Patagonia-North & South Explorer

Day 1 Buenos Aires

Arrive in Buenos Aires and transfer to the hotel. There are no planned activities, so check-in and enjoy the city. In the evening we will meet our fellow group members to go over the details of our trip. Check the notice board (or ask reception) to see the exact time and location of our group meeting.

The capital city of Argentina, Buenos Aires is the ultimate cosmopolitan city. Travelers find that it has more in common with the cities of Europe than the rest of South America. Nearly 40 per cent of Argentina’s 33 million citizens live in greater Buenos Aires, and the Porteños are justifiably proud of their home. The city is comprised of a number of distinct neighborhoods, some of which have become top tourist draws. For many, the highlight of their time in the capital is a visit to San Telmo for the weekend antiques market and street artist displays.

La Boca was originally settled by the successive waves of immigrants that contribute to the capital’s unique character. Its brightly colored walls and buildings draw Porteños and tourists alike, and it is here that the world-class football team, Boca Juniors, plies its trade. A Sunday afternoon match at the fabled Bombonera is not to be missed. Posh Recoleta, with its cafes, museums and cemetery, is a pleasant place to spend an afternoon.

During colonial days Buenos Aires was the seat of the Viceroy of La Plata. Almost completely rebuilt since the turn of the century, the heart of the city is the Plaza de Mayo, with the historic Cabildo, Town Hall, where the independence movement was first planned, the Casa Rosada, Government Palace and the Cathedral where San Martín, the father of Argentine independence, is buried.

Be sure to enjoy a drink in one of the many sidewalk cafes and restaurants to understand the contemplative Argentine way of life.

Day 2-3 Bariloche (2B)

Catch our flight to northern Patagonia and the pristine lake district. Enjoy the highlights of the scenic San Carlos de Bariloche on a circuito chico tour with stops at local artisanal producers specializing in chocolate, beer, and jams. Free time to explore the town or hike through the countryside.

Founded in 1902, Bariloche is on the shores of Lake Nahuel Huapi and is surrounded by mountains and forests. Its name is a play on the words “Carlos Wiederhold”, who settled down the first general store in the area (that is what “San Carlos” stands for), and a deformation of the word “vuriloche” (“different people, people from the back or from the other side”), used by the Mapuche people to refer to other native dwellers from the eastern zone of the Andes Mountain Range before their own arrival in this region.

Bariloche is the gateway Nahuel Huapi National Park, second largest National Park and the first established in Argentina (1903). The region boasts a broken mirror puzzle of lakes, forest, mountains and rivers running along sharp fluvial valleys and dominated by Cerro Tronador (“Thunder Hill”), an inactive volcano that rises 3554 metres above sea level, with 3 glacier covered summits and 8 glaciers falling on eithe sides of the mountain which make it a reference mountain in Patagonia. Other mountains such as López, Catedral, Capilla and Negro, all rise above 2000 metres in altitude and are visible from town and from the different viewpoints along local roads.

It lies 1,640 kilometers from Buenos Aires and it offers first-class accommodation and gastronomical services. In the summer, trout and salmonidae fly-fishing and sports recreation (especially hiking, river rafting and walks around ancient forests, as well as climbing most of the peaks surrounding the city) are some of the activities enjoyed by visitors to this great city. During the winter, the first snowfalls announce the beginning of the ski season and the practice of winter sports at mythical Mount Catedral, considered one of the most important ski resorts in the country. Tours on mountain bike, rowing and horseback rides with the possibility of camping in the thick forests with natural rivers and lakes turn the city outskirts into an ideal setting to have fun with the family. For all these reasons, Bariloche, where youths have spent their graduation trip for decades, has everything all generations look for.

The urban centre of the Argentine Lake District, Bariloche in many ways resembles alpine resorts of Europe. During winter ski season the town fills to capacity with jovial Argentine and Brazilian vacationers whose favourite pastime seems to be eating and drinking. Their gusto is understandable; Bariloche has some of the best food in the country. Sample a beefy parrillada, or a variety of fresh salmon or lake trout, then work it off during a day hike around Cerro Catedral or while practicing your salsa at one of the town’s salsotecas. Careful—Bariloche is also famous for its quality and quantity of chocolate!

