DURATION
17 DAYS

DIFFICULTY LEVEL:
EASY

Hidden Jewels Of Argentina & Chile

This 17-day tour will enable travelers to reach the most extraordinary destinations in Argentina and Chile in a truly different and personalized way.

The Iguazu Falls, the Los Glaciares and Torres del Paine National Parks in Patagonia, and the southernmost tip of the American continent in Ushuaia are certainly the crown jewels in these two countries. The cosmopolitan, versatile and cultural city of Buenos Aires, on the banks of the Rio de la Plata River in the east, and the city of Santiago de Chile, crossing the Andes toward the Pacific in the west, crown the beginning and end of this unique experience in southern South America.

Highlights

– Half-Day Private City Tour, Dinner plus Tango Show in Buenos Aires
– Private Cooking Lessons in Buenos Aires
– Full-Day Private Excursion to the Iguazu Falls with the Gran Aventura Boat Ride
– Trekking and Canoeing in the Tierra del Fuego National Park
– Haberton Ranch and Penguin Rockery in Ushuaia
– Full-Day Private Tour of Perito Moreno Glacier in the Los Glaciares National Park
– Patagonia Full-Day Gourmet Glaciers Boat Tour in the Los Glaciares National Park
– Trekking in the Torres del Paine National Park, in Chile
– Half-Day Private City Tour of Santiago de Chile

Día 1

Buenos Aires

Upon arrival in Buenos Aires, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Once you arrive at the hotel you will have the remainder of the day is at your leisure.

We suggest taking a walk around the different neighborhoods to really get a feel for the city. At night, try a typical Argentine dish in one of the many delicious restaurants that the city has to offer, or stroll through the leafy and picturesque neighborhood of Palermo, one of the liveliest parts of Buenos Aires.

Day 2

Buenos Half Day Private City Tour, Dinner and Tango

Our fascinating city tour will provide an overview of the city and its attractions, giving you a better understanding of Argentina’s history and culture. During the day, you will visit Retiro, the Avenida 9 de Julio, South America’s widest avenue (El Teatro Colon and Obelisco), the historic and architecturally imposing Center (Congress, Plaza de Mayo, Avenida de Mayo, Casa Rosada), the modern docklands of Puerto Madero and the oldest neighbourhood of the city, San Telmo, with stops in upmarket Recoleta (Cemetery and Plaza Francia) and the city’s oldest port and birthplace, La Boca (Caminito).

At night you will enjoy gourmet dining at one of the most distinguished tango shows in town where you will learn and experience this famous rhythm, the heartbeat of Argentina.

Day 3

Buenos Aires – Private Cooking Class

After breakfast, you will be picked up and transferred to your Argentine Cooking Class. This day you will enjoy a cooking class with a local expert. You will learn how to prepare some typical specialties of the Argentine cuisine in an authentic porteña kitchen. It is an excellent way to feel the local culture, sharing the experience with other travelers from all over the world and to improve your Spanish skills if you wish so. The class is given in English and Spanish. After we cook, we ́ll have lunch with the fruits of our labor.

You will have the remaining balance of the afternoon at leisure.

Day 4

Buenos Aires – Puerto Iguazu – Half Day Tour to the Brazilian side of the Falls

After breakfast, you will be met and transfer to the Domestic Airport to take your flight to Iguazu Falls.

Upon arrival in Puerto Iguazu, you will be transferred to hotel.

In the afternoon, enjoy your half day excursion to the Brazilian side of the Iguazu Falls, where you will be treated to panoramic views of this unique natural wonder.

Very important: today you will cross customs Argentina/Brazil: be aware that some nationalities need to have Visa to enter to Brazil. Kindly check with your local Brazilian consulate.

Day 5

Puerto Iguazu, Full Day Private Excursion to Argentinian Falls

After breakfast, start the full day adventure to the Argentine side of Iguazu Falls. Explore the National Park by wandering its paths to take in the incredible views of over 200 majestic waterfalls.

Upon arrival to the National Park, you will catch the train to the largest of the park’s attractions, the unparalleled Devil’s Throat. You will have time for lunch and in the afternoon you will take the Great Adventure tour, where you sail up the river, examine the falls up close, and even pass underneath them! Be warned, you will definitely get wet so bring a change of clothes if you plan to do this unforgettable tour.

In the afternoon you will be transferred to your hotel to reminisce about the wonder of the falls.

Day 6

Puerto Iguazú – Buenos Aires – Ushuaia

After breakfast, you will be met and transferred to Puerto Iguazu Airport where you will take your flight to Ushuaia (via Buenos Aires).

Ushuaia, also known as “The End of the World”, where upon arrival you will be transferred to your hotel.

Rest of the day at leisure to discover the town at your own pace. We suggest that you visit the Old Prison Museum where you will learn about the natives, the flora, and fauna as well as the spooky prisoner’s histories.

Day 7

Ushuaia, Trekking, and Canoeing

After breakfast, you will be met and transferred to the Tierra del Fuego National Park, notable for its sub-antarctic forest, dramatic scenery and coastline. Once in Ensenada Bay, you’ll have time to enjoy the view over the Beagle Channel before starting the walk along the coast. This six-kilometer route allows you toobserve the flora and wildlife, including woodpeckers, guanacos, and foxes, as well as discovering traces of the area’s ancient indigenous people, the Yamana. After 3 hours you will arrive at Lake Roca, where lunch will be served. After a picnic, there is a canoe trip down the river Lapataia, which will take you to Lapataia in the Beagle Channel where the immense Panamerican Highway ends. This important trans-continental route begins in Alaska, covers the length of the Americas and finishes at the End of the World.

