ARGENTINA & WINE & WILDLIFE OF & CHILE

2019 EXPEDITIONS ESCAPE EVERYDAY Capture the essence of a bygone era of romance and adventure as you embrace the customs and natural bounty of Earth’s most compelling with International Expeditions. More than a vacation, IE’s creatively crafted itineraries — each hosted by passionate native guides — are an opportunity to enjoy unscripted encounters with locals, venture off schedule and discover your true nature as you explore our world.

SEVEN REASONS TO TRAVEL WITH INTERNATIONAL EXPEDITIONS

 Award-winning ecotravel to more  Comfortable accommodations than 20 countries. & delicious food in the wild.  Almost 40 years of pioneering  IE has long been involved in immersive experiences in Earth’s conservation and community projects, wildest regions. including such diverse activities as bringing clean water to remote  Authentic encounters with local Amazon villages and supporting cultures. conservation in delicate ecosystems  Exhilarating & absorbing activities such as the Galapagos Islands such as hiking, birding & kayaking. and Alabama’s biodiverse Cahaba River (which runs through our own  The world’s best naturalist guides & backyard!). expedition leaders. Migrating southern right whales, penguins, breathtaking scenery and some of the world’s finest wines are just a few of the highlights awaiting you on International Expeditions’ Wine and Wildlife of Argentina and Chile adventure. An exciting and rare combination of three unique regions creates an adventure to delight the senses as you journey from the wildlife-packed Atlantic shores of the Valdes Peninsula to the Andean paradise that is Argentina’s wine country and all the way to Chile’s premiere wineries on the Pacific Coast.

Under the guidance and leadership of a professional IE Expedition Leader, local guides and enologists, guests on IE’s Wine and Wildlife of Argentina and Chile journey will search out interesting and unique species of the and Patagonian steppe. Along the way, you walk amongst charismatic Magellanic penguins, witness the peak of the of the southern migration where roughly 1,000 congregate to mate and give birth, and savor time at some of the premier wineries that Chile and Argentina — the world — have to offer.

TO MAKE A RESERVATION Call (866) 462-5189 | Visit www.IEtravel.com | See your travel professional 12-DAY ITINERARY

