Adventure Travel Lodge Wine Adventure

Amazon Adventures

Adventures in Wine Vacation

"This is a top pick for outdoor adventures where great wine and food are travel essentials."
-Wine Enthusiast

Our Adventures in Wine vacation combines thrills, fine dining, and wine education into one unbeatable vacation! After a day spent discovering all the wonders of Patagonia, spend the evening partaking in the delicious discovery of carefully paired food and wines. Each night we will gather in our rustic quincho to focus on a different variety of Chile’s finest wines, expanding our palates by the warm glow of a comforting fire. While enjoying your meal you’ll also enjoy spectacular views of the Andes Mountains and bright Chilean stars, just steps away from our wood-burning hot tub and the river’s calming rush. As with all Adventures, our Wine Week is all inclusive -- all wines and meals are included, as are all the adventures, amenities and activities.

Though we often create custom itineraries, Adventures in Wine typically takes you away from home for seven to ten days including travel time (we offer either seven or four night packages for this trip). Whether you arrive in Patagonia via Santiago, Chile or Buenos Aires, Argentina, we make the travel as pain-free as possible. Your arrival into the heart of Patagonia on day two of your South American adventure is exquisite, and each day after that is fun-filled yet relaxing. Your final day finds you refreshed, renewed and invigorated as your bags are packed for the journey home.

Adventures in Wine Sample Itinerary

Day 1 - A representative will meet you in either Puerto Montt Chile or Bariloche Argentina (your choice!), before whisking you away to our 175-acre riverside ranch on the mighty Futaleufu River. Entry via Puerto Montt entails a short flight over the Chilean Fjords and drive thru Chile's old growth forests to our base camp. Entry via Bariloche Argentina is a breathtaking drive over the Andes mountains range to Futaleufu Chile. Once settled, you'll meet your rafting guides who will prepare you for the week's adventures on the Futaleufu river.

Day 2 - Rafting the Futaleufu River, "Bridge to Bridge", Class III-IV+:
The rapids in this section are big and exciting, but consider them a warm-up for the whitewater to come. Rapids such as Entrada, Pillow, and Mundaca get you into the rhythm of the mighty Rio Futaleufu. Follow up the whitewater with a massage and a soak in the spa for a cap to a perfect day.

Day 2 - Evening, Aromas:
Learn the technique of sensorial analysis while indulging in the varied aromas and flavors of Chile’s more popular grapes. This evening is a must for new wine enthusiasts, focusing on the classic and most well-known grapes of Chile: Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Merlot, Carmenére and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Day 3 - Hike and float upper Futaleufu:
Today your morning is spent trekking through an awe-inspiring nature preserve along the Upper Futaleufu River. Later, we'll paddle inflatable kayaks back down to Antucamay. Your night is spent dining on exquisite food and relaxing in our spa.

Day 3 - Evening, White Wine:
Tonight we explore Chile’s fine selection of white wines. Experience perfection while learning the patience required to craft it -- we look at the effects of traditional oak barrel aging and consider how best to harmonize white wine with delicious foods.

Day 4 - Horseback ride with local "huasos" (Chilean Cowboys):
Today, cool-tempered horses lead you through the breathtaking hills and valleys of Futaleufu. This ride makes you feel as if you have stepped back in time, back into the old-world charm that permeates this region. After the ride we return to Antucamay for a restful evening of pampering.

Day 4 - Evening, Organic Wine Tasting:
Experience wine produced with total respect for and in balance with nature. This evening’s selection of organic wines are the result of a totally natural process that translates into a pure expression of the tierra from which they come.

Day 5 - Inferno Canyon, Class V:
Back to Whitewater Rafting! Today we launch at the ranch and float downstream to Inferno Canyon*. This section is the perfect mix of gorgeous pools punctuated by stomping whitewater. At the confluence of the Rio Azul we'll call it a day and return to the luxury and comfort of Antucamay.

Day 5 - Evening, Open bar:
Tonight we break from our nightly tradition of sampling Bacchus' fine fares. The bar is open as we prepare mixed drinks from around the globe.

Day 6 - Canyoning and inflatable kayaking:
If you've ever dreamed of being a kid again, canyoning is for you. Canyoning is the hybrid of water sports and mountain climbing. Rappel down waterfalls, leap into turquoise pools, zoom down water slides, and crawl through tiny caverns. After canyoning, you'll spend the afternoon kayaking down the Espolon, a stunning tributary of the Futaleufu.

Day 6- Evening, Carmenére:
Truly a unique experience, tonight we will taste a wine produced only in a few select places around the world. Mistaken for Merlot, the Carmenére grape was thought to have disappeared amid years of selection and breeding. Re-discovered by a visiting Frenchman only nine years ago, it has since become Chile’s signature wine. Carmenére producers are known to achieve wines of great smoothness, making it easy to pare with our delicious gourmet food. We will taste the best varieties of Chilean Carmenére from select areas and vineyards, utilizing our new sensorial skills to appreciate their distinguishing characteristics.

Day 7 - Rafting the Futaleufu River, Pasarella to Casa de Empanadas:
Your adventurous week closes with a class IV-V bang! Astounding rapids are interspersed with calm pools on this final day of rafting.
Evening, Traditional Chilean Barbeque: Celebrate your week’s adventure with some delicious asado and use your new knowledge of Chilean wine to pick your own beverages for the evening!

Day 8 - Departure Day:
After a hearty breakfast and a farewell to your guides, staff and sommelier, the charter flight will return you to Puerto Montt (or transport to Esquel or Bariloche). Please plan your Puerto Montt-Santiago flight for mid-afternoon in order to meet your outbound international connection that evening. Most international connections leave Santiago after 8:00 PM, arriving at US destinations early the following morning.

What Is Included for US$3800:

* Seven nights accommodation.
* Pick up at Puerto Montt airport in Chile or Esquel airport in Argentina and rapid transfer to all-inclusive riverside ranch and spa.
* Flights over the Andes from Puerto Montt to Chaiten, and transport to Futaleufu and back should you travel through Chile.
* All food and drink from the time we meet you in the airport until we return you there again eight days later.
* All amenities available at riverside ranch. These include one complimentary massage in our spa, yoga classes, hot tub, plush robes and towels, open bar, fine wines and healthy, hearty meals prepared by our on-site chef.
* All technical equipment for rafting and multi-sport activities, with the exception of fly fishing equipment
* Patagonia hat and T-shirt for you to take home as souvenirs
* DVD and photo CD of your week's adventures!

This trip is also available in a 4 night/ 5 day combination for the price of US$2300 per person.

What Is Not Included:

* International airfare from your home to either Puerto Montt, Chile or Esquel, Argentina
* Meals prior to our rendezvous in the airport
* Excess baggage charges
* Travel insurance (although we offer this as an easy add-on to your travel package)
* Gratuities

** A 45-minute charter flight directly from Puerto Montt to Futaleufu is available at the additional charge of $500 per person.

We reserve the right to change the order of activities or even some of the activities due to changes in weather, transportation or other unforeseen events