Buenos Aires & Southern Patagonia
12 days / 11 nights
Overview
This twelve-day adventure is perfect for nature-lovers who want to experience more of Patagonia's amazing landscapes and diverse eco-systems. We designed a trip that focuses in Southern Patagonia, a place graced with the pristine wilderness of Tierra del Fuego; the Peninsula Valdes, home to an abundance of marine life as well as countless penguins, wonderful land mammals and birds; and finally, “Los Glaciares National Park” where we will visit the iconic Perito Moreno Glacier. All areas of exceptional natural beauty that offers a kaleidoscopic mix of remote and untamed landscapes that will thrill your senses with their unrivalled magnificence.
Memorable Moments
- Explore the wealthiest neighborhood of Buenos Aires home to the famous Recoleta Cemetery, a labyrinth of marble sculptures and amazing architecture;
- Visit the tomb of former first lady, Eva Perón (Evita) and learn about the life and legacy of one of Argentina's most famous women;
- Visit all the most famous districts and landmarks around Buenos Aires;
- Get access to the Colon Opera House, acoustically considered to be amongst the five best concert venues in the world;
- Join a whale-watching adventure off the coast of Peninsula Valdés and have a close encounter with Southern Right Whales;
- Walk with Magellan Penguins in the largest continental penguin rookery in South America;
- Sail the Beagle Channel aboard a comfortable catamaran and stop to see native plant and animal life, including sea lions and penguins;
- Ride down muddy terrains and across pristine rivers in 4x4 trucks and discover exceptional panoramic views of two colossal lakes: the Fagnano and the Escondido Lake.
- Try delicious Patagonian lamb and seafood dishes paired with Argentine wines;
Itinerary at a glance
Day 1 – Buenos Aires – Introduction of the City
Day 2 – Buenos Aires – Full Day Tour of Buenos Aires
Day 3 – Fly from Buenos Aires to Trelew – Patagonia
Day 4 – Puerto Madryn – Peninsula Valdes & Whale Watching
Day 5 – Puerto Madryn – Punta Tombo Penguin Colony
Day 6 – Fly from Trelew to Ushuaia
Day 7 – Ushuaia – Beagle Channel & Tierra del Fuego National Park
Day 8 – Ushuaia – Off Road Tour to Fagnano and Escondido Lake
Day 9 – Fly from Ushuaia to El Calafate
Day 10 – El Calafate – Visit Los Glaciares National Park
Day 11 – El Calafate – Estancia Cristina
Day 12 – El Calafate – Departure
Pictures of this itinerary
Full Itinerary
Upon arrival at Ezeiza International airport, meet your guide and be transferred to your hotel located in heart of Recoleta district. After settling in to your accommodations, head out on your first walking tour of the city and explore the aristocratic neighborhood of Recoleta home to the famous Recoleta Cemetery, Plaza Francia and the Alvear Avenue, all walking distance from your hotel. You will also have the opportunity to visit nearby galleries and shops which are scattered through the neighborhood.
Meals: Dinner.
Accommodations: Sofitel Buenos Aires
Begin your day with a private guided tour of the world-famous Teatro Colon before heading out to explore the southern neighborhoods of Buenos Aires with your personal guide. Visit the historic Plaza de Mayo anchored by the presidential palace known as the Casa Rosada. Continue on to San Telmo, the city’s oldest neighborhood and the birthplace of tango and stroll through its cobbled stoned streets while browsing antique shops or, sit and enjoy a coffee in Plaza Dorrego. Head north and visit the largest district of Buenos Aires, Palermo. In the evening, dine at one of the city’s best restaurants before witnessing a local milonga (a tango dancehall).
Meals: Dinner.
Accommodations: Sofitel Buenos Aires
Following breakfast, you will be transferred to the airport for your non-stop flight to Trelew in Patagonia. Greeting upon arrival and private transfer to your hotel located in the city of Puerto Madryn. Afternoon is at leisure.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.
Accommodations: Territorio Hotel, Puerto Madryn.
From Puerto Madryn, begin your tour with a one-hour drive on paved roads to the entrance of Valdés Peninsula – a designated UNESCO World Heritage site since 1999. This is also one of the finest wildlife reserves in South America. With your expert naturalist guide, you will spot elephant seals, penguins, guanacos and sea lions along the coast. We will also visit Puerto Piramides, the peninsula’s only village, since it is an excellent starting point for your whale-watching adventure. One back ashore, your private driver awaits you for the return drive to Puerto Madryn.
Important Note:
Whale-watching season in the Argentine Patagonia is from May to December. The whale watching from boats lasts for about an hour, depending on how close to the shore the whales are. Once the boat gets close, the vessel’s engine is stopped and the curious whales start playing around the boat.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.
Accommodations: Territorio Hotel.
