Argentina: North to South Adventure

• Perito Moreno Glacier tour – Meet the icy giant of Patagonia

During the morning, we will pick you up from your hotel and drive you to Glaciers National Park to enjoy the 6-hour Perito Moreno Glacier tour.  You will travel about 25 miles from El Calafate to the park, enjoying the views of the Patagonian steppe. Once inside the park, you will take walkways to explore the different viewpoints, and you’ll feel unbelievably close to Perito Moreno Glacier. If you’re lucky, you may even get to see a piece of ice break off and fall from the glacier wall, sinking forever into the lake below.

Over the course of about one hour, a bilingual guide will provide you with all the information you might want to know…and things you may have never thought about. After this visit, you will take a boat ride that will bring you close enough to fully appreciate the 262-foot ice walls of Perito Moreno! You’ll never feel closer to this gigantic and impressive natural masterpiece. At the end of the day, we will drive you back to your hotel.  

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• Walk over the Big Ice

Have you ever imagined walking across the surface of a glacier? Well, this is your chance! The Mini Trekking tour will allow you to trek on Perito Moreno Glacier… This is one of our favorite Patagonia outings; we’re sure you won’t regret it.  This is an optional excursion you can add to this day.

• Optional tour – Visit to a Patagonian ranch

After such an amazing encounter with the Giants the day before, a free day is perfect to take in all the captivating beauty of the glaciers. Today is your perfect opportunity to immerse yourself in the rural culture of Patagonia. Around El Calafate, there are several options of ranches to visit and learn about its history and witness a shearing demonstration. At the end of the day, a grilled lambed awaits, sizzling in its Patagonian traditional cross stake. 

• Transfer from your hotel to El Calafate airport 

Continue your travel itinerary through Argentina and fly to Ushuaia. At the appropriate time, we’ll pick you up from your hotel and drive you to the airport to take your flight.

• 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.

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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 most scary and dangerous criminals at the Prison Museum.

• Visit the different restaurants 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. 

• Tour Ushuaia’s famous islands in the Beagle Channel

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 where 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.

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• 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 form your hotel to Ushuaia airport

Continue your travel itinerary to Northern Argentina. At the appropriate time, we’ll pick you up and drive you to the airport.

• Transfer from Salta airport to your hotel in Salta

Upon arrival, we’ll meet at the airport and we’ll drive you to your hotel. Take the rest of the afternoon to explore the city. Bear in mind that this is a stress-free hub: la siesta (mid-day nap) is kind of a religious ritual for locals, which means that between 1 pm and 5 pm shops are usually closed.

Salta is the selected jumping-off point for travelers seeking to explore the North of Argentina. From here, you can visit the most outstanding natural wonders of the area: the Humahuaca Gorge, and the Seven Colors Hill located in Jujuy, a bordering province which is also famous worldwide.

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What to do on your first day touring Salta?

Salta has it all: the geographical diversity (red, green and brown-tinted mountains) and the vast history—it is in these time-honored lands that men fought for the freedom of Argentina. Make the most of your time in the city and:

• Admire the colonial architecture, the lively cafés in the main plaza (great people-watching spot) and try the traditional “tamales”.

• Visit the vibrant and authentic peñas, which are places where locals grab a table to watch their favorite folkloric singers, and after a glass of wine (or two) everyone joins in for dancing. “¿Bailamos?” (Shall we dance?): it’s all you need to say to start the party!

• Full-day Safari to the clouds and Great Salt Flats – Night in Jujuy

Today you’ll travel to the clouds—no exaggeration! We’ll pick you up at your hotel to start a two day trip to Purmamarca and the Great Salt Flats, a white solid ocean, 13000 feet above sea level!

In this 10-hour trip we’ll travel along the same route of the famous Train to the Clouds, zigzagging on lonely roads between the blue sky and the high desert plains. On our way, we will visit historic ruins and small scattered villages.

Our first destination is the small town of Campo Quijano, best known as the Gateway to the Puna. Later, we will visit the impressive Quebrada del Toro, a natural wonder where human-sized cactus stand in a backdrop of eroded peaks which emerge from the golden sand like giant fingers. Here we’ll stop for a refreshing coffee break.

We’ll keep on traveling to Santa Rosa de Tastil, a pre-Incan city of the XIII century, and right after, to San Antonio de los Cobres, the HQ of the Pachamama (Mother Earth) Celebration. The “salty” cherry on top will be the surreal landscape of the Great Salt Flats. The natural light and reflections provide perfect opportunities for endless photo fun. Test your creativity! And be careful of where you put your feet: there are artificial water pools in the area.

At the end of your adventure in the Great Salt Flats we’ll take you to your hotel in Purmamarca, located at the base of Jujuy’s famed Seven Color Hill.

