South America Experience Trip

Arrival at the international airport in Santiago. Reception by our local German-speaking guide and transfer to the hotel. Santiago is a city of contrasts. The metropolis, with nearly 6 million inhabitants, impresses with colonial-style buildings alongside modern skyscrapers and trendy cafés, with the omnipresent Andes on the city outskirts. At the start of your tour, you will ride to the center of the city to the Alameda, the main street that lies right in the heart of the city. In this main street, you can see old, important buildings like the government palace La Moneda, the Universidad de Chile, the San Francisco Church, the National Library, and the Santa Lucia Hill, where Santiago was founded in 1541. In the city center, you will also visit the main square with its cathedral and the old post office. Your route through Santiago continues to the Mercado Central, the main market for fish and seafood. Following the Alameda, you cross the Río Mapocho. Through the artist and nightlife district Bellavista, you will go to the viewpoint Cerro San Cristóbal. From here, you have a fantastic view over the seemingly endless sea of buildings in Santiago and the impressive backdrop of the nearby high cordillera. A visit to the modern residential areas Vitacura, Las Condes, and the business and shopping district Providencia rounds off your visit to the capital. **Note: On Saturdays and Sundays, the ascent of buses and cars to the San Cristobal viewpoint is closed from 08:00 to 14:00. During city tours in the morning, you will visit the Santa Lucia Hill instead of the San Cristobal Hill. Mid-range: Overnight stay at Hotel Principado Lastarria 3* or similar (standard room)

Start your tour with a visit to a winery in the Casablanca Valley, one of the country's most important growing areas for Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Primus. Learn about the wine production processes and sample a selection of excellent wines. Continue your tour to the modern coastal city of Viña del Mar, where you will get to know the Flower Clock, the Casino, several beaches, and the main square 'Plaza Vergara' and can go shopping in a nearby street. Take the coastal road towards Valparaíso. Passing the main square, you can see the monument commemorating the naval battle of Iquique 1879. Valparaíso, declared a UNESCO World Heritage site, offers unique marine landscapes with colorful neighborhoods, picturesque cobblestone streets, and old funiculars. Notes: Lunch is not included. The wine tasting is conducted in English and with other international travelers. Mid-range: Overnight stay at Hotel Principado Lastarria 3* or similar (standard room) Meals: Breakfast

After breakfast, you will be picked up from the hotel and drive to the bus terminal. Enjoy the impressive journey over the Andes mountain range to Mendoza in one of Chile's comfortable long-distance buses. The road 'Ruta 60' leads to higher altitudes through countless serpentines past Chile's most famous ski resort, Portillo, which is located at the foot of the highest mountain in South America, Aconcagua (6,962m). On the downhill journey to Mendoza, you will see the Puente del Inca, a natural work of art: here, erosion and deposits from mineral and sulfurous springs have created an arch about 20m high and 28m wide over the Rio Mendoza. Passing the ski resort Los Penitentes and then along the Uspallata Valley, you will reach the city of Mendoza after about six hours of drive, located at an altitude of 761m. Mendoza is one of the oldest cities in the country. In Mendoza, it grows and is green; the region is famous for its wine. Thanks to its more than 300 sunny days a year, almost everything grows in Mendoza, but only with artificial irrigation. Mendoza belongs to the wealthier provinces of the country due to its good infrastructure. After your arrival, transfer from the bus to the hotel. **Note: The bus transfer can be canceled due to bad weather (spring/autumn). Then the passengers must alternatively book a flight from Santiago to Mendoza, which they will have to pay for on site. Our guide can assist passengers with purchasing the ticket at the airport or in the travel agency if necessary. **Note: For departures between April and August, only the option with the flight from Santiago to Mendoza is offered. Mid-range: Overnight stay at Hotel Huentala 3* or similar (classic room) Meals: Breakfast

