Argentina for Adventurers

• Full-day North Peninsula Valdes and visit Estancia San Lorenzo

Early in the morning, we will pick you up from your hotel and drive towards Peninsula Valdes Protected Natural Area. After a one-hour drive, we will arrive at Puerto Piramides, where we will go on a regular boat trip (optional) to see whales from June to December and sea lions and cormorants from January to March.

After this, we will head to Estancia San Lorenzo, a traditional sheep farm of the area, where we’ll enjoy a typical lamb on a spit, and visit the largest Magellan penguin reserve of the world, situated 4.5 miles far from the farm-house.

We will visit Punta Norte Reserve, where, from December we will see Sea lions and eventually Orcas. On our way back to Puerto Madryn, we will stop at the Carlos Ameghino Isthmus interpretation center.

Finally, we will return to Puerto Madryn at sunset and will take you back to your hotel.

• Half-day Snorkel with Sealions

Meet your local guide downtown and prepare to depart to the Sea Lions Natural Reserve of Punta Loma. This is the only spot that hosts a colony of 700 sea lions all year round in Peninsula Valdés, and the most ancient natural reserve of the area. Dive into the teal-colored water just below the white cliffs that are home to hundreds of black cormorants.

You’ll sail for 30 minutes in the waters of Golfo Nuevo to reach the dive departure point. After the technical and safety talk, get into the water with a group of 6 people (maximum) to start an easy dive. Sea Lions are really curious creatures and are rarely reluctant to play with new visitors. You’ll be able to explore the area for 45 minutes to get closer to these furry friends, and then get ready to discover other kinds of fauna and marine vegetation.  

If you have no experience in scuba diving, you can do some snorkeling on the water’s surface, where sea lions will also approach. Your tour guide will assist you along the way.

At the end of the day, enjoy a snack (classic Argentine pastries called facturas) before sailing back to Puerto Madryn.  

• Transfer from your hotel to Trelew airport

Continue your 3-week journey to Argentina and Chile visiting the popular “End of the World” destination! We’ll pick you up from your hotel and drive you to the airport to take your flight to Ushuaia.

• Transfer from Ushuaia airport to your hotel in the city – Day at leisure

Upon arrival in Ushuaia we will drive you to your hotel in the city. Enjoy your free day to wander the streets of the southernmost city in the world. 

Ushuaia is a small town, really easy to get around on foot. The Yamanas, its first inhabitants, called it Ushuaia which means “protected bay” in their language. It was officially incorporated into the Republic of Argentina in 1884, and it soon became a penal colony, in order to establish a permanent Argentine settlement.

Say Hueque Tips

Our recommended activities in Ushuaia:

• Visit one of its curious museums—The Thematic Gallery of the “Historia Fueguina” to see the more than 120 character life-size figures that will tell you all about the history of Ushuaia, or unearth the story of the scariest and dangerous criminals at the Prison Museum.

• Visit the different restaurant in town, Ushuaia is the best place to eat seafood in Argentina . —The word you shouldn’t forget is centolla (king crab!). You can try the finger-licking Blake Hake too. 

• Discover Tierra del Fuego National Park wildlands

Today we’ll pick you up from your hotel to start a 10-hour, moderate difficulty, adventure in Tierra del Fuego National Park, just 7.4 miles away from the city and bordering the shore of the famous Beagle Channel.

Upon arrival at Ensenada Bay, you will have time to enjoy the view over the Beagle Channel before you start hiking along the coast. Four miles of trail awaits you, where you’ll discover native flora, wild fauna and the remains left by the Yamanas, the native inhabitants of the area. After this 3-hour hike, you will reach Lake Roca, where lunch will be served.

After a full homemade picnic, you will start the second part of this adventure. Take your oar and plunge into a 1hr 30 min paddling trip along the Lapataia River (only available for children over 5 years old). Make it all the way to Lapataia Bay, where the Panamerican Highway and National Route 3 end at an awe-inspiring landscape.

After discovering the unique vastness of this stunning setting, we’ll take you back to your hotel to rest and enjoy another Patagonian evening. 

• Beagle Channel boat trip – Tour Ushuaia’s famous islands

In 1833 Charles Darwin sailed the Beagle Channel and found something great. Today it’s your turn: become another explorer of this channel, primitively named Onashaga Channel since the Onas were its first discoverers.

