Family Adventure in Patagonia: Penguins & Glaciers

• Transfer from your hotel to the airport / Transfer from the airport to your hotel

Today we’ll pick you up from your hotel in Buenos Aires and drive you to the airport to take your flight to El Calafate and start your family Patagonian adventure! Upon arrival, you will be met at the airport and take a private transfer to your hotel. No matter how early you get to the hotel in the morning, your room will be ready for you upon arrival: early check-in is guaranteed. 

• Optional tours – Visit a Patagonian estancia

El Calafate is a starting point for adventure travelers who desire to unearth the natural wonders of Patagonia, like Perito Moreno Glacier. But is El Calafate only about the glaciers? Well, yes and no… though glaciers are the main attraction, you will also have plenty to discover about Argentina’s rural, indigenous culture. 

Start your family adventure trip to Patagonia with a visit to a traditional Patagonian ranch. Depart from your hotel in a minivan headed toward Glacier National Park. Leave El Calafate behind and travel for 1hr 30mins with the snow-capped Cerro Frías as your backdrop. Once inside the National Park, make your way to Nibepo Aike Ranch, the only ranch in the area that has maintained the traditions of sheep shearing and Hereford cattle breeding as its primary focus.

Enjoy an inviting hot drink and a delicious snack in the classic quincho (rustic dining room)! Walk the coast of Lago Argentino, watch how a real gaucho (the Argentine cowboy) works the shearing shed, and view a unique demonstration of gaucho horsemanship. Depending on the day’s activities, you might help milk the cows, herd sheep, or learn the history behind the founders of the estancia. At the end of the day, return to the quincho, where a mouth-watering grilled lamb awaits, sizzling over the traditional Patagonian fire pit. Take the same road and transportation to return to El Calafate.    

• Why your kids will love it

The kids will have varied options for outdoor activities to discover the terrain, and the native fauna, and to be in contact with locals. They will also get to taste some homemade traditional dishes— this is the perfect time to leave hamburgers and french fries behind!

• Why you will like it

This is your opportunity to immerse yourself in some famous, wild Patagonian landscapes, and to come into true contact with nature, speak with locals, and enjoy a delicious asado (barbecue).

• Full-day Mayo Trek boat trip – Discover the Perito Moreno glacier!

Get ready to explore secluded glaciers, only reachable by boat, in an 8-hour day trip combining short boat trips and hikes. Start the day with a pick-up at your hotel, travel to Puerto Bandera inside Glaciers National Park, and embark on today’s first navigation.

Sail Mayo Channel and disembark at Toro Bay to hike through the Patagonian forest; your specialized guide will tell you about the vegetation of this area (very different from other varieties inside the park) and show you the ancient cherry tree and its 10-foot-diameter trunk. Tell your kids that they can call it El Abuelo (grandpa), as locals have nicknamed it, and prepare yourselves to discover a waterfall!

Set sail again towards Cerro Negro (Black Hill), where you’ll do a soft, half-mile hike to the base of the hill to admire the massive Black Glacier.

Enjoy your free time in this place that not many travelers have seen, before departing for our third stop, the famous Perito Moreno Glacier. As the boat passes by the immense icy wall, put on your beanie and grab your camera, because you may see a piece of ice breaking off and crashing into the water below!

Finally, you’ll disembark at Puerto Moreno, where you can enjoy your free time wandering across the traditional catwalk circuit that surrounds the glacier before sailing back to Puerto Bandera.

• Visit the Glaciarium Museum 

On your way back to El Calafate make a stop at the Glaciarium Museum and learn about the history of the glaciers and their first explorers. Interactive screens, a synchronized projection, and the natural sounds of ice caves playing throughout the museum’s hall will immerse you in the glaciers’ fascinating history. At the end of your tour, we’ll drive you back to El Calafate.

• Why your kids will love it

The special boat trip is always a thrilling and memorable part of the El Calafate trip, especially for the youngest members of your family! They will feel like little sailors and explorers of the lake. Plus, this tour is the perfect combination of short navigations and hikes, which will keep little explorers entertained and active. 

• Why you will love it

Apart from the amazing landscapes, you’ll enjoy the comforts of free-flowing tea and medialunas (Argentine croissants) on board the tour boat. Also, you’ll get to see the magnificent Perito Moreno Glacier up close, passing right by its huge ice wall, and end your visit with a modern multimedia museum.

• Optional tour to Cerro Frias adventure hub

For your free day in El Calafate, if you’re still wanting to get active and visit another highlight of the area, we recommend that you visit Cerro Frías, an outdoor activity center. We’ll pick you up from your hotel and drive you 20 minutes outside of Calafate to Alice Ranch in Cerro Frías.

This ranch still maintains its traditional activities, its cattle, and its natural guanaco reserve. Enjoy any of the activities offered at the ranch: 4×4 rides to explore the area, horseback riding along beautiful slopes, or gliding down South America’s longest zipline. There’s an option for all ages and interests! 

