Self-Launched Chile & Argentina: Santiago to Buenos Aires

Arrive in Santiago at any time. Take the Centropuerto or Turbus airport shuttle into the city centre (~£5) rather than a taxi. Check into your hostel in the Barrio Italia or Lastarria neighbourhoods — both lively, central, and well-connected. Spend the evening strolling the neighbourhood, grabbing a cheap set-menu dinner (menú del día) at a local restaurant, and getting your bearings.

🚌Turbus airport shuttle: ~£5 one-way

🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse in Barrio Italia or Lastarria — e.g. The Singular Santiago (budget wing) or La Casa Roja hostel (~£18–22/night)

• →Arrive at Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport
• →Take the Turbus or Centropuerto airport shuttle to the city centre (~£5)
• →Check into hostel in Barrio Italia or Lastarria
• →Evening stroll and street food exploration

Head out to the Maipo Valley wine region, just 45 minutes south of Santiago by local bus or shared transfer. Self-book a winery tour directly with Viña Concha y Toro or Santa Rita — both offer independent visitor experiences with tastings for around £15–20. Alternatively, book a half-day wine tour via GetYourGuide (~£35) that replicates the group experience. Return to Santiago for the evening and explore the Mercado Central for fresh seafood at budget prices.

🚌Local bus or shared Turbus to Maipo Valley: ~£3–5 return

🛏Same hostel in Santiago (~£18–22/night)

• →Self-booked winery tour and tasting at Viña Concha y Toro or Santa Rita (~£15–35 via direct booking or GetYourGuide)
• →Vertical wine tasting session with local guide
• →Evening visit to Mercado Central for fresh seafood dinner

Take an early LATAM or JetSMART domestic flight from Santiago to Puerto Montt (~£40–70 booked in advance). From Puerto Montt airport, take a local bus or shared taxi to nearby Puerto Varas (~£3). Visit the famous Angelmó fish market in Puerto Montt for a browse and cheap local lunch. In Puerto Varas, seek out a 'curanto' cooking experience — a traditional dish of smoked meats, seafood, and potatoes slow-cooked underground. Several local family-run guesthouses and cultural operators offer this experience directly. Ask at your hostel for recommended local families or community-run experiences.

🚌Domestic flight Santiago–Puerto Montt: ~£40–70; local bus to Puerto Varas: ~£3

🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Puerto Varas — e.g. Compass del Sur hostel (~£18–22/night)

• →Morning flight: Santiago → Puerto Montt (LATAM/JetSMART, ~£40–70)
• →Bus or shared taxi from Puerto Montt to Puerto Varas (~£3)
• →Visit Angelmó fish market in Puerto Montt
• →Curanto traditional cooking experience with a local family (book directly or via a local tour agency, ~£20–30)
• →Explore the scenic lakeside town of Puerto Varas

A free day to explore at your own pace. The standout optional excursion is Chiloé Island — take a local bus from Puerto Varas to Pargua ferry terminal (~£5), then a short ferry crossing (~£2) to Chiloé. Explore the colourful UNESCO-listed palafito stilt houses and wooden churches in Castro. Return to Puerto Varas in the evening. Alternatively, rent a bike locally (~£10/day) and ride the lakeside trails around Lago Llanquihue with the Osorno Volcano as a backdrop.

🚌Local bus + ferry to Chiloé: ~£7 return; bike rental: ~£10

🛏Same hostel in Puerto Varas (~£18–22/night)

• →Optional: Day trip to Chiloé Island — bus to ferry terminal + ferry crossing (~£7 total)
• →Explore Castro's UNESCO palafito stilt houses and wooden churches
• →Alternative: Rent a bike and cycle the shores of Lago Llanquihue (~£10/day)
• →Evening dinner in Puerto Varas town centre

The legendary Cruce de los Lagos crossing — one of the most scenic journeys in South America. Book this directly with Cruce Andino (the operator that runs the crossing) at crucandino.com. The full crossing from Puerto Montt/Puerto Varas to Bariloche takes the full day and involves a combination of bus and ferry segments across stunning glacial lakes and through Valdivian temperate rainforest. Highlights include Petrohué Falls and the crossing of Lago Todos los Santos. Book in advance — prices are approximately £100–130 per person for the full crossing, which is significantly cheaper than what's bundled into group tour pricing. Arrive in Bariloche in the late evening.

