This features Puerto Deseado instead of the Valdes Peninsula because the fauna over there is richer than in Valdes Peninsula and it is easier to see. Because they have 2 two types of penguins that are amazing and ideal for families and bird lovers.
Season? From Mid October through end of March
The experience? Memorable.Simply great and for nature lovers, it is THE PLACE.
DAY 01- BUENOS AIRES
Arrival transfer from the International airport to the hotel. Accommodation.
2 hour walking tour in the surroundings of the hotel. There are multiple approaches:
" Historic Walk
" Cafes & bookstores
" Architecture of the first days of Buenos Aires
" Buenos Aires Today
" Nature prevails in Buenos Aires.
Hotels: Pulitzer Hotel - Std rooms. Www.hotelpulitzer.com.ar
Meals: None.
This Cosmopolitan city can be a superlative introduction to an exploration of Argentina. European in appearance, Buenos Aires can keep any culture-oriented visitor busy indefinitely. Whatever the date of arrival there will be chances to participate in cultural events, or be delighted with the best polo in the world (the national team remains unbeaten for several decades), excellent football / soccer or discover the local gaucho game of "pato", a sort of basketball on horseback.
DAY 02- BUENOS AIRES
Morning visit of the city of Buenos Aires. The Four Balconies of Buenos Aires is an exclusive visit in which a guide, professor of the University, uses four parks and plazas to introduce passengers to the city, its history, its everyday life and the peculiar psychology of the "porteño", the inhabitant of Buenos Aires.
This visit will have an added value: We will enjoy a visit of the nature reserve in Buenos Aires. Exploration of this incredible area which developed thanks to Mother Nature as it covered with its flora and fauna a landfill over the Rio de la Plata which had been abandoned. Abundant Pampa wetland birdlife with Buenos Aires skyline in the background.
Hotels: Pulitzer Hotel - Std rooms. Www.hotelpulitzer.com.ar
Meals: Breakfast.
DAY 03- BUENOS AIRES- COMODORO RIVADAVIA - PUERTO DESEADO.
Morning transfer to the domestic airport to fly to Comodoro Rivadavia.Arrival in Comodoro Rivadavia. Meet and greet at the airport and transfer in a private car with the assistance of a bilingual guide to Puerto Deseado. (We can include a rented car instead of the transfers to / from Comodoro Rivadavia. )
Located in the Province of Chubut, Comodoro Rivadavia is a modern booming city, named after Commodore Martin Rivadavi. The city´s boom started in 1907, when while a desperate search for drinking water was under way important oil fields were found in the area of the San Jorge Gulf. We leave Comodoro Rivadavia, where the sights will be of small beaches of white sand and elevated peninsulas of up to 100m, from the deep blue sea. Time and weather permitting we will stop to enjoy a short hike in the area. The first part of the drive goes parallel to the old tracks of the train that connected the estancias in the Andes and the port in Puerto Deseado and which operated till 1978.
From Caleta Olivia, (about 80 km South of Comodoro Rivadavia) the landscape changes dramatically to the harsh Patagonian steppe.
Arrival and accommodation.
Hotel: Los Acantilados - superior rooms - www.hotelosacantilados.com.ar
Meals: Breakfast
Notes: The drive from Comodoro Rivadavia to Puerto Deseado is 216 km to the SE on a paved road. The feeling is like getting in the very heart of the Old Patagonia.
DAY 04 - PUERTO DESEADO.
Morning 2 hour walking tour to get acquainted with the city and the interesting history of the pioneers that ventured in these Southern lands. Names such Thomas Cavendish, Fitz Roy, Darwin have witnessed and explored these areas. The city has been also the railhead for a Rail project that aimed to connect it with Bariloche (The Transpatagonian Train) but which was never completed.
Afternoon navigation of the Deseado River Estuary. Boarding a zodiac boat we will explore the Deseado Estuary. This is one of the richest biological areas in Patagonia which treasures four species of cormorants; a wildlife Reserve where seals and dolphins are close to the coast, seabirds like Imperial Cormorants, Magellan Penguin, Magellan oystercatcher and the rare red-legged Cormorant. The navigation includes a 3 hour walk to sight the impressive fauna.
We will start the exploration of the first portion of the 32km long Estuary. On a safe zodiac boat we will navigate to a nearby island where we will be amazed at a colony of red-legged cormorants. These beautiful birds have special habits and are characterized by the intense red color of their legs as well as part of their beak. They built their nests on the small holes and caves of the cliffs using algae, feathers and guano. This is an endangered species and there are 6 colonies of about 300 reproductive couples, in the estuary, which makes this area very special and key in conservation.
Further on we find another wall where the rock cormorants nest and while on the way we stop for a close up view of a big sea lion colony. While we move forward to our next stop, we will encounter the funny and gracious dolphins. The commerson's dolphins - maybe a bit shy at the beginning - will delight us with their funny pirouettes and jumps by our boat. Certainly a very pleasurable experience! The commerson's inhabit the estuary year round where they mate and give birth during the Southern Spring and summer (September through March). On the small islands we will see the Imperial cormorant (about 100 couples nesting in the estuary) and rock cormorants (nesting at Elena Island, their preferred site with about 120 couples) as well as the Neotropic cormorant. The latter build their nests on top of the bushes using dry branches, algae, small bones and feathers.
