Depart From: Depart the U.S.A. on overnight flight to Santiago, Chile.

Arrive to Santiago, Chile.
Program Orientation/Pre-Columbian Museum.

Morning: Road Scholar group flights arrive in Santiago.
Proceed through Immigrations, Baggage Claim, and Customs. After exiting the restricted arrivals area, participants should look for the Road Scholar representative who will be holding a Road Scholar sign (only applies to group flights).

Transfer to the hotel.
A light snack will be available for those arriving on very early flights.
Enjoy some time at leisure to freshen-up and get settled-in.


Lunch: Lunch at hotel.

Afternoon: Program Orientation.
Lecture: An Overview of Chile.
Field trip to the Muse Colonial Iglesia San Francisco.
Return to the hotel.

Dinner: Dinner at hotel.

Lodging: Hotel Torremayor

Meals Included: Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast at hotel.

Morning: Lecture: A History of Chilean Wine.

Chileans have produced fine wines for over a century, although the conquistadors also planted vines. The origin of today's world-class Chilean wines stems from cuttings brought over from French vineyards in the mid-19th century before their stock was decimated by disease. Later, the European vines were grafted onto disease-resistant American stock. Chilean growers, however, had the advantage of original, non-grafted vines from France as well as an ideal climate in the Central Valley.

Field trip: Orientation to downtown Santiago, including a walk around the central plaza.

The capital of Chile is a city where residents have traditionally looked to Europe as a model for architecture and culture. This influence can readily be seen in its stately palaces, plazas, parks and churches. Santiago is the country's colonial center, surrounded by 31 comunas or communities with their own municipal administration.

Return to the hotel.

Lunch: Lunch at local restaurant.

Afternoon: Excursion to San Cristobal Hill – Up & down the hill by railcar.
Return to the hotel.
Time at leisure.

Dinner: On your own, for a chance to explore local fare.

Lodging: Hotel Torremayor

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Santiago -
Wines of the Casablanca Valley/Orientation to Valparaiso.

Note: Viña del Mar is 74 miles (120 km) northwest of Santiago and 5 miles (8 km) north of Valparaiso.

Breakfast: Breakfast at hotel.

Morning: Depart for Valparaiso via Viña del Mar.
En-route field trip to local winery and site lecture.
Arrive to Valparaiso.
Orientation to Valparaiso with site lecture.

Located in central Chile, Valparaiso is the country’s most important seaport, and now said to be the cultural capital of Chile. Built upon dozens of steep hillsides overlooking the Pacific Ocean, Valparaíso boasts a labyrinth of streets and cobblestone alleyways, embodying a rich architectural and cultural legacy. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the city is also host to the National Congress of Chile.

Lunch: Lunch at local restaurant.

Afternoon: Enjoy a railcar ride and walk in Valparaiso.
Return to Santiago.

Dinner: On your own, to explore local fare.

Lodging: Hotel Torremayor

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Puerto Varas -
Angelmo Fish and Craft Market/Huaso Demonstration.

Note: The flight from Santiago to Puerto Montt takes 1:45 hours. The drive from Puerto Montt to Puerto Varas takes approximately 20 minutes. Puerto Varas is located 12 miles (20 km) north of Puerto Montt.

Breakfast: Breakfast at hotel.

Morning: Transfer to the airport.
Board a flight to Puerto Montt (1:45 hrs).

Founded by German settlers in the mid-19th century, Puerto Montt still retains a distinct middle European face, with Nordic and Alpine architecture. The city is best known as a gateway to the southern lakes of Chile, Chiloé Island and Chilean Patagonia. Located nearby is the fishing and ferry port of Angelmo.
Excursion to the bustling Angelmo Fish and Craft Market.


Lunch: Lunch at local restaurant.

Afternoon: Transfer to the hotel and check-in.
Time at leisure.
Field trip to an equestrian farm for rodeo demonstration by local huasos (Chilean cowboys). Site lecture: Training a Show Horse, a Labor of Patience and Love.

Dinner: Dinner at the farm.

Lodging: Hotel Cabanas del Lago

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast at hotel.

Morning: Lecture: German Immigration.

