South America by Private Charter Flight: Luxury Escapes Exclusive 25-Day Tour with 5 Bucket-List Countries

Your first morning in South America begins with breakfast before meeting your group and local guide to further explore Santiago.

A hub of colonial history and contemporary architecture, you’ll visit the city’s historic center, passing the main square of Plaza de Armas and the Palacio de La Moneda, the presidential palace that was first constructed in 1784.

Save your appetite for a trip to one of the country’s historic wine estates, Viña Santa Rita, named in the World’s 50 Best Vineyards by Forbes in 2025. The 40-hectare estate includes a neo-Gothic chapel, a museum and the centerpiece – a manor house named a historic monument for its place in Chile’s 18th-century independence movement. The manor now serves as Restaurante Doña Paula, where you’ll savor a lunch of local meats, produce and sample the vineyard’s own work.

The afternoon is free to return to the city or take part in an optional winery visit and immersive sensory experience nearby at Viña Concha y Toro, available at an additional cost.

Spend the evening at your leisure, venturing out to explore more of Santiago or enjoy an evening at the hotel, the choice is yours.

Say goodbye to Santiago this morning as you head to the airport for a first look at Luxury Escapes’ privately chartered aircraft. Today’s direct flight to Puerto Natales avoids lengthy domestic connections, and the route into Patagonia offers views of the Andes while you enjoy lunch onboard.

After landing, transfer to your selected lodge in or on the outskirts of the Torres del Paine National Park. This scenic drive is a highlight in itself, traversing open plains toward distant mountain ranges, before dazzling lakes and peaks suddenly surround you.

On arrival at your lodge, check-in and relax before an orientation walk brings an appreciation for the scale of your surrounds. The national park’s tallest peak, Cerro Paine Grande, climbs almost 3,000 meters and your guide will be sure to point it out. When you can peel your eyes from this first look at Patagonia’s unreal aesthetics, spend your evening enjoying dinner at the lodge before turning in for the night.

Travel time: Flying – approx. 3.5 hours / Driving – approx. 90 minutes (hotel dependent)

Today, a full day exploring Torres del Paine National Park allows you time to grasp a landscape shaped by glaciers, wind and water. Scenic drives connect the park’s best viewpoints, with time to pause for gentle walks where alternate angles reframe the incredible views.

As you travel between viewpoints, keep an eye out for Andean condors (their wingspans exceeded three meters), often seen in the skies above the park.

Visit Salto Grande, a famous waterfall that crashes into Lago Pehoé, where the jagged mountains reflect off glassy blue waters. At Grey Lake, marvel at floating icebergs carried down from the Southern Patagonian Ice Field as your guides interpret the area’s geology, plant life and wildlife.

Return to your lodge in the late afternoon, then sit down to dinner featuring regional Patagonian specialties.

This morning, take one final look at Torres del Paine National Park, then hop aboard a luxury bus for the drive toward Punta Arenas. The route crosses open Patagonian country, with mountains fading to wide open landscapes, before an exciting pit stop at a Chilean estancia – a traditional livestock ranch. Savor a BBQ lunch and gain an insight into life on a Patagonian ranch.

Continue to Punta Arenas, where the privately chartered Ventus Australis expedition vessel prepares to navigate the jaw-dropping fjords of Patagonia. After settling into your cabin, the ship departs in the evening and begins its passage through the remote channels at the southern edge of the continent. As the crew navigate glacial channels carved over millions of years, explore the ship’s five decks, including three social lounges, perfect for observing the rugged landscape with a drink in hand.

Dinner is served onboard along with a beverage pack included for the duration of your four-night voyage.

Travel time: Driving – approx. 4.5 hours

Your first full day aboard the Ventus Australis takes you deeper into Patagonia’s network of fjords and channels, one of the world’s most remote maritime regions. The ship’s route brings you close to mountain slopes, glacial waterways and sheltered bays.

Join a Zodiac excursion and, where conditions allow, go ashore with the expedition team to explore areas inaccessible by road. Naturalists share insights into the region’s landscapes and wildlife, while onboard lectures add context to what you see during the day. The pace is shaped by the ship’s route and local conditions, leaving time between excursions to observe the scenery from the vessel over delicious meals and good company.

