17-Day Argentina Adventure Tour with Patagonia Treks and Kayaking

1

Day 01

Arrival in Buenos Aires and Argentine Dinner

• Upon arriving at the airport in Buenos Aires, transfer to the hotel in the city. Along the way, receive all the information needed for the trip.
• Check in to the accommodation and take some time to explore Buenos Aires.
• Enjoy a traditional Argentine dinner and taste the headline dish of exquisitely cooked fillet steak, accompanied by free-flowing Malbec.

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Day 02

Buenos Aires Bike Tour through Palermo and Recoleta

• Enjoy the green spaces of Palermo and the aristocracy of Recoleta.
• After a brief orientation on what to expect for the day, begin the bike ride through the "lungs" of Buenos Aires in the Palermo Woods district. Stop and enjoy the beautiful Rose Garden of Carlos Thays.
• Cycle along the bike lane and come across many Parisian-style mansions of Palermo Chico and Barrio Parque, most of which have been converted into embassies.
• Just a little further down the trail, enter the neighborhood of Recoleta.
• Take a few quick stops along the way and visit the metal flower, the University of Buenos Aires, the National Library, and Plaza Evita.
• Explore inside this extravagant display of mausoleums, where most of Argentina's aristocracy of yesterday rests in peace.
• Have lunch in the lovely neighborhood of Palermo Soho.
• Pass through the two picturesque areas of Plaza Güemes and Plaza Serrano.

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Day 03

Fly to San Carlos de Bariloche

• After breakfast, transfer to the airport to board the domestic flight to San Carlos de Bariloche, located in the Patagonian region of Argentina.
• Upon arrival at the airport, drive to the hotel.

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Day 04

Bariloche Bike Tour with Lakes and Mountain Views

• Passengers will be picked up from their lodging and driven to the starting point of the circuit.
• Depart along the old dirt roads that used to connect the city with the old farming area. The ride has moderate slopes alternating with mild slopes.
• Prepare to discover fabulous views of Moreno Lake and the surrounding mountains, Goye or Bella Vista, before being immersed in an area of small farms until reaching historic Colonia Suiza along a cliff road, where you will stop to rest and appreciate the landscape.
• Continue for some kilometers along a dirt road and take the paved road of the traditional Circuito Chico to reach the famous "Punto Panorámico" (Panoramic Viewpoint), and see the most fascinating views of Llao Llao Hotel, Moreno and Nahuel Huapi lakes, Victoria Island, and the Andes Range.
• The vehicle will be waiting at the meeting point.

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Day 05

Full-Day Kayaking Adventure

• Pick up passengers at their lodging and drive them to the lake, followed by a safety orientation talk and gear provision.
• Start the kayaking trip.
• Tour around different beaches and marvel at each new landscape that unfolds before you.
• Disembark on a protected beach to rest and savor a well-deserved snack or an energizing lunch before starting to paddle on the way back.
• Get to the meeting point and drive back to the lodging.

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Day 06

Fly to El Calafate

• Pick up from the hotel and transfer to the airport to catch the flight to El Calafate.
• Upon arrival, welcome and transfer to the hotel.
• Enjoy the evening at leisure.

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Day 07

Perito Moreno Glacier Ice Trek

• Early in the morning, pick up from the hotel and take Route 11 toward Los Glaciares National Park, the base of today's adventure.
• Head to Puerto Bajo de Las Sombras (Under the Shadows Port) to board a small ship and cross the Rico Branch on a 20-minute navigation. On the opposite coast, meet with the tour guides.
• Go on a 20-minute walk through the forest. Put on the crampons and walk directly on the ice.
• After 30 minutes, arrive at the Perito Moreno Glacier.
• Be back on the coast, navigate to the pier by ship, and move on to the lookout points or catwalks of the glacier.
• Enjoy some free time taking in the breathtaking views and visiting the National Park for about 45 minutes.
• Return to El Calafate late in the afternoon.

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Day 08

Estancia Cristina and Gully of Fossils Adventure

• After breakfast, start the tour along Route 11 towards Punta Bandera Port.
• Get on a catamaran to sail among icebergs and enjoy stunning scenery overlooking the western front of the Upsala Glacier.
• Cross the Cristina Channel to finally disembark at a small pier located 800 m away from Cristina Country Estate, a unique place in Patagonia, where the Gully of the Fossils adventure begins.
• Climb by ATVs, travelling 9.5 km through mountain trails, and explore a landscape that until recently was covered by glaciers and is a place of great geological interest. Enjoy the privileged view of the Eastern Front of the Upsala Glacier, Guillermo Lake, the Southern Patagonian Ice Sheet, and the Andes Mountain Range.
• Go down in search of the Gully of Fossils, a marine fossil deposit. There is a valley with unique features inside the park. A box lunch will be served during the tour.
• Return to the Country Estate to board the boat later on at 5 pm.
• Arrive at Punta Bandera Port at about 7:00 pm and transfer to the hotel.

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Day 09

Transfer to El Chaltén

• Pick up at the hotel and transfer to the hotel in El Chaltén. The ride will take approximately four hours. This small town is located about 134 miles away from El Calafate, north of Viedma Lake and at the foot of the famous Mount Fitz Roy. Along with incredible views, this is a great home base for outdoor activities, including high- and low-intensity trekking or climbing vertical walls, which is ideal for the most demanding climbers.

