Argentina and Chile: Food and Wine Experience

Explore the pulsating Argentine capital on this tour of the city’s iconic destinations. Set off from your hotel in the company of your guide, enjoying a leisurely tour of Buenos Aires. Visit the chic French residential neighborhood of Recoleta, teeming with classy art galleries and cultural centers. If you’re lucky, you could even catch an exhibition or two while visiting the district. Also visit the Recoleta Cemetery, to find the graves of notable people, including Eva Perón. Continue with the city’s iconic landmarks, such as the Colon Theater, the National Congress, and the Presidential Palace, before returning to your hotel. (Half Day; Duration: 4 hrs; Private Activity & Transfer; Fitness Level: Easy; Please bring comfortable walking shoes, and don’t forget your camera).

Immerse yourself in the flavors of an Argentinian asado, or barbecue, during this experience. From your hotel in Buenos Aires, make your way to your host’s house for lunch or dinner, depending on your preference. Your host will welcome you and will prepare your asado. As you watch the food being prepared, learn about the different grilling methods. Your meal might be made on the parrilla, or Argentinian grill. It might also be made al disco, which is fried and then stewed, or a las brasas using red hot embers. Pair your meal with wine or a non-alcoholic beverage. Save some room for dessert too. As the asado takes place in an open space around a fire, chat with your host and other guests and share your stories. (Duration: 3.5 hrs; Shared group activity; No transfers; Meals included: lunch/dinner, soft drinks and alcoholic beverages; Please inform us of any food allergies in advance; Fitness level: easy)

Explore the San Telmo neighborhood in Buenos Aires and sample some of Argentina’s iconic dishes on this walking tour. Your expert guide will lead you through the cobbled streets of San Telmo and introduce you to the city’s food history and culture. Take a mini-masterclass on how to make Mate, the South American herbal tea, and learn what it takes to become a ‘cebador’ – the person who brews Mate. Pair your Mate with dulce de leche-filled alfajores, a traditional confection. Try empanadas, a picada of cheese and cured meats, and Argentine cocktails. Visit a neo-bodegon, where the city’s youth are reinventing grandma’s cuisine. The dishes change according to the seasons. Depending on when you visit, you may sample mushroom and chimichurri croquettes, blue cheese and pineapple palmerita, or milanesa. Along the way, stop to see the San Telmo Church and Dorrego Square. Then wander through Argentina’s most iconic market, the centennial San Telmo Market. Meet some of the locals behind the stalls and learn about their food histories and traditions. (Duration: 4 hrs; Time: 1100 hrs; Private activity & transfers; Meals included: tastings & drinks; Please inform us of any food allergies in advance; Fitness level: easy)

Enjoy an intimate encounter with the art of Argentinian Tango. Your chauffeur will pick you up from your hotel in the evening and drive you to the exclusive Faena Hotel in Buenos Aires for a live Rojo Tango performance. Five dancing couples, two singers, and an orchestra composed of five musicians, all wrapped in red velvet, will enthrall you with a sensual and moving performance. Along with the tango, you will be treated to a three-course a la carte dinner featuring an appetizer, main course, and a dessert. Pair your meal with either champagne, red or white wine, or a soft drink. At the end of your evening, your chauffeur will drive you back to your hotel. (Duration: half day; Shared activity; Private transfers; Meals included: dinner; Please inform us of any food allergies in advance)

Featuring Argentina’s oldest vines and home to a unique mix of traditional bodegas and modern producers, this region is famed for bringing Argentina’s wines from the common table to the international stage. On this full day privately guided tour, visit three different wineries; one at which you will enjoy lunch and discover why Mendoza is quickly gaining notoriety amongst foodies. Learn the process of Argentine winemaking and sample the various vintages while enjoying a splendid day amongst the vines at the feet of the Andes. (09:00 to 15:00. Private Activity with 2 wine tastings. Lunch Included at one of the wineries)

Discover the sheer grandeur of the Andes on this panoramic high mountain tour with several pleasant diversions along the way. Set off early from your hotel, right after breakfast, in the company of your local guide. Drive up to Villavicencio, which houses Argentina’s famed mineral water facility, passing by a breathtakingly beautiful Andean landscape. Visit the beautiful Uspallata and then to the High Mountain, before stopping by the historical sites of Puente de Picheuta, Polvaredas, Paramillos, and Punta de Vacas. Drive over to the Los Penitentes ski center and the UNESCO World Heritage site of Puente del Inca. Explore the fascinating geology of this region and perhaps also put your feets in the hot spring waters. Driving upwards to nearly 10,000 feet above sea level, come to the base of the Aconcagua Mountain, the highest peak of the Americas. Take a short walk around for the best views and photographs of the spectacular mountain. Return to Mendoza. (Full Day; Duration: 0800 to 1930 hrs; Private Activity & Transfer; Fitness Level: Moderate; Meal included: lunch; Please bring comfortable hiking boots and don’t forget your camera or binoculars).

Explore the history and heritage of Chile’s capital city. Meet your guide at your hotel and head for the closest metro station. Santiago´s metro is South America’s most extensive metro system and provides a safe and smooth journey. Travel to the Yungay neighborhood where you will explore the many monuments, churches, parks and traditional buildings that are found here. Visit La Peluquería Francesa ‘The French Beauty Parlor,’ which is the most iconic building of the neighborhood and one of the oldest buildings in Santiago. If you wish you can visit the National Museum of Natural History or the Museum of Memory and Human Rights which discusses dictatorship which ruled Chile from 1973 to 1990. Return to your hotel by metro. (09:00 to 13:00h, Private Activity; Museums are closed on Mondays)

During your stay at Clos Apalta Residence enjoy a private tour and tasting at Clos Apalta Winery, which includes a visit to the owner’s private wine cellar. Also visit neighboring wineries in the Apalta Valley. Explore the beauty of Chilean wine country with mountain bike rides through the vineyards and hiking in the surrounding native forests and hillsides.