Today’s navigation follows Glacier Alley, a stretch of the Beagle Channel where glaciers descend from the Darwin Ice Field toward the water. From the ship, watch the ice and mountain scenery unfold as the expedition moves through the channel.

The program includes a visit to one of the longest glaciers in the southern hemisphere, Pia Glacier, measuring roughly the same area as all of Santiago, Chile. Only accessible by boat, you’ll view its 100-meter-tall face on a Zodiac excursion that brings you closer to the landscape.

Hear from expedition staff as they guide the landings and share observations about the surrounding environment. Conditions at sea and ashore shape the exact timing of the day’s activities, so the ship’s team will advise you of the schedule. Return onboard between excursions for meals and time to take in the views from the vessel.

The day’s route brings the expedition toward Cape Horn, the dramatic headland at the southernmost tip of South America. From the comfort of the Ventus Australis, put yourself in the shoes of early explorers as the ship navigates these infamous waters. If weather and sea conditions permit, the ship will attempt a landing, offering a striking perspective on this confluence of land and sea.

Continue to Wulaia Bay, a natural harbor with a deep connection to the region’s Indigenous history. Explore the area with the expedition team as archaeological sites reveal the remains of early settlement by the local Yaghan peoples.

Returning to the ship for tonight’s Captain’s dinner, toast to your cruise voyage’s final night and prepare for tomorrow’s flight to Buenos Aires.

After breakfast this morning, disembark in a brand-new country and transfer to the airport for your private charter flight to Buenos Aires. Enjoy lunch onboard before landing at the airport, where you’ll be whisked to your five-star boutique stay, Casa Lucía.

Named Argentina’s Leading Hotel 2025 by the World Travel Awards, Casa Lucía is also a member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World. Entering the lobby, you’ll quickly recognize the architecture that gives it an old Argentinian soul with the contemporary touches of a modern landmark.

The rest of the afternoon is free to settle in after the flight and get your first feel for this fascinating capital city. Take a trip to the hotel’s luxury spa or wander outside through the historic Retiro neighborhood.

Dinner is at your leisure, giving you the flexibility to choose how you spend your first evening in the city.

Travel time: Flying – approx. 3.5 hours

Start your day with breakfast to fuel up for your guided tour of Buenos Aires. Today’s sights will link several of the city’s most distinctive neighborhoods through architecture, history and a vibrant cafe culture.

Explore Plaza de Mayo, the historic civic center, then continue to San Telmo, known for its old streets and traditional character. In La Boca, see the colorful streetscape of one of the city’s best-known districts before heading to Recoleta, where grand architecture and tree-lined avenues show a different shade to the capital.

Stop for a lunch at local icon, Piegari, known for artisanal pastas, fresh seafood and perfectly cooked risotto. Full of good food, the afternoon is at your leisure. You may choose to marvel at the unique architecture of Palacio Barolo, browse the shelves of El Ateneo Grand Splendid – a bookstore housed in a former theater – or spend the afternoon exploring the elegant gardens of the sprawling Tres de Febrero Park.

Tonight, dine out based on your selected package. Classic Argentine cuisine by the riverside awaits at Puerto Madero for guests who have chosen the Standard Package, while Superior Upgrade guests will savor Michelin-starred dining with a tasting menu and paired wines at the contemporary Crizia. Lux Upgrade guests will be treated to a world-class Argentine grill experience with curated wine pairings at the magnificent Don Julio – a Michelin-starred jewel named 10th in The World’s 50 Best Restaurants.

Today, each moment of sunlight is at your leisure – brought to you by beautiful Buenos Aires. The day is left open so you can choose how to spend your final day in Argentina’s capital before the itinerary moves north.

You could set out to Tigre to explore the riverside jewels of the Paraná Delta, available at an additional cost, revisit a neighborhood from yesterday’s tour, unwind at a local cafe or take a 10-minute bus to the antique markets of San Telmo that are only active on Sundays (just your luck – that’s today!).

In the evening, reunite with the group for a private tango show and dinner at El Aljibe, with an included beverage package. Tango grew from the cultural mix of Buenos Aires and the Río de la Plata region; seeing the dance performed alongside dinner offers a lively introduction to one of Argentina’s most recognizable traditions.

