11-Nights Essence of South America - Land Journey from $9,990
Tauck
OFFER ID 1494482
Essence of South America
From the eastern coast of Brazil to Argentina and the western coast of Chile, explore the essence of each destination with unique travel experiences that bring you to the best each country has to offer.
One of our most comprehensive South American tours inspires with 12 days of in-depth discoveries of natural and architectural wonders throughout Brazil, Argentina and Chile. Spend multiple nights in world-class cities at fine hotels in the heart of each city. View spectacular Iguazú Falls; sample the fine wines of Chile and famous Argentinian beef; get a behind-the-scenes look at Rio's colorful Carnaval; feel the passion and the heat of the tango and the samba; meet a silversmith, and much more.
11 nights from $9,990 per person
Itinerary Details
Tauck World Discovery: Essence of South America
Day 1 Río de Janeiro, Brazil
Arrive Rio de Janeiro
Tour begins: 6:00 PM, Belmond Copacabana Palace. A transfer is included from Rio de Janeiro International Airport to Belmond Copacabana Palace, an Art Deco landmark overlooking Copacabana Beach. Join us for a welcome reception and dinner with traditional entertainment.
Meals: D
Day 2 Puerto Varas, Chile
Sugarloaf Mountain and a cruise
Your morning in Rio begins with a private boat cruise on Guanabara Bay. Enjoy seaside glimpses of beautiful beaches, historic forts, a modern museum, outlying islands and the city skyline. Next, dramatic scenic views await at the summit of Sugarloaf Mountain where a two-stage cable car ride takes you up a quarter mile into the air to see what the birds see as they fly over Guanabara Bay and the city. Feast on a typical churrascaria barbecue lunch before returning to Rio. The rest of the day is at your leisure.
Meals: B, L
Day 3 Cidade do Samba South America
Summit of Corcovado & Samba City
Arise in amazing Rio for an unforgettable excursion up Corcovado Hill by train to Tijuca National Park to see the world-famous statue of Christ the Redeemer. Enjoy a walking tour of Rio's historic downtown, including the Cathedral and other Belle Époque landmarks. Then discover the passionate nature of Rio's beloved Carnaval celebration, which draws visitors from around the world each year, on a visit to Samba City – where a local guide leads you on a behind-the-scenes look at the business of Carnaval and the creation of its dazzling costumes and floats, which includes an exclusive samba performance. Dinner tonight is at a renowned local restaurant.
Meals: B, L, D
Day 4 Foz do Iguassu Brazil
Fly to Iguaçu Falls
Taller than Niagara Falls and twice as wide, Iguazú Falls was named a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site and one of the "New Seven Wonders of Nature." You'll have to visit two countries to get a complete look at the falls – 275 cascades spread in a horseshoe shape across two miles of the Iguazú River, straddling the borders of Argentina and Brazil. Today experience the Brazilian side, walking on paved trails with a local guide to the catwalks along the falls for amazing views of the thundering water. Your hotel is ideally located inside the national park with nature's wonders as a welcome showpiece.
Meals: B, L, D
Day 5 Foz do Iguassu Brazil
Discover the Falls your way
Immerse in the natural splendors of the park your way today on a choice of excursions. Board a helicopter for a flightseeing ride over the falls; drive into the jungle for a jet boat ride to the base of the falls and "shoot the rapids" on the way back to the dock; or take a behind-the-scenes backstage tour of the Bird Park, a recovery and conservation center for exotic birds, where you will meet and perhaps feed toucans, flamingos and more. After time at leisure to do as you like, work up an appetite for our private tasting dinner tonight that immerses you in the culinary history of the different regions of Brazil.