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Day 10

Trek to Laguna de los Tres

• After breakfast, embark on a classic, spectacular, and unforgettable trek spanning 8-9 hours that takes you through forests and into impressive scenery.
• Arrive at the mystical Mount Fitz Roy. Take in the lagoons in different shades of blue, imposing glaciers, and campgrounds visited by famous international climbers.
• Start the trek with a transfer to the trailhead at El Pilar, located 10.5 miles north of the town. The journey is enjoyable for the lovely views of the valley alone.
• Walk in a dense forest of lengas that protects from the winds coming off the Continental Ice Field.
• Spot lots of different glaciers, including Marconi, Eléctrico, Cagliero, and, in the distance toward Lago del Desierto, the Vespignani Glacier. The path is easy, as it is quite flat and the climbs are gentle.
• Arrive at the first viewpoint, Piedras Blancas Glacier, and a bit later leave the forest and enter a clearing to see several peaks in all their splendor - Saint Exupéry, Poincenot, Mermoz, Guillaumet, and Fitz Roy.
• From here, continue for a few more minutes and arrive at the Poincenot campground, located in the beautiful lenga forest inhabited by countless varieties of birds. Reach the Río Blanco campground.
• Then climb 1,300 feet in about an hour and reach Laguna de los Tres.
• Upon arriving at the highest point on the path, enjoy the majestic views of Fitz Roy, the Glacier de Los Tres, and its stunning lagoon.
• From here, circle Laguna de los Tres and head toward the viewpoint of Laguna Sucia and its accompanying glacier.
• After some rest, start the descent and walk back to El Chaltén.
• On the way back, take note of the varying landscape, crystal-clear streams, and Laguna Capri - a favorite spot for photographers.
• After visiting the lagoon, drop down into the valley where El Chaltén is located.

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Day 11

Trek to Laguna Torre

• Have breakfast today and embark on another classic walk out of El Chaltén that can't be missed.
• Head off on the Laguna Torre footpath, and after a short climb, enter a small area of ñire woods. From here, the path starts to gain height and straighten up alongside the Fitz Roy River until it arrives at a viewpoint of the river canyon and the Margarita Waterfall.
• After about an hour of walking, arrive at the Mount Torre viewpoint.
• Then walk for 2 hours through grand lenga forests, crossing old glacial moraines and wet plains formed by the previous courses of the river until arriving at Laguna Torre.
• In this area, spot a wide range of birds, including the Magellanic woodpecker.
• After some rest and lunch at the lagoon (not included), start the trek back to El Chaltén.

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Day 12

Fly to Ushuaia

• After breakfast, the guides will meet you at the hotel and transfer you to the airport for the flight to Ushuaia.
• Upon arrival at the airport, transfer to the hotel.
• Spend the rest of the day at leisure exploring the "Southernmost City in the World," capital of the province of Tierra del Fuego.

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Day 13

Trek to Laguna Esmeralda

• Depart from the hotel and head north toward Laguna Esmeralda.
• After enjoying the Andean forest views, make your way through broad valley views, mountains, peat bogs, rivers, and local flora and fauna.
• Arrive at the lagoon and enjoy a delicious lunch overlooking the landscape: mountains, glaciers, and forest, not to mention the water's unique color. The duration of the hike itself is around an hour and a half each way, with a 200-meter incline.

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Day 14

Tierra del Fuego National Park and Canoeing

• After covering the 10 km from Ushuaia to Tierra del Fuego National Park, visit its most relevant attractions.
• Enjoy lunch with a great panoramic view from inside a heated dome tent, to avoid wind or rain.
• Afterwards, get equipped with rubber boots, cover pants, and life jackets.
• Continue the excursion from Lake Acigami and board inflatable canoes (duckies) for about an hour through the freshwater of the Lapataia and Ovando rivers until reaching the sea in Lapataia Bay.

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Day 15

Return to Buenos Aires and Tango Show Dinner

• Pick up from the hotel and transfer to the airport to take the flight back to Buenos Aires.
• Upon arrival, transfer to the hotel.
• Enjoy the rest of the day at leisure.
• In the evening, prepare for an authentic Tango Show & Dinner.
• Get picked up from the hotel to enjoy a memorable night out in Buenos Aires and experience the passion of the Argentine tango. Enjoy a show with live orchestras, professional dancers, and singers, as well as a delicious three-course dinner.
• After the show, transfer back to the hotel.

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Day 16

Buenos Aires Bike Tour through San Telmo and La Boca

• Pedal through the oldest "barrio" of Buenos Aires, San Telmo, the historic city center.
• Make the first stop of interest in Lezama Park and learn about the first settlement of Buenos Aires and how immigration shaped the city culturally, structurally, and demographically.
• Move further south towards La Bombonera, the Boca Jr soccer team's stadium. Dive deeper into the city's Art District of La Boca by visiting the famous "Caminito."
• Get back on the bikes and cruise towards Puerto Madero, a huge port project that started at the end of the 19th century yet became obsolete. After almost 80 years of abandonment, it was redeveloped into the most modern and sophisticated district of Buenos Aires.
• Stop for lunch at a typical "parrilla" to refuel and appreciate the art form that is "Asado Argentino" (BBQ). Veggie options are available in advance.
• Ride around this neighborhood and enter a park, "La Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur." This protected ecological reservation has a very peculiar story to tell and is a wonderful escape from the busy "Porteño" life.
• Make the last stop of the day, located in the very heart of Buenos Aires - Plaza de Mayo.

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Day 17

Departure from Buenos Aires

• Pick up from the hotel and transfer to the international airport for the flight.