Best of Argentina Trip

• 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 to a Patagonian ranch

El Calafate has much more to offer than just its magnificent glaciers… we recommend that you complete this adventure 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 lamb will await, sizzling on its traditional Patagonian rotisserie.

If you would like to add on this tour for your free day, just let your travel advisor know.

• Transfer from your hotel to El Calafate airport

This morning we’ll pick you up from your hotel and drive you to the airport to take your flight to Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the globe. 

• Transfer from Ushuaia airport to your hotel

Upon arrival, we’ll be waiting to take you to your hotel, and after you’ll start exploring Ushuaia with a boat tour through the famous Beagle Channel!

• Beagle Channel boat tour, visit 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 you reach 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 add to this day the Magellanic Penguin Rookery Tour on Martillo Island (available from October to April at an additional cost). On Martillo Island, you will also see a very rare type of penguin that is typically only found in Antarctica: the yellow-crested penguin.

• 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 await 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.

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• Other recommended activities in Tierra del Fuego National Park

If paddling seems a bit too adventurous for you, you can always change this tour for a ride in the Tren del Fin del Mundo, a traditional train that preserves its original wagons and follows the old trail used by the convicts of Ushuaia’s famous prison to get inside the park and make their daily chores. Take this beautiful train, pass by a river, hike to the base of a hidden waterfall, and visit a limited-access area of the park.

• Transfer from your hotel to Ushuaia airport

Today, we’ll pick you up at your hotel and drive to the local airport—Time to fly to the Wine Country! 

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

Upon arrival to Mendoza, we’ll meet and drive you to your hotel. Mendoza is Argentina’s main wine region, the heartland of the Malbec grape (and other tasty types), and home to impressive mountains like the forbidding Aconcagua, the tantalizing summit for seasoned climbers around the world.

Mendoza is also the land of pleasure-seeker travelers. Enjoy your free day swimming in the pool facing a gorgeous mountain view or in wild hot springs. You can also take lunch in a vineyard—pair your relaxing evening with cutting-edge local wines. People travel from afar to taste that heavenly drop squeezed from the unique Malbec grape.

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What to do in Mendoza?

• Enjoy an adventurous trip from Mendoza to Uspallata on a 4WD truck with an expert off-road driver, to discover the most special sites in the Andes Range inside Aconcagua National Park.

• If you love horses, enjoy horseback riding and relax in one of the most stunning natural settings of Mendoza. Know and watch the flora, fauna, geology, traditions, gastronomy, and history of the region. Enjoy a delicious lunch at the ‘Puesto’, a local cattle station owned by a ‘baqueano’ (a person who lives in small settlements in the mountains).

• Wine tour in Mendoza – Visit two of the best wineries in Luján de Cuyo or Maipu Valley

Take a 4-hour trip to visit two of the best wineries in the area with a small group and a bilingual guide. Discover Argentina’s most famous wines and learn the secrets of the wine-making process directly from the experts.

We’ll travel for 30 min. away from the city of Mendoza to Lujan de Cuyo or Maipú Valley, where the perfect combination of fertile valleys and high mountains creates the perfect conditions for world-renowned wineries to settle down.

You’ll travel around the area and soak up the wine philosophy, all while tasting the delicious, locally-produced Cabernet and Malbec grapes guided by a wine expert. In the afternoon we’ll take you back to your hotel to enjoy another relaxing evening in town.

• Full-day visit to the Cordillera de los Andes viewpoints and Mt. Aconcagua

Have you ever climbed high in life? Today is your chance! You’ll visit the Cordillera de los Andes, one of the largest mountain ranges in the world, and the backbone of Latin America.

 This day starts bright and early in the morning, right after breakfast. We’ll pick you up at your hotel and take you on a 12-hour trip to visit stunning viewpoints and discover stunning views of Mount Aconcagua (22600 f.a.s.l), the second-highest peak in the world after the Himalayas Range.

 Make sure to bring your coat! Even in Summer, it always gets cold at higher altitudes. We’ll take National Route 7 to get to the impressive Potrerillos viewpoint, where you’ll see a colossal dam at the edge of the enthralling Cacheuta Valley, famous for its thermal waters.

 Further ahead, the Puente del Inca will arise at the verge of the Las Cuevas River. This beautiful natural monument is famous for its healing hot springs and its golden-tinted rocks. There was a time when this bridge didn’t even exist. The legend says that a group of Inca warriors, trying to help the emperor’s son to reach the healing waters, grabbed their hands and made a human bridge which the gods decided to transform into the actual rocky bridge.     

 From here, you’ll also appreciate the magnificence of Mount Aconcagua, the “Colossus of America”. We’ll continue visiting Los Penitentes, the famous ski center, and in the town of Las Cuevas (at 10500 f.a.s.l) we’ll stop to have lunch (not included) before heading to the Cristo Redentor de los Andes (Andes Christ Redeemer).

 Only available in Summer and if weather permits, we’ll drive to the giant bronze statue, created in 1904 to preserve peace between Chile and Argentina. In the afternoon, after having visited this paradise in the sky, we’ll take you back to your hotel.

• Transfer from your hotel to Mendoza airport

This is the end of your wine trip, but the beginning of your jungle exploration of Puerto Iguazú, the hometown of the world-famous Iguazú Falls. At the appropriate time, we’ll pick you up from your hotel and drive you to the airport to take your flight.

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

Upon arrival, we will meet at the airport and drive you to your hotel in Puerto Iguazú, the small border town that is the gateway to visit the impressive Iguazú Falls, one of the Seven Natural Wonders and a UNESCO World Heritage site.

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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 the 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 specialized 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, and 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 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!).

• Tour to Iguazú Falls, Brazilian side

After breakfast, enjoy a 4-hour excursion to the Brazilian side of Iguazú Falls. You’ll be crossing borders today so please, 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 on 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.

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• 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 Puerto Iguazú airport

Time to say your goodbyes to the falls! In the morning we’ll drive you to the airport to board your flight back to Buenos Aires. 

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

Upon landing in Buenos Aires, we’ll be waiting to bring you to your hotel. Enjoy your last day in the city exploring the cobblestone, tree-lined streets of Palermo Soho in search of some one-of-a-kind Porteño fashion stores, the district’s notable graffiti circuit, and the beautiful Botanical Garden. 

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What to do in Buenos Aires?

• 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 it’s Saturday or Sunday, you may have the chance to visit one of the city markets, only open during weekends. 

• Buenos Aires offers many spectacles (movies, theater, music!) every night. What about ending your travel adventure by visiting the most famous theater in South America? 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

This is the end of your travel itinerary to the best landscapes of Argentina and Patagonia. After saying your goodbyes to our marvelous city, we’ll take you to the international airport to take your flight back home. If you want to continue traveling, Argentina still has plenty to offer! Check out some more of our travelers’ favorite trips to Argentina and Chile.