Meals: B, L, D
Day 6 Buenos Aires, Argentina
Cross Over Into Argentina
Drive across the Tancredo Neves Bridge over the border into neighboring Argentina where you will experience the falls from a different perspective. Take a walk along the "Superior Circuit" to "Devil's Throat" on metal grated walkways and up steps for stunning views, before lunch and an afternoon flight to Buenos Aires. Settle in at the elegant Alvear Palace Hotel, a city landmark since 1932 and the "grande dame" of Buenos Aires hotels.
Meals: B, L, D
Day 7 Buenos Aires, Argentina
Buenos Aires allure
No doubt about it, Buenos Aires defines "sizzle"... and you'll discover why today when a local guide shows you the city. First up is a visit to Plaza de Mayo, Metropolitan Cathedral and Casa Rosada (government palace) where you'll see the balcony made famous by Evita Perón. Explore the colorful La Boca neighborhood, which is both a working class barrio and artist colony, and then enjoy lunch in the San Telmo District, a mix of colonial-style homes, narrow lanes, artist lofts and hip bars. This evening, experience the allure of the infamous tango when a superb show follows dinner in Buenos Aires.
Meals: B, L, D
Day 8 Buenos Aires, Argentina
Visit a silversmith and a horse ranch
Experience time-honored Argentine traditions today as you venture out to the countryside to the artist community of San Antonio de Areco for a very special visit with one of the most famous silversmiths in the country. The Draghi family have created priceless pieces in pure silver for celebrities and local gauchos alike and today you will have the opportunity to see the artists at work. Continue on to a traditional estancia (ranch) for lunch and a fascinating gaucho demonstration with a horse whisperer. Your evening is free to enjoy Buenos Aires as you like.
Meals: B, L
Day 9 Buenos Aires, Argentina
The Opera House
Today begins with a privately guided, behind-the-scenes tour of Teatro Colón, the city's seven-tiered opera house that first opened in 1908, and ranks among the best concert venues in the world. Its opulent stained glass, marble staircases and excellent acoustics recently underwent a three-year refurbishment. The remainder of the day is free to explore Buenos Aires as you please.
Meals: B
Day 10 Santiago, Chile
Fly to Chile
A morning flight brings you to Santiago in Chile and the final stop on our tour of South America. Drive south on the Pan-American Highway to the Millahue Valley in the heart of Chile's famous winelands for a two-night stay. Your hotel is acclaimed for its unique architectural design and on-site winery; enjoy dinner at your leisure tonight.
Meals: B, D
Day 11 Santiago, Chile
Chilean Wine Country, your way
Immerse in the beauty of wine country today as you choose how you want to spend the morning. Saddle up for a guided horseback ride through the vineyards or pedal your way on a bicycle through vines meticulously grown and cared for. Or join us for a cooking class or a wine and chocolate pairing at the hotel. Everyone meets up for a wine pairing lunch before a tasting tour at the winery. A farewell reception and dinner features regional specialties and incredible scenic views.
Meals: B, L, D
Day 12 Santiago, Chile
Travel home from Santiago
Tour ends: Santiago. Drive to Santiago this morning for a city tour and lunch at The Ritz-Carlton, Santiago, where day rooms have been reserved for you before your flight home. A transfer is included from The Ritz-Carlton, Santiago to Santiago Airport. Allow a minimum of three hours for flight check-in.
Meals: B, L
Chile has a distinctly European flavour and Santiago will bring this home to you as you visit the churches, monuments and museums all designed in a certain familiar style.
Excursions
Carnival Experience at Samba City - 4 hours
Carnival Experience at Samba City - 4 hours
Highlights:
- Visit the backstage of the samba schools at Cidade do Samba, home to some of the most renowned samba dancers in the world. Cidade do Samba offers the 14 best samba schools in Rio space to build their floats and prepare their music and samba performance for the carnival. with its exhibition of costumes and floats from old carnivals.
- Watch the dancers perform the complex samba steps and learn some new dance moves.
- Hear the samba beat and watch some of the best samba dancers in Rio performing the intricate dance steps and learn some steps of this essential Brazilian dance, while having a refreshing drink.
