Into the Antarctic Circle

Arrive in Buenos Aires and check into your hotel, then embark on a scenic drive through the city en route to the neighborhood of Monserrat. Here, enjoy a refreshment and snack at the famed Café Tortoni, a historic coffeehouse that has served as an artistic and intellectual epicenter since 1858, hosting such notable guests as renowned author Jorge Luis Borges. This evening, enjoy the passionate melodies of the tango during a memorable performance while dining at the Rojo Tango cabaret. (D)

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your connecting flight to Iguazú Falls. Upon arrival, head to your hotel and check in. The rest of the day is yours to explore on your own. A Viking Representative is available to help you plan your time at the falls so you can make the most of your visit. This evening enjoy dinner at your hotel. (B, L, D)

This morning, set out by bicycle and immerse yourself in the peace of Iguazú National Park’s rainforest. Board a train to Garganta del Diablo Station, then follow the walkways to see the impressive Devil’s Throat, where the Iguazú River crashes down to form a collection of rainbows. After lunch, explore the upper and lower trails and walkways for spectacular views of the falls. Later, see the sights from the lower canyon on board a Zodiac and take a ride through jungle trails by truck. (B, L, D)

Today, travel to the small private reserve of La Lorenza Iguazú, where you will board a kayak and paddle on the Paraná River. Your guide will offer insight into the local flora and fauna as you gently glide on South America’s second-longest river. Take in the views and learn about the local communities that lie hidden along the Urugua-í River, before returning to land and embarking on a leisurely walk through the forest to an observation deck that offers striking river vistas. (B, L, D)

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your connecting flight to Buenos Aires. Upon arrival, head to your hotel and check in. This afternoon, meet your fellow guests prior to joining your Viking Expedition ship and beginning your cruise. (B)

Arrive at Santiago airport, where you will meet your Viking Representative and transfer to your hotel. After check-in and lunch, relax or start to explore the city on your own. You may choose to take the funicular to the top of San Cristóbal Hill, where you can enjoy panoramic views of the city set against the backdrop of the Andes Mountains. Your Viking Tour Director is available to help you plan your time in Santiago so you can make the most of your visit. (L)

After breakfast, board your flight to Calama. Upon arrival, travel to your hotel in the oasis of San Pedro de Atacama. After check-in, embark on a scenic drive to the Atacama Salt Flats, where you will visit the intriguing Valley of the Moon, a lunar-looking landscape in the middle of the Salt Mountain Range where the elements have eroded the rocks into bizarre formations. This evening, enjoy dinner at your hotel’s restaurant, followed by an astronomy tour. (B, L, D)

Today, visit the stunning Rainbow Valley and observe million-year-old rock formations that dot the colorful landscape and lend the valley its apt sobriquet. After lunch, travel to the Los Flamencos National Reserve at Laguna Chaxa. The bright blue pools here attract a colony of flamingos, while the mountain-rimmed landscape is awe-inspiring. Return to your hotel, where you will enjoy dinner in its restaurant. (B, L, D)

Depart this morning for a high-altitude plateau visit to the Tatio Geysers, a collection of more than 70 geysers with pools, then glimpse local life in the tiny village of Machuca. After lunch, set out on a guided hike along the Quebrada de Guatín, known for its cardons, or giant cacti, which can grow to heights of more than 30 feet. Learn about the local ecosystem as you walk, admiring the striking high-desert scenery. This evening, enjoy dinner at your hotel’s restaurant. (B, L, D)

This morning, transfer to the airport for your flight to Santiago. Upon arrival, meet your Viking Representative and head to your hotel. After check-in, join a guided tour of the city and lunch. Stroll the charming streets of the Old Town, visiting the cathedral and the Plaza de Armas. Admire the eclectic mix of architectural styles, then enjoy sweeping views of the city on a panoramic drive through its hillside neighborhoods. This evening, enjoy dinner with your fellow travelers. (B, L, D)

After breakfast, check out of your hotel and transfer to the airport for your flight to Buenos Aires. Upon arrival, meet your Viking Representative and transfer to your hotel. This evening, meet your fellow guests ahead of joining your awaiting ship. (B)

Disembark your ship in Ushuaia and fly to Buenos Aires, where you will take your connecting flight to Lima. Upon arrival, a Viking Representative will greet you and accompany you to your hotel. After checking in, spend the rest of the day at leisure. Your Viking Tour Director is available to help you plan your time in Lima so you can make the most of your visit. Enjoy a delicious Peruvian dinner at your hotel this evening. (D)

Transfer to the airport for your flight to Cusco. Upon arrival, embark on a guided tour of the first capital of the Inca Empire. See the Sacsayhuamán fortress and admire the ancient construction techniques. Visit Koricancha—the Temple of the Sun—one of the Inca Empire’s most sacred sites, and view the Dominican Convent of Santo Domingo that was built on its foundations. Admire Cusco Cathedral, one of the Americas’ finest Spanish colonial churches, then head to your hotel. (B, L, D)

After breakfast, set out into the scenic Sacred Valley to Ccorca, the “Village of Flowers.” Enjoy a warm welcome from your hosts, then immerse yourself in daily life. Learn about local traditions as you tour this charming Peruvian village and observe demonstrations of textile making and centuries-old farming techniques. Stop for lunch at a local restaurant, then return to your hotel for dinner. (B, L, D)

