Patagonia & Iguazu Falls
From the breathtaking views of Rio to the awe-inspiring waterfalls of Iguazu… from an exciting weekend in Buenos Aires to the spectacular Perito Moreno glacier – one of the world’s largest…. experiencing the wonders of Patagonia aboard the cruise ship Australis and in the Torres Del Paine National Park….. our final stop in Santiago – South America’s most exciting city… 17 days of breathtaking experiences in one of the most fascinating and beautiful areas in the world.
We begin our tour at the world famous Belmond Copacabana Palace Hotel in Rio de Janeiro. Marvel at the mighty Iguazu Falls and the spectacular Perito Moreno – among the largest glaciers in the world. Cruise around Cape Horn and the fjords of Patagonia in our cruise ship, the Australis. Explore the Torres Del Paine National Park with it’s famous peaks from the unique, Singular Hotel in Puerto Natales. We also visit Buenos Aires and enjoy an in-depth tour of both the Jewish and general sites of this historic city.
No South America Kosher adventures are currently planned for 2022, but we are open to persuasion if you have a group of travelers who are interested! For a sample itinerary, click on the ‘Itinerary’ link above.
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Included
5 Star AccommodationAirport TransfersFully KosherPersonal Guide -
Not Included
Scholar in Residence
Day 1 - Sunday, November 8, 2020
Day 2 - Monday, November 9, 2020
- Corcovado – where the statue of Christo Redentor is located, considered one of the new Seven Wonders of the modern world.
- The Tijuca Forest, where your guide will show the beautiful natural treasures.
- Maracana Stadium
- Sambodromo – the stadium where the samba schools parade during Carnival in Rio de Janeiro.
- The Metropolitan Cathedral of São Sebastião – the cathedral named for the patron of the city.
- The Sugar Loaf complex / Sugar Loaf cable car ride
- Morro da Urca, Praia Vermelha (Red Beach) and the old Cassino da Urca.
- Your Rio de Janeiro city tour ends with a visit to the most famous beaches: Copacabana, Ipanema and Leblon.
Day 3 - Tuesday, November 10, 2020
Day 4 - Wednesday, November 11, 2020
- Iguaçu National Park – We cross over to the Brazilian side to what are arguably the best views of the tremendous Devil’s Throat Waterfall. Watch as 14 falls drop 350 feet (107 meters) over a precipice with impressive, thunderous force. Be sure to bring your foul-weather gear, because the water plummets with such magnitude that it creates a 100-foot (30-meter) cloud of mist that is suspended permanently overhead. This cloud is host to a steady rainbow, so get ready to snap lots of photos.
- For an up-close view of the Falls – trek through the forest to the bottom of Salto Floriano.
- Ride the park’s elevator to the top of the Falls, or meander out over the Falls at Salto Union.
- Itaipu Dam – the world’s largest hydroelectric power plant. Built on the Paraná River, the plant provides part of Brazil’s and almost all of Paraguay’s electricity. View the dam itself up close and learn about the history and logistics of its operation.
Day 5 - Thursday, November 12, 2020
- Taking the Ecological Train from Cataratas Station (a 15-minute ride on a 2.5 kilometer course.) – Get a view of the upper side of Iguaçu River to the Devil’s Throat Station as you walk over the 1100 meter long catwalk. Take the same path back to Cataratas Station to begin the second portion of the tour.
- Take the Upper Circuit walkways to get a view of several observation points located over the limit of the falls. Get a vertical view above the falls, attaining the largest and best panoramic view of the falls.
- Take your last walk in the Lower Circuit, approximately 2500 meters long. The section overlooks Devil’s Throat and large rock walls. Hop on a boat that will bring you close enough to the falls to take pictures and even get wet!
Day 6 - Friday, November 13, 2020
- Historical May Square (Plaza de Mayo)- the place where Buenos Aires was founded. There, we will admire the Pink House (Government House), which houses the mythical balcony from where Evita used to address the people. We will also see the Cabildo, the colonial city-hall, and the Metropolitan Cathedral.
- The spectacular mausoleum of General San Martín, Argentina´s independence hero.
- May Avenue – that joins the Pink House with the Congress, with its Art Nouveau buildings, old hotels, theaters and cafes.
- Café Tortoni, inaugurated in 1858, much frequented by intellectuals and artists.
- San Telmo neighborhood – bohemians, artists, antique shops and cobbled streets. We will pass around Dorrego Square, where each Sunday thousands of tourists and porteños visit the antique fair that is held there.
- La Boca neighborhood – with its colourful tenements, artists’ studios and workshops. We will walk along the mythical street of Caminito to breathe the characteristic atmosphere of the area, with its love for tango and soccer.
- Puerto Madero neighborhood – totally redesigned in the 90’s, this new residential area, very close to the river houses three design hotels, chic restaurants and exclusive apartment buildings.
- Retiro. – we will visit San Martín Square, surrounded by elegant buildings with French architecture, where we begin our journey along the most aristocratic areas of Buenos Aires.
- The Palermo neighborhood – strolling along its large parks, rose gardens and lakes, the porteños favorite place to practice sports or give long walks.
- We end our tour in Recoleta, where we find the colonial style church of Our Lady of Pilar, the second oldest in the city, and we enter the legendary cemetery to visit Evita’s tomb.
Day 7 - Saturday, November 14, 2020
- Saturday Night – A MUST!!
