Privacy Policy

Argentina Tours and Travel

Best of Patagonia / Sample Itineraries / Patagonia Treks / More Patagonia Tours / Wildlife Spectacular / Hidden Argentina
Estancias & Andes / Patagonia Ice Trail / Buenos Aires / Calafate / Iguazu Falls / Bariloche / Ushuaia / Salta / Mendoza
Antarctic Cruises / Ibera Wetlands / Valdes Peninsula / Australis Expedition Cruises / Iruya Trek / Kayaking / Wine Tours

THE BREATHTAKING ROUTE IN PATAGONIA

This is a superb combination of two easy and fun activities (paddling and hiking) that are performed in areas of great beauty: Valdes Peninsula and El Chalten. These areas provide an excellent experience not only for its beauty but also for the possibility to get in close contact with nature.

Peninsula is a fauna reservoir of stunning beauty and which contains such fauna as the huge elephant seals, sea lions, penguins, whales which are part of the "big names" in Argentina.
While in El Chalten we find two of the "meccas" of the mountain climbers all over the world: Fitz Roy Massif and Cerro Torre, two majestic towers of granite.

OPERATES: SEPTEMBER through DECEMBER 2010

DAY 01- BUENOS AIRES
Arrival in Buenos Aires. Meet & greet at the International airport and transfer to the selected hotel. In the afternoon a two hour walking tour to get acquainted with some area of Buenos Aires and be introduced to this amazing city by one of our fine guides. Accommodation.

Some ideas for a walking tour are:
Historic Walk
Cafes & bookstores
Architecture of the first days of Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires Today
Nature prevails in Buenos Aires.

This Cosmopolitan city, -the cradle of tango- as it is called, can be a superlative introduction to an exploration of Argentina. European in appearance, Buenos Aires can keep any culture-oriented visitor busy indefinitely. The city has been a true melting pot of native inhabitants, Spanish, Italian, British, French, German, and Central European, Jewish, Arabian, Greek, Japanese and more recently, Chinese and Korean immigrants. Different aspects of its architecture and the diversity of its districts and suburbs reflect times of grandeur and plenty, cultural influences and migratory waves.

Accommodation: Howard Johnson hotel www.hjboutiquerecoleta.com.ar
Meals: None

DAY 02- BUENOS AIRES
Morning transfer to Tigre to embark on the amazing Selknam Canoes, a fun ride on wooden canoes which are totally handmade. This will be a memorable easy paddling on the small streams and rivers in the Delta with the possibility to mingle with the friendly local people. Return to Buenos Aires will be on own, so there will be plenty of spare time to visit the local market, enjoy the museum, have lunch by the river and then jump on the local train to return to Retiro and make own way to the hotel.

Accommodation: Howard Johnson hotel www.hjboutiquerecoleta.com.ar
Meals: None

DAY 03- BUENOS AIRES / TRELEW / V. PENINSULA
Transfer from the hotel to the domestic airport to fly to Trelew or Puerto Madryn. Arrival in Trelew or Puerto Madryn. Meet and greet and transfer to San José gulf at Península Valdés Nature Reserve. After driving for about one and a half hour we get to Punta Tehuelche, the place where our kayaking trip starts. After checking our gear, brief introduction and instructive view, we jump on our kayaks and off we go!

Our paddling journey heads eastwards in search of Cerro Montículo, where we stop for lunch. From the kayaks, we can observe the coastline where sand and stone beaches alternate with rocky formations and cliffs that dive into the ocean, the selected nesting place of various coastal birds. We take delight at some small sea lion colonies and at the Southern right whales that look for San José's sheltered gulf waters to mate and giv birth.

We then continue our paddling towards El 39, a small beach where we set up our base camp. Beach El 39 is a research area for Southern Right whales for which the ICB, a local whale conservation organization reporting to the Whale Conservation Institute & Ocean Alliance, is responsible. We may visit the scientist that work there and at sunset we feast on typical Patagonian lamb with our small group while having the sound of nature as a background.

