Days 1 & 2 — Depart the U.S. for Buenos Aires, Argentina

Fly overnight to Buenos Aires and transfer to your hotel upon arrival. You’ll be able to check in early and enjoy time to relax before this afternoon's welcome briefing. Gather for a welcome dinner tonight. (1B,1D) 

Days 3 — Buenos Aires

Discover this dynamic city on a tour that includes the captivating neighborhoods of Palermo, La Boca, and San Telmo. In elegant Recoleta, see the Casa Rosada, the presidential palace from which Eva Perón famously addressed the masses, and stroll through the cemetery where she and other prominent Argentinians lie buried. Tonight, head to the legendary Esquina Carlos Gardel, one of the city’s premier tango houses, for dinner and a performance. (1B, 1D)

Day 4 — Buenos Aires

Experience one of the most exquisite opera houses in the world on backstage tour of the Teatro Colón. This seven-story theater opened in its present form in 1908 and has hosted great composers from Arturo Toscanini and Leonard Bernstein to Zubin Mehta. The remainder of the day is yours to discover Buenos Aires as you wish. (1B) 

Day 5 —Ushuaia

Fly south to Ushuaia, Argentina, the world’s southernmost city, set on the shores of Tierra del Fuego. After lunch at leisure and time to take a walk in the city center, embark your comfortable expedition ship. Set sail on the storied Beagle Channel late this afternoon. (B,D) 

Day 6 — Cruising: Cape Horn and Wulaia Bay, Chile

Sail through the narrow Murray Channel to Nassau Bay, passing snowcapped peaks and remote islands on the way to Cape Horn National Park, a World-Heritage Biosphere Reserve. Keep your eye out for sea lions, Magellanic penguins, and Antarctic fur seals as you cruise. At Wulaia Bay, go ashore for a guided walk through native forests that Charles Darwin once explored. (B,L,D) 

Day 7 — Cruising: Pia Glacier / Garibaldi Glacier

Awaken this morning in Pia Fjord, home of the stunning Pia Glacier. Ride inflatable Zodiacs up close to the glacier for a breathtaking perspective of this wall of ice that extends from the moun­taintops down to sea level.

After lunch on board, drop anchor in a nearby fjord for a shore excursion to Garibaldi Glacier, one of only three glaciers in Patagonia that is gaining mass. Set out on a hike through the Magellanic forest, passing glacial waterfalls and viewpoints overlooking the glacier and fjord. (B,L,D) 

Day 8 — Cruising: Agostini Sound / Aguila Glacier

Cruise through narrow channels to enter the spectacular Agostini Sound, where massive glaciers flow down the mountainside to the water. Land on shore for a walk along the lagoon to Aguila Glacier and learn how glaciers shaped the rugged islands of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago. (B,L,D) 

Days 9 — Cruising: Magdalena Island, Punta Arenas / Torres del Paine

Early this morning, visit Magdalena Island to observe an immense colony of more than 120,000 Magellanic penguins. End your cruise at Punta Arenas, and board your motorcoach for the journey to Torres del Paine National Park. (B,L,D)

Day 10 - 11 — Torres del Paine National Park

Immerse yourself in the astonishing scenery of Torres del Paine, a 700-square-mile stretch of craggy peaks, turquoise lakes, and glaciers that is one of the most unspoiled and beautiful nature preserves on Earth. Discover waterfalls and lush forests as you explore the park, and enjoy lunch at magnificent Lago Grey. The next day, take an excursion to Laguna Amarga, La­guna Azul, and Cascade Rio Paine. Keep your eye out for some of the park’s only permanent residents: 106 species of birds and 26 species of mammals, includ­ing the iconic guanaco, a relative of the llama. (2B,2L,2D) 

Days 12— Punta Arenas

Travel by coach to Punta Arenas. Upon arrival transfer to your hotel in the city center and have dinner together. (B,L,D)

Day 13 —Santiago

Fly today to Santiago, the sophisticated capital of Chile. This afternoon, take a city tour featuring the Plaza de Armas and the traditional city center. Tonight, you are dinner guests in the homes of gracious Santiago families. (B,D)

Day 14 — Valparaiso

Travel through lovely, vineyard covered hills to the port city of Valparaiso. En route, stop at a renowned winery for a private tour and tasting. On a tour of Valparaiso’s historic center, now a World Heritage site, meander along narrow streets past colorful wooden houses that recall Chile’s third largest city’s origins as a fishing village. Return to Santiago for a celebratory farewell dinner at a restaurant in town. (B,D)

Day 15 -16— Santiago/Return to the U.S.

After a leisurely morning at leisure, pay an afternoon visit to the Museum of Pre-Columbian Art, which showcases indigenous art and artifacts from Chile and across the Americas. After free time, transfer to the airport for your overnight flight to the U.S. and connect with your flights home the next morning. (1B)