Make your way to the tourist pier (located downtown) to embark on a 4-hour Beagle Channel navigation in a fully equipped boat with a capacity for up to 26 people. With Argentina on your left and Chile on your right, you’ll sail this natural border until reaching the iconic Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse, which is still in operation.

 On the way, enjoy uplifting panoramic views of Ushuaia Bay, crowned by the Martial Glacier’s diverse marine wildlife, such as cormorants (flying birds, closely related to penguins) and fur seals. Hop off on Bridges Island to explore its vegetation, and visit the archeological remains of the Yamanas (the native inhabitants) accompanied by a specialized bilingual guide. During the trip, enjoy bottomless hot cocoa and cookies, or try the maté (loose herbal tea), which is every Argentinian’s favorite drink. Once we get back to the port, you can make your way back to your hotel or stop in a local cafe or brewery to enjoy an amber craft beer paired with a traditional Patagonian appetizer.

Say Hueque Tips

•  Have you ever walked amongst penguins?

If not, Ushuaia is your chance to fulfill that bucket-list dream… you can switch out the Beagle Channel Navigation to take the Magellanic Penguin Rookery Tour on Martillo Island (available from October to April at an additional cost), or add one day to your Ushuaia itinerary so that you can do both. On Martillo Island you will also see a very rare type of penguin that is typically only found in Antarctica: the yellow-crested penguin.

• Transfer from your hotel to Ushuaia airport

Say goodbye to the city at the ‘end of the world’! At the appropriate time, we’ll pick you up from your hotel and drive you to the domestic airport to take your flight to El Calafate. 

• Transfer from El Calafate airport to your hotel – Day at leisure

Upon arrival, we will bring you to your hotel and have the remainder of your day to relax or explore the surroundings.

El Calafate is home to Perito Moreno Glacier, the only glacier in the world that’s still advancing. Though it’s not the only glacier in the area, it’s the one that made the city of El Calafate famous worldwide as “the capital of the glaciers”. 

Located at the shore of Lago Argentino (the southernmost, largest Patagonian lake) it’s also home to the Spegazzini glacier, which forms the natural border between Argentina and Chile, and the Upsala Glacier, named Glaciar del Gigante (Giant’s glacier) it’s the biggest glacier that sits at the mouth of Lake Argentino.

But there is much more to see in El Calafate than glaciers. Make the most of your free day and discover other secret gems of the region.

Say Hueque Tips 

Our recommended activities in El Calafate for your free day:

• Glaciers are the main attractions that you can visit via hiking or a boat ride, but you have a lot more to discover about Argentine rural culture. On your free day, you can visit a typical Patagonian finca (ranch) and learn all about  Argentine rural culture, the traditions of the gaucho (cowboy) and enjoy a great asado (barbecue).

• If you are really into knowing more about Perito Moreno Glacier and other famous icy giants of the region, you can visit The Glaciarium Museum and learn about the history of glaciers and its first explorers. Getting to the museum is really easy— There is a transfer you can take at the Tourist Office in downtown Calafate.

• Mini trekking Perito Moreno Glacier tour, meet the icy giant of Patagonia

We will pick you up from your hotel early in the morning to take you to Los Glaciares National Park located 50 miles from El Calafate, home of the magnificent Perito Moreno Glacier, where the excursion begins at the Puerto de la Bahía “Bajo de las Sombras”. There we will embark to reach the opposite shore of the Magallanes Peninsula, crossing the Rico Arm of Lake Argentino. Navigation time is approximately 20 minutes.

The specialized guides will lead the group (approximately 10 people), through a coastline to the southern margin of the glacier and will give you Crampons for the ice walk.

From there you begin to slowly ascend the glacier, with occasional stops to take pictures. This is a unique opportunity to enjoy the different formations of the glacier in situ. The walk on the ice lasts about 1 hour and a half.

On the way back, you’ll walk through the forest and enjoy another perspective of the glacier, before being driven back to your hotel.

• Full-day Kayak in La Leona River

In the morning, we’ll pick you up from your hotel and take the National Route 40 to the old “Luz Divina” Parador. We’ll take the necessary equipment and begin rowing down La Leona River for about 10 miles.