Days 1 & 2 DEPART / BUENOS AIRES Depart your other sea creatures while on and along the water. During home city on independent flights to Buenos Aires. your time on the peninsula you’ll stop at any of a number of Consider one of our optional extensions to Salta or perhaps seaside lookout points and walkways to watch and photograph Iguazu Falls to enhance your experience in Argentina. the seals and sea lions. You may even spot orcas hunting Upon arrival in Buenos Aires you’ll be met and transferred these aquatic mammals as they lounge in the sun onshore. to your hotel, The Sheraton Buenos Aires Hotel. Join your fellow travelers and your Expedition Leader for a tour of Herds of roam freely on the peninsula where this fascinating city followed by a tango show at dinner. they are a protected species. Also in great abundance are (Day 2: D) Magellanic penguins. Visit Estancia San Lorenzo, a private property where around 50,000 penguins nest along Days 3 & 4 VALDES PENINSULA The Valdes Peninsula the shore and into the Patagonian steppe. Magellanic Reserve is home to roughly 32,000 southern elephant seals, penguins dig their own nesting burrows under bushes nearly 8,000 southern sea lions and the largest breeding or in open areas not far from the shore. They are quite population of southern right whales on Earth. Every year accustomed to the presence of humans in their breeding between June and December up to 1,000 of these majestic grounds and do not run from the visitors. Quite the cetaceans gather here for mating and to give birth to their contrary, with penguins standing and walking right next young. They spend up to seven months a year in the to your feet, the photo opportunities and simple joys of pristine waters of this remote paradise. Venture out on an wildlife watching are endless. Enjoy a typical Argentine excursion to get up-close with these amazing creatures. lunch in the estancia’s great hall. Your expedition has been timed for when the mothers are raising their young. With luck and good weather the photo Also found on the peninsula is the largest rodent in opportunities and whale viewing should be excellent. , the Patagonian cavy or mara. A smaller Watch for orcas, dolphins, Magellanic penguins and many cousin of the mara, the lesser Patagonian cavy, is frequently found soaking in the sun just outside Magellanic most concentrated near the Falkland and Kerguelen penguin burrows where they find shelter. Two species of Islands, and believed to be highly migratory, following armadillos live there as well. Shyer mammals such as the their food source. These waters are one of the few places Patagonian grey fox might be spotted and keep an eye out they can be seen along mainland . Watch for South America’s largest bird, the flightless , along for more marine wildlife on your excursion before driving with eagles and many other species of birds as you spend to and the boutique Hotel Territorio. (B,L,D) your days combing the coast line and interior of the peninsula enjoying the wildlife and vistas. Your home for two nights is Days 6-8 MENDOZA Fly to Mendoza, nestled high in Paradise Hosteria in Puerto Piramides. (B,L,D Daily) the and bathed in Andean scenery at the very heart of Argentina’s wine country. Argentina’s wine region Day 5 PUERTO MADRYN Board boats for a chance to has more continental weather patterns, with hotter summers spot Commerson’s dolphins. Commerson’s dolphin — also and cooler winters than Chile’s wine regions. There is called panda dolphin, skunk dolphin and piebald dolphin plenty of water coming from the mountains. All this — are not a species easily seen in many places. They are combines to provide ideal conditions for the production of complex, distinct wines. With two-thirds of Argentina’s find the highest altitude wineries. Many of the wineries wine coming from Mendoza province, this is the most have been family-run for generations and you can be assured important wine center in Argentina and one of the eight that all the wineries you visit will be filled with friendly “Great Wine Capitals” of the world. locals eager to share their culture with you.

Explore this historic city on a guided walking excursion. Visit three wineries in each region, learning about the Local wine specialists, known as enologists, and your IE different varieties, processes, care, breeding and fraction- Expedition Leader immerse you in the wine cultures of the ation of different types of wine while you also drink in Uco Valley and Maipu area, two of Argentina’s preeminent the awe inspiring scenery. Picture-perfect vineyards, blue and most prestigious. Known especially for Malbec, merlot, skies and rolling hills stretch to the horizon, where they pinot noir, Semillon and torrontes varieties of wine, the Uco meet the imposing and towering Andes Mountains. Enjoy Valley is Argentina’s most popular and rewarding wine region. boutique accommodations at Huentala Hotel in Mendoza High quality white wines, such as chardonnay and sauvignon City. (B,L,D Daily) blanc, are also being grown here. Not to be confused with Maipo Valley in Chile, though its name does derive from that Days 9 & 10 SANTIAGO Cross the Andes to Santiago, region, the Maipu area of Argentina is known for high quality taking in the changing and contrasting landscapes along Malbec, as well as other acidic and strong red wines. Here we with unmatched mountain views. At Los Libertadores Pass, see Mt. Aconcagua — the “Colossus of the .” At 22,841 feet above sea level, Mt. Aconcagua is the highest mountain outside of ARGENTINA . Enter Chile, watching as the high Andean desert gradually changes into the lush green valleys surrounding Santiago. Visit some of Santiago’s Mendoza most interesting neighborhoods and important sites before paying a Santiago Buenos Aires visit to Santa Rita winery. Founded in 1880 by Domingo Fernandez in the same area of Alto Jahuel where its main facilities stand today, from CHILE the end of the 19th century to mid-1970s the winery developed under the SOUTH ownership of the García Huidobro family. The high quality of wines and AMERICA rich history of the vineyard have given Santa Rita winery a prestigious Puerto Madryn CHILE position as a top producer and leading exporter of quality premium wines. Check into The Singular Hotel. (B,L D Daily) ARGENTINA