Puerto Varas is nestled between the towering peaks of the Andes and the shores of Lake Llanquihue in Chile, twelve miles north of Puerto Montt. Puerto Varas is known for its spectacular views across Lake Llanquihue to the Andes Mountains.
The area was settled by predominantly German immigrants in the middle of the 19th century, and remnants of their culture are evident in many small communities in the area. Puerto Varas, founded in 1854, served as an important port on the lake during this period. Because of the hilly land and curved shoreline the street plan is irregular, but the town displays a well-preserved concentration of European architecture.

Excursion to German Museum with site lecture.
Short walk through the small German town of Frutillar.

Lunch: Lunch at Lavender Tea Garden.

Afternoon: Return to the hotel.
Lecture: The Chilean Salmon Industry.

Dinner: On your own, to explore local fare.

Lodging: Hotel Cabanas del Lago

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Bariloche -
Petrohue Falls/Full Day Lake Crossing to Bariloche/Andean Highlands.

Note: The lake crossing from Chile to Argentina takes approximately 8-9 hours and includes a series of boat and coach transfers.

Breakfast: Breakfast at hotel.

Morning: Field trip to the Petrohue Falls and begin your lake crossing journey to Argentina (across Lake Todos los Santos). The scenic crossing, from Chile into Argentina, takes approximately 8-9 hours from start to finish.

En route to the lake crossing, participants will have the opportunity to visit the black rock waterfalls of Petrohué at the end of the Todos Los Santos Lake crossing. Petrohué Falls lies in the threshold of the mighty Osorno Volcano, and the unique falls are comprised of a series of oddly twisting chutes among crystallized black volcanic rock. The rock is particularly resistant to erosion, lending the falls a peculiar shape.



Lunch: Lunch en route to Bariloche.

Afternoon: Continue lake crossing with a series of boat and coach transfers.
Arrive in Bariloche and transfer to the hotel.

Bariloche is the primary city in the Argentinean Lake District and is a hub for accessing alpine resorts in the area as well as the Nahuel Huapi National Park. The area was once inhabited by Mapuche Indians, but after General Roca's brutal "Conquest of the Desert" campaign, both Argentinean and foreign settlers began to colonize the area. The land for the Nahuel Huapi National Park was set aside in 1904 to preserve local flora and fauna. The park is home to pristine Andean-Patagonian forests and rare animals like the huemul (Andean deer) and pudú (miniature deer).

Many Germans, Swiss and northern Italians came to the region, leaving an indelible cultural influence. In the last 20 years, the area has experienced considerable growth in the resort industry owing to its natural beauty. Bariloche lies on the south shore of Lake Nahuel Huapi's eastern end. The city itself is a modern urban and commercial center set amidst a spectacular panorama of mountains and lakes.



Dinner: Dinner at hotel.

Lodging: Hotel Nahuel Huapi

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Bariloche -
Orientation to Bariloche/A Look at European Influences in the Region.

Breakfast: Breakfast at hotel.

Morning: Lecture: The Mapuche Indians and Early History of Argentina.
Walking orientation of Bariloche, including the downtown museum.
Embark on a scenic chairlift ride to Cerro Campanario and its look-out point, set high above Bariloche. Participants will have the opportunity to enjoy a coffee break at the on-site restaurant and appreciate the views of the city. A site lecture on the economic and agricultural activities in the region will complement this activity.

Following the chairlift ride, enjoy a guided walk through a local family-owned brewery to gain insights into Swiss and German influences in the region. A family member will recall the history of the brewery from its early days.

Transfer to a local brewery for lunch.


Lunch: Lunch at local brewery.

Afternoon: Return to the hotel.
Time at leisure.
Lecture: European Immigration and Settlement.



Dinner: On your own, to explore local fare.

Lodging: Hotel Nahuel Huapi

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Bariloche to Iguazu Falls -
Fly to Iguazu Falls/Nature Hike: Introduction to the Iryapu Jungle.

Note: The flight from Bariloche to Buenos Aires takes 1:05 hours. The flight from Buenos Aires to Iguazu takes 1:45 hours.

Breakfast: Breakfast at hotel.

Morning: Transfer to the airport to board a flight to Iguazu Falls (via Buenos Aires).

Arrive in Iguazu and transfer to the hotel, located between Puerto Iguazu and the Falls.

Note: Activities while at Iguazu will focus entirely on the Argentinean side of the falls. This program will not spend any time in Brazil; therefore, no special visas are necessary.



Lunch: Late lunch at the hotel.

