Private Departures: Argentina and Chile10-Day Over the Andes Adventure

Create your own adventure through Argentina and Chile

For that personal trip of a lifetime, let our experts plan the perfect vacation just for you. Tell us about your interests, schedule, and budget, and we'll take you there in traditional Smithsonian style and comfort. Our custom-designed vacations feature top local experts and guides, superb internal air travel and accommodations, and around-the-clock support. Our sample itineraries are truly just the beginning. Talk with one of our customer representatives who will create a customized trip just for you and your travel companions!

Encompassing a wide range of geography, habitats and history, this 10-day adventure reveals Argentina's superlative city life and rich history before taking you into Chile's Atacama Desert -- known at its center as the driest place on earth.

Begin by exploring the diverse neighborhoods, colonial architecture, outdoor markets and gardens of Buenos Aires on a guided tour. Immerse your senses in the passion and drama of a tango performance, and sample the extraordinary wines of the Cafayate Valley. Experience Argentine history at picturesque San Antonio de Areco, a town where gaucho traditions dating from the 18th century are still in practice, and the beautifully preserved colonial town of Salta, founded in 1582.

After crossing the Andes Mountains, you'll arrive in the Atacama Desert: an otherworldly place where salt basins, sand, volcanoes, and geyser fields coexist with oasis villages. Here you'll enjoy cultural visits and excursions to the salt pans, a flamingo reserve and the geysers.