Discover the Best of Patagonia

ITINERARY

DAY 1: BUENOS AIRES

Arrival and meeting at the airport. Transfer to your hotel. Afternoon free to rest or explore on your own. In the evening you will enjoy a tango show and dinner at Esquina Homero Manzi. (transfers included). Lodging for two nights at Hotel Intersur Recoleta or similar.

DAY 2: BUENOS AIRES

In the morning you will take a private city tour of this cosmopolitan city of 12 million inhabitants, and capital of the Argentine Republic. You’ll visit the most distinct neighborhoods such as Palermo, Avenida de Mayo, La Boca and Recoleta. Afternoon and evening at leisure.  Lodging. (B)

DAY 3: BUENOS AIRES – PUNTA TOMBO/PUERTO MADRYN

Flight to Trelew, and welcome to Patagonia! Today you will visit to Punta Tombo rookery, the most important breeding colony of Magellan penguins in the world. You will walk through a trail that cuts deep into the colony to observe closely these fascinating birds. Other species such as kelp gulls, skuas, cormorants, giant petrels, dolphin gulls, the Chubut steamer duck, and Patagonian foxes also inhabit the area and may be seen here. Picnic lunch. Later, you will visit GAIMAN, a traditional small town that was settled by Welsh immigrants in the 1870s. There you may enjoy a cup of tea and pastries (not included). In the evening, drive to Puerto Madryn, a charming coastal city on the Golfo Nuevo shores. Lodging at your hotel for two nights. (B)

DAY 4: VALDES PENINSULA

Full day excursion to Valdes Peninsula. On your way you will stop to see the wildlife of the area: guanacos, lesser rheas, Patagonian foxes, hairy armadillos, maras and the most important rookeries protecting large colonies of Southamerican sea lions, and Southern elephant seals. At Puerto Piramide, a village on the south side of the Peninsula, you may enjoy a boat excursion to see the right whales that remain in the area from June until the first weeks of December (Optional/not included). Lodging in Puerto Madryn. (B)

DAY 5: TRELEW- USHUAIA

Transfer to the airport in Trelew to take your flight to Ushuaia, a charming town located on the shores of Beagle Channel in Tierra del Fuego.  Arrival and transfer to your hotel.  Lodging at Hotel Tolkeyen, Hotel Mil810 or similar.  (B)

DAY 6: USHUAIA- TIERRA DEL FUEGO

Today you will go west for a hiking excursion to Tierra del Fuego National Park. 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.  Lunch in the park. Lodging in Ushuaia. (B,L)

DAY 7: USHUAIA – EL CALAFATE

Private transfer to the airport to fly to El Calafate, a small village located close to the shores of Argentino Lake.  Lodging for three nights at Hotel El Galpon del Glaciar located in Los Glaciares National Park.  If you stay there you will see ranch activities such as sheep shearing and later enjoy a barbecue dinner. If you prefer to be in town you will stay at Hotel Mirador del Lago or similar. (B,D)

DAY 8: 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 believed to be 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 on the Glacier: You will board a boat to cross the lake. You will land on an isolated beach and trek for about 1 ½ hour on the glacier while enjoying a magnificent landscape of ice formations in different shades of blue, crevasses, streams and small lagoons.  (not additional equipment, or previous experience required).  Picnic lunch at the park.  In the evening, return to your hotel in El Calafate.  Dinner at the hotel. (B,L,D)

DAY 9: LOS GLACIARES NATIONAL PARK

Day at leisure to enjoy the area or take optional excursions. Dinner at the hotel. (B,D)

DAY 10: EL CALAFATE – TORRES DEL PAINE

Today, you will have a group transfer from your hotel to the border with Chile (Cancha Carrera/Cerro Castillo) where your Chilean guide will be waiting for you and drive to Torres del Paine National Park. Torres del Paine is a large park (450,000 acres) declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO. 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. Lunch during the excursion. You will arrive at the hotel late in the evening. Lodging at Hosteria Las Torres or Hotel Lago Grey inside the park (B, L)

DAY 11: TORRES DEL PAINE

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

DAY 12: TORRES DEL PAINE – BUENOS AIRES

Breakfast. You will drive back to Argentina and to the airport in El Calafate to take your flight to Buenos Aires.  Arrival and transfer to your hotel. Lodging for one night at Hotel Intersur Recoleta or similar. (B, D)

DAY 13: BUENOS AIRES / USA

Morning at leisure. In the evening, transfer to Ezeiza International Airport to take your flight back to … (B)