volcano where 95% of all moai were carved. Today you’ll find 394 statues remaining in various stages of completion. Hike to the top of the volcano to reveal many statues and admire the spectacular view of the lake. Next, visit restored AHU TONGARIKI. This magnificent platform is the largest on the island, with 15 moai. Continue along the north coast through La Perousse Bay and stop at AHU TE PITO KURA, site of the largest moai ever transported and erected. Last stop is the beach of Anakena, where King Hotu Matua first landed on Rapa Nui. (B,L)
Day #18 Easter Island. Another full day to explore this UNESCO World Heritage Site with your Local Guide. This morning, visit the volcano RANO KAU. Its caldera contains one of the island’s freshwater lakes. On to the nearby village of ORONGO, best known for its birdman cult celebration. Here, 47 houses have been restored. In AHU VINAPU you will see two major ahu where moai once stood. The next stop is ANA KAI TAGATA, a beautiful cave with wall paintings that depict the Manutara bird. Later, visit AHU AKIVI, with seven restored moai built in the middle of the island. Continue to the ANA TE PAHU CAVE, one of the biggest caves on the island, created by lava tubes. Finally, visit topknot-quarry PUNA PAU with its red scoria stone, where all the pukaos that were placed on top of the moai were made. (B)
Day #19 Easter Island–Santiago. Fly to Santiago for connections to your homebound flight. Please schedule international flights after 10 pm. (B)