EXCURSIONS À TERRE

Experience Uruguay’s energetic capital like a local by browsing two popular markets and relaxing along La Rambla, the popular promenade that runs along the coast. Near the pier, you will find the Montevideo Agricultural Market, a National Heritage site affectionately known as MAM. The locals mostly come for the extraordinary fruits and vegetables, and many of the vendors will offer samples that will be indicative of Montevideo’s cuisine. You can also expect to be offered samples at the Ferrando Market, a much newer attraction packed with fine restaurants and shops selling gourmet products. Like MAM, it is an excellent venue for people-watching. Another candid glimpse at local life awaits you along La Rambla, the popular promenade that follows the coast. A favorite of walkers, runners and bicyclists, La Rambla is probably the ultimate place to take in the local life. To really live like a Uruguayan, try mate, a traditional caffeinated drink that is a national obsession.

HIGHLIGHTS:
• Browse two markets, one a National Heritage site, the other known for gourmet products.
• Sample a variety of fresh produce and unusual dishes and treats at the markets.
• Enjoy a slice of life by walking along La Rambla, Montevideo’s coastal promenade.

Observe the abundant wildlife in the naturally beautiful Patagonian steppe, highlighted by a leisurely walk among a large colony of Magellanic penguins.

After departing from the pier, you will settle in for an immensely scenic drive along the New Gulf and on to rugged Punta Ninfas on the Patagonian steppe. The vegetation here is shrubby, wind-blown and an ideal wildlife habitat. Gray fox, llama-like guanacas and various species of seabirds, including oystercatchers and albatrosses, are found in this dry landscape.

Even so, penguins are the star attractions in this part of Patagonian, as you will discover from your base at El Pedral Lodge. Perched on a cliff, the lodge was built in 1904 and some of the period furnishing still remain, including the mahogany dining table.

From here, you will head to a nearby Magellanic penguin rookery for an extended walk among these highly social birds. If you hear the penguins braying like donkeys, it is simply the way they seek mates.

You can expect to see the penguins tottering about, tending to their young, interacting with each other, and perhaps hunting small fish just offshore. A group of penguins floating in the ocean is called a raft; a group on land is sometimes called a waddle because of their awkward walk.

Later, you will walk through a ravine where you can observe fossils from the Cenozoic Era, estimated to be at least 30 million years old. Lunch at the lodge follows, after which you will return to the pier.

Admire the architectural landmarks in downtown Montevideo and then enjoy a sampling of local wines while watching a culturally significant dance performance.

After departing from the pier, you will soon arrive in the heart of downtown, passing architectural gems such as the Solis Theatre, Uruguay’s oldest theater. Nearby, you will pause for photos of Independence Square, where a statue of General José Gervasio Artigas, the father of Uruguay, stands by his mausoleum.

Another photo stop awaits you at the Legislative Palace. This glorious neo-classical building was constructed nearly 100 years ago with more than 50 types of marble.

You will also pass through the Obelisk of Montevideo, which celebrates the 100-year anniversary of the country’s first constitution, Batlle Park, a lovely urban greenscape named for Jose Batlle y Ordóñez, a former president of Uruguay. Here, you will see Centenario Stadium, site of the first World Cup soccer championship, and photo stop at “La Carreta,” a bronze sculpture that depicts the area’s 19th-century oxcart drivers.

Then, head for the district of Cuchilla Pereira called “ The Wine Land “, about 20 minutes away from the city downtown area to Bodega Spinoglio, a real winery full of history funded in 1898. Following a tour of the grounds and old machinery museum, you will be treated to a tasting of national wines and delicious local snacks.

To enhance your enjoyment, you will watch a performance that recreates the era in which the tango emerged in the Rio de la Plata. Dancers and Singers will make you feel you are being transported back in time and that are part of the Uruguayan history of the late 1800’s. After this uniquely Uruguayan experience, you will return to the pier.

Observe the bountiful wildlife in Tierra del Fuego while cruising the Beagle Channel in a catamaran that will take you to islands full of seabirds, sea lions and Magellanic penguins.

After departing from the pier, you will soon board a catamaran and sail into Beagle Channel, the strait that separates Argentina from Chile. The waterway is named for the HMS Beagle, in which Charles Darwin explored the area in 1833-1834.

Islands dot the channel and the rocky coast is wild and wonderful with forests to the water’s edge and the southern Andes in the far distance. Few places on earth are so pristine and unaffected by what little civilization there is.

