Wonders of Patagonia and Australis

ITINERARY

DAY 1 – Buenos Aires

Arrival. Reception at Ezeiza International Airport, and transfer to your hotel.  In the afternoon you will enjoy a private tour of this cosmopolitan city of 12 million inhabitants, and capital of the Argentine Republic. You will visit four parks and plazas of Buenos Aires (Plaza de Mayo, Parque Lezama  and La Boca, Plaza San Martin and Recoleta) to learn about the history of the city, its contrasts, its contradictions and the characteristics of the “porteños”, the inhabitants of  Buenos Aires.   Lodging for one night at Hotel Intersur Recoleta or similar.

DAY 2 – Buenos Aires / Punta Tombo – Puerto Madryn

Breakfast. Flight to Trelew, a city 1,200 kms south of Buenos Aires, and welcome to Patagonia! Your local naturalist guide will be meeting you at the airport. You will drive Punta Tombo, the biggest continental breeding ground of Magellan penguins. There, you will have the opportunity to meander along the park trails, which bisect the breeding ground themselves, and see over 200 thousand live nests, and more than 500 thousand penguins. Picnic lunch. In the afternoon, you will visit Gaiman. This is a picturesque small town that was settled by Welsh immigrants in the 1870s, and still maintains much of its original architecture. We may savor a delicious Welsh tea with pastries at one of the traditional teahouses of Gaiman. In the evening you will drive to Puerto Madryn. Lodging at Hotel Península Valdés overlooking the ocean for two nights. (B,L)

DAY 3 – Peninsula Valdes

After breakfast, you will drive to Península Valdés Nature Reserve, a paradise for wildlife lovers. Península Valdés is like an island united to the continent by a 35 km long strip of land called Ameghino Isthmus. From some sections of the road that takes us into the reserve, we will be able to view both gulfs: “San José” and “Nuevo”. The distance between them is only 7 km. at the narrowest part. You will observe birds in their natural habitat of “Bird Island”, and you will spend some time at Puerto Pirámide, a village on the south side of the Peninsula, on the Nuevo Gulf. Here you may enjoy a whale watching boat expedition to observe the magnificent Southern Right Whales that remain in the area from June through December. (optional). In the afternoon, we will likely see more of the region’s native fauna which includes foxes, maras, peludos and piches (similar to armadillos), lesser rheas (or choiques) and guanacos. The places you would be visiting are: Punta Norte, with the largest sea elephant colony on the Peninsula or Caleta Valdés, a natural canal with great variety of marine and terrestrial wildlife; a sea lion colony, and the Salinas “Chica” and “Grande” that are the biggest depressions in South America. Late in the evening you will return to your hotel in Puerto Madryn. (B)

DAY 4 – Puerto Madryn / Ushuaia

Transfer to Trelew Airport to take your flight to Ushuaia, a charming town on the shores of the Beagle Channel. Arrival and private transfer to your hotel for check-in. Later, you will go west for a private excursion to Tierra del Fuego National Park. Created in 1960, this National Park protects 63.000 hectares of the southernmost portion of the Sub Antarctic Forest, from the high Andean steppe and peat bogs, down to the maritime coast of the Beagle Channel. You will visit different areas of the park such as Ensenada Bay and Lapataia Bay, and you’ll be able to see two remarkably different ecosystems: the sea-shore and the sub-Antarctic forest which occur together only in a few places on earth and are unique in Argentina. Picnic lunch in the park. Lodging for one night at Hotel Tolkeyen, Hotel Mil810, or similar. (B, L)

DAY 5 – Ushuaia/ Tierra del Fuego – AUSTRALIS CRUISE

Morning at leisure.  In the afternoon, private transfer to the office in town to check in for your AUSTRALIS CRUISE (• Check-in of passengers at 409 San Martin Street, Ushuaia until 5:00 p.m.)
Then you’ll go to the port to embark at 6:00pm. Welcome cocktails aboard and departure through the Beagle Channel and cross the Strait of Magellan. (B, D)

DAY 6 –  CAPE HORN – WULAIA BAY

Sail through the Murray Channel and Nasssu Bay and disembark at the Cabo de Hornos National Park (if weather conditions permit), a place where the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans merge . In the afternoon, disembark at Wulaia Bay, a historical site and an ancient indigenous settlement. (B,L,D)

DAY 7 – PIA GLACIER – PORTER  GLACIER

In the morning you’ll arrive to Pia Fjord and board the Zodiacs for a shore excursion to Pía Glacier.  After disembarking you may take a short hike to gain a panoramic view of the spectacular glacier which extends from the mountaintops down to the sea, or if you prefer you may take a longer and more difficult walk up a lateral moraine of the old Pía Glacier. In the afternoon, navigate on Zodiac boats between high rocky walls until reaching Porter Glacier. (B,L,D)

DAY 8 – CONDOR GLACIER – AGUILA GLACIER
Sail through Brecknock, Ocasión, Cockburn, and Magdalena Channels to enter the spectacular De Agostini Sound, in the heart of Darwin Mountain Range. In this area you will see glaciers descending the mountainside all the way down to the sea. In the afternoon, onboard Zodiac boats, you will route to Águila Glacier where you will take an easy walk all the way the base of the glacier. You will experience the beauty of Patagonia’s cold rainforest and see how the power of nature molded the area’s landscape. In the afternoon, you will approach Condor Glacier by Zodiac, and hopefully be able to see Andean Condors. (B,L,D)