Tour can operate: Morning or afternoon
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Physical Activity Level: Moderate
Inclusions:
- Pick up and drop off at port
- Tour with driver and English-speaking guide
- Lunch, tips, beverages, personal expenses
Secrets of Old Rio with Lunch - 6 hours
Secrets of Old Rio with Lunch - 6 hours
Highlights:
- Travel in time with this enriching walking tour!
- Enjoy a walking tour through the historic center of Rio with our private guide for a unique view of the city's history.
- Start the walk passing by the Olympic boulevard, a revitalized area of ??the city and one of the main legacies of the 2016 Olympic games. Here we will observe countless world famous graffiti. A real open-air museum!
- Pass by some central sites of Rio's culture and history, such as the São Bento Monastery, the Candelária Church, the Cultural Center - located in the restored Banco do Brasil, Casa França-Brasil, Praça XV and Paço imperial.
- Visit the Metropolitan cathedral, crossing carioca square and the visit candelária square, where we will receive our ticket for the new public transport VLT Tram back to the port area.
- Lunch in Santa Teresa, a unique neighborhood of Rio de JANEIRO.
Tour can operate: Morning
Wheelchair Accessible: No
Physical Activity Level: Heavy
Inclusions:
- Lunch
- Pick up and drop off at port
- Tour with driver and English-speaking guide
- Tips, beverages, personal expenses
Sugar Loaf Sunset with Caipirinha Toast - 4 hours
Sugar Loaf Sunset with Caipirinha Toast - 4 hours
Highlights:
- Ascend to the top of Sugar Loaf mountain on an amusing cable car ride and admire the breathtaking views.
- The climb is divided into two stages. After the first, arrive at Morro da Urca with its panoramic gardens and terraces; after the second, enjoy a spectacular view of the city, its beaches, Guanabara Bay and the Corcovado on the horizon.
- Toast the sunset with a lemon caipirinha.
Tour can operate: Afternoon
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Physical Activity Level: Light
Inclusions:
- Pick up and drop off at port
- Tour with driver and English-speaking guide
- 1 caipirinha drink per person
- Lunch, Tips, beverages, personal expenses
Excursions
Buenos Aires - Full Day Sightseeing Tour - 7 hours
Buenos Aires - Full Day Sightseeing Tour - 7 hours
Meet your local guide at local pier and start with your visit.
Explore some of the most recognizable landmarks in Buenos Aires. Find out about the history and culture of this city, as you take in some of the most significant spots. Start at the most important square in the country: Plaza de Mayo. The country was founded here in 1580, and today the most important governmental buildings are located here including Casa Rosada (Government House), Cabildo (City Hall) and Catedral Metropolitana (Metropolitan Cathedral). Continue through the cobblestoned streets of San Telmo neighbourhood, where the original porteños (Buenos Aires residents) settled in the early days. The next stop is picturesque La Boca, home to Caminito, perhaps the city's most photographed street thanks to its corrugated iron and brightly coloured houses. This block houses one of the few outdoor museums in the world, where artists exhibit work, related to the influence of mainly Italian immigrants who arrived at this port at the end of the 19th century. La Boca is home to the legendary football (soccer giants) Boca Juniors, whose colours of blue and yellow adorn most of the houses and stores in this neighbourhood. Drive towards Palermo, passing through Puerto Madero, a regenerated area where redbrick warehouses have been transformed into trendy restaurants and bars.
Once in the northern area of the city, drive past Palermo Chico with its impressive townhouses, tree-lined boulevards, and parks. Palermo Soho, on the other hand, combines the flavour of an old, working-class neighbourhood with some contemporary details, including ethnic restaurants, design stores and bars. The bohemian atmosphere makes it popular with Argentines as well as foreign visitors, and restaurants cater to all palates. Continue to Recoleta, one of the most elegant and sophisticated districts, visit Nuestra Señora del Pilar Church and Recoleta Cemetery, known for its rich architecture and famous personalities whose mortal remains it treasures.