Along the Andes, over 2,000 different wineries are scattered in this region, some small family-owned businesses, some huge state-owned wineries. Mendoza hosts about 70% of all vineyards in Argentina and holds about the same share of wine production in the country. Thus, the region is the most important wine-growing area in South America. During the visit of two regionally typical wineries, you will also enjoy a short wine tasting, where you can familiarize yourself with the local wines and their production process. To get an impression of the production differences, the excursion includes the visit of a small traditional winery as well as a large-scale operation. Mid-range: Overnight stay at Hotel Huentala 3* or similar (classic room) Meals: Breakfast

The day is at your leisure. Mid-range: Overnight stay at Hotel Huentala 3* or similar (classic room) Meals: Breakfast

Transfer from the hotel to the airport in Mendoza and flight to Buenos Aires. Arrival in Buenos Aires and transfer to the hotel. Buenos Aires is the capital of Argentina and the center of the political, economic, and intellectual life of the country. Buenos Aires is heavily European-influenced and shines with excellent culinary offerings as well as its exquisite boutiques and the elegance of its residents. Despite its dynamism and modern structure, Buenos Aires has managed to preserve old traditions and charming typical corners. The cosmopolitan atmosphere and the different characteristics of the individual 'Barrios' (neighborhoods) surely fascinate every visitor. Nearly 13 million people live here and enjoy the diverse nightlife. During the day, Buenos Aires offers a great selection of attractions: museums, art galleries, antique shops, extensive green spaces, as well as renowned sporting events and golf courses. Here, you can also find the birthplace of tango music, which is on the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage. The rest of the day is at your leisure - the following excursions can be optionally booked through our local SAT office: Mid-range: Overnight stay at Hotel Loi Suites Esmeralda 3* or similar (studio) Meals: Breakfast

Experience the birthplace of tango up close! During your city tour, you will first visit the Avenida de Mayo, which leads to the famous Plaza De Mayo. Here you will see the Casa Rosada (government seat and former fortress), the Metropolitan Cathedral (seat of the archbishop of Buenos Aires), and the old town hall. You will enter the Metropolitan Cathedral and admire the impressive neo-classical architecture of the building, which is one of the most important Catholic landmarks in the country. The mausoleum of the Argentine national hero General San Martín is housed in the cathedral, and Pope Francis held his masses here when he was still the archbishop of Buenos Aires. Buenos Aires has a pronounced café culture that stems from the numerous immigrants. A café can be found at nearly every corner. We will make a stop at a traditional café where you can enjoy a cup of coffee and snacks. Your path continues to the historic San Telmo, the oldest district of the city, with cobblestone streets and numerous antique shops. Especially on Sundays, Plaza Dorrego with the legendary antique market is a 'must'. Your next destination is La Boca, the probably most colorful neighborhood of Buenos Aires. Here you will find the famous artist street El Caminito, where painters offer their famous tango paintings for sale. On Avenida 9 de Julio (the widest street in the world), your path leads past the Teatro Colón, one of the most successful opera houses in the world and a stage for numerous internationally known artists and musicians. Later, you will be taken to the tango house Viejo Almacén, as a tango night is a must at any visit to the Argentine capital! The origins of tango lie in the last century, when the entire area of the Río de la Plata was flooded with European immigrants who brought their own music with them. At some point, the elements of the different music styles blended together, and something new was created: tango. The first instruments of the musicians and dancers (initially only male) who walked through dance halls and streets were flutes, violins, and guitars; later, piano and bandoneon (a type of accordion) also became established as tango instruments. In the restaurant Viejo Almacen, you will first be served dinner; afterward, you will go across the street to the show house, where a tango show is on the schedule. The artists show the different variants of tango and milonga in Viejo Almacen. After the tango show, return to the hotel. Note: The excursion takes place together with other travelers. Transfers from the hotel to the tango house and vice versa are conducted as shared transfers together with other travelers and a Spanish-speaking driver. The tango house has English-speaking staff. Mid-range: Overnight stay at Hotel Loi Suites Esmeralda 3* or similar (studio) Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