Day 8 - Sunday, November 15, 2020
- Trek among the pristine streams, gullies and peaks of Los Glaciares National Park with a professional guide,
- Get an up-close perspective on the fantastic formation with a 1-hour boat ride through a glacial lagoon.
- You might even witness the glacier’s signature movement and cracking sounds from detaching icebergs!
- Explore the paths and lookout points of Perito Moreno Glacier
- Visit the famous glaciers in the Parque Nacional los Glaciares including Upsalla, Onelli andSpegazzini.
- Stretch your legs and take an easy hike along park pathways for diverse views of Perito Moreno’s 200-foot-(60-meter)-high, blue-tinged walls.
CRUISE DAY 1: Monday, November 16, 2020
- Check in at 409 San Martín Ave. in downtown Ushuaia (?)
- Board the Stella Australis at 18:00 (6 PM). After a welcoming toast and introduction of captain and crew, the ship departs for one of the most remote corners of planet Earth.
- During the night we traverse the Beagle Channel and cross from Argentina into Chilean territorial waters. The lights of Ushuaia disappear as we turn into the narrow Murray Channel between Navarino and Hoste Islands.
CRUISE DAY 2: Tuesday, November 17, 2020
- Around the break of dawn, Stella Australis crosses Nassau Bay and enters the remote archipelago that comprises Cape Horn National Park.
- Weather and sea conditions permitting, we shall go ashore on the windswept island that harbors legendary Cape Horn (Cabo de Hornos). – Discovered in 1616 by a Dutch maritime expedition — and named after the town of Hoorn in West Friesland — Cape Horn is a sheer 425-meter (1,394-foot) high rocky promontory overlooking the turbulent waters of the Drake Passage.
- Sailing back across Nassau Bay, we anchor at fabled Wulaia Bay – one of the few places in the archipelago where the human history is just as compelling as the natural environment.
- A visit to the Australis-sponsored museum in the old radio station — which is especially strong on the Yámana people and European missionaries in the area.
- A choice of three hikes (of increasing degrees of difficulty) that ascend the heavily wooded mountain behind the bay. On all of these you stroll through an enchanted Magellanic forest of lengas, coigües, canelos and ferns to reach panoramic viewpoints overlooking the bay.
CRUISE DAY 3: Wednesday, November 18, 2020
- Overnight we continue our Patagonia glacier tour around the western end of Tierra del Fuego via the very narrow Gabrial Channel, Magdalena Channel and Cockburn Channel. After rounding the remote Brecknock Peninsula, Ventus Australis tacks eastward and enters the Beagle Channel again.
- By morning we are entering Pia Fjord and boarding the Zodiacs for a shore excursion to Pia Glacier.
- After disembarking we take a short hike to gain a panoramic view of the spectacular glacier, which extends from the mountaintops down to the sea or a longer much more difficult walk up a lateral moraine of the old Pia Glacier.
- We will enter another long fjord and drop anchor near Garibaldi Glacier for another shore excursion. Garibaldi is one of only three glaciers in Patagonia gaining mass rather than staying the same or slowly shrinking.
- A hike through Magellanic forest to a glacial waterfall – a towering wall of ferns and moss, and spectacular viewpoints looking down on the glacier and fjord. The walk is demanding — very steep, negligible trail, rough footing — and not for everyone. For those who choose to stay onboard, our captain will point the bow towards the beautiful sky blue Garibaldi Glacier so everyone can enjoy the panoramic view from the upper decks.
CRUISE DAY 4: Thursday, November 19, 2020
- Early in the morning, we will sail through the Cockburn Channel and enter Agostini Sound. – From there it is possible to see the glaciers that descend from the middle of the Darwin Mountain Range — some of them reaching the water.
- We will disembark and go for an easy walk around a lagoon, which was formed by the melting of the Águila Glacier. We will reach a spot right in front of that glacier with stunning views.
- In the afternoon, we will approach the Condor Glacier via Zodiac — and hopefully see some of the abundant Andean Condors in the area.
CRUISE DAY 5: Friday, November 20, 2020
- After an overnight cruise through Magdalena Channel and back into the Strait of Magellan, we anchor off Magdalena Island.
- At the break of dawn, weather permitting, we go ashore and hike a path that leads through thousands of penguins to a small museum lodged inside the vintage 1902 lighthouse.
- After a short cruise south along the strait, disembarkation at Punta Arenas is scheduled for around 11:30 AM.
Day 14: Friday, November 20, 2020
- Check in and then an afternoon of kayaking –
- We will set out from the shore in front of the hotel and row through the waters of the Señoret Canal. This tour is recommendable for both first-time kayakers, as well as those with more experience.
- The trip takes 1-2 hours, depending on expertise.
- If the winds are blowing in our favor, we will head towards Puerto Natales, cross to the Peninsula or head towards Puerto Condor. Beautiful pictures of the hotel can be taken from the bay.
Day 15: Saturday, November 21, 2020
Day 16: Sunday, November 22, 2020
- We will head northward to the Park, passing through several lookouts with breathtaking views of the Paine Massif.
- We will see fauna typical of this area: nandus, or American ostriches, foxes, and guanacos;
- Visit lakes such as the Nordenskjold, Sarmiento, Pehoé and Grey.
- We will take a short walk to the Big Falls (Salto Grande) where you can see the Horns (los Cuernos).
- At Grey Lake Beach, you will have the chance to watch icebergs that were once part of the glacier.
- Choice of easy, medium and difficult treks will be available for today.