Afternoon: After lunch join your leader in an interpretative forest walk for an introduction to the flora & fauna of the Iryapú Jungle. The walk should take approximately 1 hour and will give us the opportunity to learn about unique characteristics of this jungle habitat and do up-close observation of native species.

Return to the hotel.

Dinner: Dinner at hotel.

Evening: Lecture: Iguazu Falls: Its Geology and Economic Significance.

Lodging: Amerian Portal del Iguazu

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast at hotel.

Morning: This day will be spent visiting the Argentinean side of the Iguazu Falls. Board a park train for a scenic ride through the jungle, along the edges of the mythical waterfalls.

This excursion takes us along the upper and lower trails of the Iguazu National Park, allowing you to get a closer look at some of the 275 falls that drop from the Iguazu River. Enjoy the fantastic wildlife and jungle that surrounds it. At the end of the trail, we will appreciate from a short distance, a view of the Devil's Throat Cataract.



Lunch: Lunch by the Falls.

Afternoon: After lunch, continue exploring the area around the Falls.

Late afternoon return to the hotel.



Dinner: Dinner at the hotel.

Lodging: Amerian Portal del Iguazu

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Note: The flight from Iguazu to Buenos Aires takes 1:45 hours.

Breakfast: Breakfast at hotel.

Morning: Transfer to the airport for flight to Buenos Aires.
Fly from Iguazu to Buenos Aires.

Arrive in Buenos Aires in time for lunch.



Lunch: Lunch at local restaurant.

Afternoon: Transfer to the hotel and check-in.

This afternoon, enjoy a visit to the world-famous Colon Theater, Buenos Aires' grand opera house.

Since 1908 visitors have marveled at the imposing seven-story Teatro Colón, a truly world-class center for opera, ballet and classical music. The theater's basement houses impressive workshops, costume designs and rehearsal studios. The majestic hall seats 2500 and has standing room for 1000. The Teatro is the site of regular Presidential Command Performances.

Lecture: Contemporary Argentina: a Social, Economic, and Political Overview.



Dinner: Dinner at the hotel.

Lodging: Hotel Regente Palace

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast at hotel.

Morning: Excursion to La Boca area of Buenos Aires.

Buenos Aires offers a wealth of culture for the visitor. Headed by an expert guide, the city orientation allows for a closer glimpse of intricate architecture and observation of the vivacious daily life. Street performers are colorful and impressive; many probably will be doing the tango. The Italian quarter, known as La Boca, will also be visited. Taking in Buenos Aires will be both a joy and a learning experience.



Lunch: Lunch at local restaurant

Afternoon: Time at leisure.

Lecture: The Tango, So Much More than a Dance.

A way of life for the people of the city, the tango pulsates with the lifeblood of romantic Buenos Aires. The dance has its origins in the brothels and tenements of late 19th-century Buenos Aires and was a synthesis of Spanish and Italian music, Negro candombe and bawdy Gaucho verse. It was popularized by legendary performers like Carlos Gardel, and soon spread from the fringes to the middle class, and then to the elegant salons of Buenos Aires. The tango has enjoyed a modern resurgence, and as the country's most famous cultural export it is a staple of Buenos Aires nightlife. To this day, Gardel has thousands of followers.



Dinner: Dinner and tango show at local restaurant.

Lodging: Hotel Regente Palace

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Depart to U.S.-
Orientation to Buenos Aires/Recoleta Cemetery/Evita Museum/Farewell Lunch.

Breakfast: Breakfast at hotel.

Morning: Orientation to the city of Buenos Aires.

Settled in 1536 and founded in 1580, Argentina's capital, Buenos Aires, lies on the banks of the Rio de la Plata River. Sometimes called the "Paris of South America," the bustling city is known for its sophisticated, cosmopolitan inhabitants and its non-Spanish European influences (Parisian architects designed many of the buildings). Stately mansions, broad boulevards, artists' quarters and lively sidewalk cafes bring to mind the grandeur of Europe. Excursion to Evita Museum.



Lunch: Farewell lunch at local restaurant.

Afternoon: Time at leisure.

Participants will be able to keep their hotel rooms in order to rest, finish packing, and freshen-up before transfering to the airport to catch flights to the U.S. Hotel check-out by 6 p.m.



Dinner: Light snack at the hotel.

Evening: Transfer to the airport for overnight flight to the U.S.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Arrive To: Arrivals in the U.S.