Day 2 Travel:
Buenos Aires to Bariloche
Approximate distance: 1640 Km
Approximate flight time: 1.5 hours

Day 4-5 Puerto Varas (2B)

Travel by bus and ferry to Puerto Varas, in the stunning Chilean Lake District. Enjoy the sights from the ‘Cruce de los Lagos’ ferry, considered one of the most scenic cruises in the world. On Day 5, option to take an excursion to Chiloe’ Island or visit the volcano.

Encompassing a narrow strip of land between the Pacific Ocean and the high peaks of the Andes-approximately 180 km (112 miles) wide, but with a coastline stretching over 4300 km (14104 ft), Chile’s ‘geografia loca’ (as termed by Benjamin Subercasseaux) includes the driest desert, the Atacama in the north, the agriculturally rich Central Valley, snow-covered volcanoes, forests and tranquil lakes of the near south, and the wild and windswept glaciers and fjords of the far south. And the cuisine at times rivals the natural setting!

Puerto Varas is a city located in the the Southern Chilean province of Llanquique in the Los Lagos (Lake District) region of Chile. The Lakes District is considered the gateway to Chilean Patagonia and Puerto Varas is the most important tourist centre of the region. Located roughly 996 Km (618 miles) to the south of Santiago, it sits on the southern shore of Lake Llanquique, one of the large natural lakes of South America, and boasts a magnificent backdrop of the snowcapped Osorno and Calbuco Volcanoes.

There are few areas in the world that can match the Chilean Lake District for scenic grandeur. South of the Rio Tolten and sprawled across the provinces of Valdivia, Osorno and Llanquihue, you’ll find everything from snow-capped mountains to deep-blue and emerald lakes, smoking volcanoes, forests and glaciers. Outside noisy cities, such as Puerto Montt, the loudest sound you’re likely to hear is the roar of waterfalls streaming down cliff faces into crystal clear pools. This is a favourite vacation ground for domestic tourists, visitors from across the Andes and around the globe.

The region’s architecture is unique in that older structures are wooden and resemble European homes and churches of the 19th Century. This is due to the significant number of immigrants from central Europe (largely Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Italy) who settled here over the last half of that century. The regional cuisine also reflects this, with many restaurants specializing in kuchen and other baked delicacies. Seafood dishes also abound in this region. Of particular interest to visitors is the curanto Chilote, a hearty seafood stew that’ll leave you ready for a siesta.

Day 4 Travel:
Bariloche to Puerto Varas
Approximate journey time: 10-11 hours
Note: This journey is by comfortable bus and scenic ferry and crosses the Chilean/Argentine Border. Travel time is approx. and based on time of year and weather conditions.

Day 6-7 Torres del Paine National Park (2B,1L,1D)

Catch a flight to Punta Arenas then transfer by private bus to stunning Torres del Paine National Park. On day 5 Take a full-day excursion in the national park with an expert guide and enjoy breathtaking views and scenery. Stop at Grey River and the park office, then continue through the Grey Bridge to the forest zone and Grey Lake whose ice mass is stunning against the surrounding landscape. From here we hike along the path to get a closer view of Grey glacier with its huge ice blocks resting in the lake. Continue on to Paine river and admire the pure turquoise colours of Pehoé Lake before a short walk to Nordenskjold Lake for wonderful view of the Paine Horns. Also visit Sarmiento Lake, Amarga Lagoon, Paine Falls and the Azul Lagoon

The granite Towers of Paine make a sudden and dramatic appearance on the horizon in the midst of a flat, dry, wind-swept plain. Despite the almost constant summer winds, this is some of the finest trekking country in Chile. Endowed with severe mountains, sparkling lakes, waterfalls and glaciers, as well as herds of guanacos, majestic condors, flocks of pink flamingos and large Patagonian hares, the park’s international attraction is immediately evident.