Accommodation: Campsite at El 39 or at a nice hosteria in Puerto Piramides.
Meals: Lunch, tea & dinner.

DAY 04- VALDES PENINSULA - BIG KAYAK DAY!
After breakfast, we leave our camp behind for a big kayaking day. Our paddling today is bound
for Punta Conos, and El Puente, a marine rock formation. Conos, named after the cone-like hillocks in the area, boasts a huge concentration of marine fossils dating back million years and we are able to observe the fossils of the species that lived in this area embedded in the soil. The coastline here features low cliffs that dive into the ocean thus allowing us to paddle a few meters from the restingas inhabited by cormorant and black crowned night herons among other birds. Once we paddle through El Puente, we get to a small beach, perfect for a lunch break.

After lunch, we get back on our kayaks and visit a large single-hair sea lion colony that is close to our rest place. We enjoy the curiosity of the sea lions that swim around and approach our kayaks. After visiting the sea lion colony, we change course to head back to El 39 beach where
we arrive at mid-afternoon. Back in our base camp, time for relax, for an afternoon snack before dinner.

Accommodation: Campsite at El 39 or at a nice hosteria in Puerto Piramides.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, tea & dinner.

DAY 05- VALDES PENINSULA - TRELEW - EL CALAFATE
Early in the morning, after breakfast, we break off camp and drive to Puerto Pirámides to visit the small tourist village and board the whalewatching excursion. After lunch, we start our drive back to the city of Puerto Madryn or Trelew airport to catch a flight to El Calafate.
Arrival transfer to the hotel. Accommodation.

One of the most beautiful landscapes in the Western Hemisphere is found in the Patagonian Andes. For this reason a chain of Argentine and Chilean National Parks protects this natural beauty. Numerous lakes fed by glacial run-off reflect the majesty of the snow-capped peaks. The mountainsides are covered by primeval forests of subantarctic beech trees many of which change color spectacularly in autumn.

Accommodation: Hosteria Los Hielos in std rooms www.hosterialoshielos.com
Meals: Breakfast & Lunch.

DAY 06- EL CALAFATE - EL CHALTEN
Full day visit to Perito Moreno Glacier, which is the park's most famous and imposing glacier. It is permanently advancing along its 3-mile-wide front, which is a wall 200 feet high over Lake Argentino. Visitors invariably observe great blocks of ice breaking loose from this wall and falling thunderously into the lake, making huge waves, later surfacing to form icebergs. The first views of Moreno glacier are breathtaking vistas down a narrow arm of Lago Argentino with the imposing Andean Mountains as a backdrop. As spectacular as it is, it pales compared to a close approach where the constant sounds of this "living" glacier shake the air. Gigantic blocks of ice, frequently break away and crash into the lake, sending spray hundreds of feet into the air and sound like distant artillery fire. The startling contrast of color, sound, motion and size creates a continuously changing mosaic of indescribable beauty. Upon return catch the bus to El Chalten. Arrival and accommodation at Senderos Hosteria.

Accommodation: Senderos Hosteria in classic room www.senderoshosteria.com.ar
Meals: Breakfast & lunch box.

DAYS 07 & 08- EL CHALTEN
Two full days hiking the Patagonian Classics: Cerro Torre and Mount Fitz Roy base camps. At our pace and with a private guide we will be able to enjoy the stunning views of these two impressive massifs that dominate the area. Lunch boxes are included.

Fitz Roy Mount. Full day trek to Fitz Roy base camp and Laguna de los Tres. After breakfast we will start a hike north towards Fitz Roy with spectacular views of the massif ahead. Sacred and venerated by local Tehuelche groups and believed to be a volcano, they called it "Chalten" (exhaling fumes mountain). We reach Laguna Capri, where Mt Fitz Roy reflects its image in its crystal clear waters. Stop en route for lunch (box lunch not included) and then resume the hike to Laguna de los Tres, at the base of Mt. Fitz Roy. Glacier de los Tres drains into this beautiful high mountain lake with majestic Mt. Fitz Roy towering above. Enjoy breathtaking views to SE Lake Viedma and the endless Patagonia steppe, matchless Fitz Roy and, if you continue down to the lake to the natural balcony onto Laguna Sucia, the Saint Exupéry and Poincenot spires. Although only 2 ½ km and a 400 m drop, this is a steep upwards trail. (One hour from the Rio blanco base camp)
Slope: 1100 m.
Approx. hike: 8 hours