Say Hueque Tips

• What to bring to this tour and what to do in Purmamarca

For this 2-day trip we recommend that you leave your luggage in your hotel in Salta, and just take a day pack on the excursion. For your free evening in Purmamarca, we recommend that you take a walk around the main plaza and visit the ancient Santa Rosa de Lima Church

• Full-day visit to Humahuaca Gorge – Night in Salta

We’ll pick you up from your hotel early in the morning and take you on a 12-hour adventure to the Humahuaca Gorge, declared a UNESCO Heritage Site. Humahuaca Gorge is home to a bunch of natural amazing monuments like the Seven Color Hill, the Pucará de Tilcara (a ramshackled yet well restored native fortress), the Paleta del Pintor (Painter Palette) at Maimará village, an impressive multi-colored mountain range.

You’ll see some peculiar paintings of the colonial period (called Pinturas Cuzqueñas) at the little Uquía Church, and finally, pass by the famous Tropic of Capricorn milestone to reach the picturesque Humahuaca.

Wander among their traditional houses and streets, and get a feel for the old-world languor that still survives in this setting. At the end of the day, we’ll drive you back to your hotel in Salta La Linda (the beautiful) as Argentines nicknamed the city.

• 2-day trip through the Calchaquí Valleys

We’ll pick you up from your hotel in Salta and leave behind the Lerma Valley to visit Laures and Escoipe, the first two gorges of this 12-hour excursion. The landscapes will still remain green, but colors will definitely begin to change when we approach the Cuesta del Obispo, the windiest and most spectacular road in this area. We’ll climb up to 11,000 feet high—get prepared to see the world from above!

This is the connective road to get to the high valleys, where the Calchaqui Valley wine region sits. We’ll see enormous cactus while passing through Los Cardones National Park on our way to Cachi, a famous village where Spanish and native tradition combines to form the most beautiful architecture.

In the afternoon, continue with your exploration of the valleys and reach the town of Molinos and Angastaco, just before visiting Las Flechas Gorge, a special rocky formation which creates a labyrinth of sharp, high peaks. After going down its mysterious passages, we’ll get to Cafayate where we’ll spend the night.

Cafayate is one of the most popular destinations of the Calchaqui Valley wine region. Cafayate wine is renowned in Argentina, especially because of the star product of the region: the Torrontes wine.

• Visit wineries in Cafayate

Enjoy the end of the day in this picturesque town while sipping on a drink at sunset in the main square, or maybe a Malbec ice cream from a traditional gelato shop. Since there are many surrounding wineries, we thought that a visit to one or two of them could be interesting for you… so we’ve already scheduled it! According to weather and timetables, you will be able to partake in this memorable tour either on your arrival day or the day after.  

• Calchaquí Valley Excursion – Night in Salta

On the second day of this Calchaqui Valley adventure you’ll leave Cafayate and be directly immersed into the forbidding universe of Las Conchas Gorge, where erosion has carved mysterious red shapes into the rocks. Get prepared to visit this Natural Reserve for about 5 hours, and to enjoy the views of its colorful hills while you go down its red-tinted promontories and discover the most prominent rocky highlights: the Frog, the Obelisk and the Castles.

The highlight of the day will be the Amphitheater and the famous Devil’s Throat. The amphitheater is a natural semicircular formation (65 feet high), and is home to intimate concerts performed by local artists. Get inside and check out the amazing acoustics by singing your favorite tune! Nearby, the Devil’s Throat awaits at the end of Las Conchas Gorge. Going down this particular rocky formation, you’ll feel as though you’re right in the belly of a giant!

At the end of the day, we’ll take you back to Salta. Enjoy the evening by eating an empanada salteña, a special variation of this classic Argentine dish.

• Transfer from your hotel to Salta airport

Continue your travel itinerary to the northeast of Argentina, the lands of the famous Iguazú Falls. At the appropriate time, we’ll pick you up and drive you to the airport to take your flight to Iguazú.

• Transfer from the airport to Puerto Iguazú – 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. 

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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 an 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: ant birds, 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 air boat 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!).

• Visit the Brazilian side of Iguazú National Park

After breakfast, enjoy a 4-hour excursion to the Brazilian side of Iguazú Falls. Don’t forget your passport! While Argentina has 80% of the falls on its side, Brazil has the best panoramic view.

On the Argentine side you will have the sensation of being right inside the falls, but only by visiting the Brazilian side will you fully appreciate the immensity of Iguazú Falls. Take your time to enjoy it and feel it, to stroll the different walkways and feel the spray of water in your face.

Take the boardwalk over the Salto Santa María; it feels like walking on the water. Get closer to the “Devil’s Throat” and experience the power of water! We are sure this is a day you will never forget.

• Transfer from your hotel to Puerto Iguazú airport/Transfer from Buenos Aires airport to your hotel

At the appropriate time, we’ll pick you up from your hotel and drive you to the airport to take your flight back to Buenos Aires. Upon arrival, we’ll meet at the airport and drive you to your hotel. Enjoy your last night in the city in one of the many bars of Plaza Serrano, in Palermo. 

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.

• Transfer from your hotel to Buenos Aires airport

It’s the last day of your travel itinerary to Argentina, from North to South! We hope to see you back here soon! At the appropriate time, we’ll pick you up from your hotel and drive you to the international airport to take your flight back home.