India, July 3 -- When I booked Road Scholar's two-week program called "Wonders of Chile and Argentina: Patagonia, Iguazu Falls, and Splendid Cities," one day on the itinerary gave me pause. It involved a 12-hour "lake crossing," with three boats and four buses, that would take me from Puerto Varas, Chile, to Bariloche, Argentina.

What sounded grueling, however, turned out to be one of the best parts of the journey, with views of gorgeous snowcapped volcanoes, quaint alpine villages, and rushing waterfalls. Patagonia puts on an extraordinary show here, and you shouldn't miss the ride.

A map showing the Andean crossing routes between Chile and Argentina with highlighted lakes mountains and points of interest A map of the journey across th...