Transfer IN OUT APT/HTL/APT

Permanent Coordination

San Martin de los Andes
Reception and transfer from San Martin de los Andes Airport to the hotel.

Quila Quina
Breakfast at the hotel. We leave behind the beautiful town San Martín de los Andes to go deeper into the Lanín National Park so as to visit one of the most wonderful places of this region: Quila Quina. It is located on the banks of the Lácar Lake and the road is a typical mountain road with fantastic sights. During the visit to this residential village, we arrive at the best beach of the zone next to the pier. In summer, with hot weather, people bathe in the lake. Towards the east there is an interpretation path: The Cipresal, a cypress legendary reserve. We can return navigating through the Lácar Lake and enjoying the landscape (optional)

Huechulafquen and Epulafquen Lakes & Lanin Volcano
Breakfast at the hotel. We set off to Junín de los Andes, a town located 40km away from San Martín de los Andes. There, in Junín, we will stroll around to know the church where the Vírgen de las Nieves (Snow Virgin) is situated. We continue towards the Huechulafquen and Paimún Lakes to appreciate a first class sight of the Lanín Volcano. We arrive at the gorge of the Río Chimehuín, this river is the most important one for fly fishing in the whole Patagonia. We walk around a transition area appreciating notros, maitenes and geological figures such as the Piedra la Virgen (Virgin Stone).

We enter the Andean-Patagonic forest going along the edge of the lake, where we observe a sub-antartctic jungle covered of coihues of more than 25m high, together with antique oaks and lengas (kind of Patagonic trees). The undergrowth is made of reeds, ñires, bushes introduced by the man, such as rosa mosqueta, apart from mutisias, amancay (lilies) and reina mora (a kind of berry). We continue towards the Lanín Volcano of over 3,500m, to approach the south base. We continue towards the Paimún Lake, and we will visit its chapel. When returning we will stop at the Río Rucu Leufú to appreciate another sight of the Lanín. Our last destination is the Saltillo Waterfall, having to walk almost half an hour through the Andean Patagonic forest.

Going back, in Puerto Canoa we can optionally take a ship to navigate along the extense lake. Once on board, on the north bank of the Huechulafquen we will go south to see the face of the Lanín Volcano of almost 3,800m high. The lakes with their frozen water can have over 400m depth and are of glacial origin. The Isla de los Chivos stands out of the lake. Towards the west, we arrive at the joint of the Huechulafquen and the Epulafquen rivers. The latter quite shallow and with legendary forests and snow-covered mountains where there is plenty of fauna due to the fact that man hasn´t made incursions nearby. The vessel arrives at the Escorial, a lava river in solid status, because of the eruption of the Achén Ñiyeu Volcano more than 480 years ago. As time went by, the lush vegetation covered this lava soil producing a midget forest or a bonsai forest, which doesn´t reach one meter of height. 

Hua Hum, Yuco & Queñi thermal baths
Breakfast at the hotel. We go to Hua Hum, next to the frontier with Chile. To arrive at the thermal baths we must go through the Valdivian jungle. There is a dirt road with steep ascents with fords of small rivers. We will rest and enjoy a box lunch on the shore of the Queñi Lake. We begin a one hour trekking after lunch to the thermal baths. The path is marked, it has different levels, there are parts where we must ascend and other stretches where we must descend, always in full jungle, walking on a dense undergrowth (forest up to 3 meters) where the reedbeds, the big ferns together with creepers and trees with a height of over 20 metres stand out. Together with this jungle landscape, there are flowers such as Mutisia, Amancay and Chilco. There are natural wells for thermal baths surrounded by high trees protecting them. The thermal water is around 36ºC (96.8ºF). Bathing in the jungle in a virgin environment is a unique experience.

