Guests are met at the Carrasco International Airport by a bilingual guide and driven along the wonderful coast line called “Rambla” to the Balmoral Hotel. We will immerse ourselves in Uruguayan culture in Montevideo, the most important city as well as the capital. In the evening, we will experience the typical Rio de la Plata music, the tango or Candombe with the typical rhythms and typical coloured costumes while we have the welcome dinner. L, D.

After breakfast we will be driven east along a panoramic road into Rocha, arguably the most beautiful province in Uruguay with its pristine beaches, emerald shores and network of lagoons.  

Our first visit will be “Guardia Del Monte”, a small charming working ranch on the shores of “Laguna de Castillos". We will have the opportunity to visit the forest of Ombúes. The Ombú curiously rarely grows in groups of more than 2 or 3; the forest of Ombúes that we visit is possibly the only one in the world. Each tree has its own wonderful shape with thick, twisting roots spreading out over the ground; some are over 500 years and have a diameter of 2 meters (6 feet).

In the afternoon, we will be driven to La Pedrera, a tiny coastal village, part of a chain of bays with sandy beaches and rocky capes.

Our hotel here overlooks the ocean and is equipped with a heated swimming pool. During the evening we will enjoy a typical dinner with a traditional folk show. CB, L, D.

Today we will visit “Cabo Polonio”, named after a Spanish galleon that went down just off the point. Luckily ‘Beagle’ with Charles Darwin aboard did not succumb to this fate and Darwin spent quite some time in Uruguay collecting species and most likely starting to formulate his theories of evolution. This charming fishing village can only be reached by horse or four wheeled drive and the fascinating part of this visit is the huge area of shifting sand dunes; as we drive through it is possible to imagine that we are right in the middle of the Sahara. Arriving at the ocean, we will see sea lions that populate the small islands and make up one of the largest populations in the world; very occasionally we spot a migrating Franca Whale. After a fresh fish lunch at the sea side restaurant, most likely (but this will depend on tides and water levels and will be decided on the day) there is a boat ride along the river joining ‘Laguna de Castillos’ to the sea and visiting the largest Ombú forest of South America. After this ride full of surprises and diverse scenery, we spend the night in the town of “La Coronilla”, where we will have a delicious dinner, Uruguayan wine and a pleasant overnight listening to the waves CB, L, D.

Today we will visit the immense Santa Teresa National Park. The centre piece of the park is a fort started in 1762 by the Portuguese to defend the edge of their territories then completed by the Spaniards who took it by assault just a year later. This was just the start of a succession of conquering, loosing and reconquering the fort; it was not until 1825 that the newly forming ‘Uruguay’ finally captured and held the fort.

The fort is surrounded by 3000 hectares of forest containing over 2 million trees the majority from other parts of the world. We will be driven along a very scenic road near to the famous " Laguna Negra"  - ‘black lake’ where we will have a traditional pic-nic on its shores and visit the Don Bosco hills from where we will be able to enjoy an incredible view of the unique extensive palm groves. Despite a number of stories, no one knows how the palm trees got here -some 300 years old; they are not native but they give the landscape a very exotic look. During the trip we will pass many roadside stalls selling the fruit and the less innocent ‘hooch’ brewed from the palm nuts. The cloudy, sticky liquid is so potent that if you leave the cap off the old bottles it is sold in the liquor evaporates in a flash! We will walk along the “Path of the Indian” where we will surely see ibis, herons, egrets, storks and a legion of migrating birds (birds arrive here from as far as Alaska and the Falkland Islands). During the late afternoon, we will drive to the “Fortín de San Miguel”. Once inside the imposing walls of the hotel guests will appreciate the comfortable rooms and enjoy the delicious food, a distant cry from the austere life in the fortress! Overnight at  Fortín de san Miguel. AB, L, D.

In the morning we will set out in a horse ride (or carriage stroll) across the estancia fields, through eucalyptus forests and onto the typical ‘prairies’ of central Uruguay. The estancia once covered an area of 30 000 hectares (66 000acres) but is now 2600 hectares (5750 acres). There is a big chance of seeing some of the typical wildlife likely to the capybara (largest rodent in the world and very cute!), armadillos and the rare marsh deer and other wildlife if we join the nocturnal outing from the estancia after tea time. During the afternoon, guests will have the opportunity to explore the estancia ride horses  or relax in the pools or Jacuzzi. Optional nocturnal animal watch. Overnight at San Pedro. AB, L, D.

We start our day with an early drive to the historical city of “Colonia Del Sacramento”, declared World Heritage by the UNESCO. This romantic city is the only one founded by the Portuguese in the coasts of the “Rio de la Plata”, during the times of the battles for the frontiers between the Spanish and Portuguese Crowns, who wanted to expand their territories. As a consequence, “Colonia Del Sacramento” has been, from the very beginning, a place of battles and conflicts. The city changed its nationality many times during the past. Because of the above mentioned, many different architectonic styles can be found along the small city form both Spanish and Portuguese influence.

In the past, “Colonia Del Sacramento” was surrounded by a tall stone wall built in the same time as the entrance, the moat and the bridge. During the early afternoon we will enjoy an interesting guided walking tour around the city. We will also visit the “Real de San Carlos” and enjoy the panoramic view of the “Rio de la Plata” that separates Uruguay from Argentina (a few kilometers away). Overnight at the charming Plaza Mayor Hotel, a typical small hotel in the old part of the city where the original walls built during the 19^th Century are still preserved. We will enjoy dinner at one of the traditional restaurants in the area. AB, L, D.

Free time to explore the old city. Alter lunch, guests will be driven to the port to take the ferry to Buenos Aires or driven to Montevideo.