Buenos Aires, Iguazu & Classic Patagonia

Buenos Aires, Iguazu & Classic Patagonia

Request Info
  • Enjoy adventure tours in Patagonia and travel to Tierra del Fuego in Ushuaia, the southernmost city of Argentina.
  •  Live the incredible experience of watching from close the southern right whale and discover the amazing wildlife of Patagonia
  • Fly from Buenos Aires to theIguazú Falls and enjoy and adventurous boat trip.
  • Best time to travel: From October to April
 

In this 15-day trip you’ll enjoy adventurous tours in Patagonia, see elephant seals and penguins, but also majestic glaciers and jaw-dropping falls. Travel from north to south and explore the best destinations in Argentina. 

Itinerary

Welcome to your trip to Argentina to Patagonia
Start in Buenos Aires

 

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

Upon arrival,we will drive you to the city and you’ll have the rest of the day to enjoy Buenos Aires at your own pace. Buenos Aires is a marvelous, energetic, cosmopolitan city, full of color and different styles of architecture. 

The capital of Argentina, and described as the Paris of South America, Buenos Aires proudly embraces its title, and also shows off plenty of its own culture! Argentinians are usually eager to host visitors; if you walk the streets with a map, someone will surely stop and ask if you need directions…that’s just our spirit! 

 

Say Hueque Tips

Our recommendations for your first day in Buenos Aires:

  • Don’t know where to start? Don’t worry, che! (“che” means “guy” in Argentina). For this first day, feel free to wander the cobblestone streets lined with outdoor cafes, enjoy the mouthwatering aroma of world-famous Argentine beef sizzling on an open parrilla (barbeque), and browse the local antique and artisan markets that offer plenty of bargain shopping.

 

 

Day1

City tour & tango show
Buenos Aires

 

  • Half-day city tour through Buenos Aires

In the morning we will pick you up from your hotel to enjoy our 5-hour Buenos Aires city tour—you will be swept away by the highlights of our beloved Buenos Aires! Over the course of a half-day you will have the chance to visit the historical and political center of the city; Plaza de Mayo and the Pink House (the presidential house).

Next, we’ll move on to San Telmo, with its cobblestone streets and the oldest residential neighborhood, and then to La Boca where Buenos Aires turns colorful and tango is ever-present. Come walk Caminito street and dance with the locals. The next stop is the chic and aristocratic Recoleta, where the big palaces remind us why Buenos Aires is called the “Paris of the South”.

 

  • Dinner and tango show 

In the evening we’ll pick you up from your hotel to take you to a mystical place where you’ll discover one of our most ancient traditions. Tango is more than our national dance… tango is our immigrant origins, the talent of our local artists, the sensuality of Argentine women and our way to deal with a broken heart; dancing our way through tragic, and yet eternal, love stories.

Tonight you will enjoy a 3-hour professional display of tango and music with a group of local artists onstage immersed in an elegant and alluring place. The manners, ambience, clothes and dance steps which tango-lovers used to practice 100 years ago will come to life again and you will travel back in time for a night.

This spectacular tango show in Buenos Aires will be accompanied by delicious Argentine and international cuisine. Dinner is all-inclusive, beverages included so you can lose yourself in the ethereal taste of Malbec wine. At the end of the evening, around midnight, you will be driven back to your hotel, fully in love with the bohemian spirit of our incredible city. 

This is one of the most interesting cultural experiences in your 2-weeks travel itinerary in Argentina!

 

Say Hueque Tips

  • What you need to know about tango culture in Buenos Aires:

Tango is, all in all, a cultural experience that’s deeply rooted in Argentine hearts. Where do regular people go to dance tango? There are an immense number of dance halls or milongas in Buenos Aires. Some of our favorites are La Viruta -beginners friendly- and Salon Canning -with more advanced clientele- in Palermo neighbourhood. Tango has evolved a big deal in the past years, and now there are also LGBT milongas that encourage a most inclusive practice. 

 

Day2

Start your travel itinerary to Patagonia

 

  • Transfer from your hotel to Buenos Aires airport

It’s time to leave the city and start your adventure trip to Patagonia. Today we’ll pick you up from your hotel and drive you to the airport to take your flight to Puerto Madryn, the wildlife paradise of Patagonia.

 

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

You’ll land in Trelew and then we’ll drive you one hour to your hotel in the city of Puerto Madryn.

Puerto Madryn is the closest city to the famous Peninsula Valdés, where the Southern Right Whales migrate every year to mate and raise their calves. Thousands of travelers make the annual journey to participate in this natural spectacle.

In fact, the Peninsula Valdés Natural Reserve was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site, and is home to many different mammals and birds which can only be seen in this part of the globe. Come to see the whales, as well as short-haired sea lions, magnificent (and huge!) elephant seals, black and white dolphins called ‘toninas’, and the always-adorable Patagonian penguins. This will definitely be one of the highlights of your 3-week journey to Argentina and Chile!.

