Adventure Patagonia

Day 1. Buenos Aires.
Arrival at Buenos Aires. Private Transfer with guide to Sofitel Hotel.
Optional: VIP Welcome Service at Ezeiza Airport. Fast track in Migration + Customs + access to VIP lounge.

Day 2. Buenos Aires. (B)
5 hs tour to explore Buenos Aires City. We will visit the Plaza de Mayo, the historic, political, and foundational epicenter of the city; surrounded by the Metropolitan Cathedral, the House of Government, the Cabildo, and the Municipality. Continue south through old streets of San Telmo, tango district … More to the South, they will visit La Boca, with its Boca Juniors Stadium, the greatest exponent of the Argentine Passion, Football. Visit to ¨Caminito¨, center of tourist attraction. Through the old port, they will see how the physiognomy of the city is changing; until they reach Puerto Madero, the most modern and luxurious neighborhood of it. They will visit Palermo, a residential neighborhood with parks and elegant buildings, such as the San Martiniano Institute and various embassies, museums, and significant monuments. Continue through the area of Forests: The Rose Garden, The Magna Letter Monument, and the Four Regions of Argentina. Continue to Av. Del Libertador, we will finally reach the sophisticated Recoleta, one of the most exclusive neighborhoods where, among other attractions, we will find the famous cemetery with elegant cafes and restaurants; thus arriving at the end of the ride.

During the tour, we will visit Teatro Colón (shared group tour).

At night, you will enjoy a tango lesson followed by a dinner and tango show.

Day 3. Buenos Aires (B)
Day at leisure to explore the city.

Day 3. Buenos Aires – Ushuaia (B)
In due time, private transfer with guide to Domestic airport.
Arrival at Ushuaia and private transfer to Los Cauquenes Hotel. (private chofer-guide service)

Day 4 Ushuaia (B)
Today we will visit the National Park. Created in 1960 to protect the southernmost forests of the Beagle Channel and Argentina, Tierra del Fuego National Park covers an area of 69,000 hectares. Even being one of the most popular tours, we offer a different experience: we take our guests in small groups to unexplored trails that reach hidden places in the forest. Our tour begins with us on National Route No. 3, leaving from the center of the city traveling about 12 km until we reach the Tierra del Fuego National Park. There we make our trekking, towards the Mirador de Bahia Lapataia and where we will find the sign that indicates the end of the national route N° 3 and the distance to its opposite end of the country in the city of La Quiaca, province of Jujuy, on the border with neighbour Bolivia. On our tour, we will go through several forest trails where we can contemplate fauna and flora of the Patagonian area itself. The park is crossed by mountain ranges that divides it into valleys that are very difficult to access. Different from other Andean-Patagonian parks, the Tierra del Fuego park has forests near the sea coast, six kilometers long on the Beagle Channel, generating bays of singular beauty such as Lapataia Bay, which in the Yámana language means “wooded bay” or “bay of good wood”.
In the afternoon, we will take a navigation along Beagle Channel. We will depart from the local port, with a small group of passengers, to Alicia Island, where we will observe a colony of one-haired sea lions. Then we head towards the Island of the Birds, where colonies of royal and imperial cormorants live next to their nests, being able to see their chicks from spring to autumn. Again we head east to another small island that, depending on the time of year, there are sea lions with two hairs. Very close is the Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse, symbol of the city of Ushuaia, built in 1919. From there we can see the island of rocky cormorants. On the way back, we disembark at Bridges Island to go through a path of interpretation of flora and birds, telling them the history of the Yámanas aborigines. The largest anthropogenic Yámana shells in the region are found on this island. Because it is the largest island, we touch the highest panoramic point from where we observe the magnificence of the Beagle Channel with the City of Ushuaia in the distance. During the trip we share tea, chocolate, coffee with liquor, cookies

Day 5 Ushuaia (B, L)
Every land has its own secrets but not everyone is chosen to know them. A lighthouse in a lonely cape, a mysterious sunken ship for 40 years, and a distinguished antique estancia are some of the icons that reveal the unknown stories of Tierra del Fuego. Early in the morning, our Tierra Turismo Team leave Ushuaia with our guests following National Route 3 and crossing The Andes through the Garibaldi Pass. Standing at 450 meters above sea level, this is one of the most interesting points of the trip. They travel about 60 kilometers when Lake Escondido surprises us in the middle of the high rocky walls. As they continue, they observe the ecosystem gradually transforming from the woods to the steppe at the northern part of the island, a region known for breeding the best lambs in the world. During the morning we go to the Provincial Route “A,” where we take a gravel road and visit the Estancia Rolito. This lovely ranch, that keeps the spirit of a family business based on sheep farming tradition, is the first ranch to open its gates to rural tourism. It is here that we make a pause for a delightful tea with home-made cakes, cookies, and marmalades. Our travelers also take some time to walk around part of the gorgeous 500-hectare ancient lenga forest, taking thick green pathways with the smell of wild mint and the chirping of birds dwelling in the foliage, where there were already some wool bales from the first shearing. After enjoying this picturesque place, we continue heading toward the Atlantic Ocean and the San Pablo Cape. At this point, we hike up to an isolated mountain with an abandoned lighthouse at the end. Climbing to the top of this beacon, our guests can appreciate The Desdemona, an abandoned ship for almost 40 years ago which invites us to sail through time. It happened on a cold winter morning in 1983; when this enormous craft ran aground on the shores of the Argentine Sea. Long ago it carried many different cargoes, this time it was hundreds of cement bags that fell, resting like petrified mummies. After exploring this mysterious giant, we visit local fishermen who will invite our guests to enjoy a home-made lunch with fresh fish at their house.