Travel to Ollantaytambo and visit its Incan fortress before embarking on a railway journey to Machu Picchu, a UNESCO Site. Take in the spectacular scenery as your carriage journeys through a winding valley, passing snowcapped peaks and archaeological ruins. At Machu Picchu, discover the ancient temples, houses and sanctuaries of the Inca Empire. After tea and time to explore the terraced fields, you will return to Ollantaytambo by train, and onward to your hotel. (B, L, D)

After breakfast, head to the airport for your flight to Lima. Transfer to your hotel and check in, then enjoy the rest of the day to explore the Peruvian capital at leisure. Perhaps take a stroll past the city’s colonial architecture and through stately museums, and immerse yourself in Lima’s old-world charm. Your Viking Tour Director is available to help you plan your time in Lima so you can make the most of your visit. (B)

After breakfast, check out of your hotel and transfer to the airport for your return flight home. (B)

Arrive at Santiago airport, where you will meet your Viking Representative and transfer to your hotel. After check-in and lunch, relax or start to explore the city on your own. Stroll the charming streets and plazas of the Old Town or take the funicular to gaze upon the sweeping vistas from atop San Cristóbal Hill. This evening, you will enjoy an included dinner. A Viking Host is available to help you plan your time in Santiago so you can make the most of your visit. (L, D)

Check out of your hotel this morning and head to the airport for your flight to Rapa Nui, where you will receive a warm welcome, complete with traditional Polynesian flower leis. After check-in and lunch at your hotel, begin your exploration of the island and the Indigenous Rapa Nui culture. View the ceremonial site of Tahai, with its altars and monolithic statues, and the seven well-preserved, ocean-facing moai of Ahu Akivi. This evening, enjoy dinner at a local restaurant. (B, L, D)

Set out to the Rano Raraku Volcano, the site of the quarry where all moai were sculpted; around 400 of them were left in various stages of completion. View the restored platform of Tongariki at Hanga Nui Bay, then after lunch, visit the archaeological site of Vinapu; its construction mirrored techniques used during the Inca Empire. See the ahu and prostrate moai, then see the remains and statues at Akahanga and stroll along Anakena beach. This evening, dine at a local restaurant. (B, L, D)

After breakfast, set out to enjoy the views over the crater lake of Rano Kau. After, head to a scenic viewpoint for a glimpse of the ceremonial village of Orongo, followed by a visit to Hanga Kio’e or the “Bay of the Mouse,” an archaeological site offering insight into the island’s past. After lunch, transfer to the airport for your flight to Santiago. Upon arrival, meet your Viking Representative who will accompany you to your hotel. This evening, enjoy dinner with your fellow guests. (B, L, D)

After breakfast, check out of your hotel and transfer to your awaiting ship to begin your cruise. (B)

Disembark your ship and transfer to the airport for your flight to El Calafate. Upon arrival, proceed to your hotel. Check in and enjoy the idyllic beauty around Lake Argentino before traveling up to the Balcón del Calafate and then Huyliche Hill, located 3,400 feet above sea level, to admire sweeping views of the landscape. Finish at the Stone Labyrinth (Laberinto de Piedras), a Cretaceous-period formation containing fossil remains dating back 85 million years. (L, D)

Set out on a full-day excursion to Los Glaciares National Park and the Perito Moreno Glacier, one of the world’s only advancing glaciers. Drive through the Andean-Patagonian Forest to the Curve of Sighs (Curva de los Suspiros), where you will first glimpse the vast glacier. Traverse a series of catwalks and enjoy a scenic cruise, listening to the immense chunks of ice hiss and crack as they calve off the glacier and tumble into Lake Argentino. This evening, enjoy dinner at your hotel. (B, L, D)

After a leisurely breakfast, embark your motor coach for an unforgettable scenic drive through snowcapped mountains across the Argentine border into Chile. After checking into your hotel, savor a three-course lunch. This afternoon you may enjoy the hotel’s amenities at your leisure or join an orientation tour with your Viking Tour Director. This evening, enjoy dinner at your hotel with your fellow guests. (B, L, D)

Enjoy a full day of exploring Torres del Paine National Park, a wonderland of soaring mountains, blue glaciers, and shimmering lakes and rivers. Admire the park’s iconic mountain ranges: the Paine Towers (Torres del Paine) and the Paine Horns (Cuernos del Paine). Visit waterfalls and the Grey Lake area, where you will see glacial blocks of ice floating in the water. The park is also known for its vivid vegetation and wildlife. This evening, enjoy dinner at your hotel. (B, L, D)

After a leisurely breakfast, board your motor coach for a scenic drive to the Punta Arenas airport and fly to Santiago, Chile’s breathtaking capital. You will arrive in the evening and transfer to your hotel. (B, L, D)

After breakfast, check out of your hotel and transfer by motor coach to the airport for your return flight home. (B)

Disembark your ship in Ushuaia and fly to Buenos Aires, where you will be met by a Viking Representative and escorted to your hotel. After check-in, you may spend time relaxing or exploring the city at your leisure. Perhaps visit La Boca or the fashionable Recoleta, famed for its cemetery. Or dine on delicious Argentine meats, accompanied by wine from the famed Mendoza region. A Viking Host is available to help you plan your time in Buenos Aires so you can make the most of your visit.

After breakfast, check out of your hotel and transfer to the airport for your flight home. (B)