7 Lakes Road & Villa La Angostura - Bariloche
Breakfast at the hotel. Just at the town of San Martín de los Andes is where the famous Seven Lake Route begins and it ends in the town of Bariloche. We set off around the edge of the Lácar Lake during almost 4km up to Paihuén. The landscape is composed of cypress, lengas, raulíes and oaks legendary forests. We stop at the Pil-Pil lookout point to enjoy an overwhelming sight of the Lácar Lake.The Chapelco Mountain range with its 2,200 meters high and the crystalline lakes of sweet water are always with us during the journey. As we go on, we arrive at the forked Arroyo Partido, which divides its water in branches into the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean

The second lake we see is the Machónico, then the Hermoso Lake where we abandon the Lanín National Park to continue along the Nahuel Huapi National Park. We go through the Vullingñanco Waterfall with its important fall of over 20. To honour the lakes, we delight seeing the fourth and fifth lake: to the east the Villarino lake and to the west the Falkner lake. We leave the asphalted road and once on the gravel road, rougher and more natural, we get into a zone of Coihues forests, the Escondido lake is on our right with its fantastic emerald colour. The road takes us to the Pichi Traful lake and then we go around the edge of the Correntoso lake.

Then we go into the zone of the Espejo Chico and the Ruca Malen lakes. Then the Espejo Grande lake up to the branch off to Chile by the Antonio Samoré crossing and turning to the left to get to Villa la Angostura. The piers on the Nahuel Huapi lake stand out, and the most important points are the small town and the Manzano Bay. We continue to Bariloche to end the journey.

Llao Llao Peninsula & Campanario Mount through Bustillo Ave.
Breakfast at the hotel. We set off towards the Llao Llao Hotel, discovering one of the most classic routes of San Carlos de Bariloche. We start in the center of the city to the west along Bustillo Ave. winding along the Nahuel Huapi Lake most of the time. Near km 8 is Playa Bonita (Pretty Beach) which is the precise place from where to see Huemul Island. Going on along that avenue, at km 17, we stop to know the Campanario Mount, we climb by chairlift which take us to the summit at 1050 meters (optional).

We can try very good pastrymaking and drink hot chocolate (optional). Once at the summit, we will appreciate the probably best sight of all the zone of Bariloche. We continue so as to reach Llao Llao at km 25, leaving behind the San Pedro peninsula. The San Eduardo church and the Puerto Pañuelo (harbour) are located in the zone of the hotel and it is from there that the navigation to the Arrayanes Forest (myrtle forest) and Puerto Blest sets off. From this place you can see the Lopez and Capilla Mounts. We go towards the golf area and the bridge that links the Moreno Lake to the Nahuel Huapi Lake at Lopez Bay.

There is another privileged place from where to enjoy the Llao Llao peninsula and the lakes around it. We cross the bridge over Moreno Lake and go along the edge of El Trébol Lake. Further on we start our return to Bariloche city where our trip ends.

Note: This program can be done early in the morning or after midday. The ascent to Campanario Mount is not included, having to be purchased upon arrival.

San Carlos de Bariloche
Breakfast at the hotel. Free day.

Optional - Valle Encantado, Villa Traful & Villa La Angostura
We leave San Carlos de Bariloche city crossing the Ñirihuau and Limay rivers, towards Rincón Chico. During the trip we go along the Limay river up to Rincón Grande where we can see the amphitheatre whose silhouette is similar to the one of the Roman circuses. We later arrive at Valle Encantado with its rocks drawing different figures such as El Dedo de Dios (God´s Finger), Los Siameses or El Centinela (the guard). Our next destination is Confluencia, where the Traful and Limay rivers meet.

Before crossing over the Traful river bridge, we take a dirt road which winds between valleys and Coihue forests, edging Traful Lake up to Villa Traful. After enjoying this beautiful Patagonian spot we go on towards Puerto Arrayán and El Portezuelo, where there is a junction with the Siete Lagos (7 lakes) route. After going through Quintupuray and going along the coast of the Correntoso Lake, we get into Ruca Malen. Going back to Bariloche, the trip takes us to the Espejo Lake , finally arriving at Villa La Angostura. We know Puerto Manzano, going by the Huemul peninsula. Then, we are only missing the trip from Villa La Angostura to Bariloche.

El Bolsón & Lago Puelo - Esquel
Breakfast in the hotel. We leave Bariloche to set off to El Bolsón, taking the road in the southeast of Río Negro province which is part of the Parallel 42 Andean Region, together with the northeast of Chubut province. It is an ecological zone par excellence, with a perfect microclimate for fine fruit growing such as raspberries, morello cherries, blackberries and strawberries, apart from hop plants. We take the road to the south, the lakes Gutiérrez, Mascardi and Guillermo can be seen while getting near La Veranada and Pampa del Toro.