Day 11 SANTIAGO / DEPART The unique cool-weather climate FROM of the Casablanca Valley results in a longer ripening period. This produces distinct and outstanding sauvignon blanc and chardonnay, $8,198 per person as well as pinot noir. Visit Casas del Bosque, learning about the area’s varietals from local experts. Casas del Bosque produces award-wining Duration 12 Days, 11 Nights chardonnay, Riesling and sauvignon blanc as well as syrah and pinot Guest Capacity 18 Guests noir. Best of all, the premium carmenere and cabernet Sauvignon Trip Type Land Expedition from this region are some of the best in Chile. After lunch, relax in Activities your provided dayroom before transferring to the airport for your See complete pricing at IEtravel.com independent flight home. (B,L)

Day 12 ARRIVE HOME 2019 DEPARTURES Arrive back home. September 15, October 1

PRICE PER PERSON Double Occupancy $8,198 Single Occupancy $10,398

In-Country Airfare $625 In-country airfare is subject to change and must be purchased through IE.

Ask about add-on extension options! MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR TIME IN PRE-EXTENSIONSOUTH AMERICA PRE-EXTENSION

Iguazú Falls Salta

Discover Iguazú Falls, where over 275 stunning cascades plunge Salta is home to some of the most striking Andean scenery through rich Atlantic rainforest. See red-breasted toucans, and premier wines Argentina has to offer. Enjoy the best winery capuchin monkeys, dusky swifts, myriad colorful tanagers and experiences in El Cafayate and Payogasta, where you also stay tropical butterflies as you explore, along with impressive views at rustic and charming hotels with private vineyards and of the falls at every turn. A visit to Guira Oya, a local wildlife delectable local dishes. rehabilitation center, shows the impressive and important work the locals are doing with injured and orphaned animals, allowing DAYS 1 & 2 DEPART / SALTA / EL CAFAYATE you to get close up views of some of the area’s most exciting species. Depart on independent flights to Salta. Upon arrival you are met and escorted to El Cafayate and your home for two DAYS 1 & 2 DEPART / PUERTO IGUAZÚ nights, Hotel Patio de Cafayate.

DAYS 3 & 4 PUERTO IGUAZÚ Explore dazzling Iguazú DAY 3 EL CAFAYATE Visit Bodega Piattelli for a Grand Falls and Iguazú National Park, enjoying views from every Reserve Tasting. With the guidance of a resident oenologist perspective! Great dusky swift fly overhead and into the you will experience a young Torrontés, the complexity and falls by the thousands in the area of Devil’s Throat, where structure of a Malbec and the local blend. After a lunch at the highest and most impressive falls stand. Such exotic the winery, visit the red sandstone canyon of the “Quebra- birds as toucans, mixed flocks of colorful tanagers and das de Las Conchas.” (B,L) many other rainforest dwellers will be part of your DAY 4 PAYOGASTA More flavorful vintages and sa- Iguazú welcome committee, along with nearly 500 species vory meals await as you make your way north to Finca Co- of butterflies. Coatis are a common sighting around the lomé. Journey to Sala de Payogasta, where you enjoy lunch visitor areas of the falls, while capuchin monkeys are often and sample wines from the highest altitude in Argentina, seen along the forest trails. There are many marsupials and among the highest in the world, at 8,202 feet above here, including tiny Ihering’s three-striped short-tailed sea level. At this altitude grapes generate a thick, dark opossum and larger white-eared opossum. Guira Oga is a skin, producing a distinct flavor unique to this area. Spend wildlife rescue and rehabilitation center, where guests can tonight at Sala de Payogasta. (B,L) see animals rescued from captivity as well as being taught how to live in the wild. (B,L Daily) DAY 5 SALTA / DEPART Return to Salta via Cuesta del Obispo (Bishop’s Rise) for spectacular views of the country- DAY 5 PUERTO IGUAZÚ / DEPART Enjoy another side from 11,000 feet. Pass Parque Nacional Los Cardones walk in the national park before an afternoon flight to where almost nothing but the cardon cacti (los cardones) begin your main adventure. (B,L) can survive. An afternoon flight brings you to Buenos Aires, where you join the rest of your tour group. (B,L) MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR TIME IN POST-EXTENSIONSOUTH AMERICA

