Arrive in the port city of Puerto Montt where we will be waiting for you for the short transfer to the starting point of our adventure, the quaint lakeside town of Puerto Varas, with its amazing view of the “Mount Fuji of South America” (the Osorno Volcano) across Llanquihue lake. We’ll take an afternoon trip along the lake to visit an open-air colonial museum in Frutillar, then have an all-you-can-eat lunch over which we will discuss the trip. In the evening, you can test your luck at the beautiful casino by the shore.

Today we head north to Lake Puyehue turning east to drive between the Puyehue and Casa Blanca Volcanoes then up and over the pass into Argentina . We border the Nahuel Huapi Lake , pass through the town of Villa La Angostura where we will have our lunch, before continuing around the eastern shores of the lake to arrive at our first day's destination of San Carlos de Bariloche . Remainder of the afternoon free (we recommend trying the indoor/outdoor heated pool with a great view).

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 stay and stroll through the town , known for its high quality leather products and its huge assortment of local, handmade chocolates. You should still have plenty of time before dinner to try out the spa services at the hotel, or just relax and enjoy the amazing view of the lake.

This morning we leave Bariloche and make a stop in the laid back town of El Bolsón , where we can stretch our legs and walk around the square surrounded by local handcraft shops. Then we continue south until we reach the end of the paved road in Trevelín , where we'll have lunch at a typical Welsh restaurant. Then we reenter Chile and head down to the world renowned whitewater rafting village of Futaleufú . We will check into our hotel right off 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.

This morning we make our way to the Carretera Austral, the north-south “southern highway” linking the hard-to-reach areas of southern Chile . We drive through rolling hills where local ranchers have lived and worked for generations, for the most part in isolation from the rest of the country. We will stop for lunch in the port town of Puyuhuapi at the end of Glacier Sound , then 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 onsite Hot Springs .

Today is free to enjoy the breathtaking environment around us. There are numerous activities for you to choose from today, including various hiking paths through the forest, kayaking excursion to Pinique Island, and combinations of hiking and kayaking . You will also be able to relax and soak in the thermal baths near the hotel before dinner.

Today we take the boat back across the fjord to continue our trip down the Carretera Austral. We will pass through what many consider the most beautiful park in Chile , Queulat National Park . In this the only national park in which you can drive completely through, we can 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 passing through the Simpson Valley with numerous waterfalls, we arrive in Coyhaique , the largest city we'll see until the end of our trip.

Leaving Coyhaique, we head south around Cerro Castillo ( Castle Mountain ). Then we enter a valley that became a river of flowing lava after the 1991 eruption of the Hudson Volcano, leaving behind a “Rio de la Muerte ” (River of the Dead), a riverbed of scorched tree trunks as a reminder of nature's power. The entire area was covered in up to a meter of ashes. The road turns south again and heads towards the western shores of General Carrera Lake , the largest in Chile . We will make a stop and take a boat ride to see some amazing Marble Caves , then cross a beautiful bridge to spend the night at a cozy, well-equipped complex on the south shore of the lake.

After breakfast in the lodge, we head south and drive along the incredible glacier-blue waters of the Baker River. Then we make a turn east into the Chacabuco Valley and follow the river of the same name. Douglas Tompkins 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. We cross into Argentina again and the scenery changes as we enter the pampa, or steppes. Then we make our way into the small dusty town of Lago Posada for our comfortable accommodations for the night at our most remote destination during the trip.

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!

Our drive will be relatively short today, with most of the road paved. We return along Lake Viedma, down to the south shore of Lake Argentino and into the tourist town of El Calafate for an early lunch. 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. You’ll have the remainder of the afternoon and evening free to enjoy the inviting shops and bookstores.

This morning you will be able to visit a nature sanctuary , 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 heading south to cross the border into Chile for the last time. After lunch we will make our way to Puerto Natales , a small town in an unbelievable setting on the Last Hope Sound . We will arrive in time to have the rest of the afternoon free to explore the bookstores, shops and beautiful oceanfront.

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 (Sarmiento, del Toro, Nordenskjold, Pehoé, Grey), the famous North and South Towers and the more photographed Paine “Cuernos”, or 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 our farewell dinner.

This morning you will be transferred to the airport outside or Punta Arenas, 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!