The Ñirihuau and Áspero mountains can be seen on the left of the route. We go past the Cañadón de la Mosca and cross the small town called Villegas. Once crossing the Fuyel river and crossing the bridge on the Quemquemtreu river, we finally arrive in El Bolsón with its natural borders: the Puelo Lake, the Piltriquitrón Mount, formidable rock near the Tallado Forest and the Río Azul valley. Already in the town, we will visit the Regional Craft Fair, provided that it is open, where pieces of pottery, wooden and leather creations are displayed thus gathering the manufacturers and craftsmen of the zone. It is considered one of the biggest in South America.

We can visit a farm dedicated to the manufacture of homemade jams and the Lago Puelo National Park covered with legendary forests of myrtle and pataguas together with lianas, creepers, ferns and the singing of its birds. We can walk by the interpretative path Bosque de Las Sombras. The Puelo Lake has a characteristic turquoise water, where the green of its forests and the white of the eternal snow of its neighbouring mounts reflect. If one travels to El Bolsón, one can´t help tasting the high quality beer home brewed in this zone, with its different tastes, from the traditional lager beer, to the stout one or specialty beer (fruity or flavour of hops or honey). Another exquisiteness is cheese (sheep or cow cheese).

Patagonian Express "La Trochita"
Breakfast in the hotel. We start a fantastic journey of 25 kilometers in the vintage Patagonic Express La Trochita, which was declared National Heritage Patrimony. It is an old steam train whose narrow gauge has less than a meter, it goes across the Patagonic steppe, with its wagons, whose heating are iron salamander stoves with firewood as fuel, were built in 1922 together with its engines Baldwin and Henschel. The first trip was inaugurated in 1945 up to Esquel. The train offers a dining-room with delicious cakes that can be served together with chocolate and coffee. The route begins at the Esquel station, going through the Esquel stream, then the way changes so as to go parallel to the mountain range and the route towards a town called Tecka. It crosses the steppe, we can see acquatic birds such as ducks, cauquenes and flamingos in low lands called mallines in indigenous language. The route ends in Nahuel Pan station (name of the highest mountain of the zone) where there is a place with craftmen. While we visit a small handcraft center, the steam engine performs the maneuvers to get ready to go back. During the return, the train crosses the valley. The journey lasts nearly 3 hours and it isn´t cancelled for bad weather, unless an excess of snow provokes blockages. Today there are two stretches, the touristic stretch which joins Esquel with Nahuel Pan and the passenger´s stretch which goes up to El Maitén.

Los Alerces National Park
Breakfast in the hotel. We depart towards the principal gate of the National Park in a journey where we will be able to distinguish the ecosystems of the region, with a dense vegetation thanks to the continuous rains. The lakes as in the Percy River that we can observe during the trip are due to the movements of the glaciers that we find in the mountains. We rest for the first time in Villa Futalaufquen knowing the Interpretative Center so as to understand its autochthonous flora and fauna.

We then arrive at Puerto Limonao, bathed by the Futalaufquen Lake waters, 4km near. We can take a ship from that harbour to sail the waters of the lakes Futalaufquen, Verde and Menéndez so as to arrive at the northern part of the park, actually to enter the jungle area to discover the Alerzal Milenario. This voyage on a catamaran (double hulled vessel) is not included, please check before travelling because it is offered only in high season months. In case of not performing the navigation, we return to Esquel.

Optional in high season:
Navigation along the Futalaufquen, the Verde and the Menéndez Lakes & Alerces Milenarios Forest
In Summer there is an optional navigation along the Futalaufquen Lake from Puerto Limonao to Puerto Mermoud. From here we do a small trek to reach Puerto Chucao at the shore of the Menéndez Lake, from where we will start the second maritime stage towards the Alerzal Milenario. Another path takes us to the lake and river Cisne with its rapids until we meet the oldest alerce in the park.