At the end of the day, enjoy lunch or dinner in the elegant quincho (this is the typical place to gather and cook asados, the Argentine barbecue), and during tea time, enjoy maté (Argentine herbal tea) and traditional Argentine pastries. At the end of this 6-hour tour, we’ll drive you back to El Calafate to have some relaxing family time. 

• Optional walk to Laguna Nimez

If you would prefer to stay in town, you definitely must stop by Laguna Nimes, an ecological reserve that hosts 80 different types of birds, including the Chilean Flamingo, and includes a fun, little hike that’s perfect for kids! Then, enjoy a hearty lunch at Buenos Cruces restaurant; try the guanaco meatloaf or the nut-crusted trout while your kids run around in the play area.

• Transfer from your hotel to the airport / Transfer from the airport to your hotel

Today we’ll pick you up from your hotel in El Calafate and drive you to the airport to take your flight to Ushuaia. The southernmost city in the world, Ushuaia is nestled between the Andes and the famous Beagle Channel and will welcome you and your family with open arms. Ushuaia is a small town which is easy to get around on foot. Upon arrival, you’ll be transferred to your hotel in the city.

• Short city tour to see Ushuaia

Get ready for your 2-hour city tour, introducing you to the most important viewpoints, from North to South. Follow your local guide through the waterfront promenade, reach the former government house and the End of the World Museum, and learn the stories of the first inhabitants of the area. Walk the historic neighborhoods, and get the best views of the bay and the Beagle Channel.

Along the way, your guide will tell you about how this secluded spot on Earth became populated after 300 years of hard work, and after having hosted the most dangerous criminals in the famous End of the World Prison which is now a museum. Return to your hotel to enjoy some leisure time.

At night, don’t forget to try out the local gastronomy! Ushuaia is the best place to eat seafood in Argentina, so be sure to taste the Blake hake and the King Crab.

• Why your kids will love it

 Your kids will be glad to have a new person (besides their parents) to satisfy their curious minds. Our local guide, who specialized in children and family tours, will be more than happy to answer their questions in an engaging and friendly way. 

• Why you will love it

This is a private tour, so you will be able to explore the city at your own pace, focusing on the personal interests of each member of the family.

• Full-day visit to Tierra del Fuego National Park 

Prepare to explore the Tierra del Fuego National Park for 8 hours, and discover the wildest and most beautiful destination in Ushuaia. Our guides will direct the whole family through the most breathtaking secrets of this national gem.

We’ll drive 40 minutes outside of downtown Ushuaia to reach the park, where we’ll start with a moderately difficult 3-hour hike through the Costera Path, discovering the remains and relics of the Yamanas. Reach the immense Lake Roca (whose waters flow between Argentine and Chilean territories) and have lunch in a conditioned dome.

After a safety and technical talk, you and your children can grab the oar and plunge into a 1 hr 30 min canoeing trip along Lapataia River. Make it to Lapataia Bay, where the Panamerican Highway and National Route 3 end at the true end of the world. From there, return to your hotel in Ushuaia to enjoy the rest of the evening.

• Why your kids will love it

They are sure to enjoy a full day exploring the park, in complete contact with nature. Jumping rabbits and full rainbows are frequent spectacles in this magical place. They will learn about flora, ecology, and geology excitingly and engagingly, all while exploring some of the most photogenic sites in Argentina.

• Why you will love it

This is a very special place for travelers of all ages. Standing over Lapataia Bay, staring down the icy Beagle Channel, you will get to experience the rewards of all good adventures…play with your kids in the wild and amazed them by telling them they’re far away from home…more than ever, at 10.000 miles of Alaska!

If paddling seems a bit too adventurous for your family, you can switch for a ride in the Tren del Fin del Mundo (the Train to the End of the World), a kids’ favorite.

• Visit Harberton Ranch and walk among penguins

We’ll pick you up from your hotel to start an amazing day! We will drive to Harberton Ranch, passing by the Chilean town of Puerto Williams on Navarino Island. At the ranch, you’ll hop aboard another boat and travel to Isla Martillo where you will enjoy an hour-long guided stroll amongst Magellanic and Gentoo penguins (always a favorite for youngsters). Once back at the Estancia, there will be time for lunch and visiting the Acatushún Museum to learn more about the marine wildlife of Tierra del Fuego.

• Why your kids will love it

WALKING WITH PENGUINS! That’s all we have to say about this… but we would also recommend challenging them to see how many different kinds of birds they can spot and identify at Isla de Los Pájaros! Then, tell them to take their best picture of a yawning sea lion.

• Why you will love it

Have fun with your kids spotting wild animals in their natural habitats! The visit to the Magellanic Penguin is a unique experience to get closer than ever to these curious and super cute animals.  

•  Transfer from your hotel to the airport

At the appropriate time, you will be taken to Ushuaia Airport to board your flight. Your family vacations to Patagonia are over! Time to return home…but not empty-handed! After this 10-day transformative journey, you’ll learn a ton about Buenos Aires, Patagonia, yourself, and your kids. The result: lots of family memories to treasure. Start planning your next travel adventure with your family, we have much more ideas for you…