South America

2 - 26 Aug 2017

There is probably no other part of the world with the same rich mix of incredible farming combined with magnificent scenery along with diverse culture and history. South America is simply one of the most rewarding places on the planet to explore.

After flying across the Pacific to Santiago (Chile) we travel north to Lima to begin our adventure. Everyone should visit Peru, and particularly Machu Picchu at least once – it is that impressive. A couple of nights surrounded by the Incan culture and traditions in Cuzco is also a must.

We then fly direct to the spectacular Iguazu Falls in southeastern Brazil – and we will see them from every angle – up close, below and above. Then it’s off to the remote western interior and the Mato Grosso – the booming frontier of Brazilian agriculture. The scale of development will amaze you with huge areas of cotton, grain crops, sugarcane and cattle.
No trip to South America is complete without visiting Rio taking in Sugarloaf, Corcovado and Copacabana Beach.

Then into Argentina and some of the best farming country in the world – the Argentine Pampas (prairie). We also spend a couple of nights in beautiful, vibrant Buenos Aires. We then fly to the southern tip of the continent and the Patagonian region. This imposing region is home to some vast livestock operations as well as one of the scenic highlights of this (or any) tour – the Perito Merino glacier.

We cross the Andes into Chile through Torres del Paine National Park, one of the iconic visions of South America. Central/southern Chile is a land of beautiful lakes and snow capped peaks. The region also boasts highly productive agriculture. Onto Santiago and home.


Itinerary

View or Print Itinerary
Date
Activity
Overnight

Day 1

Wed 2 Aug
D

Overnight flight to Santiago (Chile) via Auckland. The flight time from Auckland is about

11 hours, 20 minutes, most of which is at night. On arrival we transfer to a flight to Lima

(Peru). As we fly north along the Chilean coast we should get a great view of the coast

backed by the magnificent snow capped Andes. Afternoon arrival and transfer to hotel.

LA642 SCL-LIM 3.55pm-4.50pm

Day 2

Thu 3 Aug
B L D

Short city tour of Lima ô€€€then transfer to the airport for our flight to Cuzco. Tour of the

city in the afternoon and time to visit one of the markets. Dinner and folkloric show at

a local restaurant this evening.

LA2041 LIM-CUZ 11.10am-12.45pm

Casa Andina Premium Collection
Plaza Limacpampa Cusco +51 1391 6500 view website

Day 3

Fri 4 Aug
B L

This morning we enjoy a spectacular bus and train journey through farming valleys and

imposing mountains to Aguas Calientes station (1000 metres lower than Cuzco). From here we are transported by bus to the top of the mountain and our unforgettable introduction

to the citadel of Machu Picchu, one of the most renowned examples of Inca architecture,

surrounded by lush cloud forest. Lost in history, it was not discovered until 1911 by the

American explorer Hiram Bingham. After a guided visit of the ruins, we will have a self-service lunch at the local mountain-top restaurant. After lunch, there will be plenty of time to wander the ruins and maybe climb to the Sun Gate for a spectacular view of the whole site (about 45 minutes each way) or go back down the mountain to explore Aguas Calientes. Late afternoon return to Cusco. No dinner has been organised, but snacks are available on the train.

Casa Andina Premium Collection
Cusco

Day 4

Sat 5 Aug
B D

Fly to Foz do Iguacu via Lima, then enter the Iguassu National Park to check in at our magnificent colonial hotel. This is the only hotel within the National Park and is spectacularly located on the edge of the falls.

LA2010/LA2443 CUZ-LIM-IGU 7.30am-9.05am/12.10pm-6.05pm

Day 5

Sun 6 Aug
B L

Full day to explore all aspects of the falls. We go straight to our jungle tour and exhilarating jetboat ride to the most impressive part of Iguassu Falls – Garganta del Diablo (translated as the ‘Devil’s Throat’). After lunch, visit the giant Itaipo Dam – one of the seven wonders of the modern world. This enormous hydro scheme is a joint project between the governments of Paraguay and Brazil. Eight kilometres wide and requiring enough concrete to build five Hoover Dams, the Itaipu Dam spans the Parana River at the Brazil/Paraguay border.

The plan is to get back to the hotel in time for sunset and an unforgettable (and easy) stroll along the boardwalk, from the front of our hotel, to many vantage points including Garganta del Diablo. Free evening to explore the falls and enjoy this magnificent hotel.

Belmond Hotel das Cataratas
Iguassu Falls

Day 6

Mon 7 Aug
B D

Some time to explore around the falls this morning before we take a flight to Cuiaba in the Mato Grosso, via Sao Paulo.