Welsh Colony Route
Trevelin: Nant & Fall small waterfalls, nant fach flour mill and pisciculture
Breakfast in the hotel. We depart from Esquel to visit the Nant and Fall Province Natural Reserve, where three waterfalls form the stream with the same name that means Arroyo de Los Saltos (Waterfalls Stream) in Welsh and are located in a lush cypress forest. They are the natural drainage of the Rosario Lake which forms these waterfalls in its way to the Corintos River, affluent of the Futaleufú River. The Nant Fach flour mill is a replica of the old mills built by Welsh colonists in the Valle Hermoso, in Colonia 16 de Octubre in the end of the 19th Century, where wheat harvested on the farms in the Colony was processed. It was since 1890 that a booming wheat industry was created in Chubut and the Welsh received important prizes at an international level for its quality.

Typical Argentine political mistakes made this region be declared unsuitable for wheat growing, the limit from the Colorado River to the South, thus eliminating the agricultural financial assistance which was granted at that time, favouring the north of the country. Since then they have taken up the cattle activity. The mill that is a museum nowadays belongs to the Evans Welsh family, being Mr. Thomas Dalar Evans the one who populated the whole valley in 1890. We can see musical instruments of those days, as well as sewing machines, irons, even carriages used for the wheat harvest. This is situated in Trevelin, whose translation means Pueblo del Molino (Mill´s town) where Cwm Hyfryd (Valle Hermoso - Beautiful Valley) is located surrounded by mounts and with an unaltered ecosystem. To end up the circuit, we will go to the salmon station at the Baguilt Stream, only 20km away from Trevelin, where they breed young fish, with big pans with near 200,000 Brown Rainbow trouts which are then spread in lakes and rivers in Chubut so as to make trout sport fishing (catch is returned), a sustainable resource.

Esquel - Los Antiguos
Breakfast in the hotel. Depart by regular bus from Esquel towards Los Antiguos, in the Chubut Province. Welcome at the bus terminal and transfer to hotel.

Roballos Pass, Monte Zeballos, Los Antiguos and Buenos Aires Lake
Breakfast at hostelry. We set off in the morning along a mountain path taking Route 41 towards the Roballos Pass and the Monte Zeballos, going some 180km along a mountain path, between the Cordillera de los Andes and the Buenos Aires Lake plateau. We will be able to see the second biggest lake in South America (after the Titicaca Lake): the Buenos Aires Lake, it flows into the Pacific Ocean through the Baker River. This lake is ideal for trout and salmon fishing.

After midday we move on towards Los Antiguos. It is located in a wonderful valley, with a special microclimate, at the shore of Los Antiguos River and near the Buenos Aires Lake. Every year, during January, the Beer National Feast is celebrated. We can observe agricultural ventures dedicated to cultivation and production of fine fruit, such as raspberries, strawberries, morello cherries, etc. We arrive at the lookout points at the Los Antiguos and Jeinimeni Rivers - International boundary Argentine-Chilean- and the Buenos Aires Lake.

Cueva de las Manos (Hands Cave) by Bajo Caracoles
Breakfast in the hotel. We will go to the Cuevas de las Manos. It is one of the most important archeological places in Patagonia, as the Estancia La María in Santa Cruz. Its cave paintings are very meaningful and are 7,500 years before Christianity old. The cave has many eaves where the paintings, reflecting the nomadic people´s habits who were principally hunters, are. The best known is the negative image of the silhouette of the hands, superimposed. Old airbrushed methods have been used. Other figures are representing animals, such as the choique and the guanaco. There are typical scenes of the hunting of these animals.

The human figure appears but in less proportion, with more lineal and geometric outlines, as the example of the spiral drawings. They drew with fruit, plants and animal blood. Different times of evolution are evident in the lines and geometrical drawings. We early set off from Perito Moreno to go 120km along the Patagonia Agreste (Wild Patagonia), most of these km are on Ruta 40. We start the visit to the Cave walking some 600 meters till we are near the Cave Paintings with more than 8,000 years old. After that a trekking along the canyon of the Pinturas River. We return along Bajo Caracoles to take Ruta 40 again towards El Chaltén.

Trekking to Pliegue Tumbado
Breakfast at the hotel. Free Day.

