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Argentina

Best of Patagonia / Hiking the Patagonia Classics / More Patagonia Treks / Discovery Tours
Buenos Aires / More Patagonia / Iguazu Falls / Lake District / Salta / Mendoza / Ibera / Valdes Peninsula
Antarctic Cruises / Expedition Cruises / Best of Northwest / Mountain Bike Tours / Winter Trips

Puerto Natales To Ushuaia Adventure
5 days – 4 nights (Moderate trek)

Departures: Guaranteed All Tuesdays
Season: October to April
Starts at: Puerto Natales
Ends at: Ushuaia Airport

The Ushuaia Adventure Tour lead us to the south end of the our continent. We visit the Ottway Penguin Colony and cross the Strait of Magellan. We travel the fantastic natural environment of the Tierra del Fuego Island, and the picturesque Ushuaia, that names itself the world’s southernmost city. We lodge in a typical Patagonian Mountain Refuge in the Tierra Mayor Valley, and we spend our last night in the Ushuaia City to discover her secrets and beauties. We walk the Tierra del Fuego National park and navigate the Beagle Channel where the waters from Atlantic and Pacific Ocean melt them.

Day 1 Puerto Natales
We meet in our Meeting Point to get to our Hostel.
In the evening you are at your own to visit this picturesque fishermen town.
Lodging in a Hostel room with shared bathroom.
Alternative: Hosteria or Inn, double or single room with private bathroom.
Meals we provide: none

Day 2 Puerto Natales – Río Grande
Long drive today, though quite worthwhile. We leave Puerto Natales to face the southernmost part of the continent. We head towards the legendary Magellan Strait, which we will keep on sight up to Primera Angostura, where we board the Ferry in which we will cross the Strait. This Pass, discovered by Hernando de Magallanes in 1520, was the natural and logical way to all vessels until de Panama Channel was open at the beginning of the XXth century. You will find yourselves wondering how those brave men dare to sail those waters in such fragile caravels!!!
Once in Tierra del Fuego (literally, Land of Fire, due to the fires seen by the first white sailors in the coast, done by the local Indians to cook and heat) we enter Argentina through Paso San Sebastián. A couple more of hours to reach Estancia Las Hijas, where our Full Camp will be waiting for us, as well as a lamb cooked in the classical Patagonian barbecue style. A dinning saloon, toilettes and showers are available tonight.
Lodging at Full Camp in double or single tent (area with sanitary services)
Meals we provide: Breakfast, box lunch, dinner.

Day 3 Río Grande - Tierra Mayor valley
In the morning we learn about the ranch activities and how dogs deal with the sheep. By mid morning we continue south to Solar del Bosque, a small and cozy mountain refuge located in the Tierra Mayor valley, where we’ll spend the rest of the day. After lunch, we go hiking to Laguna Esmeralda, a beautiful lagoon with Glacier Ojos del Albino in the background. We walk back to our lodge across terrain that has been modified by the beavers, which were introduced in the area from Canada by middle of the last century.
Lodging in Mountain Lodge with shared bedrooms and bathrooms
Meals we provide: Breakfast, box lunch, dinner.

Day 4 Ushuaia – Tierra del Fuego National Park – Beagle Channel boat trip
We leave behind the valley and a half an hour drive leads us to Ushuaia, the southernmost city of the World. We leave our luggage in our hostel or hotel (we will not check in, as it is still early in the morning) and continue to Tierra del Fuego National Park. This National Park is in the south west corner of the argentinean side of the Island, thus in the border with Chile. The main attraction of the Park and the whole Island actually are the mountains coming down to the sea. We make a short hike in this area. In the afternoon, a boat trip in the Beagle channel allows us to see the different species of sea birds and mammals that leave in this corner of Earth.
Lodging in a Hostel room with shared bathroom.
Alternative: Hosteria or Inn, double or single room with private bathroom.
Meals we provide: Breakfast and box lunch.

Day 5 Ushuaia – Ushuaia Airport
Morning at your own to visit the town, which is located in the north coast of the Beagle channel. Then town features interesting museums and its typical architecture. In the afternoon we are transferred to Ushuaia airport to take our flight to Buenos Aires. Our services end at the airport.
Meals we provide: Breakfast.

INCLUDED:
Bilingual tour leader during all the trip.
Mountain guides while on trek.
Beagle channel boat trip.
All transfers Puerto Natales - Río Grande – Ushuaia – Ushuaia Airport.
During the trip we combine private and regular buses.
1 night hostel or inn, 1 night ful camp, 1 night mountain refuge with shared room and bathroom
4 breakfasts, 3 box lunch and 2 dinners .

NOT INCLUDED:
Entrance fees to National Parks.
Medical and life insurance.
Tips.
Drinks and beverages (all foods are without alcoholic or non alcoholic drinks).
Flights or airport taxes.
Port tax at Ushuaia.
Optional excursions.
Services not shown or detailed in the program

Accommodations Description

Mountain Refuge: It is used in Tierra del Fuego. It is very similar to a hostel, but the beds are "cuchetas" (two superimposed simple beds). They provide sheets but not towels. The refuge is a cabin immerse in the forest with the aspect of a children´ story house. Almost all travelers will love to stay there. The refuge has two plants, the superior plant is the bedroom, where 20 beds are located in a single room. The lower plant is a warm and cozy dining room. The heating is obtained through a firewood kitchen, which is lit almost the whole day and has always a recipient with hot water on it. Over the kitchen there is also a wooden grill that is used to dry the shoes after each walk. There are also two individual bathrooms with plenty of hot water. People can take a hot water shower once a day, and one person at a time. A generator provides the electric light, therefore lights at night are on until 12 PM.