After the sightseeing you will be transferred back to the pier.
Tour highlights:
- May square
- Old quarters at San Telmo neighborhood
- Caminito street at La Boca
- Palermo neighborhood and parks
- Recoleta Cemetery
Inclusions
- Transfers to/from the pier
- English speaking guide
- Private vehicle
- Gratuities for guide and driver
- Lunch
Buenos Aires sightseeing tour with shared visit to Colon Theatre - Half Day
Buenos Aires sightseeing tour with shared visit to Colon Theatre - Half Day
Meet your local guide at local pier and start with your visit.
Familiarize yourself with some of the most recognizable landmarks, as well as history and culture in the Paris of the South, on this half-day private guided city tour. Kick off at Plaza de Mayo square, the heart of the city both from a historical and political point of view, and site of its foundation in 1580 by Don Juan de Garay. The next stop is San Telmo with its cobbled stone streets and colonial buildings. Also visit La Boca neighbourhood, the tough port barrio and colourful working-class area. Before returning to the hotel, visit Colon Theatre, one of the world's greatest opera houses, with its sublime interior, every piece of marble, furniture and crystal, imported from Europe. The theatre took 80 years to be completed and finally opened in 1908. It combines many European architectural styles and influences, including Greek columns, French stained glass and Italian marble. The house seats up to 2,500 people and the Colón has hosted opera celebrities such as Luciano Pavarotti, Maria Callas and Placido Domingo. Shared guided tour to Colon Theatre.
Tour highlights:
- May square
- Old quarters at San Telmo neighborhood
- Caminito street at La Boca
- Colon Theatre (shared visit)
Inclusions
- Transfers to/from the pier
- English speaking guide
- Private vehicle
- Gratuities for guide and driver
- Lunch
Buenos Aires Sightseeing Tour North - half day
Buenos Aires Sightseeing Tour North - half day
Meet your local guide at local pier and start with your visit.
Familiarize yourself with some of the most recognizable landmarks in the northern area of Buenos Aires. Drive through Palermo, a district with several different areas such as classic Palermo Chico and contemporary Palermo Hollywood. Start in Palermo Chico with its impressive townhouses, tree-lined boulevards, and parks, then continue to Bosques de Palermo parks; past the Japanese and Rose Gardens with their lakes and sculptures, which can be visited independently. From here continue past the Palermo racetrack and polo grounds where the famous Argentine Polo Open is played every December. Palermo Soho, on the other hand, fuses the flavour of a working-class neighbourhood with contemporary twists such as ethnic restaurants, design stores and bars. Its bohemian atmosphere makes it popular with Argentines as well as foreign visitors. Gastronomy options appeal to all palates. Finally, visit Recoleta neighbourhood, home to many a mansion, which takes one back to Argentina's glorious days. The tour ends at the Recoleta Cemetery, renowned for its rich architecture and sculptures that makes it more of an open-air museum than a final resting place.
After tour you will be transferred back to the pier.
Tour highlights:
- Palermo trendy area
- Japanese and Rose garden in Palermo
- Recoleta cemetery
Inclusions
- Transfers to/from the pier
- English speaking guide
- Private vehicle
- Gratuities for guide and driver
- Lunch
Buenos Aires Sightseeing Tour & Evita Museum - Half Day
Buenos Aires Sightseeing Tour & Evita Museum - Half Day
Meet your local guide at local pier and start with your visit.
Explore the highlights of the 'Paris of South America' in a four-hour tour accompanied by one of our experienced representatives who will introduce you to the history and culture of this magnificent city. Beginning with the historical areas of Buenos Aires: Plaza de Mayo, the historical and political heart of the city, laid out by Don Juan de Garay in 1580 during the second founding of Buenos Aires. Continue to La Boca, the tough port barrio and colourful working-class area of Buenos Aires, Palermo with its gardens and mansions; and finally, Recoleta, where you will visit its world famous cemetery and see the tombs and mausoleums of the most important personalities of Argentine history. Finally, visit the Evita Museum, a living museum where people can learn, understand and appreciate the life of one of the most important women in Argentine history.