If this seems like too much of an adventure, you can choose the more traditional tour to Tierra del Fuego National Park, with an option to take the End of the World Train.

Day 8

Ushuaia – Haberton Ranch and Penguin Rockery

Departing from Ushuaia, we drive in our modern minibuses towards northeast along Nationals route 3 & J, the legendary road to Estancia Harberton, the first farm on the island of Tierra del Fuego.

We sail from Harberton harbor to Martillo Island to an 1 hour guided walk along Gentoo and Magellanic penguins (they establish here only in spring and summer). They share the habitat with other birds, such as skúas (their main predator), petrels, cormorants, vultures and South American terns. These are one of the three Magellanic penguin rookeries in Tierra del Fuego with around 1000 nests and the only gentoo penguins colony in South America

Day 9

Ushuaia – El Calafate

At the appropriate time, you will be transferred to Ushuaia Airport to take a short flight to El Calafate.

Upon arrival, you will have a private transfer to your selected hotel.

In the afternoon we suggest visiting the famous ICE Museum & Bar to learn about the glacier process and taste a local drink on the ice bar. You can also walk to the Laguna Nimez Reserve to look at the huge variety of birds in the sanctuary and enjoy the beautiful Patagonian sunset over Lago Argentino.

Day 10

El Calafate, Full Day Private Tour to Perito Moreno Glacier

After breakfast, you will be met and transferred to the National Park. Unlike the other surviving glaciers that are fed from the Southern Ice Field, Perito Moreno is the only one that is not receding. Once in the Glaciers National Park, you will take the route along Lake Argentino where, 80km from El Calafate, the Perito Morenois revealed by its 70m high walls of ice. A series of catwalks allow you to observe the glacier`s intricate detail from very close while a constant grumbling resonates through the channel as the glacier continuously throws chunks of ice into the water.

You may take a guided hike on the glacier, a boat journey in the channel, or just relax in one of the viewing areas in front of the glacier.

Day 11

El Calafate, Patagonia Full Day Gourmet Glaciers Boat Tour

A unique gourmet experience enjoying the northern Argentine Lake & Glaciers.

The Patagonian ice field is, after Antarctica, the largest concentration of ice on the planet. Its glaciers descend from 1,500 to 200 meters above sea level enabling unique access and viewing of the glaciers. Los Glaciares National Park offers a magnificent combination of forest, lakes, mountains, ice, and steppes with over 200 glaciers. The most renowned being Spegazzini, rising 135 meters above sea level, Upsala covering an entire valley with an approximate extension of 765 Km2 and a length of 53km, and Perito Moreno Glacier, constantly advancing and causing the spectacular rupture of the wall of ice, providing one of Nature’s most impressive sights. Glaciares Gourmet is a full day journey to one of the most wonderful places in Southern Patagonia. Sailing aboard the Maria Turquesa Cruise you will enjoy the highest standard of comfort and gourmet cuisine for a truly memorable experience.

Day 12

El Calafate – Torres del Paine

Today you will be transferred in semi-private service to Torres del Paine National Park. This transfer takes 4 hours approx.

Very important: today you will cross customs Argentina/Chile: be aware that some nationalities need to have Visa to enter to Chile. Kindly check with your local Chilean consulate.

Day 13

Torres Del Paine – Patagonia Camp

Our excursions are led by qualified and experienced guides; with them, you can do many different activities, such as hikes, horse rides, scenic visits or bicycle rides to discover the places of interest in the Torres del Paine National Park, as well as other less explored areas outside the borders of the park.

We divide our activities into 3 different levels of difficulty:

Easy: apt for all ages and capabilities.
Medium: requires a reasonable level of physical ability and/or experience
High: These activities require excellent physical condition, experience, and ability.

Every day you can choose two half-day excursions or one full day excursion:

Half Day: morning and/or afternoon, lunch is taken in the hotel.
Full Day: start in the morning and a lunch box is provided, with a return to the hotel in the afternoon, usually after 18.00 hrs.Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch & dinner.

Day 14

Torres Del Paine – Patagonia Camp

valle frances

Today you can enjoy one of the excursions the Hotel offers.

Day 15

Torres Del Paine – Santiago de Chile

Breakfast. At appropriate time you will be transferred to Punta Arenas Airport (3 hours) in semi-private service in order to take your flight to Santiago de Chile.

Upon arrival, you will have a private be transferred to your Hotel.

You will spend 2 nights in The Singular Hotel

Day 15

Santiago de Chile – Half Day Private City Tour

In the morning, you will be met at the hotel by your guide, with whom you will begin your half day tour at the hill of Santa Lucia. From the Caupolicán terrace, we can admire the Hidalgo castle (formerly a Spanish fortress) and enjoy beautiful views of the city. The tour continues to Constitution Square and the “La Moneda” palace, the current seat of government.

Next up is “Plaza de Armas”, the main square, surrounded by the Metropolitan Cathedral, the palace of the Royal High Court, the Main Post Office and other buildings of historical interest. A short drive takes us to San Cristobal hill. On the way, we can see the Central Market, the Mapocho Station, the Forestal Park and the Museum of Fine Arts. Take a stroll and try the “mote con huesillo”, a typical Chilean drink.

Day 15

Santiago de Chile

At appropriate time you will have a transfer to Santiago`s Airport where you will take your flight back home.