🚌Cruce Andino Lakes Crossing (bus + ferry combo): ~£100–130 per person

🛏Hostel in Bariloche — e.g. Penthouse Bariloche Hostel or 1004 Hostel (~£18–25/night)

• →Full-day Cruce de los Lagos (Lakes Crossing) from Puerto Varas to Bariloche — book directly with Cruce Andino (~£100–130)
• →Stop at Petrohué Falls en route
• →Scenic ferry crossings across Lago Todos los Santos and Lago Frías
• →Arrive in San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina

Bariloche is an outdoor paradise — spend the day however you like. Hike Cerro Campanario for panoramic views of the lake district (free, or take the chairlift for ~£8). Rent a bike and ride the Circuito Chico lakeside loop (~£12/day bike rental). Kayak on Lago Nahuel Huapi (~£20–25 for a half-day, bookable via local operators on Mitre street). Don't miss Bariloche's famous artisan chocolate shops along the main strip — the town is Argentina's chocolate capital.

🚌Local buses within Bariloche: ~£1–2 per ride

🛏Same hostel in Bariloche (~£18–25/night)

• →Hike Cerro Campanario for panoramic lake views (optional chairlift: ~£8)
• →Bike the Circuito Chico lakeside loop (~£12/day rental)
• →Optional: Kayak on Lago Nahuel Huapi (~£20–25 half-day)
• →Explore Bariloche's artisan chocolate shops
• →Optional: Full-day trekking in Parque Nacional Nahuel Huapi

Fly from Bariloche to Buenos Aires (Aeroparque Jorge Newbery or Ezeiza). Book with Aerolíneas Argentinas or JetSMART — prices ~£40–80 booked in advance. From the airport, take the Bus Cama or airport transfer into the city (~£3–5). Check into your hostel in Palermo, San Telmo, or Recoleta — all great neighbourhoods for first-time visitors. Spend the afternoon exploring on foot: wander through Palermo Soho, grab a choripán from a street stall, and soak up the city vibe.

🚌Domestic flight Bariloche–Buenos Aires: ~£40–80; airport bus: ~£4

🛏Hostel in Palermo or San Telmo — e.g. Milhouse Hostel or América del Sur (~£18–25/night)

• →Morning flight: Bariloche → Buenos Aires (~£40–80)
• →Airport bus or shuttle to city centre (~£3–5)
• →Check into hostel in Palermo or San Telmo
• →Afternoon walk through Palermo Soho neighbourhood
• →Evening street food — choripán and empanadas

Explore Buenos Aires independently or join a self-booked city walking tour (many free tip-based tours depart daily from Plaza de Mayo). Visit the iconic Plaza de Mayo and Casa Rosada (the pink presidential palace with Evita's famous balcony), the colourful La Boca neighbourhood and Caminito street, the elegant Recoleta Cemetery, and the chic Palermo district. In the evening, book a tango lesson and milonga show — self-book via GetYourGuide or directly with venues like La Catedral Club or Confitería Ideal (~£15–25 for a class + milonga entry), which are popular with locals rather than tourists.

🚌Buenos Aires Subte (metro) day pass: ~£2; walking

🛏Same hostel in Buenos Aires (~£18–25/night)

• →Free tip-based walking tour of Buenos Aires (departs Plaza de Mayo daily)
• →Visit Plaza de Mayo and Casa Rosada (Evita's balcony)
• →Explore La Boca neighbourhood and Caminito street
• →Wander Recoleta Cemetery (free entry)
• →Evening tango lesson and milonga at a local venue — e.g. La Catedral Club (~£15–25, book via GetYourGuide or direct)

Check out and head to the airport for your onward flight. If you have time before departure, grab a final breakfast at a local café — a medialunas (Argentine croissant) and cortado coffee is a Buenos Aires institution. Take the airport bus (Manuel Tienda León or public Bus 8/45) to Ezeiza or Aeroparque depending on your flight (~£3–5).

🚌Airport bus to Ezeiza (Manuel Tienda León): ~£5

• →Final breakfast at a local café — medialunas and cortado coffee
• →Airport bus to Ezeiza or Aeroparque (~£3–5)
• →Depart Buenos Aires