Chile to Argentina Lake Crossing

CUSTOM TRAVEL OPTIONS Crossing the Andes and lakes by boat and road is the most scenic way to travel from Argentina to Chile. This exciting crossing takes you through lakes and mountain passes with BIRDS OF PATAGONIA & TIERRA DEL FUEGO impressive volcanic views, as well as the iconic Andean Journey into the dazzling landscapes of Patagonia and mountain range. Tierra del Fuego to enjoy a rare look at the region’s diverse birdlife. Under the guidance of our skilled naturalists, your small group of no more than six travelers searches DAY 1 EN ROUTE / PUERTO MONTT / PUERTO VARAS Patagonian steppes, sub-antarctic forests, wetlands and Fly to Puerto Montt, where you are met and transferred glaciers for imposing Andean condor, Chilean hawk, Austral to Puerto Varas and Hotel Cabaña del Lago, your home for parakeets, king and Magellanic penguins and more! two nights.

DAY 2 PUERTO VARAS Head to Pargua, where you ferry BIRDS OF CENTRAL CHILE to Isla Grande de Chiloe. Continue to Ancud, watching for Explore the contrasting habitats of central Chile, relish- seabirds before a tour of the town. Board a local boat in ing opportunities to see diverse birdlife and some of the Puñihil, seeing one of the few mixed breeding colonies of country’s most coveted endemic species. The Chile tour Humboldt and Magellanic penguins. (B,L) includes mountain habitats, broadleaf forests, Matorral scrub and rocky coastal areas of the . DAY 3 LAKE CROSSING / SAN CARLOS DE BARILOCHE Take-in wonderful views of imposing Osorno and Calbuco BIRDS OF NORTHERN CHILE volcanoes while crossing three lakes. In Vicente Perez Enjoy an expertly guided photo safari to Chile’s Atacama Rosales National Park, stop at Petrohue waterfall. Arrive coastal areas, oasis valleys and the High Andean Plateau. in San Carlos de Bariloche, where you spend two nights at Explore the wealth of wildlife found on these puna grass- Hotel NH Bariloche Edelweiss. (B,L) lands, lakes and scrubby ravines, before discovering the DAY 4 SAN CARLOS DE BARILOCHE Explore the fringes of the world’s driest desert, the Atacama. beautiful scenery around Bariloche, where starting at Cerro Campanario, a chair lift 3,444 feet to the top, for a PATAGONIA: PUMAS, PENGUINS & WHALES mesmerizing panorama. At Llao Llao visit the San Eduardo Explore southern Torres del Paine National Park looking Chapel and see Puerto Pañuelo (Handkerchief Port) on for puma. Continue your quest on the mystical island of Lake Nahuel Huapi’s shores. Cross Lake Moreno, driving Tierra del Fuego, reaching the world’s most accessible along Lagoon El Trébol (the Clover). (B,L) colony of the stunning King Penguin. As a grand finale of this unique wildlife expedition, relish Carlos III Island DAYS 5 & 6 DEPART / ARRIVE HOME Enjoy time at and its summer visitors, the gentle and sociable humpback leisure before your independent flights home, arriving whale. Your small group of no more than eight guests is on Day 6. (B; Meals Aloft) accompanied by an accomplished naturalist. FEATURED ACCOMMODATIONS