Today we will head south of Puerto Madryn to visit a protected area of more than 200 hectares on soft pebbly beaches, that houses the largest continental penguin rookery in South America. On the peninsula and the neighboring areas over 200.000 reproductive couples of Magellan penguins arrive every September to build their nests, mate and hatch their chicks to, later in the season, migrate to the northern South American shores. Punta Tombo has also been chosen by other sea- birds to nest. Kelp-gulls, skuas, king cormorants, rock cormorants, steamer ducks, snowy sheathbills, a number of terns and the giant petrel are some of the birds that can be watched here. In the afternoon, return to Puerto Madryn.
Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodations: Territorio Hotel, Puerto Madryn.
This morning you will be transferred to Trelew airport for your direct flight to Ushuaia. Greeting upon arrival and private transfer to your hotel located in the city of Ushuaia. Afternoon is at leisure.
Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodations: Los Cauquenes Resort & Spa
Start off your day with a scenic catamaran journey in the Beagle Channel. Set out on an itinerary that includes Sea Lion’s Island, Birds’ Island, and disembarkation at Bridges Island for a stroll to see flora and fauna especially a wide variety of birds. In the afternoon, board the Southern Fuegian Railway (also known as “the Train of the End of the World”); a historic, narrow gauge steam train that will take you along a scenic route into the Lapataia National Park. Here you will explore further before heading back to your hotel in Ushuaia.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.
Accommodations: Los Cauquenes Resort & Spa
During this 4×4 tour, you will ride down muddy terrains and across pristine rivers. A guide navigates the whole way, so you don’t have to worry about getting lost, and you can just enjoy the amazing views. The adventure begins at the mountains, where you’ll discover the hidden gem of Escondido Lake. Then, after taking a road paved with thick mud, we’ll arrive to the amazing Fagnano Lake. From there, we’ll cross woods and rivers, discovering unique sights. We’ll finish our expedition in our cabin in Fagnano Lake to enjoy a delicious lunch. We will return to your hotel in the afternoon.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.
Accommodations: Los Cauquenes Resort & Spa
Following breakfast, you will be transferred to the airport for the flight to El Calafate. Upon arrival, meet your guide and enjoy a private transfer to your hotel.
This afternoon, meet your guide at the hotel for a welcome cocktail and briefing, followed by dinner at a local restaurant.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner.
Accommodations: Posada Los Alamos
Depart early this morning for a full-day excursion to Los Glaciares National Park, a scenic wonderland filled with some of South America’s most spectacular landscapes. Upon arrival at the national park, we will take a walk along the catwalks, and you will have the 1-hour navigation in front of the Perito Moreno Glacier. There is near-constant calving of ice from the glacier’s face, filling the lake with a beautiful menagerie of icebergs of all sizes. Following the navigation, we will walk along footpaths and panoramic balconies to admire this imposing natural attraction from its different perspectives. In the afternoon, return to El Calafate and enjoy dinner at a local restaurant.
Important notes:
From October to April, the tour will also include a one-and-a-half-hour trek over the glacier’s surface.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Accommodations: Posada Los Alamos
Discover Upsala Glacier and Estancia Cristina on this full-day adventure from El Calafate. You will sail past icebergs on Patagonia’s Lago Argentino to Estancia Cristina, a historical sheep and cattle ranch at the end of the world. You will tour Estancia Cristina, enjoy views of Lake Guillermo and the eastern side of the Upsala Glacier, as well as the Southern Patagonian Ice Field. Then choose between an off-road 4×4 tour to Upsala Glacier or a 9-mile trek through a Fossil Canyon known for its immense concentration of marine fossils, imprints of squid and jellyfish among them, left behind after the last ice age. Along the way, we’ll stop and tuck into our box lunches, before leaving the canyon behind having explored it fully, then arriving back at the estancia and later onward to the port. Late in the afternoon, we will return to your hotel in El Calafate.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Accommodations: Posadas Los Alamos
At scheduled time, we will transfer you to the airport to board your flight to Buenos Aires and connect with your international flight.
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FAQ
From September to March.
Summer, November through March, is the best time to visit Southern Patagonia. During winter, Los Glaciares national park (where the Perito Moreno glacier is situated) is closed due to the cold temperature and many activities and tours can’t be done.
There are two different ice hike routes; both take a full day and include your transport to and from El Calafate. The ‘Mini Ice’ trek gives you 1h 40mins on the ice itself as part of a two-hour guided tour (age limit 10 – 65 years old*). The ‘Big Ice’ is aimed at more adventurous visitors and gives you 3h 30mins on the ice (age limit 18 – 50).
*Due to operational insurance issues, the age limit for doing the mini-ice trekking on Perito Moreno Glacier is 65 years old. If a passenger exceeds this age then an alternative excursion to the Glacier will be arranged.
No vaccinations are needed for this itinerary.
We strongly recommend that you check with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (cdc.gov/travel) or the World Health Organization (who.int/en) for the latest on required and recommended vaccines for your destination.