Day 6 Ushuaia (B).
Day at leisure to explore Ushuaia.

Day 7 Ushuaia – El Calafate (B).
Transfer to Ushuaia Airport and flight to El Calafate.
Arrival at El Calafate and transfer to Hotel.

Day 8. El Calafate. (B)
After 80 Km driving through the Steppe first and Patagonian Forest at the end we will get to Los Glaciares National Park. We will arrive at “Bajo de las Sombras” port where we will board a ship for a 20-minute navigation in front of the stunning south face of Glaciar Perito Moreno. Once we disembark, you will be welcomed by our expert mountain guides, who will lead you to a cozy shelter with a privileged view of the glacier. Here starts the trekking! We will start by walking along the coast of the lake, keeping our eyes on the glacier so that we do not miss any ice calvings. Then, the guides will give a talk about glaciology. When we reach the glacier side, with its amazing shades of blue ice framing the landscape, you will be divided into subgroups of up to 20 people each and you will have the crampons and helmets fitted, which are provided by the company. Once on the glacier, you will hear the safety instructions and you will walk to enjoy this frozen paradise. During the trekking, you will be able to see a variety of typical glacier features, such as deep cracks, blue moulins, huge seracs and turquoise ponds. At the end of the ice trekking, you will walk on the area around the glacier and the side moraine, from where you will be able to enjoy a panoramic view of Glaciar Perito Moreno, the mountains and the lake. Later, you will return along a path crossing the exuberant Bosque Andino Patagónico, completing the three-hour walk on the lake coast, moraine, ice and woods (about one hour is on the glacier’s ice). When we arrive to the shelter, we will give visitors hot drinks and a souvenir. Shortly after, you will embark to return to “Bajo de las Sombras” port, but before departing you will be able to watch the huge walls of the glacier from the ship. We will then enjoy a one-hour guided visit to the walkways of Glaciar Perito Moreno. There, we’ll enjoy the spectacular panoramic view of the glacier and walk along some of the self-guided paths. The level of difficulty of this walk is moderate. The surface of the ice is irregular, but firm and safe.

Due to the effort and difficulty levels (moderate, with steep and uneven ascents and descents) of this activity, and in order to preserve their health, the following persons cannot take the tour:

• Obese persons.
• Pregnant women.
• People with any degree of physical or mental disability that affects their attention, ability to walk and/or coordination.
• People who suffer from central or peripheral heart or vascular diseases, whose heart or vascular capabilities are limited, or people with stents, bypass, pacemaker or other prosthesis. Example: anticoagulant medication, stage 3 varicose veins (multiple thick varicose veins that can be noticed).
• People who suffer from diseases causing respiratory impairment (COPD, asthma, emphysema, etc.).
• Suitable for people between 8 and 65 years ONLY. No exceptions.

Day 9 El Calafate. (B)
We’ll pick you up from your hotel at 8 a.m. and after driving 60 km we arrive at Los Pioneros embarkation, in the southern area of Los Glaciares National Park . We sail for an hour and disembark at the end of the South Arm where our first 2 km trek begins to Lake Frías, which we navigate in Zodiac-type boats. Upon disembarking on the opposite bank, the second trek of 4.5 km begins, going through a forest with centuries-old lengas, and then through an old glacial valley. We walk until we reach Lake Frías Superior, which is covered with icebergs. From here, we will see the Dickson, Cubo and Grande glaciers! We have lunch with an amazing view and then return to the city of El Calafate.

Day 10 El Calafate. (B)
Day at leisure to explore El Calafate.

Day 11 El Calafate- El Chalten. (B)
Private transfer to Hotel in El Chaltén.

Day 12 Chalten. (B)
Day at leisure to enjoy self guided treks in El Chaltén.

Day 13 Chalten. (B)
Day at leisure to enjoy self guided treks in El Chaltén.

Day 14 Chalten. (B)
Day at leisure to enjoy self guided treks in El Chaltén.

Day 15 Chalten. (B)
Day at leisure to enjoy self guided treks in El Chaltén.

Day 16 Chalten – El Calafate – Buenos Aires. (B)
Transfer to el Calafate Airport. Flight to Buenos Aires. Arrival and transfer to Sofitel Hotel.

Day 17 Buenos Aires. (B)
Transfer to international aiport to take flight back home.