 

Say Hueque Tips

Our recommended activity for your free day in Puerto Madryn:

  • No activities are scheduled for your arrival day… but there’s always something amazing to discover in Patagonia! We recommend that you visit the Ecocentro, a museum overlooking the coastline, where you can learn about the native wildlife and awaken your inner-ecologist. Experience the feeling of being inside the belly of a whale in a room that is modeled after the size and shape of these enormous creatures, and enjoy some amazing views of the Atlantic Ocean from a tower which doubles as a cozy reading room! Ecocentro is just 30 minutes away from downtown, and can be reached via a breezy walk on the beach.

 

Day3

Puerto Madryn tour
Whale watching in Peninsula Valdes

 

  • Get closer to the whales!

Your first adventure tour in Patagonia starts with a visit to Península Valdés. We’ll pick you up from your hotel and take you explore this amazing wildlife reserve during 10 hours. Get your camera ready for some breathtaking pictures of whales, elephant seals, sea lions, guanacos and rheas!

To get to Peninsula Valdes, you will cross an incredibly narrow strip of land that is sandwiched by the sea on either side. Further along the journey, you will arrive at Caleta Valdes, a large natural creek that is home to a colony of elephant seals who will happily pose for photos.  

After admiring Caleta Valdes and its animal inhabitants, you will continue along the road as it winds through a crescent of golden cliffs overlooking the bright blue bay of Golfo Nuevo and the picturesque village of Puerto Piramides. This is a classic spot for whale watching; every year whales arrive at the bay to mate and raise their calves, which is a once-in-a-lifetime spectacle to see.

In Puerto Piramides, whale watching starts. You will take a 2-hour boat trip around Golfo Nuevo Bay and watch these immense creatures gliding past. This peninsula navigation allows you to get incredibly close to the whales! Enjoy the experience of sailing side-by-side with these beautiful and peaceful animals. At the end of the tour, we will drive you back to your hotel in Puerto Madryn.

 

Say Hueque Tips

Our recommended optional wildlife tour:

  • Now that you have gotten a taste of Patagonia’s wildlife… we recommend that you experience snorkeling with sea lions! Get into the water and play around with these curious creatures; they are never reluctant to get friendly with new visitors. 

 

Day4

Penguins in Punta Tombo
Puerto Madryn

 

  • Walk among the Magellanic penguins of Punta Tombo

We will pick you up from your hotel in the morning and drive 75 miles south Puerto Madryn to Punta Tombo, home to the largest colony of Magellan penguins in South America to continue exploring the beautiful Patagonian wildlife.

The colony’s population reaches over half-a-million birds during peak season, and you’ll have the opportunity to enjoy some waddling with these adorable creatures. You’ll have 2 hours to walk around the reserve, learning about how they feed their babies, build their nests and swim beneath the waves!

After the penguin encounter, you’ll have time to eat a quick lunch at a bar near the reserve, and then head to the Punta Tombo Interpretation Center, where you’ll learn some interesting facts about the lives of Magellanic Penguins. How many types of penguins are there in the world? Why can’t they fly? All of your questions will be answered today!

To end the day, you can choose to visit the Paleontologist Museum in the city of Trelew or return directly to Puerto Madryn.

Day5

Continue your adventure in Patagonia
Travel to Ushuaia

 

  • Transfer from your hotel to Trelew airport

Continue your adventure tours through Patagonia  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 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. 

 

 

Day6

Trekking & paddling in Ushuaia

 

  • 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. 

 

Day7

Patagonia adventure in Ushuaia
Beagle Channel cruise - Travel to El Calafate

 

  • Beagle Channel boat trip and Patagonian wildlife 

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 Patagonian 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. 

 

  • Transfer from your hotel to Ushuaia airport

At the appropriate time in the afternoon, say goodbye to the city at the ‘end of the world’ and catch your ride to the domestic airport to take your flight to El Calafate 

 

  • Transfer from El Calafate airport to your hotel in the city – 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 the starting point for adventure travelers who desire to unearth the most spellbinding glaciers of Patagonia, like Perito Moreno Glacier, the only one 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. 

 

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 travel 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.

 

Day8

Perito Moreno Glacier tour

 

  • 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.  

 

Say Hueque Tips

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 adventure Patagonia tours; we’re sure you won’t regret it.  This is an optional excursion you can add to this day. 

 

Day9

El Calafate
Patagonian ranch

 

  • Optional tour – Visit to a traditional Patagonian ranch

El Calafate has much more to offer than just its magnificent glaciers… we recommend that you complete your adventure trip to Patagonia by taking a day tour to immerse yourself in the rural culture of Patagonia.

Inside Glaciers National Park, at the end of National Route 15 and after a 1 hr 30 min drive over a rubble road, sits one of the oldest and most traditional Patagonian ranches in the area. It’s the only ranch that continues to maintain sheep and Hereford cattle-breeding as its main occupation.

You can take a day trip to visit its 30,000 acres of land, learn about its history, and witness a sheep-shearing demonstration and horse-training. At the end of the day, a grilled lambed will await, sizzling on its traditional Patagonian rotisserie.

