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Pantanal, Iguacu, Patagonia & Rapa Nui
USD 28300
OCT-NOV
28 NIGHTS
Select your style
We are able to vary the price of this trip considerably, simply by swapping out the lodges that it contains. This is likely to have a very significant effect on the level of polish of the trip, but in all cases it will remain cool and authentic. Make your selection here and the lodges will automatically change in the itinerary below.
USD 28300 per person
This trip includes very cool, well-located and relatively well-priced lodges, suitable for more adventurous, easy-going and outdoorsy travellers.
Trip Summary
Start location : Rio de Janeiro GIG
Rio de Janeiro
01 : Janeiro Hotel
02 : Janeiro Hotel
Alta Floresta Amazon
Pantanal
06 : Pousada Piuval
07 : Pousada Piuval
Iguazu Sur
13 : Selvaje Lodge Iguazu
14 : Selvaje Lodge Iguazu
15 : Selvaje Lodge Iguazu
Los Glaciares
16 : Estancia Nibepo Aike
17 : Estancia Nibepo Aike
18 : Estancia Nibepo Aike
Torres del Paine
19 : EcoCamp Patagonia
20 : EcoCamp Patagonia
21 : EcoCamp Patagonia
22 : EcoCamp Patagonia
Santiago
Easter Island
25 : Altiplanico Rapa Nui
26 : Altiplanico Rapa Nui
27 : Altiplanico Rapa Nui
28 : Altiplanico Rapa Nui
End location : Santiago SCL
Rio de Janeiro
Set on the Atlantic Coast in the southeast of Brazil, Rio de Janeiro is one of the most iconic cities in South America. The vast majority of visitors to the country spend around 3-4 nights here, taking in the highlights, whilst staying in an hotel along the famous beaches of Ipanema or Copacabana.
Day 1 , 2
Arrival : Rio de Janeiro GIG
lodge
Janeiro Hotel
Janeiro Hotel is set on the famous Ipanema Beach in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil.
Christ the Redeemer looks out over the whole of Rio.
The main beaches are Copacabana to the right and Ipanema to the left.
Immediately to the south, Pedra da Gávea offers some great hiking ...
... and para-gliding.
The Jardim Botânico is a very pleasant place to spend an afternoon.
The city centre is a bustling place ...
... with many impressive historic buildings ...
... mixed in with some impressive modern architecture.
The city is also home to the famous Maracana ...
... focus of the nation's obsession with soccer.
Alta Floresta Amazon
Set in the far southeast of the Amazon Basin in Brazil, Alta Floresta comprises a patchwork of reserves, which provide some interesting wildlife experiences, notably including some unusual primate and bird species. Easier to combine in trips with Pantanal than the central Manaus Amazon area.
Day 3 , 4 , 5
Fly : Rio de Janeiro SDU to Cuiaba CGB
Fly : Cuiaba CGB to Alta Floresta AFL
lodge
SouthWild Rio Juruena
SouthWild Rio Juruena Lodge is set in the Alta Floresta region of the Amazon Basin.
The lodge has a 25-metre viewing platform...
... which is moved around periodiocally to take advantage of various wildlife-viewing opportunities.
Pantanal
Set in the south of Brazil, Pantanal is one of the world’s largest wetlands and one of the prime wildlife-viewing areas in South America, best known for its incredible jaguar sightings and with other highlights including giant anteaters, giant otters and capybaras.
Day 6 , 7
Fly : Alta Floresta AFL to Cuiaba CGB
lodge
Pousada Piuval
Pousada Piuval is located in the Pantanal area of southwest Brazil.
The lodge is centred on a traditional farmstead, which has been substantially remodelled.
Guest accommodation is in a ttal of 31 rooms, 11 of which are higher quality Suites.
Activities include horseback riding ...
... vehicle safari, walking safari ...
... and motorboat safari (May-Jul only).
Day 8 , 9 , 10
lodge
SouthWild Jaguar Lodge
SouthWild Jaguar Lodge is set in the Pantanal area of southwest Brazil.
Guest accommodation is in 20 rooms, eight of which are these spacious Suites ...
... with a sneaky rear window for when jaguars come wandering along the bank.
The primary activity here is motorboat safari.
Along this stretch of river, jaguars are sighted with remarkable frequency.
... with a strong supporting cast including toucans ...
... several species of primates ...
... giant river otters ...
... lots of interesting reptiles species ...
... tapirs, the largest land mammals on the continent ...
... capybaras ...
... and caimans.
The usual stay duration is 3-4 nights, usually incombination with SouthWild Pantanal Lodge.
Day 11 , 12
lodge
SouthWild Pantanal Lodge
The drier areas around the fringes of the Pantanal are home to an interesting range of wildlife ...
... including fabulous giant anteaters ...
... elusive bushdogs ...
... toucans, including this chestnut-eared aracari ...
... hairy armadillos ...
... hyacinth macaws ...
... super-cute coatis ...
... and three species of deers.
Iguazu Sur
Set in the northeast of Argentina and straddling the border with Brazil, the Iguazú Falls is one of the great natural wonders of South America, a really popular hub for visitors to the continent. There’s a good range of hotels and a wide range of activities in the area.
Day 13 , 14 , 15
Fly : Cuiaba CGB to Sao Paulo GRU
Fly : Sao Paulo GRU to Foz do Iguacu IGU
lodge
Selvaje Lodge Iguazu
Selvaje Lodge Iguazú is set in the Iguazú Falls area of northeast Argentina.