An early start this morning provides a unique opportunity to stop at one of the world’s most incredible natural wonders, Iguazú National Park. Achieving today’s route in one day is near impossible via commercial flights, but your private charter awaits at Buenos Aires airport ready for the trip to Iguazú.

Upon arrival, you’ll enjoy a guided walk along the Argentine side of the national park. Winding through subtropical forest to the sound of the raging Iguazú Falls, you’ll pass Devil’s Throat, the largest and most powerful section of the falls, where a vast volume of water pours into a deep gorge.

Lunch takes place at an extravagant hotel known for its unique views of Iguazú Falls. Merkado restaurant at Gran Meliá Iguazú serves cuisine to rival the spectacular scenery – your attention may be torn between the falls and your food.

You’ll then head back to the airport, where a second private charter flight departs for Rio de Janeiro, completing the trip from Argentina to Brazil.

Dinner is served in-flight before landing in Rio. A breezy drive takes you to Hilton Copacabana on the city’s famed golden shoreline, your scenic home for the next three nights.

Travel time: Flying – approx. four hours

This morning, say hello to the palm-lined shores of Copacabana with its sun-loving beachgoers and lively beach clubs. Start with a relaxed breakfast at the hotel, then join your guided tour of Rio de Janeiro.

You’ll move between the city’s historic center and celebrated coastal neighborhoods, visiting the Metropolitan Cathedral and the Selarón Steps, where an artistic mosaic of more than 2,000 tiles from dozens of countries creates a striking photo opportunity. The tour concludes near coastal Copacabana and the beachside neighborhood of Ipanema for lunch. Your midday meal includes a customary churrascaria, showcasing Brazil’s barbecue tradition of open-flame fare.

After lunch, return to your hotel and enjoy the rest of the day at leisure. After a big day in Iguazú yesterday, you may like to spend some time lounging on the beach or indulge in a treatment at the hotel’s Anna Pegova Spa.

Today is free to enjoy Rio at your own pace. You might spend the morning along Copacabana’s waterfront or simply view it from above in the hotel’s heated rooftop pool.

Or join an Optional Experience (surcharges apply) to delve deeper into Rio’s vibrant culture. Explore Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf Mountain on a full day excursion with lunch included, or perhaps a relaxing coastal cruise is more up your alley. Explore the coast and Angra’s islands onboard a privately chartered boat reserved for your group, with lunch and drinks included. Or for the adventurous at heart, embark on a half-day Jeep exploration of Rocinha, learning about daily life in the local community.

In the evening, dinner is included as part of the tour’s Dine Out program. This is a great chance to come together with your fellow travelers over a meal and compare notes from your day.

Standard Package guests dine at the eclectic Rio Scenarium, a 19th-century mansion filled with antiques, where Brazilian dishes come with live music and a lively atmosphere. Superior Upgrade guests can enjoy contemporary Brazilian dining with sweeping views at Aprazível, set in the hillside neighborhood of Santa Teresa, or a generous Brazilian and Mediterranean spread at the vibrant Marius Degustare.

Awarded two Michelin stars, Oro provides Lux Upgrade guests with an unforgettable tasting menu of delectable Brazilian flavors refined with inventive modern techniques.

Today, say “adeus” to Rio de Janeiro and transfer to the airport for the flight to Puerto Maldonado – the gateway to the southern Amazon jungle. Commercially, this route would take more than 10 hours, but your private charter crosses the continent in a leisurely four.

Peer out the window at the Peruvian Amazon as the airport appears below. On arrival, you’ll be met by a local naturalist team. You’ll receive an introduction to the lodge program before traveling by road and motorized canoe to your selected lodge in the Tambopata National Reserve.

The journey gives you an early sense of the region’s waterways and forest, and the team will help with the transition between the airport, river and lodge. After checking in, take a moment to appreciate the impossibly fresh rainforest air and prepare for a welcome dinner at your lodge.

Later, settle into a rustic, nature-inspired room where you’ll be immersed in the sights and sounds of the Amazon. Open, airy designs bring the rainforest close, so you can fall asleep to the sounds of the jungle and wake surrounded by its lush greenery.

Please Note: A 15kg luggage allowance applies to the lodge boat transfers, while remaining luggage will be securely stored in Puerto Maldonado.

