Fly overnight to Buenos Aires and transfer to your hotel. This energetic, cosmopolitan city has been the gateway to Argentina for centuries, bringing many porteños (as the multi-national city residents are known) into its boundaries.

Although it is reminiscent of Paris, the true spirit of the city is evident in its diverse neighborhoods - each with a character as varied as the porteños themselves. You have time to explore some of them today, including the colorful La Boca district, settled by Italian immigrants who worked the area's meatpacking plants and warehouses, and San Telmo, home of the tango. This once depressed neighborhood now houses a bustling collection of artists' studios, ethnic restaurants, antique shops and boutiques.

Tonight, gather for a welcome dinner.

Cruise along a sheltered waterway on a relaxing sojourn featuring views of Buenos Aires' fashionable riverside suburbs, far from the busy hustle and bustle of the city. You are surrounded by an array of colorful sights as your boat passes numerous islands, turn-of-the century stone mansions, English cottages, Italian villas, brightly painted wooden shacks, yacht clubs and a flotilla of watercraft, including canoes and sailboats.

DESIGN YOUR DAY today by selecting one of the three following options:

• Spend the day shopping Buenos Aires unique boutiques, malls and open-air markets with your guide. The city is well-known for exceptional leather goods, unique crafts and artwork and your experienced shopping guide knows where to find just what you are looking for.
• Journey to the countryside and visit an Argentinean polo estancia to enjoy outdoor activities such as horseback riding, carriage rides, basque bowling, playing the typical gaucho game of taba along with a traditional barbeque lunch.
• Enjoy a tour to Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay. This charming colonial town was founded in 1680 and has been recently declared an UNESCO world heritage site. Its many attractions of include the Barrio Historico (Historic Quarters) and the beautiful white sand beaches.

Fly to Bariloche, a world-renowned resort town famous for its chocolate shops and restaurants, as well as a picture-postcard Alpine setting that has earned it the nickname "Little Switzerland." The region offers wonderful photo opportunities, where nature mixes a palette of rich greens and blues into a myriad of streams and lakes framed by snow-capped peaks and lightly clouded skies.

Today enjoy the majestic Andes Mountains. A leisurely walk takes you to the natural balconies at the Brazo Tristeza where you enjoy magnificent views of the nearby mountains. The more adventurous may choose to rappel down the base of the wall. Here you are greeted by a local chef who has prepared a tasting of various regional wines and local flavors.

After lunch, navigate the tranquil waters and paddle around the beaches of Moreno Lake aboard a kayak.

Spend the morning in downtown Bariloche - a chocolate-lovers' heaven. Dozens of shops offer tasty morsels of artisan chocolate. The industry sprang from early Swiss pioneers who settled at the nearby village of Colonia Suiza. Classic local flavors include dulce de leche, chocolate with lemon and chocolate with local berries. The remainder of your afternoon and evening are free for you to explore the town on your own or enjoy the resort's amenities.

Today is at leisure to enjoy many of the resort's optional activities. Go horseback riding, mountain biking, or swimming in the outdoor heated pool. Choose to play a round of golf at Patagonia's best 18-hole course, take a guided hike or private cruise on the lake. You may also take a fitness class or perfect your salsa, tango or flamenco moves with an expert instructor. For those wanting a bit more relaxation, the resort's exclusive spa offers an array of soothing treatments.

Tonight join your fellow travellers for the farewell fondue dinner in the resort's Club House, which is elegantly set in the middle of the resort's renowned golf course.

Your morning is at leisure to enjoy the resort's facilities or explore Bariloche's European ambience. Stroll through the town that resembles a Swiss or German village, with stone and wood houses and buildings lining the streets. Shop in the boutiques before your flight to Buenos Aires and connect to your international flight.

Arrive in the USA and connect to your homebound flight.

This program contains some active elements, and a minimum level of fitness is required.