Guest accommodation is in 24 simple but pleasant rooms.
The Iguazú Falls straddle the border between Argentina and Brazil.
On the Argentina side, the falls are accessed via a small train.
Along the pathways, guests are accompanied by cute coatis, in search of snacks.
An extensive network of trails lead to a various impressive viewpoints.
On the Argentina side some long boardwalks lead right out to the edge of the cascades.
The falls can also be reached by motorboat.
The surrounding Atlantic rainforest is also worth exporing.
The lower river can also be explored by kayak, canoe or paddleboard.
Most people spend 2-3 nights in the area, in order to explore both sides of the border.
Los Glaciares
Set in the south of Argentina, Los Glaciares is a substantial national park which contains dramatic mountain peaks, vast glaciers and stunning lakes. There’s a wide selection of outdoor activities, including some great hiking and horseback riding, plus some wonderfully remote and authentic estancias.
Day 16 , 17 , 18
Fly : Puerto Iguazu IGR to Buenos Aires AEP
Fly : Buenos Aires AEP to El Calafate FTE
lodge
Estancia Nibepo Aike
Estancia Nibepo Aike is located in the Los Glaciares area of southern Argentina.
Guest accommodation is in ten cosy rooms.
Eight of these are Standard Rooms ...
... and two are Superior Rooms.
The property is still an authentic working farm.
Horse-back riding is included in the room rate.
The property is contained within a vast and very scenic private valley.
There is also an extensive network of vehicle tracks and hiking trails.
From the lodge it is possible to cross the lake heading north ...
... where a short walk up a hill on the other side ...
... leads us to a first view of the famous glacier.
The enormous Perito Moreno glacier is an iconic highlight ...
... where you can view blocks of ice the size of large buildings collapse into the water.
It is also possible to go hiking on the glacier itself.
Torres del Paine
Set in the far south of Chile, Torres del Paine is a substantial national park and one of the most strikingly beautiful places on earth, with dramatic mountain peaks, vast glaciers and stunning lakes, fabulous lodges, superb hiking and some truly remarkable puma action.
Day 19 , 20 , 21 , 22
lodge
EcoCamp Patagonia
EcoCamp Patagonia is set in the Torres del Paine area of southern Chile.
Guest accommodation is in a total of 20 domed rooms ...
... including very basic Standard Domes with shared bathrooms ...
... and three categories of larger domes with private bathrooms ...
... including the Superior Domes ...
... and the Suite Domes, each with a a wood-burning stove.
Torres del Paine is an incredibly scenic place.
The area contains some simply epic hiking and trekking routes.
This also happens to be the best location in the world for viewing pumas ...
... with the most reliable sightings being at Laguna Amarga.
This is also a fabulous area for horseback-riding ...
... there being a very serious equestrial tradition amongst the local vaqueros.
It's also possible to take a closer look at various glaciers by boat ...
... as well as get the crampons on, to ascend the ice ...
... whilst kayaking enables you to really appreciate both the ice and rock sculptures.
As you travel around these landscapes, you should encounter a good deal of wildlife ...
... including the iconic guanacos ...
Santiago
Set at the foot of the Andes Mountains in central Chile, Santiago is the capital city and the main transport hub for the country. Whilst some travellers want to get through here as fast as possible, it’s actually a rather pleasant place that’s a pleasure to explore in more detail and with some rather cool hotel options.
Day 23 , 24
Fly : Punta Arenas PUQ to Santiago SCL
lodge
Hotel Magnolia Santiago
Hotel Magnolia Santiago is set in the city of Santiago in Chile.
Guest accommodation is in 42 pleasantly modern rooms ...
... including Superior Rooms ...
... Deluxe Rooms ...
... and the Deluxe Balcony Rooms.
Santiago is set at the foot of the Andes Mountains ...
A cable car route heads up to the summit of San Cristóbal, a lovely hilltop park which provides panoramic views of the city ...
... which can also be accessed by funicular railway.
The city was founded in 1541 and contains a wealth of historic buildings.
It's an interesting place to explore ...
... with a mix of upmarket and bohemian neighbourhoods.
Browse our collection of sample trips ...
Easter Island
Set in the South Pacific, over 3500 km west of South America, Easter Island is a truly remote and remarkable place, best known for its 900 massive moai statues, but with a far greater story to tell. There are regular flights from Santiago in Chile and a handful of decent places to stay. Particularly strong for hiking.
Day 25 , 26 , 27 , 28
Fly : Santiago SCL to Easter Island IPC
lodge
Altiplanico Rapa Nui
Altiplanico Rapa Nui is located on Easter Island in Chile.
Guest accommodation is in sixteen rooms.
Easter Island is set in the South Pacific, over 3500km to the west of Chile.
The island is renowned for its rows of enormous moai statues ...
... which are thought to date from 1100-1600AD.
The island is thought to have been ravaged by invasive species ...
... and stripped of its natural forest cover by human settlers ...
... with consequential food shortages leading to catastrophic internicine warfare.
These days there is only small indigenous population on the island ...
... which is a fascinating place to explore on foot or by mountain bike.
The island has just one lovely sandy beach.
The island is reached by air from Santiago and is usually visited for 3-5 nights.
Day 29
Departure : Santiago SCL
Alternative Trips
Here is a small selection of related sample trips.
Of course, your actual trip will be precisely tailor-made.
Of course, your actual trip will be precisely tailor-made.