THE SINGULAR SANTIAGO HUENTALA HOTEL

The Singular Santiago is Santiago’s latest five-star hotel, Huentala means “Valley of the ” and its name combining the style of early 20th century buildings with honors the ancient Huarpes, one of the first settlers of neoclassical French architectural influences. Everywhere Mendoza. Opened in 1976, the hotel is located on a beau- you go, you’ll experience yet another pleasant surprise; tiful cobblestone street in downtown Mendoza. The hotel the endlessly indulgent Spa; the superlative dining offers a pool, gym, spa, laundry service and even a wine experience at the Singular Restaurant; and the dazzling tasting cellar. Authentic regional cuisine combines with views and refreshing cocktails in the ninth floor roof-top elegant and peaceful atmosphere in Champay Bistro while bar. Also enjoy the roof-top swimming pool. Kunuk Bar is known for its elegant cocktails, including a chinch corn drink for which the bar is named.

EXPEDITION LEADER

PAULA BERTOTTO

A native of Eldorado, Misiones, near Iguazú Falls, Paula studied at the Universidad Nacional de Misiones. An avid cyclist, after university Paula moved to Patagonia to lead biking tours. After devoting years to learning about the distinct flora and fauna of Patagonia, Paula returned to the Iguazú area. While working toward designation as a certified naturalist guide, Paula received a grant to work with The Nature Conservancy on a project in Iguazú National Park. As part of the project, Paula worked on the development of sustainable ecotourism with the park. This experience encouraged Paula to return to school to earn a second degree in Sustainable Tourism. Currently, Paula lives in Puerto Iguazú, the gateway to her beloved Iguazú National Park. Paula’s expertise in logistics will ensure a worry-free journey, while her experience as a naturalist will add immeasurably to your experience.

Please Note: While Paula is currently scheduled to serve as the Expedition Leader, IE also works with a range of other highly qualified Argentinian Expedition Leaders who may guide your tour. Wines of Chile & Argentina The rise of new world wines that began about 15 years ago has brought an increased influx of wine tourism to Chile and Argentina. But these two countries have a wine industry that stretches back nearly 500 years. Here is a brief overview of where to taste the best wines of Chile and Argentina:

Maipo Valley Region This is Chile’s most established wine region, located just south of Santiago on the other side of the Andes from Mendoza. It was here that the first vine cuttings were planted in the 1540s, and by the mid-19th century the industry was already flourishing. Red wines reign in the Maipo region, especially Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere and Merlot, which are all widely exported abroad.

Colchagua Valley Region If there ever was a perfect wine-growing climate, it’s in the Colchagua Valley. The climate is Mediterranean – warm with a gentle ocean breeze, mostly dry, but refreshed by rivers. The western boundary of the region is formed by coastal hills, while the east is limited by the foothills of the Andes. Red wines prefer warmer conditions. As such, most reds (especially Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Merlot) are produced in the warmer east, while whites (Chardonnay and Sauv Blanc) benefit from the ocean breezes of the cooler west.

Mendoza Region The majority of Argentinian wines come from Mendoza, in the central part of the country. It’s a place that’s well worth visiting for the stunning Andean scenery alone. The variety of microclimates in the region helped achieve a varied terroir. Malbec is the star of the show in Mendoza, but Bordeaux-style Reds such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, and local whites such as Torrontes, also fare well. The Mendoza region is highly focused on wine tourism, so there’s something for everyone here, from five-star wineries and celebrity restaurants to locally-owned vineyards offering vino patero (foot-pressed) and homemade food.

Cafayate Region Nestled in the Andes at 5,600 feet, Cafayate is one of the highest wine-producing regions in the world. Around Cafayate the scenery is to die for: The barren peaks offset the greenery of the vines, and the crisp high-mountain air means that views stretch for miles. Unlike Mendoza, the Cafayate region is reasonably small, making it possible to tour many vineyards. The most popular grapes produced in the Cafayate regions are Torrontes (a native crisp white with floral undertones), Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon. TO MAKE A RESERVATION (866) 462-5189 | Visit www.IEtravel.com | See your travel professional