Discover South America: Chile & Argentina

12 days
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Group Tour
Take this South American tour and discover a spellbinding blend of native cultures and international influences as you cross the continent from Santiago to Buenos Aires. Your tour begins in Santiago, Chile's Andean capital city, from which you can explore the captivating Pacific Coast. You'll then visit Puerto Varas, your jumping-off point for tours of the br...
From$2,695
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Overview

Trip type
Group Tour
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Balanced schedule

Highlights

    • Visit cities like Puerto Montt and Puerto Varas
    • Enjoy the views of Osorno Volcano
    • Visit historic monuments and buildings, including the Palacio de la Moneda.
    • Explore Valparaiso, a Chilean port city.
    • Enjoy a relaxing boat ride in this scenic area

What's this trip about?

    Take this South American tour and discover a spellbinding blend of native cultures and international influences as you cross the continent from Santiago to Buenos Aires. Your tour begins in Santiago, Chile's Andean capital city, from which you can explore the captivating Pacific Coast. You'll then visit Puerto Varas, your jumping-off point for tours of the breathtakingly beautiful lakes region, and the perfect place to interact with locals and to savor delectable desserts with a surprising German influence. Next, cross the Andes Mountains to Bariloche for a taste of the Alps in the heart of Patagonia. Your tour concludes in the capital of Argentina, Buenos Aires, where included sightseeing, exclusive Discovery Series events, and your own wanderings will give you a fascinating glimpse of South American daily life.

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Details

Itinerary focusClassic Highlights
Group sizeStandard Group - 25 + people
Age rangeNo age restrictions
Flights and transportAll internal transport included (including local flights)
Start CitySantiago
End CityBuenos Aires

Travel Themes

  • Cultural
  • National Parks
  • Nature & Wildlife

Destinations

  • South America
  • Argentina
  • Chile

Attractions

  • Andes Mountains
  • Bariloche
  • Buenos Aires
  • Patagonia
  • Puerto Varas
  • Santiago
  • Valparaiso

Activities

  • Culture
  • Historic sightseeing
  • History
  • Nature
  • Photography
  • Sailing

Trip includes

    • Choose to purchase Grand Circle's airfare, and your airport transfers, government taxes, fees, and airline fuel surcharges are included. Or, make your own air arrangements
    • All flights within South America
    • Accommodations for 11 nights in comfortable rooms with private baths
    • 23 meals: 11 breakfasts, 7 lunches, and 5 dinners
    • 8 included tours
    • Exclusive Discovery Series events: Chilean history discussion • Graffiti Art of Valparaiso • Lunch in a local home • Angelmo Market visit • Mapuche discussion • Chilean rodeo demonstration • Nazis in Patagonia discussion • Patagonian ranch visit • Home-Hosted Dinner • Tango demonstration & lesson • Argentina Today discussion
    • Personal headset for all included and optional tours on your main trip
    • Gratuities on your main trip for local guides and motorcoach drivers
    • Exclusive services of a local Grand Circle Program Director (assigned to no more than 38 travelers)
    • 5% Frequent Traveler Credit toward your next Grand Circle trip—an average of $259
    • Private motorcoach land travel
    • Baggage handling for 1 piece of luggage per person, including tips

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Itinerary

Travel Map

Day 1: Arrive Santiago, Chile • Chilean family winery

Meals included: Dinner

Accommodations: Crowne Plaza Santiago or similar

You will touch down in the Chilean capital this morning to begin your South American tour, where a Grand Circle representative will meet you and assist with the transfer to your hote...

Day 2: Santiago • City tour • Chilean history discussion

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Accommodations: Crowne Plaza Santiago or similar

This morning, embark upon a city tour of Santiago. Home to a third of Chile's 16 million people, Santiago rests at the confluence of the Mapocho and Maipu rivers, surrounded on a...

Day 3: Santiago • Valparaiso tour • Graffiti Art of Valparaiso activity

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Accommodations: Crowne Plaza Santiago or similar

Today, set off to the Chilean northwest on a full-day tour to Valparaiso. Valparaiso is an important Chilean port city (and a UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site), where 17 hil...

Day 4: Santiago • Puerto Varas • Angelmo Market visit • Mapuche discussion

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Accommodations: Hotel Bellavista

After an early breakfast, transfer to the Santiago airport for your group's flight to Puerto Montt. You'll arrive in the early afternoon, then enjoy an exclusive Discovery Series visit to Angel...

Day 5: Puerto Varas • Chilean rodeo demonstration & lunch

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Accommodations: Hotel Bellavista

This morning, learn more about the German immigrant heritage of Chile during a visit to a German family collection. Then enjoy a taste of everyday, family-centered Chilean life as a guest at a l...