Optional: Trekking to Pliegue Tumbado
This walk is a very good complement to the others in order to really get to know this part of Los Glaciares National Park. Pliegue Tumbado gives us a real dimension of the complete zone once we get there and there we can see well the Río Fitz Roy canyon, the Torre Mountain and Glacier, Lagunas Madre and Hija, the Fitz Roy Mountain and also Laguna Condor. We take a look on the other direction and we are able to see the Viedma lake, the Río Túnel Valley and the Paso de Viento which is the entrance to the Patagonian Continental Ice Fields. This walk begins in the town of El Chaltén, which is the information centre of Los Glaciares National Park. In the first part of the hike we go up steppes and then we continue rising through an ancient forest of nothofagus, mainly made up of lengas and ñires. The Loma del Pliegue Tumbado is found at an altitude of 1500 metres. The trekking has an intermediate difficulty especially in the final stage where we ascend 1,150 metres. This walk is done in approximately six hours.

Navigation on the Viedma Lake
Minitrekking to the Viedma Glacier Cave - Optional
Breakfast at the hotel. We leave from the Túnel Bay Port in the northerly direction to El Chaltén, in Los Glaciares National Park, in order to navigate on the Viedma Lake disembarking at the Viedma Glacier and walking to its interiors. The Viedma Lake is some 78 kms in length and is the largest one caused by glacier abrasion and the second largest in the Park (the Upsala Glacier is the largest). It is fed by its glacier of the same name that is in the west. The Viedma Glacier has a breadth of some 5,000 metres, a height of 50 metres and an area of circa 1,000 kms2 and originates from the Continental Patagonian Ice Fields between the Huemul and Campana Mountains taking their ice and tipping it into the lake. Once we board the vessel we go to the south accompanied by the views of the Fitz Roy and Huemul Massifs and the impressive icebergs. In the middle of the morning we arrive at the Viedma Glacier and we descend in a rocky area to go and see the ice caverns and other glacier formations that are particular to this zone. Here we are given some information about the glaciers and then we continue our trekking to the erosion zone in front of the glacier. With the help of crampons we ascend in order to start a walk over the icy structures for about 3 hours where we could see crevices and drainage areas. Once we finish the trekking to the interior of the caves we return to the boat to take a trip along the front of the glacier. We have lunch on board (the box lunch is not included) and in the afternoon we return to Túnel Bay.

El Chaltén -El Calafate
Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to El Calafate. Free day to tour the town or make optional activities.

Optional - An afternoon in the Patagonian Countryside enjoying a typical barbecue
Before sunset we leave El Calafate to visit a typical styled Patagonian estancia which is very close to the centre of the City and it is located at the foot of the mountain of the same name. We receive a snack of pure mate cocido and fried cake, which shows us their local customs. Later we start a trekking to the Calafate Stream in order to reach a viewpoint with a privileged view, while we taste a good Patagonian wine. Back in the estancia, we will be able to attend a round-up of sheep using dogs, we visit an old shed which is used for sheep shearing and the facilities with their farmyards and sheep dips. During the shearing season, we can take advantage of this true art. In the evening, we have dinner in the estancia restaurant by tasting empanadas, stews and the main dish: roast lamb with salads from the garden. It will be possible to attend a folklore show in which we enjoy the typical Patagonian dances.

Visit to the Perito Moreno Glacier
Breakfast in the hotel. Early in the morning we make our way to the most famous glacier in the world. It was declared as a Heritage Humanity in 1981 by UNESCO and it is considered unique for many characteristics such as its continuous advance, its comfortable access to its best viewpoints and the possibility to walk over it. The name was given in honour of the great explorer of the Patagonian area, Perito Francisco Moreno.

We walk along the edge of the southern side of the Argentino Lake, before crossing the rivers Centinela and Mitre, at the same time we discover post card views of the pre Andean Mountain Chain. We arrive to Brazo Rico and enter Los Glaciares National Park. While we tour along the Rich Lake we see the huge blocks of ice drifting along and walk until we have a full panoramic view of this giant glacier. If the weather conditions are favourable, we can have the privilege of attending this unique spectacle in the argentinean Patagonia. the ice landslides from the southern falls in which huge ice floes cover the homonym channel as they are accumulated there or in the Brazo Rico. Here it is possible to get to know the glacier from different panoramic and viewpoints by walking the footbridges whilst we are informed about its history, characteristics and settings. In the afternoon we return to the Hotel.