After the sightseeing you will be transferred back to the pier.
Tour highlights:
- May square
- Caminito street at La Boca
- Palermo neighborhood and parks
- Recoleta Cemetery
- Evita´s museum
Inclusions
- Transfers to/from the pier
- English speaking guide
- Private vehicle
- Entrancee fee for Cemetery and Evitas museum
- Gratuities for guide and driver
- Lunch
Buenos Aires Tigre Getaway - Half Day
Buenos Aires Tigre Getaway - Half Day
Meet your local guide at local pier and start with your visit.
Escape the hustle and bustle of central Buenos Aires on this relaxing half-day getaway, featuring fashionable riverside suburbs and a cruise along sheltered waterways. Drive to Tigre passing through neighbourhoods such as Vicente López, Olivos, and San Isidro, and past elegant homes of these residential suburbs, including the Presidential Residence in Olivos, official home to Argentina's president. On arrival at the Paraná River, board a private river boat and head out along the Delta's waterways. An array of colourful sights awaits as the boat cruises past islands, turn-of-the-century homes, yacht clubs and a fleet of watercrafts, including canoes and sailboats. A soft drink and snack are served while you enjoy the scenery. Re-join your vehicle when the river cruise ends and transfers you back to the hotel.
After the sightseeing you will be transferred back to the pier.
Tour highlights:
- Parana river
- Sail in the Delta
Inclusions
- Transfers to/from the pier
- English speaking guide
- Private vehicle
- Private river boat
Exclusions
- Gratuities for guide and driver
- Lunch
Buenos Aires Tango Show & Dinner at Rojo Tango
Buenos Aires Tango Show & Dinner at Rojo Tango
Meet your local guide at local pier and start with your visit.
At Rojo Tango, a unique venue designed by Philippe Starck located within the Faena Hotel, enjoy an evening of “Porteño” (residents of Buenos Aires) music and dance. After a three-course dinner with wine and without moving from your seat, the band will strike up and the dancers will appear on scene, to recreate nostalgic times when Tango was danced in the streets of Buenos Aires. A majestic performance full of fantasy and sensuality and incredible skill.
After the sightseeing you will be transferred back to the pier.
Tour highlights:
- Tango show at Rojo tango
- First class venue
Inclusions
- Transfers to/from the pier
- Private vehicle
- Dinner
Exclusions
- Gratuities for guide and driver
- English speaking guide
Buenos Aires: Gaucho celebration - Full Day
Buenos Aires: Gaucho celebration - Full Day
Meet your local guide at local pier and start with your visit.
Join a Gaucho celebration at Estancia Santa Susana, a typical ranch only 80 km from Buenos Aires. The estancia has 1,200 hectares (2965 acres) dedicated to agricultural activities and has been a popular tourist destination near Buenos Aires for the last 30 years. Experience the genuine Gaucho lifestyle with various activities, such as a delicious typical Argentine barbecue with drinks, horsemanship show, a visit to the main house, the colonial museum, and the chapel. A short horse-back or carriage ride is also available before lunch. This tour provides an insight to the most fascinating traditions of Argentina.
After the sightseeing you will be transferred back to the pier.
Tour highlights:
- Horseback activity
- Agricultural activities
- Gaucho lifestyle
Inclusions
- Transfers to/from the pier
- English speaking guide
- Private vehicle
- Lunch at the estancia
Exclusions
- Gratuities for guide and driver
Vacation Details
* This departure has been designated a guaranteed departure by the operator, meaning that the minimum number of guests has been met, although still subject to weather and other conditions.
All fares are quoted in US Dollars.
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