We’ll make a stop to enjoy a 2-hour hike at Cerro Los Hornos where you’ll discover petrified logs and fossilized dinosaur bones! Finally, enjoy lunch at a special viewpoint, before grabing the oars again and drive your kayak to the Turbio stream, where this adventure experience finish.  At the end of the day, we’ll drive you to your hotel in El Chaltén.

Say Hueque Tips

• What you must bring to El Chaltén?

This is a little village, so we recommend that you take cash with you since ATM’s are not usual, and the few they may be, could be out of order.  It’s better to be prepared! Though credit cards are accepted in Argentina, little grocery stores or restaurants may accept only cash.

• Recommended hike – Laguna de los Tres and base of Mt. Fitz Roy

Today, be prepared for an exciting journey into the wild. For truly hiking lovers, our hiking favorite is Laguna de los Tres and the base of Mount Fitz Roy. Go for a medium-difficulty, 9-hour hike to the most impressive views of Rio de Las Vueltas valley. You’ll cross Del Salto Stream, with its icy waters cradled by orange-tinted rocks that frame the breathtaking views of Mount Fitz Roy.

And here’s a little secret: you can also reach Laguna Sucia from Laguna de los Tres… it’s only a 5- minute walk away. Though this hike increases in intensity during the last bit, it’s totally worth it. This is one of the best day-hikes in the world!  

Say Hueque Tips

• A little secret to enjoying this hike

Seize the day, wake up early, and watch the sunrise at Laguna de Los Tres (see Fitz Roy’s peaks turning red) — this is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. You can depart from the town of El Chaltén during the night or stay one night at Poincenot campsite, just 1 hour away from Laguna de Los Tres.

• Self-guided hiking trails in El Chaltén

Enjoy an early walk around town or a quick 3-hour hike this morning. We recommend that you walk to El Chorrillo del Salto, 1 hour away from the village, and reach its little waterfall encircled by native trees and flora, like the Patagonian Orchid.

• Transfer from El Chaltén to El Calafate

Bear in mind that in the afternoon you will board your bus back to El Calafate, so you need to be back in time. The 3-hour drive back will be a good opportunity to relax while enjoying the passing landscapes out your window. Once you arrive in El Calafate, the bus will drop you off at your hotel and you will have the rest of the evening at leisure.

 Say Hueque Tips

• What do you need to taste in El Calafate?

Now is your chance to try some tender Patagonian Lamb, or maybe a heavenly Calafate ice-cream. In Calafate, food options are varied and plentiful; from veggie delicacies to the best demonstration of national steaks, there really is something for everyone. You can choose a fancy restaurant for dinner, or a more traditional local tavern to spend an unforgettable night. If you want to try some creamy Patagonian craft beer all you have to say is: “Una birra por favor” ¡Salud! (Cheers!)

• Full-day visit to Torres del Paine National Park – Stay inside the park 

In the early morning, we’ll pick you up to start your trip to Chile and your full-day visit to Torres del Paine National Park. First, we’ll drive through the Patagonian steppe for 2hr 30min (you might be able to see rheas, guanacos, Patagonian hare, and even condors!) until reaching the border of Chile in Cancha Carrera, where we’ll go through customs. 

We’ll keep traveling through isolated and windy landscapes, occasionally dotted by guanacos and native green-orange-tinted bushes; you’ll truly feel the momentous solitude that characterizes Patagonia. Torres del Paine is a gift that keeps on giving; it will unveil its enthralling natural beauties little by little… 

Along a winding road, we’ll make different stops to have a close-up view of various attractions like Cascada Paine (Paine Waterfall), Paine Range at Lake Sarmiento, and the Paine Horns at Lake Nordenskjold. Depending on the weather, we’ll depart on an hour-long walk to reach the lake and get closer to the striking mountain peaks. At midday, after having stopped by the Lago Pehoé Viewpoint to gaze at the vastness of the French Valley, we’ll have our boxed lunch with this mountainous backdrop. 

At the end of this dreamy travel experience, we’ll leave you at Laguna Amarga, where your transfer will pick you up and take you to your hotel inside the park.  