Day 6: Puerto Varas • Petrohue Falls • Andean lake crossing • Bariloche, Argentina

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Accommodations: Cacique Inacayal Hotel

Be prepared for an early start and a long—but very rewarding—day of travel today. First, depart for a morning tour of Petrohue Falls, where you can explore the lush setting surrounding the...

Day 7: Bariloche • Panoramic tour & visit to Campanario Hill • Local brewery

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodations: Cacique Inacayal Hotel

Today Patagonia bids you bienvenidos as you awaken in Bariloche. Officially called San Carlos de Bariloche, this city is a curious amalgam of cultural influences. Its buildings rec...

Day 8: Bariloche • Nazis in Patagonia discussion • Patagonian ranch visit • Optional Floating in the Limay River cruise  OPTIONAL TOUR

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Accommodations: Cacique Inacayal Hotel

This morning, enjoy an exclusive Discovery Series discussion on the Nazi presence in Patagonia during World War II. Later, you'll depart for the Patagonian steppe for an exclusive Discover...

Day 9: Bariloche • Buenos Aires • Home-Hosted Dinner

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Accommodations: Panamericano Buenos Aires or similar

After breakfast, you'll have some time to bid Bariloche adios before transferring to the airport for your flight to Buenos Aires. You'll arrive in the late afternoon and con...

Day 10: Buenos Aires Highlights tour • Tango lesson • Optional Tango Show & Dinner  OPTIONAL TOUR

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodations: Panamericano Buenos Aires or similar

After breakfast, set off on an included half-day tour of Buenos Aires. You'll see the city's elegant mixture of Spanish Colonial architecture and several traditional European styles. V...

Day 11: Buenos Aires • Parana Delta ride • School visit • Argentina Today discussion  FOUNDATION VISIT

Meals: Breakfast,  Lunch and Dinner

Accommodations: Panamericano Buenos Aires or similar

Today, experience a change of pace from city life as you take a tour of the area where the Parana River empties into the Rio de la Plata on its way into the Atlantic...

Day 12: Buenos Aires

Meals: Breakfast

After breakfast at the hotel together, enjoy a morning at leisure to explore Buenos Aires before lunch on your own. Tonight, fly back to the U.S. or continue on our Brazil's Iguassu Falls & Rio de Janeiro post-trip extension.

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Dates & Availability

Price From $2,695
Price per day$225
Last Updated: 8/2/2018

Check Current Availability, prices, specials with Grand Circle Travel.

The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

Grand Circle Travel Reviews & Ratings

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Andrea

Apr 2020

value and service outstanding

I've traveled with this company 4 times and find the value and service outstanding. If you are on a slim budget try the " last minute" opportunities. We got an inc...

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Virginia

Apr 2020

each one has been wonderful

Have taken 12 trips overseas with this company and each one has been wonderful.

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Charlotte

Apr 2020

Excellent service

Excellent service on ship, considerate of their clients, wonderful discovery trips.

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Grand Circle Travel

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Grand Circle Travel offers distinctive international vacations for older Americans. Established in 1958 by Ethel Andrus, educator and founder of the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), we view world travel as a powerful lever for lifelong learning. We make it accessible through trips that deliver unmatched discoveries, leisurely pacing, more travel choices, and comprehensive value.

Our values are the foundation upon which our company is built. They are what our beliefs and actions are derived from. Our values shape our decisions, give direction to our growth, and allow us to measure our progress.

Teamwork: We believe in groups of people who work together to create excellent results, solve difficult problems, support each other personally and professionally, and recognize their success. In a fast-paced and rapidly changing environment each member of the team is critical for success. Empowered teams are committed to taking the necessary actions to ensure that the team will reach its goals. Every member must be fully accountable for the team’s and one’s own personal results.

Thriving in Change: In these times of rapid change, global competition, and high volatility in the travel industry, we must be prepared to change course and move forward. Being well organized may sometimes be less important than moving quickly. The goal is for each of us to maximize our effectiveness, and ultimately our success, in an unpredictable and ever-changing environment.

Quality: Our decisions must be made and actions taken in accordance with high standards of quality and service. Quality can be subjective, and in our business quality often involves a compromise between speed and perfection. When the level of quality required is in question, we will operate to the high standards expected by our customers. Excellence in our quality will continually enhance our repeat business and ultimately our financial performance.