Hostel Bed: It's a bed in a hostel room. It has rooms with individual beds. It has complete bathrooms with sanitariums to share (there are bathrooms for ladies and bathrooms for gentlemen). They provide sheets but not towels. They have facilities to heat water or to cook something if you want. The hostels meet the standards of all the Youth Hostels, which assures a level of hygiene and appropriate comfort corresponding to your demands.

Hostel Room Double Base: It's a room in a hostel we reserve for only two passengers. We use it in El Chaltén with shared bathroom and in El Calafate with private bathroom.

Inn: It's a room at Inn with private bathroom. It can be double or single base, depending your choice.

Group's Size
Usually our groups are between 8 to 14 people, with a maximum of 20.

Guides and Coordination
In Usuahia the Guide receives the groups at the Airport and it accompanies them during the whole program and back to the Airport.
All the groups will be guided by a professional Mountain Guide, who belongs to the Argentine Association of Mountain Guides and authorized by National Parks, in the journeys that requires it.

Activities
You will walk along a unique landscape, among lakes, mountains and glaciers, and the idea is to enjoy the journey, so there are no rush or hurries, no difficulties neither risky steps.
We always walk slowly with some rests, enjoying the landscape and the environment while walking, with time to discover the flora and the fauna of the area.

Security
The trip doesn't include medical assistance. The guides will carry a basic first-aid kit along the walks and VHF communication equipment for any emergency that could take place.

Transports
Transports will be done combining private and regular services.

Prices per person in US$:

Valdes Peninsula Extension

Can start on any day of the year - CA

Day 1 Trelew Airport – Puerto Madryn
We arrive to Trelew flying 1200 km/745 miles to the south from Buenos Aires. We transfer by Bus to Puerto Madryn, where we spent the day enjoying this historical town. Populated from 1886 as a railway junction, immigrant workers flooded in from Europe as the railway network expanded. Both Welsh and Italian language and traditions are still very strong here.
Lodge at Inn double base with private bathroom
Included meals: none.

Day 2 Puerto Madryn, Peninsula Valdes
After breakfast, you will be driven to Peninsula Valdes, a paradise for wildlife lovers with World Heritage status. We start our journey visiting the Interpretation Centre, located in the Florentino Ameghino Isthmus, from where we have a panoramic view of both gulfs, Nuevo and San Jose. We continue to Puerto Piramide, a village on the south side of the Peninsula. Here you may enjoy a whale watching boat expedition (optional) to observe the magnificent Southern Right Whales that remain in the area from June through December. We visit Caleta Valdes, a natural canal with great variety of marine and terrestrial wildlife; a sea lion colony, and the landscape at Punta Delgada lighthouse. We continue to the Salinas Chica and Grande, the biggest depressions in South America, and to Isla de los Pajaros (Birds’ Island) with their impressive birdlife variety.
We return around 6 pm to Puerto Madryn.
Lodge at Inn double base with private bathroom
Included meals: Breakfast, lunch.

Day 3 Punta Tombo Magellan Penguin Colony. Gaiman.
You will be driven to Punta Tombo, the biggest continental breeding ground of Magellan penguins. There, you will have the opportunity to walk along the park trails and see over 200 thousand live nests, and more than 600 thousand penguins. In the afternoon, you will visit Gaiman, a picturesque small town settled by Welsh immigrants in the 1870s, and that still maintains much of its original architecture. We may savor a delicious Welsh tea with pastries at one of the traditional teahouses of Gaiman (optional). In the evening you return to Puerto Madryn.
Lodge at Inn double base with private bathroom
Included meals: breakfast.

Day 4 Transfer to Puerto Madryn Bus Station or Trelew Airport
After breakfast we transfer you to the Bus Station, if you are going by bus from Puerto Madryn to Comodoro Rivadavia, where you meet at 2 pm the group to continue our adventure traveling the Route 40; or to Trelew Airport, if you are flying from Trelew Airport to El Calafate, where you meet at 7 pm the group to continue our adventure.
Included meals: breakfast.

2007 Price in US$ $456 per person double, $569 single

Included Services
Bilingual Spanish-English receptive services.
Bilingual Spanish-English guides during excursions
Transfer Trelew Airport – Puerto Madryn – (Puerto Madryn Bus Station or Trelew Airport)
The program includes 3 breakfast and one lunch.

Services Not Included
Bus transfer Puerto Madryn - Comodoro Rivadavia for start of 18 day tour
Air flight ticket Trelew to elsewhere if not doing other tour
Whale Watching Navigation at Peninsula Valdes
Welsh Tea at Gaiman
Medical and Life Insurance
Tips
Air flight tickets and Airport fees and taxes
Services not detailed in the program