Travel time: Flying – approx. four hours / Road and river transfer – approx. two hours

An early start this morning offers an opportunity to observe the rainforest as it wakes up. Your lodge’s naturalist team will help to interpret the rainforest’s sights, sounds and smells, and you’ll learn which of the rainforest’s thousands of species are common sightings and which ones feel like winning a nature-lover’s lottery. Keep your eyes peeled for wildlife hiding among the trees, from macaws and toucans to capuchin monkeys, a giant otter or even an anaconda.

Activities include guided forest trails, canoe or oxbow lake exploration, canopy walkways and observation towers. Between outings, return to the lodge for meals and time to rest in the rainforest surrounds.

Following dinner at the lodge, head on an optional guided night walk to watch the rainforest transform under the cover of darkness. Nocturnal animals hide among the trees, while above impossibly bright galaxies illuminate your path.

Another day in tropical heaven continues with further exploration of the Tambopata National Reserve. The day’s program focuses on the rainforest’s wildlife and plant life, with opportunities for birdwatching, river or canoe exploration and botanical interpretation. Activities today may include an encounter connected with local communities or conservation initiatives.

Between outings, take in the setting from the lodge and enjoy each included meal to the sounds of the rainforest. As evening approaches, gather for a final Peruvian dinner at your lodge, bringing the Amazon portion of the journey to a close.

Tomorrow takes you from the lowland rainforest to the high-altitude landscape of Bolivia, so this final evening is a chance to reflect on the wondrous worlds you’ve encountered since arriving in Peru.

Take one last breath of Amazonian air before transferring back by river and road to Puerto Maldonado for your next privately chartered flight.

This route saves you at least eight hours in the air, avoiding commercial connections and landing in Uyuni as the light lingers over Salar de Uyuni – the world’s largest salt flat. This alien landscape formed more than 30,000 years ago as the prehistoric Lake Minchin dried up, leaving behind 10 billion tonnes of salt atop the world’s largest lithium deposit.

On arrival into Uyuni, transfer to your hotel based on your package selection. Standard Package guests can expect salt blocks and panoramic views of the otherworldly landscape from the restaurant at Cristal Samaña. Superior Upgrade guests will stay at Luna Salada, where salt-built walls and furniture, colorful Andean textiles and warm bedding create a cozy retreat on the edge of the salt flats. Lux Upgrade guests will check into Palacio de Sal, where salt-block details and sweeping views of the flats and desert make the extraordinary landscape part of your stay. After check-in, spend the afternoon at a gentle pace acclimatizing to the higher altitude and prepare for an included dinner.

Later in the evening, a stargazing experience rivals the skies seen from the Amazon, as the clear, open landscape offers a surreal perspective that’s hard to forget.

Please Note: Uyuni is 3,700 meters above sea level, please refer to FAQs for further information relating to high altitude.

Travel time: River and road transfer – approx. two hours / Flying – approx. 90 minutes / Driving – approx. 25 minutes

The Salar de Uyuni is unlike anywhere else on Earth. After breakfast, set out by 4WD to explore this high-altitude plateau as the immense salt flat stretches out of sight. The vast, mirror-flat salt crust here creates a striking sense of scale, making the flats perfect for playful perspective-bending trick photography. Your route includes the stunning Incahuasi Island, a rocky outcrop rising from the salt and known for its giant cacti growing up to 10 meters tall.

The day’s exploration is broken up by a gourmet picnic lunch in the middle of the salar and a celebratory sunset gin and tonic. Watch the colors change on the salty expanse as the sun dips below the horizon and dinner calls you from the hotel. Spend your final evening in Bolivia at your leisure.

Peru: part two! Today starts with breakfast and a transfer back to Joya Andina Airport (UYU) for the flight to Cusco, former capital of the Inca Empire. Enjoy lunch on board as this historic terracotta town materializes below. Nestled in the foothills of the Urubamba mountain range, this city is itself a UNESCO World Heritage-listed site, owing to its archaeological remains.

On arrival at the airport, leave your bags to a porter and embark on a guided half-day tour of Cusco’s cobblestone streets. The tour begins at the historic center and continues to Qorikancha, the Temple of the Sun, originally the most integral temple of the Inca Empire. Over a few hours, your guide will reveal the Inca foundations and layers of history visible in its architecture.