The day is at your leisure - the following excursions can be optionally booked through our partner office on site: Mid-range: Overnight stay at Hotel Loi Suites Esmeralda 3* or similar (studio) Meals: Breakfast

After breakfast, transfer to the national airport and flight to Iguassu, from there continue to visit the Argentine side of the falls. Iguassu is undoubtedly the largest natural wonder of South Brazil: a gigantic series of waterfalls that plunge into the Iguassu River through a gorge at the border of Paraguay and Argentina. A total of 275 waterfalls thunder down a approximately 3km wide precipice, creating a constant mist adorned with eternal rainbows. All this amidst a subtropical forest, whose green splendor surrounds this untamed natural spectacle with an aura of the original. The falls belong, due to their size and unspoiled location in the tropical jungle at the tripoint of Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay, to the most impressive natural attractions in South America. While you can mainly enjoy the panorama of the falls on the Brazilian side, on the Argentine side, you can walk on the lower and upper circuit quite close between the individual waterfalls. With the Ecological Jungle Train, you go to the Devil's Throat Station, from where a short walk leads to the spectacular viewpoint of the Devil's Throat. Afterward, you cross the Tancredo Neves Bridge over the Iguassu River, which forms the natural border between Brazil and Argentina, and enter Brazil. Transfer to the hotel. Mid-range: Overnight stay at Hotel Viale Cataratas 3* or similar (standard room) Meals: Breakfast

On the Brazilian side of the falls, you have a true panoramic view - from a viewpoint close to the Devil's Throat, you experience the falls up close. A narrow walkway leads to the lower steep section of the waterfalls. There you are surrounded by roaring water, mist, and splashing spray, the green of the jungle, uprooted trees, and a semicircular rainbow. Mid-range: Overnight stay at Hotel Viale Cataratas 3* or similar (standard room) Meals: Breakfast

Transfer to the airport and flight to Rio de Janeiro, from there transfer to the hotel. Rio de Janeiro offers an incredible scenery with its lush vegetation, deep blue sea, and white beaches. It is a city between mountains and sea, with lovable inhabitants, the Cariocas, a wealth of cultural and entertainment opportunities, as well as numerous shopping experiences. Rios streets and sidewalks withstand about eight million people and a million cars, trucks, buses, motorcycles, and scooters daily, all fighting for a space where there is room for at most one third. However, this spectacular chaos cannot diminish the enthusiasm of a Carioca. For a Carioca, everything is relative, only one thing is not - the wonder and beauty of Rio de Janeiro. Mid-range: Overnight stay at Hotel Mirador Rio Copacabana 3-4* or similar (superior room) Meals: Breakfast

Pickup at the hotel and drive to Cosme Velho Station, boarding the cogwheel train that goes through the Tijuca rainforest up the Corcovado Mountain. The train ride lasts 20 minutes and is a good opportunity to take a closer look at the dense tropical forest vegetation and enjoy the beautiful view over the beaches and the city. Get off at the Corcovado Mountain and go a few steps up to the summit, where the towering statue of Christ the Redeemer stands. After taking in the breathtaking view, it is time to go back down with the train. The ride continues along some of Rio's world-famous beaches to Urca Beach. On the way back, you will pass Flamengo Park along Guanabara Bay to downtown. Visit downtown, including the economic and financial center as well as the Kandelaria Church (Dom), St. Sebastian Cathedral, the Lapa Arches, the City Theater, the National Library, the Museum of Fine Arts, and the Sambadrome, where the famous parades take place annually. Optional: Evening program Rio by night - Show: You will be offered an acoustic and visual event - pure SAMBA. The fascinating show with lavishly rich costumes presents the wealth of the nation's cultural and musical heritage. ** Note: This excursion can also be booked including dinner. Mid-range: Overnight stay at Hotel Mirador Rio Copacabana 3-4* or similar (superior room) Meals: Breakfast

Transfer to the airport and flight to Europe. Meals: Breakfast