Seabirds are abundant in most every direction. You may spot black-capped albatrosses, flocks of seagulls and grayish skuas, an aggressive bird that often attacks other birds in mid-air to steal the fish they have caught.

Approaching Sea Lions’ Island, you will see dozens of the namesake mammals clustered on the rocks. The males are typically twice the size of the females and weigh nearly 800 pounds. While pausing for photos at nearby Bird Island, you will notice that the main inhabitants are Imperial Cormorants and Magellanic Cormorants.

Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse is another photo-worthy site, as is the colony of Magellanic penguins on Martillo Island. These highly social birds will often come up to the catamaran as they hunt for cuttlefish and squid. It’s the perfect opportunity for a close up shot, after which you will return to the pier.

Prepare for a memorable day at an estancia in the countryside, where a traditional Uruguayan family opens their home and welcomes you for the day. You’ll also see the highlights of Montevideo during an orientation drive. Enjoy the views of Montevideo with a stop at Independence Square to see the many sites including the Solís Theatre, Palacio Salvo and a statue of General Artigas, considered the father of Uruguay. Drive through the suburbs and countryside to Estancia La Rabida where a traditional Uruguayan family opens their home and welcomes you for the day. The estancia is set in a 2,470 acre, century-old ranch used to produce 12,000 liters of milk daily. It is used by the Uruguayan government when entertaining guests offering them an authentic glimpse of Uruguayan life. Part of the fun is travelling to the river by choice of a hay truck, an old model T or horse drawn carriage. A traditional barbeque (asado) is served accompanied by a variety of salads and national wines. Enjoy a walk around the farm if you choose.

Combine the history and culture of Ushuaia, with a scenic drive to the mountains and countryside. Admire the rugged beauty of the landscape, experience local cuisine and learn about the city’s first habitants.

Drive through one of Ushuaia’s neighborhoods to get acquainted with the city and travel along the Pan American Highway toward the north of the island. Admire the dramatic scenery of river valleys, majestic mountains, forests and peat bogs as you make your way across the Fuegian Andes up to Garibaldi Pass. If the day is clear, you’ll stop at a lookout point to take in the magnificent views of Escondido and Fagnano Lakes.

Enjoy a typical meal of Patagonian lamb, slowly roasted in the wood fire, in a cozy local restaurant. Visit the Maritime Museum, housed in what was the first prison in Tierra del Fuego. Learn about the prison and life of the inmates. Dangerous convicts and well-known political prisoners made this prison famous until 1947 when it was closed. View the maritime and native people’s exhibits.

See the most renowned landmarks in downtown Montevideo and watch a tango performance. After departing from the pier, you will enjoy a leisurely drive through Montevideo, a capital city so vibrant and cosmopolitan that nearly half of Uruguay’s population calls it home. It is no wonder considering Montevideo’s magnificent landmarks, many of which you will see. Among them is wonderfully, historical Independence Square and the Legislative Palace, a glorious neo-classical building constructed nearly 100 years ago with more than 50 types of marble. You will also pass through tree-lined Prado, a neighborhood dotted with early 20th-century mansions. Then, it’s on to Batlle Park, a lovely urban greenscape named for Jose Batlle y Ordonez, Uruguay’s president from 1911-1915. Here you will see Centenario Stadium, site of the first World Cup soccer championship, and “La Carreta,” a bronze sculpture that depicts the area’s 19th-century oxcart drivers, which local artist Jose Belloni unveiled in 1919. Continue your drive to Carrasco neighborhood and take a photo stop at a monument dedicated to the Fallen Soldiers of the Navy follows, after which you tour continues with a visit to the tango venue, Baar Fun Fun. Upon arrival, you will be offered a complimentary beverage and be entertained with traditional Tango music. Then, head to “The Cradle of Tango”, BAAR FUN FUN, founded in 1895 and considered for its history and present, a living monument Montevideo’s culture. Preserved intact to this day it has witnessed the conversations and bohemia of the most renowned tango artists of the Rio de la Plata. It is well known that Carlos Gardel used to go frequently to the bar, one night in 1933, at that same counter, in honor of the Uvita (classic bar drink, made by his owner) he sang a chapel for those present and signed a photo that it is still displayed at the bar.

