- Countries
- Chile, Brazil, Argentina
- Highlights
- You'll be fascinated by pre-Colombian civilisations, and in awe of South America's natural wonders on our exclusive tour. We visit beautiful, privately-owned and rarely-seen gardens including several designed by masters such as Brazilian Roberto Burle Marx, and also exclusive access to several designed by our Chilean friend, the well-known landscape architect Juan Grimm.
In Chile, leading designer Juan Grimm guides us to country and city gardens, hacienda gardens, and his own brilliant retreat overlooking the Pacific. We visit the bohemian port of Valparaiso, the idyllic seaside village of Zapallar, the gracious, historic Santa Rita Vineyard Estancia, and glimpse the Chilean soul through writers like Pablo Neruda and Isabelle Allende.
In Rio de Janeiro we visit gardens of Roberto Burle Marx − perhaps the finest twentieth century landscape designer − who often teamed with brilliant architect Oscar Niemeyer. Both were profoundly affected by the power and beauty of Brazil and voluptuous landforms of Rio de Janeiro.
Over six days in magical Rio we experience vibrant Brazilian flora and Marx’s brilliant civic designs − such as Copacabana Beach’s swirling mosaic promenade. We see his cubist garden designs ‘painted with plants’ in his treasured hill station gardens of Teresópolis and Petrópolis, and in his own Sitio – a unique garden-studio-nursery complex. (Garden of Wonders). As well as historic and contemporary gardens, you may be interested in visiting a vibrant favella.
We leave sensuous Rio for one of the great natural wonders of the world − the spectacular Iguazu Falls set amidst tropical landscapes. In Buenos Aires, ‘Paris of the South’, we tour parks of Palermo, Puerto Madero (the rejuvenated port), colourful streets of San Telmo and La Boca, and jostle through antique markets. We see galleries of Latin American art, and ponder national icon Eva Peron at her museum, and her mausoleum in the famed Recoleta Cemetery.
We’ll relish Latin American cuisine and marvellous wines in historic cafes and restaurants; we’ll visit galleries and the famed Teatro Colon Opera House; we’ll be moved by pulsating samba music of Rio, and a night of riveting tango. We travel in luxury coaches and relax in marvellous 4−5 star hotels.
What makes this tour extraordinary is visiting some of the finest gardens in South America, including 18 privately owned. We talk with designers, and owners, and absorb their worlds. During special presentations from designers and experts we contemplate art, literature, politics and national identity.
This tour follows on from other ALC tours to Colombia (4-13 September 2014) and Peru (13-22 September 2014)
No testimonials exist at this time.
GARDENS OF PARADISE 2014 A general cultural tour: 22 Sept – 11 Oct. (19 days)
$11,500 plus $1,280 flights = $12,780.
Single supplement: $4,220. Includes flights (Santiago-Rio de Janeiro; Rio de Janeiro– Iguazú Falls; Iguazú Falls–Buenos Aires).
Our tour costs can be altered by variation to room standards. Single travellers may also share a twin room for tours or for just the more expensive hotels.
Tour inclusions:
• Accommodation in a twin-share room or single supplement in 4 to 5 star hotels
• All meals as indicated in the itinerary where: B=breakfast, L=lunch and D=Dinner (evening). Generally, two substantial meals are provided daily – one of them being breakfast. The daily ratio and pattern varies and meals for the Gardens Tour reduce slightly as the tour progresses to provide individual flexibility and reduce costs. Meals in Peru and Colombia are sometimes more Spartan.
• Generally, one water plus one alcoholic or soft drink is made available for lunch and dinner and thereafter you pay for additional drinks. Details are confirmed.
• All tips for coach drivers, guides, designers, restaurants, hotels, etc. for tour listed activities. These are significant costs. However, we do provide an opportunity for you to contribute to some outstanding guides in cases where you feel you wish to and feel it is appropriate.
• Flights as listed below.
• Transport via luxury air-conditioned coaches and smaller mini-coaches as appropriate.
• Airport-hotel transfers for bookings made via C&T. • Hotel porterage • Lectures and site presentations
• Entrance fees to all listed museums, galleries, property owners, etc.
Tour exclusions:
• Flights required for you to arrive at the city where your tour(s) commence. See details below.
• Personal spending money.
• Luggage in excess of 20 kg. Allowances for flights to and from South America are usually very generous.
• Comprehensive travel insurance
• Visas, arrival and departure taxes where applicable.Tour costs do not include flights to and from South America (discounted fares normally available). Flights within South America are reduced price group flights.
Discounts: Gardens Tour travellers enjoy discounts for additional tours (amounts TBC).
TRAVEL INSURANCE
It is a condition of travel that you have comprehensive cover for Medical (including repatriation), lost luggage, tour cancellations and other losses. This helps ensure that any problems arising on tour are rapidly expedited. For a brochure, cover and information (e.g. concerning pre- existing medical conditions), contact C&T.
You must be logged in to post a comment.