Teachers' Travel                     Escorted Cultural Tours         
Crossing the Andes
Chile and Argentina
Feb 7 - 21,   2010
Great Hotels      Small group     Expert Guides     Leisurely Pace

ITINERARY:

Day One:  Overnight direct Air Canada flight from Toronto to Santiago, Chile.

Day Two:  Mid-morning arrival in Santiago and transfer to the elegant Hotel Ritz Carlton in Santiago. There is time to rest and then late in the afternoon we have a stroll to explore the area around the hotel for a first glimpse of vibrant Santiago.  DINNER AT A RESTAURANT

  Day Three: Today we explore the historic and modern sights of cosmopolitan Santiago de Chile starting with Santiago’s main avenue visiting La Moneda, the Government Palace which was originally a colonial mint and where, in 1973 during a military coup President Salvadore Allende allegedly killed himself.  We visit the famous Plaza de Armas, the main square of the city, surrounded by the Metropolitan Cathedral and historic buildings such as the City Hall and the Post Office, both dating from colonial times. We continue to Santa Lucia hill, the hill upon which the Spanish conquistadores founded Santiago in 1541. We cross the river to Bellavista, the Bohemian cultural and artistic neighbourhood of Santiago and home to poets, painters and outlaws. Here we visit “La Chascona”, the house-museum that belonged to Pablo Neruda, 1971 Nobel-Prize winner in literature. We continue through the modern district of Providencia and have a brief stop at the “Pueblito Los Dominicos”, an old Dominican monastery that now houses the largest Chilean handicraft market in Santiago.  A guided visit to the Pre-Columbian Art Museum gives us a fascinating insight into the culture of pre-Columbian peoples of South and Central America.

In the late afternoon we return to our hotel and in the evening have DINNER AT A RESTAURANT 

Day Four:  This morning we drive south to the Colchagua Valley with its excellent grape-growing soil. En route we pass through small villages surrounded by Chile’s famous vineyards.  At Santa Cruz, a quiet, provincial town with a palm-tree lined main square, we visit two wineries: Viña Viu Manent and Viña Santa Cruz.  We are introduced to the customs and traditions of the valley and visit the luxurious country estate of former President Errázuriz.  After lunch at Santa Cruz we visit the Colchagua museum, the biggest private collection in Chile, exhibiting pre-Columbian and Spanish colonial artefacts. In late afternoon we return to Santiago. The 365 bar at the Ritz Carlton offers 365 different Chilean wines and is a nice place to relax before DINNER AT A RESTAURANTr.

Day Five: Today we have a full day excursion to Valparaíso, the important port of Chile that played an important geopolitical role in the second half of the 19th century, when the city served as a major stopover for ships travelling between the Atlantic and Pacific. We drive towards the Pacific passing the agricultural valleys of Curacaví and Casablanca, where we will visit Casas del Bosque Vineyard, for an amazing wine tasting. Finally reaching Valparaíso we find its picturesque layout, enhanced by surrounding hills, that reminds us this was once the most important maritime destination of the Pacific coast before the Panama Canal was opened in 1914. We visit the downtown area with its new government house, the Plaza Sotomayor, the Plaza Victoria, the cathedral and the harbour. Next we explore the colourful hill neighbourhoods. Here, high above the city, there is a fantastic agglomeration of brightly painted houses, the Pablo Neruda Museum. In the late afternoon we return to Santiago DINNER AT A RESTAURANT.

  Day Six:  Transfer to Santiago airport for a short flight south to Puerto Montt. Here we continue by private bus 20 km to the town of Puerto Varas in Upper Patagonia on the shores of lovely Lake Llanquihue and with views of snow-capped mountains in the distance. We spend the night at the quaint Hotel Puelche in Puerto Varas which is the gateway to the beautiful Parque Nacional.  Before dinner we have a stroll to explore the village with its Bavarian atmosphere.  Originally built by German immigrants, this is one of Chile's most charming villages with wood-shingled homes and a rose-encircled plaza. DINNER AT A RESTAURANT

Day Seven:  Transfer by private bus on the famous “Andean Crossing”. www.cruceandino.com 
We have an early start at 8.30 and drive along the shores of Lake Llanquihue enjoying magnificent scenery. In Vicente Perez National Park we stop to see Petrohue Falls where volcanic rocks are covered by emerald green waters. At 10.30 am we board a modern ferry and set sail to Puella across Todos los Santos Lake surrounded by stunning scenery. At 12.15 we reach Puella, an ecological village and paradise for nature lovers and stop for lunch (lunch not included). At 2.00 pm we board a bus to Puerto Frias and soon enter Argentina. We cross the Andes Mountains at only 976 metres above sea level the start to descend to Puerto Frias. Here we board another ferry to navigate through Lago Frias and head to Puerto Alegre where we board a bus to Puerto Blest. At 6.00 pm we depart from Puerto Blest by boat through Lake Nahuel Huapi to Puerto Panuelo where we board a bus that will take us to our hotel in Bariloche, Northern Patigonia, arriving at the hotel at 8 pm.  It is a long day of incredible scenery. Luggage is transferred so all you need to bring is your camera and bare essentials for the day. At the end of the day we stay in the magnificent Llao Llao Resort Hotel  http://www.llaollao.com/  DINNER AT THE HOTEL

  Day Eight: This morning is free to relax and admire the beautiful surroundings. You will enjoy the Llao Llao either doing nothing or trying some of the many hotel activities available. Or you may choose to wander through the town of Bariloche that is often nick-named “Little Switzerland” because of its mountain scenery, its quaint buildings and its marvelous chocolate. There are many excursions available by boat around the Andean lakes if you feel energetic.