Our next -and final- stop will be an uninhabited beach that is the realm of the Magellanic penguins, another treat to our exploration. We will be able to see these fascinating birds from inches away and be amazed at their ability to move so easily both in the water and on land. This last stop will be the perfect excuse for a quick bite and tea before heading back to pier.
Hotel: Los Acantilados - superior rooms - www.hotelosacantilados.com.ar
Meals: Breakfast
DAYS 05 - PUERTO DESEADO
In the morning we meet at the pier for another exciting adventure. We will leave the calm waters of the estuary and venture into open sea. The navigation will be about 45 minutes and will get us to the famous Penguin Island. On the way the dolphins will be our company putting on a great show that will be our delight. We get to the island where we debark on a small pier to start our exploration. A 20 minute walk will take us to the first and very big penguin colony of Magellanic species. This will be a common sight all day. Our next stop will be an abandoned lighthouse, which has -funnily - been "taken over" by the penguins. We will be able to get the most hilarious photos of the penguins roaming around the lighthouse as they master the place; great panoramic views are also granted there.
Further on we get to a promontory where we will find the beautiful rock Hopper penguins and a big colony spreads ahead of us. This is a mesmerizing experience, seeing these very funny birds roaming around and sharing their space with the Magellanic penguins as well. A very special experience to have them so close and be able to observe their funny movements and great beauty. The rock hopper penguin is about 60 cm tall with White chest and black feathers and characteristic red eyes, orange beak and yellow stripes above the eyes. There are about 400 couples on the island that build their nests on top of volcanic rocks, breed of crustaceous, fish, calamari and are excellent divers reaching about 100m depth.
When we will have enjoyed them A LOT! It will be time to move forward and stop for a pack lunch and rest a bit. In the afternoon while we return to the pier there will still be one more stop at a big sea lion and elephant seals colony as a grand finale to our exploration. Our path will take us back to the pier where we will board our boats to return to Puerto Deseado and call it a day!
Hotel: Los Acantilados - superior rooms - www.hotelosacantilados.com.ar
Meals: Breakfast & Pack lunch.
DAY 06 - PUERTO DESEADO - COMODORO RIVADAVIA - PUERTO IGUAZU
Morning transfer to the bus depot to catch a regular scheduled bus to Comodor Rivadavia. Upon arrival transfer to the airport to fly to Puerto Iguazu via Buenos Aires. Arrival in Puerto Iguazu, meet and greet and transfer to the hotel. Accommodation.
Puerto Iguazú is the small village on the Argentinean side that gives access to the mighty Iguazú Falls. It sits at the confluence of the Paraná and Iguazú Rivers and has the right size for a tranquil and relaxed stroll with its intimate atmosphere.
Hotels: Jardin de Iguazu - Sup rooms - www.jardindeiguazu.com.ar
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 07 - PUERTO IGUAZU
Full day exploring the amazing Iguazu falls with a naturalist guide. After a first stop at the visitor´s center we will board a fun small train which connects the most interesting areas of the park: the Upper and lower trails and the Devil´s Throat.
Optional: Navigation upstream the Iguazu River to approach the amazing Devil´s Throat, the most imposing of the falls.
Afternoon return to the hotel.
Hotels: Jardin de Iguazu - Sup rooms - www.jardindeiguazu.com.ar
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 08- PUERTO IGUAZU - BUENOS AIRES
Day at leisure until the time for the transfer to the airport to fly to Buenos Aires. Meet and transfer to the hotel. Accommodation.
Balance of the day at leisure.
Hotels: Pulitzer Hotel - Std rooms. Www.hotelpulitzer.com.ar
Meals: Breakfast.
DAY 09- BUENOS AIRES
Day at leisure until the transfer to the International airport to fly back home or next destination.
2012 Land Price per person double occupancy: with 2 people = US$1830, with 4 people = US$1538. Single supplement = US$443.
Supplement for Oct., Nov. and Dec. 29-Jan. 2 = US$56 per person double or US$112 single
Extension to Ibera Wetlands
Day 8 - morning at leisure, then transfer to bus station to take the bus to Posadas, where you will be met and transferred to Posada de La Laguna for 3 nights, with meals and activities included.
There is a wealth of fauna in the Ibera wetlands, particularly two species of caiman; the capybara, the largest rodent in the world; marsh deer, the largest in South America; neotropical otter; black howler monkeys; gray brocket deer; wildcat, and the maned wolf or aguara-guazu. The birds deserve a chapter of their own. Hundreds of them, of the most varied colors, can be seen and heard; from the largest, the greater rhea or ñandu, a running bird similar to the ostrich but smaller; different types of herons, the maguari stork, various species of eagles, snipes, woodpeckers, kingfishers, humming birds, magpie tanagers, thrushes and a wide variety of ducks and native birds with indigenous names. Snakes and amphibians, of course, can also be found
Day 11 - transfer to Mercedes bus station for overnight bus to Buenos Aires.
Day 12 - transfer from bus station to Pulitzer Hotel, then in the evening transfer to the airport for departure flight
2012 Land Price per person double occupancy: with 2 people = US$2866, with 4 people = US$2520. Single supplement = US$545.
Supplement for Oct., Nov. and Dec. 29-Jan. 2 = US$56 per person double or US$112 single