 

Day10

The end of your adventure tours in Patagonia
Travel back to Buenos Aires

 

  • Transfer from your hotel to El Calafate airport

Today you’ll fly to Buenos Aires for a one-night stop, and then fly from Buenos Aires to Iguazú Falls the next day. We’ll pick you up from your hotel and take you to the airport.

 

  • Transfer from Buenos Aires airport to your hotel

Upon arrival in Buenos Aires, we’ll be waiting to bring you to your hotel in the city. Enjoy the evening in one of the many trendy restaurants or bars in Palermo Soho, or maybe visit a ‘milonga’ (local tango house) in the city. Don’t be shy! If you can cross the Patagonian glaciers and cruise next to giant whales, then you can definitely mingle with Argentine locals in their favorite dance spots.     

 

Say Hueque Tips

  • What to do in Buenos Aires?

Buenos Aires offers many spectacles (movies, theater, music!) every night. What about visiting the most famous theater of South America? We recommend that you visit Theater Colon, an Argentine opera house with some of the best acoustics in the world. This is one of the prides of Buenos Aires!

Day11

Start your tour to Iguazú falls from Buenos Aires

 

  • Transfer from your hotel to Buenos Aires airport

Prepare to fly from Buenos Aires to the Iguazú Falls and discover the Argentine jungle! We’ll pick you up and drive you to the local airport to take your flight to Puerto 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 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.

 

Day12

Iguazú Falls, Argentinian side

 

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

You flew from Buenos Aires to Iguazú Falls to live this experience! 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.

 

Say Hueque Tips

  • 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!).

 

Day13

Iguazú Falls Tour, Brazilian side
Travel back to Buenos Aires

 

  •  Visit the Brazilian side of Iguazú National Park

After breakfast, enjoy a 4-hour excursion to the Brazilian side of Iguazú Falls. 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 the water! Although you’ll be looking into Argentina, your feet will be on the ground in Brazil! Where does Argentina start and Brazil end? Well, it’s time to walk the line.

Back from the footbridge, you’ll have some free time to use the restrooms, visit the gift shop and take a special elevator to an especially high viewpoint. At the end of the tour, 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. 

 

Day14

The end of your trip to Argentina

 

  • 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 would you 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. 

 

Day15

If this trip doesn’t meet your expectations we can tailor it to your needs and budget.

Prices per person

INN & B&B

From

USD 4810

View INN & B&B Hotels

Comfort

From

USD 5340

View Comfort Hotels

Superior

From

USD 5925

View Superior Hotels

PRICING

  • Prices in US Dollars.
  • Valid until April 2024 (ask for prices in Christmas and New Year).
  • Prices are per person, based on 2 people in double occupancy. Single rates are available on request.
  • Flights are not included in the price, but can be arranged on request.
  • We care deeply about our planet, as we know you do. When you book with us, the carbon emissions from your trip are 100% offset. We are working to create more sustainable, responsible and meaningful ways of exploring South America.

PEACE OF MIND THIS IS A CARBON NEUTRAL TRIP

We care deeply about our planet, as we know you do. When you book with us, the carbon emissions from your trip are 100% offset. We are working to create more sustainable, responsible and meaningful ways of exploring South America. It feels good to do it right. Learn more about our actions against climate change here.

INCLUDED

  • 4-night accommodation in Buenos Aires
  • 3-night accommodation in Puerto Madryn
  • 2-night accommodation in Ushuaia
  • 3-night accommodation in El Calafate
  • 2-night accommodation in Puerto Iguazú
  • Transfers and tours mentioned in the itinerary
  • Daily breakfast
  • Meals according to the itinerary: snacks and dinner on day 2; boxed lunch on day 7
  • Destination host local support
  • Bilingual local guide (English / Spanish)

NOT INCLUDED

  • International or domestic flights
  • National Park entrance fees
  • Brazilian Visa: citizens of some nationalities (excepting US, Canada, Japan and Australia) are required to present a tourist visa to enter Brazil. Please check the requirements with the consulate of your country.
  • Iguazú Eco Fee: this is a mandatory tax that you have to pay once you get to your hotel in Iguazú. It’s about $5 usd per guest, per night, and it varies according to your hotel category. Only cash is accepted.
  • The port boarding tax is not included on day 8
  • Travel / Medical Insurance – To get a free quote please follow this link: World Nomads

FLIGHTS NEEDED
FOR THIS ITINERARY

Buenos Aires ­– Trelew– Ushuaia – El Calafate – Buenos Aires – Iguazu – Buenos Aires

Flights in South America cost approximately $150 to $300 USD per segment (destination). We offer special rates on flights for this tailor-made itinerary.

FLIGHTS NEEDED
FOR THIS ITINERARY

Buenos Aires ­– Trelew– Ushuaia – El Calafate – Buenos Aires – Iguazu – Buenos Aires

Flights in South America cost approximately $150 to $300 USD per segment (destination). We offer special rates on flights for this tailor-made itinerary.