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Logistics

What's excluded

    • International Flights
    • Passport and Visa Charges
    • Personal Expenses

Accommodation

,Crowne Plaza Santiago Santiago, Chile | Rating: Superior First Class Located in mid-town Santiago, near the city’s Providencia neighborhood and west of Plaza Baquedano, this Superior First-Class high-rise hotel is just a few blocks from the nearest metro station. Amenities include a fitness center, outdoor pool, piano bar/lounges and full-service restaurant featuring Italian and Chilean cuisine. Each of its air-conditioned rooms features cable/satellite TV, direct-dial telephone, minibar, iron and ironing board, in-room safe, and private bath with shower and hair dryer. Hotel Bellavista Puerto Varas, Chile | Rating: Superior First Class The Superior First-Class Hotel Bellavista features views of the nearby Lake Llanquihue, and is a short drive to downtown Puerto Varas. The hotel offers a restaurant, bar, and tea room, and its 70 rooms feature cable TV, a safe, telephone, and private bath with shower. At the end of the day, unwind in the on-site sauna available for guests. Cacique Inacayal Hotel Bariloche, Argentina With Nahuel Huapi Lake as its backdrop, the 67-room Cacique Inacayal Hotel welcomes guests with water views and friendly service. A light-flooded six-story atrium is just one of the appealing features in this hotel, which also offers a swimming pool, Jacuzzi, and sauna, as well as a Patagonian restaurant. Each room includes private bath, cable TV, and wireless Internet. Panamericano Buenos Aires Buenos Aires, Argentina | Rating: Superior First Class Situated in the heart of vibrant Buenos Aires, the Superior First-Class Panamericano Buenos Aires offers a central location to the city, with amenities such as air-conditioning, coffee- and tea-making facilities, an in-room safe, satellite TV, and high-speed Internet access. There is also concierge service, as well as laundry facilities and a business center with computers for your use.
Cancellation policy

Cancellation Charges for Land Tours (excluding programs in Cuba) are as follows:

  • Prior to departure that is 90 days or more then the charge is $300
  • Prior to departure that is 89-60 days  then the charge is 10% of selling price or $300—whichever is greater
  • Prior to departure that is 59-30 days then the charge is 65% of selling price
  • Prior to departure that is 29 days–departure then the charge is 100% of selling price
Travel Insurance
We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance alongside your travel package to safeguard against unforeseen circumstances such as medical expenses, trip cancellations, and other contingencies. It offers you peace of mind and ensures you are prepared for unexpected events that may occur before or during your journey
Visa requirements
Visa requirements vary depending on your country of origin and your country of destination. It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with the relevant requirements. For a handy tool that can help you quickly find the requirements, please visit this link .
Meals Included

11 Breakfasts, 7 Lunches, and 5 Dinners

Age Requirements
No age restrictions
Optional Activities

Extensions

Pre-trip: Peru: Machu Picchu, Cuzco & Lima

8 nights from only $1495 |  Single Supplement: FREE

Watch This Extension Video

95% of our travelers rated this extension “excellent” in 2015

Lima, the "capital of the New World," encompasses the last five centuries of Peruvian history. Cuzco is your window into the life and culture of the Inca people. And then there’s Machu Picchu, the Incan city in the sky that has only begun to reveal its mysteries since archaeologists began their explorations some 60 years ago.

Post-trip: Brazil's Iguassu Falls & Rio de Janeiro

5 nights from only $1995 |  Single Supplement: FREE

Watch This Extension Video

More than 50% of our travelers have reserved this extension in 2016

Discover the dual nature of Brazil, a country of both impossibly pristine landscapes and cosmopolitan cities. On this post-trip extension, you'll fly to Iguassu Falls, a spectacular series of cataracts on the Brazil-Argentina border. Then fly to Rio de Janeiro, where you'll scale Corcovado Mountain to visit the city's iconic statue of Christ the Redeemer high above Guanabara Bay.

Optional Tours

Floating in the Limay River

Day 9 $75 per person

Join us for an up-close look at the vast Northern Patagonian steppe through the amphitheater of the Limay River. A popular site for fly-fishing, this river is home to an abundance of large rainbow and brown trout. Enjoy the steppe landscape and fresh air while you and your fellow travelers float leisurely by raft.

Tango Show

Day 11 $95 per person

See a tango show at Esquina Carlos Gardel in Buenos Aires

Now that you've learned the basics of the tango, see how it's really done. Join us this evening for a taste of local culture at a sophisticated tango club. You'll begin the night with dinner and good conversation with your fellow travelers. After dinner, enjoy a show by some of the best professional tango dancers in Buenos Aires accompanied by a live tango orchestra. The cost of this optional tour includes dinner.

Trip ID
grandc1-DisSouGra

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