DAY 9 – MAGDALENA ISLAND – PUNTA ARENAS –Puerto Natales

Early in the morning, weather permitting, disembark at the Magdalena Island, home to a big colony of Magellan penguins and walk to the lighthouse. Note: In September and April this excursion is replaced by a Zodiac boat ride to Isla Marta to observe sea lions. You’ll arrive in Punta Arenas, a picturesque town overlooking the Strait of Magellan, and disembark at 11:30 a.m. Reception and private city tour visiting the town plaza, cathedral and see the mansions built at the beginning of the century by the big cattle ranchers.  After time for lunch (on your own), you will continue to Puerto Natales, a quaint town located on the shores of Ultima Esperanza  Sound.  Lodging for one night at Weskar Lodge, or Hotel Indigo Patagonia,  or similar. (B)

DAY 10 – Torres del Paine NP

Departure in the morning to Torres del Paine National Park (private car with bilingual guide). Torres del Paine is a large park (450,000 acres) declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO. Today you will visit Sarmiento, Nordenskjold and Pehoe Lakes. You may enjoy a short hiking to Grey Lake to view part of the glacier. The park is particularly rich in fauna, and you’ll be likely to see guanacos, lesser rheas, black-necked swans, geese, flamingos, Magellanic woodpeckers, and peregrine falcons and condors on the mountain slopes. You will arrive at your hotel in the evening. Picnic lunch during the excursion. Lodging for two nights at Hosteria Las Torres or Hotel Río Serrano or similar inside the park. (B,L)

DAY 11 – Torres del Paine NP

Breakfast. Day at leisure to enjoy the park on your own. We recommend hiking to Las Torres. (B)

DAY 12 – Torres del Paine NP – El Calafate / Los Glaciares National Park

In the morning, you will cross the border to Argentina and drive to El Calafate, a small town located along the shores of Argentino Lake. The landscape of the region is a combination of arid steppes to the east, where eagles, falcons, lesser rheas, guanacos, hares, foxes and pumas live, and woods of lengas and ñires near the West Andes, that are the natural habitat of Condors, eagles, Magellan woodpeckers, and the Huemul (Andean deer). Arrival and transfer to your hotel. Lodging for two nights at Hotel El Galpón del Glaciar. In the evening, you will enjoy a guided visit of the ranch located in Los Glaciares National Park, sheep shearing demonstration, and dinner. (B, D)
NOTE: If you prefer to stay in town, you may stay at Mirador del Lago, or Hotel Esplendor El Calafate or similar

DAY 13 – El Calafate / Los Glaciares National Park

After breakfast you will depart to visit Los Glaciares National Park. This park of 600.000 hectares (2,300 square miles) has thirteen glaciers that flow into the Argentino and Viedma lakes. Perito Moreno Glacier, is one of the few glaciers in the world that is still progressing. It is only 500 ft above sea level, which makes it very accessible, allowing one to stand in front of a mountain of ice that measures 60 m (180 ft) by 5 km (2.5 miles). The constant fall of huge towers of ice from its walls and into the lake is an unforgettable spectacle. Trekking Expedition: You will board a boat and land on an isolated beach to start the trek on the glacier.  (not additional equipment, or previous experience required). Picnic lunch at the park. Lunch in the park, and dinner at the hotel. (B, L, D)

DAY 14 – El Calafate / El Chalten

In the morning, prívate transfer to El Chalten (car/driver). It will take 3 hours to drive us through the Patagonia steppes to El Chalten. This is a small village close to Viedma Lake and Glacier, with the Fitz Roy chain of peaks as its backdrop. This area, north of Los Glaciares National Park, with its peaks: Fitz Roy (11,073 feet) Cerro Torre, Torre Egger, Aguja Standhardt, Aguja Poin-cenot, and St. Exupery, constitute a singular challenge for climbers around the world. Lodging at Hosteria Infinito Sur or Hotel Poincenot for two nights. (B)

DAY 15 –EL Chalten – Fitz Roy

Breakfast. Today you will enjoy a full day private trekking excursion to Laguna de Los Tres including Piedras Blancas Glacier and base camp Fitz Roy. It is about 4
hours one way(7 miles each way). Moderate. Level difference: 700 mts or 2,100
feet. Maximum height is 3,400 feet above sea level. You will enjoy unique views!. You may also reach Laguna Capri and return if you prefer a short hike and will still have a great experience and marvelous panoramic views. Picnic Lunch included.(B, L).

DAY 16 – El Chalten – Buenos Aires

In the morning, private transfer to El Calafate airport (Car/driver – About 3 hours drive). Flight to Buenos Aires. Arrival and transfer to your hotel. Rest of the day/evening at leisure. Lodging for one night at Hotel Intersur Recoleta or similar. (B)

DAY 17 – Buenos Aires / …….

Morning to explore the city on your own. In the afternoon or evening, private transfer to Ezeiza International Airport to take your flight back to …. (B)

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