Words cannot describe the majesty and beauty of this National Park in Chilean Patagonia. Few people have the opportunity to see this area and those who do will find it difficult to forget its vivid colours and tranquility. One of the many thriving legends concerns the origin of the park’s name. Locals insist that ìpaineî is derived from the Tehuelche Indian word for the colour blue, while others say it is the name of an original Welsh settler to the area. Once a large sheep estancia, the park was established in 1959 as the Parque Nacional Lago Grey. Prior to this, baqueanos (cowboys) grazed their flocks here and fires occasionally burnt out of control. The devastation wrought near Lago Grey remains visible to this day, with large areas of burnt forest and charred logs. More land was added to the park in 1962 and the name was changed to its present one. The Torre (Tower) Sur rises 2900m (9512 ft) above sea level, the Torre Central is 2850m (9348 ft) high and the Torre Norte measures 2600m (8528 ft). The Cuernos (Horns) del Paine, massive blocks of various rock layers and visible from great distances, are as spectacular as the towers themselves.

Discover magnificent trekking country within this last region, where guanacos, ñandues (rheas), condors, pink flamingos and magellanic penguins abound. The region also boasts some of the world’s finest salmon and trout fishing, and the cuisine at times rivals the natural setting. A gold mine of undiscovered destinations and surprises, this country and its friendly and hospitable people will no doubt make a mark on your memories and leave you with a smile.

Day 8-9 El Calafate (2B)

Drive to El Calafate. On Day 9, take a guided tour to the stunning Perito Moreno Glacier. Option to take a boat up to the front of the glacier.

Drive towards the lofty peaks to the dynamic Moreno Glacier, within Glacier National Park. We may spot condors, rheas, eagles or flamingos en route, but the real star of the day is the glacier itself, located at the southern terminus of Glacier National Park. Sliding down from atop the southern continental ice field, Moreno’s 60m (197 ft) wall of ice sporadically chokes off the narrow Canal de los Tempanos (Channel of Ice Bergs) creating a natural ice dam, which eventually explodes in a dynamic display of force.

The Southern Patagonian ice field, the third largest on the planet (after Antarctica and Greenland) is the source of all the area’s glaciers, including Moreno, Onelli, Viedma and Upsala. Moreno Glacier, this massive river of frozen water and huge chunks of ice moves down constantly crashing into the lake waters below. Very dynamic, Moreno is one of the very few glaciers left in the world that is in equilibrium. It is simply enormous: 1 km (half a mile) wide and 60m (196 ft) high.

Day 10-11 Ushuaia (2B)

Fly to Ushuaia at the end of the earth. On Day 11 embark on an excursion to Tierra del Fuego National Park. Free time to explore this unique and historical town with option to visit the prison museum.

Ushuaia, is the southernmost city in the world, on the shores of the Beagle Channel. Ushuaia actually means “the bay facing westward” in the language of the original Yamaná inhabitants. Once a penal colony for political prisoners as well as hardened criminals (the presidio was disbanded in the 1940s), Ushuaia is now a major tourist attraction, particularly for people cruising to Antarctica. The town of 70 000 is also a major ski resort area for both alpine and cross-country skiers and offers magnificent hiking in Parque Nacional Tierra del Fuego, the only coastal national park in Argentina.

Day 12-13 Buenos Aires (2B,1D)

Fly back to Buenos Aires. On Day 13, enjoy a city tour and professional tango dinner show.

Later in the day we discover the true Buenos Aires and the passion of Tango. Argentine Tango is traditionally danced with a close embrace, but with time it has opened up to allow space for embellishments. The dance essentially is walking with a partner in time with the music, but a good tango dancer will make us see the music. A major part of Tango is improvisation, and although many steps are considered common, true Tango dancers will tell you that there is no basic step. It is different to traditional couple dances as it does not have a strict pattern and relies upon instinct and understanding between the couple

The exact origins are lost in history, but the generally accepted theory is that during the mid-1800s African slaves were brought to Argentina and began to influence local culture. Whatever the origin, it became renowned with the place where African slaves and free African Americans came to dance.

It is most likely that Tango rose from African-Argentine dance venues frequented by compadritos, young native men, with little money and dressed in sluch hats, neckerchiefs, heeled boots and the customary knife tucked into the belt. These compadritos took the dance back into the poorer districts of Buenos Aires and it became commonplace in bars, dance halls and brothels. It was in these places that the African rhythms met the Argentine milongo music (a fast-paced polka) and very quickly the first steps of Tango took form.

Day 14 Buenos Aires (1B)

Depart at any time.