JJ3250/JJ3278 IGU-CGH-CGB 11.54am-1.30pm/5.20pm-6.33pm

Day 7

Tue 8 Aug
B L D

Travel through the spectacular Chapada dos Guimarães, an area of stunning table-top mountains, ravines, caves, streams and waterfalls perched about 800m higher than the enormous, flat plains of the Pantanal. It enjoys cooler temperatures and its vegetation is 'cerrado' or tropical savannah which gives rise to different flora and fauna. This cerrado landscape dominates Brazil's broadacre agriculture – not only in Mato Grosso, but Minas Gerais, Goias and Bahia. It was thought to be worthless for agriculture until Brazilian researchers found that it could be made highly productive with the addition of lime and phosphorus. We will visit some of the huge farming operations near Campo Verde. It is truly farming on a grand scale. Dinner with some local consultants and farmers.

Day 8

Wed 9 Aug
B L

Visit to Bom Futuro. The size of this operation is almost incomprehensible. They grow 90,000 hectares of cotton which is classed as a secondary crop to soybeans. They are big enough to build a hydroelectric power station 200 km away which provides 60 per cent of the power to their nine cotton gins and farming operations. They have scaled back their cattle enterprise but still have something like 100,000 head. And they have moved into fish farming in a big way. Be prepared to be amazed.

Hotel Pequeno Mundo Palace II
Campo Verde

Day 9

Thu 10 Aug
B L

Visit more farms in the area as we travel along some roads which will give you an idea of the logistical problems facing farmers in this frontier area. Then back to Cuiaba, where we catch a flight to Rio de Janeiro for an evening arrival. Transfer to our hotel right on Copacabana beach.

AD5717/AD4456 CGB-VCP-SDU 4.04pm-7.00pm/8.15pm-9.20pm

Day 10

Fri 11 Aug
B D

While in Rio we will see the major sights of this fantastic city including Corcovado (Christ the Redeemer), the Lagoon, Copacabana and Ipanema Beach and the Sugarloaf cable car. After lunch, we have the opportunity to do something most tourists don’t – an amazing guided tour of some of the favelas (hillside shanty towns) of Rio. This tour is not intrusive or patronising. It has the full backing of the local communities to help raise awareness of their unique living, social and political conditions.

Arena Copacabana Hotel
Rio de Janeiro

Day 11

Sat 12 Aug
B D

This morning we are transferred to the airport for our direct flight to Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina.

On arrival we are transferred to our hotel with a brief introduction to the city enroute to help get our bearings.

AR1293 GIG-AEP 10.05am-1.30pm

Day 12

Sun 13 Aug
B

This morning we have a guided city tour of the major sights of BA.

This is a vibrant city of many barrios (neighbourhoods) and we'll visit colonial San Telmo, the colourful houses of La Boca and the newly redeveloped Puerto Madero. At the Plaza de Mayo, we get a look at the Casa Rosada (the Pink Palace) where Eva Peron waved to the adoring crowds and visit her tomb in the cemetery at La Recoleta. Our hotel is located on the widest street in the world – the Avenue 9 de Julio – which honours Argentina’s independence day in 1816. It is in an area known as Microcentro and is close to shopping and almost opposite the beautiful Teatro Colon, BA’s opera house.

The afternoon and evening are free, but we will suggest a few options such as bike tours and just generally exploring the many interesting areas of BA.

For those interested, we can organise an optional visit to a Tango show, which may also include dinner. Or perhaps a night at the opera appeals.

Hotel Panamericano
Buenos Aires

Day 13

Mon 14 Aug
B L D

We depart BA this morning by charter coach and in the company of our farm specialist guides. Over the next few days, our guides will introduce us to some of the farms and farmers of La Pampa (the Pampas) – an almost uninterupted plain of 75,000,000 hectares covering a large part of eastern Argentina; most of Uruguay; and, the southernmost Brazilian state, Rio Grande do Sul. To put this vast and fertile region into perspective, the average area of the Australian winter and summer crop combined is around 26,000,000 hectares.

We travel west to Pergamino, the biggest city in the northern region of Buenos Aires province, in the middle of the ‘humid’ Pampas. The humid Pampas is considered the most fertile and best crop producing country in the Pampas.

We’ll stop to visit Agrouranga – a family company with more than 150 years farming in the region. Jose Luis Ferri, the agronomist responsible for production on Agrouranga, will be our host. Afterwards we’ll also meet with Cesar Belloso, former President of Aapresid (the Argentine No-Till Association) and a very well-known agronomist and consultant. Dinner in La Cava Restaurant, near the hotel.

Day 14

Tue 15 Aug
B L D

This morning we travel to Rosario, the agricultural capital of Argentina. Over the next two days our guides will introduce us to the farms and farmers of La Pampa (the pampas), an almost uninterupted fertile plain of 75,000,000 hectares covering a large part of eastern Argentina through to Uruguay and southern Brazil.

Holiday Inn Express
Rosario view website

Day 15

Wed 16 Aug
B L

Visit more farms around Rosario.

Holiday Inn Express
Rosario

Day 16

Thu 17 Aug
B L D

Today we fly south to the magnificent Patagonian region to the lake-side resort centre of El Calafate, the gateway to the Argentine glaciers. In the afternoon we will visit one of the local large scale sheep farms and discuss their particular (and unique) problems, such as pumas.