Cerro Torre. Full day hiking another Patagonian classic: Mt Torre or better known as Cerro Torre, famous for its beauty but also for its difficulty to climb. Countless expeditions attempt every year to reach the summit, but only a few succeed. The trail begins with a gradual climb towards El Mirador (the Torre lookout), 1 h 30 min. A short way down to the Fitz Roy River valley and a long rather flat section will take us to the last glacial moraine surrounding the lake. The trail ends in the coast of Laguna Torre which offers a beautiful view of Mt Torre surrounded by Egger, Standhard, spires and the Adelas range as a backdrop together with the glacier Torre.
Elevation drop: 200 m.
Lake height: 650

Accommodation: Senderos Hosteria in classic room www.senderoshosteria.com.ar
Meals: Breakfast & lunch box.

DAY 09 - EL CHALTEN - VIEDMA GLACIER
This is an amazing excursion which combines the quintessential of a Patagonian Experience. It starts with morning navigation from Bahia Tunel (15 km from El Chalten) on board the Fonrouge, a comfortable and safe boat.

At 0900 AM we board the safe boat and navigate the Viedma Lake, close to the coast, to observe the Cerro Huemul and the Fitz Roy. Arriving at Cape Horn (the South-eastern extreme of the Glacier) we will enjoy a first-row view of the amazing Viedma Glacier and 25 minute of further navigation will bring us to a natural pier to debark.

Upon arrival (1015 AM) a short hike (about 30 min) to the glacier. This hike will be on a rocky but smooth and firm terrain. We get to the glacier where we will be able to visit the lateral moraine and the ice caves. Glacier and -weather and local conditions permitting- we will get into the heart of the ice caves, under the huge mass of ice.
Hotel: Senderos Hosteria in classic room
Meals: Breakfast & lunch box.

DAY 10- EL CHALTEN / EL CALAFATE
Day at leisure. We suggest a last exploration of the area reaching the Pliegue Tumbado which grants an aerial view of the mountain complex. Afternoon return by bus to El Calafate for a last overnight.

Accommodation: Hosteria Los Hielos in std rooms www.hosterialoshielos.com
Meals: Breakfast.

DAY 11- EL CALAFATE / BUENOS AIRES
Day at leisure until the time for the transfer to the airport in El Calafate to fly to Buenos Aires. Arrival and transfer to the International to catch the flight back home.

Meals: Breakfast.

I want to book this!

2011-2012 Season.
Special Departures: AUG 13th & 25th ; SEP 01st ; OCT 25th & 30th ; DEC 13th
Off Whale season departures: DEC 24th ; JAN 06th & 24th; FEB 05th ; MAR 2nd & 25th ; APR 06th & 15th.

Special Departure rate per person sharing a double room:
Based on 2 people traveling together: U$S 2260
Based on 4 people traveling together: U$S 1994
Based on 6 people traveling together: U$S 1839
Single supplement (not available for the night in campsite) U$S 453

PRIVATE DEPARTURES.
Daily Departures (private basis): Daily (subject upon availability of guides)
rate per person sharing a double room:
Based on 2 pax traveling together: U$S 2462
Based on 4 pax traveling together: U$S 2197
Single supplement (not available for the night in campsite) U$S 395

OFF WHALE SEASON: DEC 20 through APR 30th, 2011
Daily Departures (private basis): Daily (subject upon availability of guides)
rate per person sharing a double room:
Based on 2 pax traveling together: U$S 2225
Based on 4 pax traveling together: U$S 1960
Single supplement (not available for the night in campsite) U$S 395

lement (not available for the night in campsite) U$S 344.-