Arrive in Punta Arenas where we will meet you and start our Odyssey. First we will make a detour over to the Otway Sound to visit a colony of Magellanic Penguins . Once back on the highway we head north and make our way into the town of Puerto Natales , in an unbelievable setting on the Last Hope Sound . Welcome dinner to discuss trip.

Today we enter Chile 's most visited park, Torres del Paine National Park . The park was designated a Unesco World Biosphere Reserve in 1978, being the home to at least 25 species of mammals, including guanacos, pumas and foxes , as well as more than 115 species of birds. We will see various lakes, the famous North and South Towers and the more photographed Paine “Cuernos” (Horns). We will take an easy 1-hour hike to reach the best view of the Horns in the park . Then we will have a box lunch before taking another hike to the Condor's Lookout , offering us unbeatable views of the park. After making our way back down, we will continue driving through the park, taking a different route back down to Puerto Natales , where we will have dinner.

This morning we leave Torres del Paine and make our first border crossing of the trip at the town of Cerro Castillo . We will drive through part of the Pampa as we make our way into El Calafate for lunch. You will have some time to stroll around and shop, then you will take an afternoon tour for a close-up view of the Perito Moreno Glacier , one of the most active glaciers on the planet, often with sections of ice calving off every few minutes. The almost constant sound of ice cracking and shifting inside the glacier is something you will never forget. Once back in town, we will have a buffet-style dinner. Overnight in El Calafate.

This morning you will be able to visit a nature sanctuary at the edge of town and take a couple of hours to stroll around the lagoons, the home of hundreds of birds and ducks. Then we will leave El Calafate, head east around Lake Argentino , then up and around the northern side of the equally turquoise Lake Viedma . The beauty in front of us grabs our attention and pulls us in to our destination for the day of El Chaltén , where trekkers and climbers from around the world come to tackle the immense Mount Fitz Roy , Las Torres and numerous other mountains, and enjoy the vast glaciers in Glacier National Park . You will have the remainder of the afternoon free to stroll through this unique, fast-growing town , 100% built around backpackers and other travelers who love the outdoors.

Today you can either relax around El Chaltén or choose between various activities, such as: 1) Mountain and Ice Trekking for those prepared for a full day hike to and from Tower Lagoon, including ice-trekking on the Tower Glacier, 2) Day cruise and Ice Trekking on Lake Viedma and the Viedma Glacier, or 3) Day trip to the Laguna del Desierto for a hike to visit a glacier followed by a typical Argentinean lunch. Whatever you decide, we're sure the combination of tired muscles, clean mountain air, and a good hot meal will help us all sleep like babies!

Today will be our longest day on the road, as we tackle the famous Route 40 up through the steppes of Argentina . Adjectives used to describe this road include: vast, desolate, isolated, untamed, owned by nature's fury, astonishing, and above all, unforgettable. This area is one of the last remaining stretches of wide-open, undeveloped pampa on the planet, which surprisingly supports a multitude of wildlife. Our destination for the day is the dusty town of Lago Posada , the most remost destination of our trip, where we will visit some “Caves of the Hands” , then stay at a comfortable Inn.

After breakfast we will head along some wind about roads as we make our way back to the border, crossing into Chile at the most remote vehicle border crossing in the country. Then we make a turn east into the Chacabuco Valley and follow the river of the same name. The conservationist Douglas Tompkins, founder of the North Face outdoor clothing company and Esprit, recently purchased this entire valley and is converting it into a nature preserve. Today's drive will be a Patagonian safari , where you will most likely get to see more wildlife than on any other part of the trip, including guanacos, rheas, foxes, and hopefully some condors. Then we enter Chile's Carretera Austral , or “Southern Highway” (which is actually a dirt road most of the way), head north and drive along the incredible glacier-blue waters of the Baker River . We will make it to our beautiful lodge for the next two nights on the shore of Lake General Carrera , Chile's largest, in time to walk around the grounds and enjoy the surroundings.

Today is another day to relax in the middle of a majestic environment: on the shores of Chile 's largest, bluest lake, with a view of Patagonia 's highest peak, San Valentín , on the other side. Mid morning we will drive to a lake which is the starting point of the Baker River , Chile's most voluminous river, where we will get to experience level 3 whitewater rafting , which is not too difficult, but definitely exhilarating! Then, back at our lodge, you can put the perfect touch on the end of your day with an optional long soak at sunset in the wood-heated hot tub with a spectacular view of the lake.

This morning we have a beautiful drive through the Simpson River Valley , past numerous waterfalls, then into what many consider to be Chile 's most beautiful park, Queulat National Park . Here we will take a hike to see the Hanging Glacier . The road on this section of the trip is packed with scenic beauty so varied and breathtaking, your cameras will get a workout! After our box lunch we will take a 30-minute boat ride across the water to our lodging for the next 2 nights at a location also isolated, in the middle of the Chilean temperate rain forest. Rest of afternoon free to enjoy the various Hot Springs .

This morning we cross Glacier Sound again to continue north along the Southern “Highway” passing first through the town of Puyuhuapi , then through the crossroads town of La Junta . Then we leave the Carretera Austral, turning east into the valley, where we will drive along the Futaleufú River , known around the world as one of the top whitewater rafting rivers, and on into the town of Futaleufú . We will check into our hotel right on the town square, then take an afternoon excursion in the area , such as an easy rafting trip on one of the rivers in the area.

After breakfast we take the short drive to the border and cross into Argentina, where we will once again see the environment around us change. We will stop to enjoy a typical Welsh lunch in the town of Trevelin , then drive through the towns of Esquel and El Bolson , reaching Argentina's 2 nd most popular vacation destination: San Carlos de Bariloche , on Lake Nahuel Huapi . We will check into our nice hotel for the next two nights, and then you will have time to walk down Mitre Street, full of specialty chocolate, leather and handcraft shops . We will regroup to have dinner back at the hotel.

This morning we will take a chairlift up Campanario Hill with its breathtaking 360-degree view of all the lakes and snow-capped peaks. We will then drive back into town for lunch, after which you can either stay and stroll through the town , or return to the hotel to try out the spa, or just relax and enjoy the amazing view of the lake.

This morning we border the Nahuel Huapi Lake , pass through the town of Villa La Angostura and make our way up the pass to the busy border crossing, leaving Argentina for the last time on our trip. Then we head down the other side, pass between the Puyehue and Casablanca volcanoes , drive along the Puyehue Lake , with a tremendous view of the Osorno and Puntiagudo volcanoes . We turn south on the Pan American highway (if we turn north, we could make our way up to Alaska!), have an all-you-can-eat lunch (our farewell dinner), enter the town of Frutillar , visit the open-air colonial museum , and then drive down to our final destination of Puerto Varas , a beautiful lakeside town on the shore of Lake Llanquihue . In the evening, you can test your luck at the beautiful casino by the shore.

This morning you will be transferred to Puerto Montt either for your flight back to Santiago or to continue your vacation. We hope you had a wonderful vacation, thank you so much for your business, and please tell your friends about your Odyssey!