Afterwards, check-in to Palacio del Inka and enjoy the evening at a relaxed pace. Take a moment to appreciate the significance of tonight’s accommodation, a 500 year old historic mansion sitting on top of original Incan walls. The Luxury Collection Hotel is a living museum and houses almost 200 pieces of original art dating back to pre-Incan history.

Tonight, dine out in Cusco based on your selected package. Standard Package guests head to Pachapapa, where traditional Andean and Peruvian comfort dishes are served in an atmospheric colonial courtyard in the San Blas neighborhood. Superior Upgrade guests enjoy Limo’s mouthwatering Nikkei cuisine, combining Japanese techniques with ingredients from the Peruvian coast and Andes, all with picturesque views over the Plaza de Armas. The historic Calle del Medio welcomes Lux Upgrade guests for sensational modern Peruvian cuisine in a stylish but relaxed setting overlooking the Plaza.

Please Note: Cusco is 3,400 meters above sea level, please refer to FAQs for further information relating to high altitude.

For many, today marks the most anticipated moment of the journey. An early breakfast sets you up for the journey to Machu Picchu via the Sacred Valley aboard the Vistadome Observatory Train. Spend the four-hour ride in awe of the landscape beyond your panoramic windows as the train moves from the city’s arid shrubland and into lush forest. Onboard, snacks and live cultural entertainment will accent your journey and set the tone for today’s Incan expedition.

At the end of your spectacular train journey, a shuttle completes the trip to Machu Picchu where your guide will introduce the fascinating Inca citadel. Discover how its stone terraces and buildings follow the contours of the mountain, with many foundations still in place some 600 years later. Take time to absorb the views and hear the city’s stories, as you move in small groups to maintain the serenity of this astonishing site.

After a magical day, return to Cusco for an evening at leisure.

After a spectacular day exploring Machu Picchu, enjoy a day at leisure in Cusco. You can spend time around the old town, take an immersive full-day tour of the Sacred Valley or a half-day adventure through the South Valley of Cusco’s archaeological sites (available at additional cost), or take a well-earned rest at the hotel.

You could visit the 16th-century Cusco Cathedral, a Renaissance-Baroque masterpiece, or sample some local delights at the Mercado Central de San Pedro. Alternatively, spend your day relaxing at the hotel’s Andes Spirit Spa and soaking in the hydrotherapy pool.

In the evening, come together for dinner and a chance to swap stories from your journey so far.

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your final private charter flight to the Peruvian capital of Lima.

On arrival into Lima enjoy brunch before setting out to explore the city, widely known for its food culture and named Time Out’s Best City for Food in 2026.

After acquainting yourself with the city’s character, check-in to SOUMA Lima, a luxury oceanfront hotel perched on the clifftops of the Miraflores neighborhood.

Spend the afternoon at leisure, soaking in sweeping Pacific views from the rooftop bar or lounging by the elevated infinity pool. Tonight, you’ll head to a Dine Out experience promising plates bursting with Peruvian flavor, proving the reputation behind the city’s coveted dining scene.

In this gastronomic paradise, each package brings a different taste of the city. Standard Package guests dine at El Señorío de Sulco, a Liman institution serving Peruvian criolla cuisine since 1986, while Superior Upgrade guests will enjoy seafood-led Peruvian dining with panoramic sea views at the beachfront Cala. For Lux Upgrade guests, an elevated Peruvian tasting-menu experience awaits at the esteemed Mayta, ranked No. 39 in The World’s 50 Best Restaurants.

Travel time: Flying – approx. 90 minutes

Today marks your final full day in South America. After more than three weeks exploring Patagonia, the Amazon, the Bolivian salt flats and the Peruvian Andes, it’s time to wander one more city, share stories with new friends and make a few more memories in Lima.

You may choose to relax at the hotel or explore independently, where you can visit the UNESCO World Heritage-listed historic center or wander belowground to the Saint Francis Monastery catacombs.

You can also explore deeper into Peruvian culture on a curated Optional Experience (surcharges apply), with a Barranco walking tour, ceviche and pisco sour class, and Peruvian coffee and cacao tasting experience on offer.

In the evening, dress up for a spectacular farewell dinner where you’ll cheers to a tour well taken and celebrate the conclusion of this epic journey. 

Adios! After breakfast, bid farewell to your fellow travelers and take a private transfer to the airport for your onward journey as your once-in-a-lifetime experience comes to a close.