  This afternoon we have a lecture on local history and nature as we see Bariloche and its surroundings. Our guided exploration includes one of the main attractions in the region - the woodland. We have a gentle nature walk for about 40 minutes on even terrain with one of our guides and hear sounds of the forest such as the trill of the chucao and we taste some of the mountain herbs known for their healing properties.
DINNER AT THE HOTEL.

Day  Nine:  Today we travel 20 km from Bariloche to visit Estancia Fortín Chacabuco, a beautiful hacienda built in 1883 when General Villegas built the Chacabuco Fort. Once at the estancia we have a gentle walk on the steppe to appreciate its flora. We watch sheep shearing and wool production and this is followed by a barbecue lunch with a music show. In the afternoon we return to our lovely hotel at Bariloche.    DINNER AT THE HOTEL.

  Day Ten:  This morning we have a two hour flight to elegant Buenos Aires. Here we transfer to the lovely Park Tower Hotel located in the heart of the cosmopolitan city and in the afternoon we have a leisurely stroll to explore.  
This evening we have DINNER AT A RESTAURANT. Buenos Aires easily holds its own with the top gourmet capitals of the world, catering to all tastes and cultures, although without a doubt its forte is traditional Argentine fare.

  Day Eleven: This morning we have a fascinating 4-hour tour of the elegant turn-of-the- century districts that earned Buenos Aires the soubriquet of the Paris of South America. From the charming cobbled alleys and colonial architecture of San Telmo, birthplace of the tango. San Talmo was once a depressed neighbourhood but now houses a bustling collection of artists' studios, ethnic restaurants, antique shops and boutiques.  We continue to the colourful Boca district, along to the Plaza de Mayo, dominated by the Casa Rosada (Government House), the Nación Bank, the Teatro Colon (opera house), the Cathedral and original Parliament House, then up the leafy Avenida de Mayo towards the imposing grandeur of the Palace of Congress and on to finish at the historically fascinating Recoleta Cemetery. Along the way we hear facts, stories and anecdotes that make up the colourful historical tapestry of the city.
Afternoon free.
Tonight we enjoy DINNER with Argentinian wine before watching a spectacular tango show which includes some of Argentina’s best-loved songs, music and dances.

  Day Twelve:  Morning free.
Afternoon art tour. Buenos Aires lives and breathes a peculiarly cross-cultural approach to the arts: the patrician families of the 19th century were determined to turn Buenos Aires into a city that rivaled European capitals so encouraged all manifestations of art - from the imposing architecture of the Palermo Chico and Recoleta mansions in the Louis XVI style to all forms of artistic expression. Wealthy Argentinians collected classical and impressionist European art while local artists and musicians were developing their own style. Today, Buenos Aires offers tourists 57 museums which house permanent and visiting collections of classical and contemporary art. Our tour is guided by an art historian and includes a careful selection of the most representative works and collections on display at the moment. Three museums will be included in the tour.

DINNER AT A RESTAURANT.

  Day Thirteen:  Morning free.
Our afternoon tour traces the life of Eva Peron from her early beginnings arriving in Buenos Aires to become a stage, radio and film actress, her marriage to Colonel Perón rising to her position as First Lady when Perón became President. Her untimely death at age 33 magnified her saintly aura and gave place to the legend that has surrounded her name ever since. On this tour the streets and landmarks of Buenos Aires are seen through Evita’s eyes. Plaza de Mayo, the political heart of Argentina, is where one finds the famous balcony from which Evita addressed her adoring fans. The tour also visits the old quarters of the city, San Telmo, and the Congress Building so closely connected to the city’s political life. The tour ends at the Evita Museum where the story of her life is unfolded through her personal objects.
DINNER AT A RESTAURANT.

  Day Fourteen:  This morning we take a one hour ferry-ride across the Rio del Plata to the jewel of Uruguay, Colonia. We explore the lively colonial town with its narrow cobble stoned streets flanked by whitewashed buildings. This XVII century Portuguese settlement, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which was founded in 1680 as a military bastion, was an object of controversy between Spain and Portugal due to its strategic position on the river Plata. Today, winding streets and colourful houses are laid out in a pattern different from Spanish colonial cities, and are a delight to explore. We see Portuguese stone houses with their traditional four sloped roofs, alternating with flat roofed Spanish colonial houses, which have remained as tokens of the struggle for domination. In the Barrio Historico we see the Colonia del Sacramento Fort and the 17^th century contraband port. There are lovely riverwalks and many arts and crafts shops as well as good restaurants and cafes.
In the late afternoon we return to Buenos Aires and in the evening DINNER AT A RESTAURANT.

  Day Fifteen:  Transfer to the airport for a return flight to Toronto.