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Guanacos, Torres del Paines National Park, Chile

Pristine Patagonia Self-Drive

16-day tailor-made self-drive from £5,645 pp incl. flights

Summary

Short description

Discover the rich wildlife and spectacular landscapes of Patagonia

Highlights

  • Drive the spectacular Carretera Austral and Patagonian Highway
  • Gaze out over vast lakes and remote estancias
  • Marvel at the sheer drama of the Fitz Roy mountain range
  • Visit Parque Nacional Los Glaciares and the Perito Moreno Glacier
  • End with Torres del Paine and remote Punta Arenas

In Brief

  • 1 Night Santiago
  • 1 Night Coyhaique
  • 2 Nights General Carrera Lake
  • 1 Night Lago Posadas
  • 2 Nights El Chaltén
  • 2 Nights El Calafate
  • 2 Nights Torres del Paine
  • 1 Night Punta Arenas
  • 1 Night Santiago

About

Recommended for:
Activity adventure | City | Natural world | Self-drive | Wildlife

This luxury holiday lets you explore Patagonia at your own pace along some of the most adventurous, scenic roads in South America: Chile's Carretera Austral and Argentina's Ruta 40. The driving concludes in the wildlife-rich Torres del Paine National Park, after which you'll end back in atmospheric Santiago.

Day by day itinerary

Day 1
Depart UK

Start your holiday in style with included airport lounge access before you board your overnight flight to Chile.

Day 2
Santiago

After landing In Chile's capital city, you'll be met and transferred to your hotel in the center of town. Set in the shadow of the vast snow-capped peaks of the Andes to the east and a lesser coastal mountain range to the west, Santiago enjoys an enviable location and those that explore its pleasant plazas and tree-lined boulevards will be rewarded with first-class food, fascinating museums and a flourishing bohemian art scene to rival any of its Latin American counterparts. You'll have the chance to take it all in on an optional half-day tour.

Stay: Le Rêve Hotel Boutique, Santiago (Superior)

Day 3
Coyhaique

Transfer to Santiago airport and board a flight south to Balmaceda. Upon arrival collect your hire car and set off for Coyhaique on the Carretera Austral, one of the last great roads on the continent. Coyhaique itself is a picturesque city and the capital of the Aysen Region, located in a broad green valley alongside the banks of the Río Simpson. It's encircled by a crown of mountains, forests and rivers, creating a spectacular backdrop.

Stay: Patagonia House (Standard)

Meals: B

Days 4-5
Lake General Carrera

Today your adventure continues as you follow the Carretera Austral through spellbinding scenery to Lake General Carrera, which straddles the border between Chile and Argentina. Be sure to take a boat to see the Marble Caves – a series of water-filled caverns considered to be among the most beautiful in the world, helped in no small part by the reflection of the marble in the still, azure waters.

Stay: Mallin Colorado (Standard)

Meals: B

Day 6
Santa Cruz, Patagonia

It's time to hit the road once again as you begin the drive into Argentina and your rustic accommodation, set near the shores of the beautiful Lago Posadas. Set against this giant, turquoise expanse, a choice of scenic drives and short hikes though dense forests and along cragged hilltops make for truly stunning views. There are also archaeological sites that evidence ancient inhabitants and plenty of sports fishing to be enjoyed. Spend the day exploring at your own pace.

Stay: Posada del Posadas (Standard)

Meals: B

Days 7-8
El Chaltén

Settle in for the long but spectacular drive to El Chaltén along the shores of Viedma Lake, this spectacular drive offers great views of the Fitz Roy Mountain Range. El Chalten is a relaxed and friendly village ideally situated at the base of the Fitz Roy Massif, making it the ideal spot from which to explore the soaring granite peaks of this spectacular mountain range.

Stay: Hotel Lunajuim (Standard)

Days 9-10
El Calafate

Drive to El Calafate, gateway to Parque Nacional Los Glaciares and its stunning centerpiece, the massive Perito Moreno Glacier – one of the few advancing glaciers in the world. Enjoy the stunning views of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field’s most famous glacier. If you're lucky, you might even witness some calving, with huge sections of the glacier collapsing into the Argentino Lake.

Stay: Kosten Aike Hotel (Superior) 

Meals: B

Days 11-12
Torres del Paine National Park

Drive back into Chile and continue south to one of the most spectacular national parks in the Americas – Torres del Paine. The remote and rugged park is a mecca for outdoor and wildlife enthusiasts. Orange guanacos – the wild cousins of the llama – stand sentry on lonely bluffs, keeping an eye out for pumas. South America's largest bird, the flightless rhea, is regularly seen roaming the grasslands, while gliding above them all, Andean condors stretch their record-breaking wingspans. Your stay will also include an afternoon's sailing on Lago Grey, navigating past vivid blue icebergs to the Lago Grey Glacier.

Stay: Hotel Lago Grey (Superior) 

Meals: B L D

Day 13
Punta Arenas

On today's spectacular drive to Punta Arenas, which can take anything from four to six hours, you can visit the Mylodon Cave where scientists discovered the remains of a gigantic sloth. On arrival in Punta Arenas, drop off your hire car and check into your accommodation for an overnight stay. Then, spend the rest of the day exploring this remote and historic town on the windswept shores of the Magellan Strait.

Stay: La Yegua Loca (Superior)

Meals: B

Day 14
Santiago

Fly back to Santiago to spend the night before your flight home the next day. Perhaps explore some of its leafy neighbourhoods further for ornate architecture and superb museums. Alternatively, take some time out in one of its many parks.

Stay: Le Rêve Hotel Boutique, Santiago (Superior)

Meals: B

Days 15-16
Depart for UK

After a private transfer to the airport, you'll board your flight back home, arriving on day 16.

Meals: B

Map

Pricing

Any element of this itinerary can be adjusted to suit your needs. Just contact us to find out more.

Accommodation rating: Standard Superior

16-day tailor-made self-drive
from £5,645 pp incl. flights

Superior

Includes: 

  • Complimentary UK airport lounge access
  • Return flights between London and Santiago de Chile
  • Domestic flights from Santiago de Chile to Balmaceda and from Punta Arenas to Santiago de Chile
  • Private airport transfers in Santiago
  • 11 days car hire (Category C) with self-drive map
  • 11 nights accommodation in typically 3+*/4* hotels on a B&B basis & 2 nights on a half-board basis

Terms & Conditions

Prices are per person based on two people sharing a twin/double room; prices are subject to availability and possible change; normal booking conditions apply.

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Why book with Wexas Travel?

At Wexas, we specialise in bespoke travel experiences. Our itineraries are just samples of what we can arrange, and can be changed depending on your precise needs, finances and ideas by our experienced destination specialists.

Contact one of our consultants on 020 7590 0698 to discuss how we can tailor your holiday.

Learn why Wexas is the leader in creating luxury holidays. What is tailor-made travel?

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Every step of the way

Every step of the way

Our services are with you from start to finish:

  • Dedicated personal consultants
  • Free airport lounges on qualifying bookings
  • Care and guidance pre, post and during holiday
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