AR 1842 ROS-FTE 3.10pm-6.30pm

Hotel Posada Los Alamos
El Calafate view website

Day 17

Fri 18 Aug
B L D

We are in the arid rain-shadow region of the Argentine Patagonia. This is an environment ranging from enormous, majestic glaciers through to thick sub-Antarctic woodlands and savage unclimbed crags. El Calafate is sited on the shores of Lago Argentino, one of the world’s largest and most beautiful lakes.

El Calafate is also the access town for Glacier Perito Moreno, undoubtedly one of the world’s natural wonders and one of the very few advancing glaciers on Earth. Early this morning we board our charter 4 wheel drive coach and travel about an hour to visit this glacier as it wages a titanic battle with Lago Argentino. On our spectacular boat cruise to the face of the glacier we will witness huge chunks of ice detonate off the face with the report of a cannon, and plunge into the water below. There will be plenty of time to enjoy the walking trails and viewing platforms. Lunch has not been organised, but is available from the well stocked kiosk. After our glacier encounter we will return to El Calafate by the "back road," passing through a very large sheep operation – Estancia Altavista. This estancia (ranch) is 75,000 hectares running 28,000 sheep. We then travel to Estancia Nibepo Aike for a welcome reception and a run-down of the operation from the owner, Senor Adolfo Jansma, followed by a Patagonian lamb barbecue and a late return to El Calafate.

Hotel Posada Los Alamos
El Calafate

Day 18

Sat 19 Aug
B L D

We start early on a long, but spectacular trip across the stark Patagonia plains – with some wildlife spotting, especially the local guanacos (type of llama) and maybe a condor or two.

We cross the border into Chile and the famous Torres del Paine National Park with a picnic lunch on the way. Torres del Paine is a massif crowned with weird twisted granite peaks rising out of the surrounding plains. It is one of the planet’s most visually stunning national parks standing guard against the elements at the foot of the world.

By late afternoon we arrive at the ferry terminal of Puerto Natales. The town is a spectacular settlement sited on the Seno Ultima Esparanza channel – or Last Hope Sound.

CHILE

Hotel Costa Australis
Puerto Natales view website

Day 19

Sun 20 Aug
B L D

We board our Chilean coach and enjoy a scenic journey to a local estancia. There will be

time to inspect the farm and livestock and talk about grazing at the far end of the world,

before we arrive at Punta Arenas, on the Straits of Magellan in Patagonian Chile.

This was long-considered the world’s southernmost city (with a recent surge in

population, Ushuaia, a bit further to the south, now carries that tag). Punta Arenas is

roughly 1420 km from the coast of Antarctica.

Hotel Diego De Almagro
Punta Arenas view website

Day 20

Mon 21 Aug
B L D

This morning we fly through to Puerto Montt and pick up our coach for a wonderful drive through the beautiful Osorno region. There will be spectacular views (weather permitting) of Volcano Osorno and other snow clad peaks soaring to 3500 metres. The region is the jewel in the crown of Chile’s southern lakes district. It is also the heart of the pasturage zone, concentrating over half the cattle in the country, with many dairies and beef operations. We visit the farm of the Neumann family, descendants of the original Germans, where they produce milk and beef with the local dual-purpose breed – the Overo Colorado. Marcelo and Maria Elena, and their children, will welcome us to their home for afternoon tea.

We then continue through to spectacular Villarica for dinner and overnight. Our hotel is perched right on the edge of Lake Villarica, with snow capped Mount Villarica just behind.

LA280 PUQ-PMC 10.20am-12.35pm

Villarica Park Lake Hotel
Villarica view website

Day 21

Tue 22 Aug
B L

Full day of farm visits. We visit some major farms in the area to talk with the owners

about their agricultural practices and product marketing. With reliable rainfall and rich volcanic soils, this region of Chile boasts some of the highest average wheat yields in the world.

Return to Villarica for overnight and a free evening.

Villarica Park Lake Hotel
Villarica

Day 22

Wed 23 Aug
B L D

This morning we transfer to the airport for our short flight to Santiago. On arrival we enjoy a panoramic tour of the city. This intriguing city of 5 million people has one of the world's most dazzling locations. Sights visited include the Palacio de la Moneda, the Plaza de Armas and the incongrously named, Avenida del Libertador Bernardo O'Higgins (la Almeda).

LA232 ZCO-SCL 12.15pm-1.40pm

Four Points by Sheraton
Santiago view website

Day 23

Thu 24 Aug
B L

Today we take a day trip through some magnificent scenery to the beautiful and historic seaside city of Valparaiso for our farewell lunch. Return to Santiago for a free evening and overnight.

Four Points by Sheraton
Santiago

Day 24

Fri 25 Aug
B

A leisurely morning and a chance to do some last minute sightseeing or souvenir hunting before transfer to the airport for our early afternoon flight home.

Arrival back into Australia on Aug 26.