OVERVIEW

Take full advantage of the amenities at the Veleros Beach Club, which include an open bar and a beautiful beach that rims an enviable spot on the Sea of Cortez. It won’t take long to reach the exclusive beach club, giving you all the more time to relax as you please. The beach is private and spacious, so you can easily find your own quiet piece of paradise. You might stretch out on a cushioned lounge chair and bask in the sun or lie in the shade under a beach umbrella. If you wish to explore a bit farther, feel free to stroll along the shore. The sea there is one of the few swimmable spots in Cabo San Lucas, so a refreshing dip is another great option. Music will be playing to enhance the ambiance and the bar will be open for the first two hours after you arrive.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Spend hours relaxing at the exclusive Veleros Beach Club.
• Relax on the private beach, which rims one of the few swimmable spots in town.
• Bask in the sun or lie in the shade on a cushioned lounge chair.
• Enjoy the open bar, ambiance music and chips and salsa for a snack.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Cruise to the southernmost tip of the Baja Peninsula in a spacious semi-submersible that offers panoramic views from the open deck and through large windows in the climate-controlled cabin just a few feet below the surface. Along the way, you will pass Neptune’s Finger, a thin rock formation that rises straight up out of the sea. The sights will be equally spectacular underwater as the rock attracts all sorts of colorful tropical fish. Before long you will reach Land’s End, the peninsula’s appropriately named terminus. Its dramatically rocky landscape is so photogenic that it has become a Cabo San Lucas icon, especially the huge arch that the sea and wind have carved out of the granite at Land’s End. The only inhabitants are sea lions, which you can expect to see frolicking on shore and swimming in the sea. An open bar and nachos on board will enhance the experience.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Cruise in a semi-submersible to the iconic rocky arch at the end of the Baja Peninsula.
• Watch frolicking sea lions from the vessel’s open deck and enjoy the panoramic views.
• Observe the marine life underwater through the windows below the water’s surface.
• Snack on nachos while enjoying the open bar.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

Soaring mountains, islands and a historic lighthouse are the perfect backdrop for a scenic wildlife cruise on this southernmost tip of South America. Your narrated trip takes you into the Beagle Channel, past Bird Island, where many species of birds gather, including a colony of cormorants. Cruise around Sea Wolves Island, a rocky outcrop that is home to seals and sea lions. The catamaran cruises close to the shore, offering you some great photo opportunities.

The land portion of this tour takes you through Tierra del Fuego National Park. From the rugged peaks, pristine lakes and ancient forests of the Andes to the glacier-draped shores of the famed Beagle Channel, the world's southernmost national park offers picture postcard scenes. Photo stops are made along the way, including one at the milestone marker for the End of the World (fin del mundo).

Sample a selection of prime Uruguayan beef paired with craft beers at a popular downtown brew pub. On the drive there, you will stop for photos of landmarks such as Independence Square, the glorious Legislative Palace and La Carreta, a bronze sculpture that depicts the area’s 19th-century oxcart drivers. Commentary will describe their significance. Montevideo is just as well-known for its delicious high-quality beef, as most cattle are grass-fed in natural pastures. At the Matute brew pub, you will sample selections of beef from different breeds of cattle raised in different areas of Uruguay. The meats will be cooked in a cast-iron skillet rather than grilled to help maintain their natural juices and nutrients. Thoughtfully chosen beers will be served to complement the beef dishes. They may include a refreshing lager, a red IPA and a malty porter, brewed on the premises in a process that you will be shown.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Sample several types of premium beef from different areas of Uruguay at a brew pub.
• Enjoy a selection of craft beers brewed on site that complement the beef dishes.
• Pause to snap photos of downtown landmarks on a panoramic drive through Montevideo.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

Travel to the scenic Estancia San Guillermo, a typical Patagonian ranch and get a glimpse of life in the vast countryside and stop for photos in Punta Loma, a breeding ground for sea lions. Your hosts at Estancia San Guillermo welcome you to their 7,400-acre ranch for a unique experience. This sheep ranch is surrounded by endless open countryside. You’ll see a wide variety of ranch animals and pets. In the sheep shed, sit down for presentation by the owners and their favorite household pets followed by a sheep shearing demonstration. Enjoy a tasty snack and free time to browse the souvenir shop. Stop at Punta Loma Reserve and from the lookout point, you’ll be able to see the permanent colony of sea lions lying on the rocks. The sea lions, when not sunning themselves on the beach, can be observed full of life in the water showing off their swimming skills.