Say Hueque Tips

• Something to take into account

During your trip from Argentina to Chile it is not allowed to take any fresh food, plants, seeds, etc. They are very strict, and fines can be high. If you are not sure whether something is allowed, please declare it (they will provide you with a form) and they will inform you if you can bring it or not. And please, don’t forget your passport!

• Hike to Base las Torres

Torres del Paine is one of the most beautiful protected areas of South America, and the best way to explore it is on foot. If you like hiking and nature, this should be one of the highlights of your trip. Depending on which area of the Park you are staying in, you will be able to explore different paths — please check with your travel advisor about which are the best options from your location.

Our recommendation is to make a solo hike to Base de las Torres del Paine. This is the most famous hike in the park since it takes you to the base of the Paine Horns (8500 f.o.s.l.), a challenge for climbers all over the world. It takes 8-10 hours round-trip. 

The first 2 hours of the trek are very tiring since you are walking up, leaving the valley where the Hosteria and Refuge Torres del Paine are located. You’ll cross Ascensio Valley, taking its winding path and gazing over Ascensio River until getting to the first stop, Refugio El Chileno. From here, you’ll continue for one hour through a lenga forest — the changing landscapes will combat any tiredness! 

You’ll finally get to the moraine; the last beat of the trek, and the hardest. The last hour will be an uphill climb, but take your time, you’ll definitely make it to the top! Every effort will be compensated with breathtaking views of these massive granite mountains that grow past a blue lake and up to the sky.

• Transfer from Torres del Paine to your hotel in El Calafate

It’s time to leave Torres del Paine National Park! We’ll pick you from your hotel and take you back to El Calafate (we know you’ve been missing Argentina…).

This is a 5-hour trip, and you’ll travel in a minivan (up to 9 people), so prepare to spend some relaxing hours staring at the snow-capped peaks through your window. Be alert and you may even see a guanaco herd… they love to take travelers by surprise!

Upon arrival in El Calafate we’ll be waiting to take you to your hotel.

• Transfer from your hotel to El Calafate airport

Say farewell to the awe-inspiring landscapes of El Calafate and get ready to continue your journey. In the morning, we’ll pick you up and drive you to the local airport to take your flight to Iguazú.

• Transfer from Puerto Iguazú airport to your hotel – Day at leisure

Upon arrival, we will meet you at the airport and drive you to your hotel in Puerto Iguazú. The small border town of Puerto Iguazú is the gateway to visit the impressive Iguazú Falls, one of the Seven Natural Wonders and a UNESCO World Heritage site, making it a must-see destination for any traveler visiting Argentina. 

Say Hueque Tips

Our recommended activities to spend your day in Puerto Iguazú:

• You can visit “Hito tres fronteras”, a viewpoint west of the town center that stands high above the turbulent reddish-brown junction of the Iguazú and Paraná rivers, which also form the Triple Frontera, or Triple Border between Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay. There is also a craft market!

• Or you may visit Güirá Oga (the house of birds in native Guaraní language), the sanctuary for animals hurt by illegal hunting and trapping.

• If you feel really adventurous, take a bike tour through the rainforest with a specialised guide, and discover the flora and fauna, the sounds of the jungle, the trail of little native mammals and the traditions of the Guaranies.

• Wander Iguazú Falls National Park and meet The Devil’s Throat

Today our driver and bilingual guide will pick you up from your hotel and drive you to the National Park, on the Argentinian side. Enjoy a 7-hour tour wandering through the rainforest!

The falls are surrounded by a humid subtropical forest where the exuberant vegetation is home to many different animals and birds. Our guide will help you spot some of them: antbirds, toucans, manakins, parrots, coatis, just to name a few of the most common birds. Lower and upper walkways weave in and around falls permitting up close and personal experiences with this magnificent spectacle of nature. 

The Argentine side of the falls is filled with a myriad of paths and walkways and stairways which allow you to have an experience from many different perspectives. You will have the chance to meet “The Devil’s throat”: the largest of the falls and for many the most spellbinding. To get to the “Devil’s throat” you take the ecological train and then walk out along boardwalks. After walking and taking pictures of animals and plants, you will have some free time to eat lunch in this amazing environment. At the end of the experience, we will drive you back to your hotel.

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• Would you love to have a “Great Adventure”?

The “Great Adventure” (gran aventura) is an optional tour you can add on this day. You will take an open-air jeep through the rainforest and then a zodiac open airboat ride up the river to the base of the falls (there is a 100% chance that you will get soaking wet on this boat trip, so be sure to take some extra clothes!).

• Full-jungle Mbocay experience, bikes and falls

Enjoy your last morning in Iguazú by immersing yourself in a brand new experience, the outcome of the effort and inspiration of freelance guides who decided to show off another local side to Iguazu’s attractions. Conveying both beauty and some rough-around-the-edges adventure, this 4-hour excursion injects some excitement and freshness into the more typical tourist activities in Iguazu.  

We’ll pick you up from your hotel and drive you to the operative base, Jungle Bike, where a guide will meet you and prepare you to take your bikes for their mile-and-a-half ride along a gravel road up to the Parque Natural Municipal Arroyo Mbocay.

At Don Carlos’ jungle campsite, the trek will start here, where this native resident of the area will take care of the bikes while you go off on your adventure. You’ll follow the same road that children in the neighborhood take to go play in the jungle, which leads you into a purely local, hidden part of Iguazu!

Walking through the jungle, skirting a stream, and crossing a handmade bridge, we’ll get to the first small waterfall to take our first dip of the day. Get prepared to experience a natural hydro-massage under the stormy waters. 

After freshening up, the path gets steeper, so get ready to work up a sweat on our way to discover the renowned giant jungle vines and arrive at Mbocay Fall, which offers an enthralling scenery for pictures. After enjoying a sunbath, you’ll lunch a traditional Argentinian asado into the wild facing the falls. We’ll return to the Jungle Bike base with our bikes at the end of the day, and then we’ll drive you back to your hotel. 

•  Transfer from your hotel to Puerto Iguazú airport

In the evening we’ll drive you to the airport to board your flight back to Buenos Aires. Upon arrival, you will have a transfer to your hotel.

Say Hueque Tips

• What should I bring to the Iguazú Falls Brazilian tour?

For the tour to the Brazilian side of the Iguazú Falls, don’t forget your passport! You will be crossing the border. If you are required to have a visa to enter Brazil, take it with you during the excursion. A good repellent and sun-blocking is always a must when you visit the rainforest. 

• Optional tours – Full-day visit to a ranch

There are still some estancias (ranches) that preserve the gaucho traditions, located in picturesque towns within Buenos Aires’ province. One of the most alluring estancias is El Ombú de Areco, a colonial-style working ranch built on 1880 that is located in the town of San Antonio de Areco, where gaucho traditions are ever-present.

Today, we’ll pick you up at your hotel to begin a 9-hour visit to this time-honored ranch. Learn about the gaucho culture and traditions, strolling around the beautiful old streets, museums and ancient pulperías (grocery stores) in San Antonio de Areco before heading to El Ombú.

Once you’re in the estancia, enjoy a typical asado (barbecue) before either a horseback ride in nature or a relaxing bike ride. For those who like to take things slow while on vacation, there is a peaceful swimming pool (only available in summer) and many sunny relaxation areas where you can take la siesta (an afternoon nap). At the end of the day, we’ll take you back to your hotel in Buenos Aires.

If you want to add this optional tour just contact your travel agent.

Say Hueque Tips

• What to do on your last night in Buenos Aires?

What about ending your travel adventure by visiting the most famous theater in South America? Buenos Aires offers many spectacles (movies, theater, music!) every night. We recommend that you visit Theater Colon, one of the opera houses with the best acoustics in the world. And yes, it’s located right here in Buenos Aires!

• Transfer from your hotel to Buenos Aires airport 

At the appropriate time, we’ll drive you to the international airport where you’ll take your flight back home, ¡buen viaje! (good trip!).

Say Hueque Tips

How you would like to spend your last day of vacation? Here are some ideas:

• You can explore the cobblestone, tree-lined streets of Palermo Soho in search of some one-of-a-kind Porteño fashion stores or discover the graffiti circuit. 

• You may stop by one of our historic cafés (named “cafés notables”) located all over the city and have a “cortado”, the most popular Argentine coffee choice.

• If you’re leaving on a Saturday or Sunday, you may have the chance to visit one of the city markets, only open during weekends.