Note: The Perito Moreno is a glacier in continuous advance; this is different to the great majority of such giant glaciers that are in a severe regression. In its advance it surrounds the cold waters of the Brazo Rico, that are origined from the Argentino Lake which causes some pressure over the ice that make the level of water increase in that part of the lake and has the effect of generating a tunnel of almost 45 metres through which flows from the Brazo Rico and in to the Argentino Lake. The continuous erosion by these waters causes parts of the dome to collapse producing fantastic spectacles.  

Entering Ushuaia by the Magellan Strait
Breakfast in the hotel. We leave El Calafate very early to start the journey to Ushuaia, the Fueguina Capital, arriving at the last mountain promontory of the Cordillera Andina to leave the wild and silent Patagonia once we cross the Río Grande. To abandon the continent we must cross on a ferry to the Tierra del Fuego Island in Punta Delgada, in a fascinating trip crossing the rough Magellan Strait in some half an hour. This Strait is the most important natural pass between the Pacific and the Atlantic Oceans.

Before arriving at Ushuaia, we go past the fishing town of Tolhuin. After that, already in Chilean territory we continue in the island until we arrive at our destination: Ushuaia, in the Big Island of Tierra del Fuego, separated from the continent by the strait. We can know all that the plane doesn´t let us see, the ascetic Patagonia, in another dimension, more like a steppe, plain land, monotonous and devastating, where the sheep breed cross country and lead us to the Southern Patagonia, with the sea and the mountain as natural scenario.

Ushuaia
Breakfast at the hotel. Free day to tour the town or make optional activities.

Optional - Horse Riding on the Susana Mountain
We go to the Susana Mountain to discover the old paths that the convicts of Ushuaia used to use in order to enter the forests and cut down the trees. We take the horse riding for about two hours over a range of 400 metres of altitude. For the most part of the ride we have views of the sea and the mountains and only in one frame we can see Ushuaia, the Beagle Chanel and the Bridges Islands. We pass through the typical vegetation of the sub-antarctic forest where we can appreciate lengas, guindos (sour cherry trees), calafates (berberis with yellow flowers), canelos (cinnamon trees) etc., together with a diversification of native wildlife. Close to the banks of the Beagle Chanel it is possible to see the Chilean Islands of Navarino and Hoste. We can see the Concheros, relics of the indigenous Yámana tradition and other times along the coast. The last beautiful landscape is located at the edge of the River Pipo where we have magnificent views of the Black Lagoon and the forest that surrounds it. We finish our horse riding once we cross the forest.

Tierra del Fuego National Park and navigation on the Beagle Channel from Lapataia Bay
Breakfast at the hotel. We start the day travelling to the Tierra del Fuego National Park. After we get onto the slopes of the Susana Mountain we can see the prisoners´trails of the ex penitentiary of Ushuaia. We can also appreciate the tracks of the Austral Fuegino Railway until it enters into the River Pipo Valley and then into the Ensalada Bay. We make a brief trekking to the surrounds of the Lago Roca, until we arrive to Laguna Verde and Laguna Negra. We will be able to see the dams that the beavers frequently build, but unfortunately their work is uninterruptedly destroying the National Park. Lapataia Bay is the last part of our visit to the Park and then we embark in Port Arias we embark in order to navigate the waters of the Beagle Channel while we see the Redonda Island, the Ensenada Bay and Golondrina. We also get to Isla de los Lobos, Isla de los Pájaros, Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse and the Túnel Estancia as we cross the waters. We land on the port of the city.

Ushuaia - Río Gallegos - Estancia Monte Dinero
Breakfast in the Estancia. Depending on the flight time we leave towards the International Airport in Río Gallegos during 200km which separate it from the paradise where we were. Welcome and transfer from the airport up to the Estancia Monte Dinero. Its name is because of the gold that was found in the shores of the zone in the 19th Century, in 1870 pioneers arrived looking for gold and twenty years later near the gold-bearing exploitation, the manor of the Estancia Monte Dinero was built. Free afternoon to rest or choose other activities.

Estancia Monte Dinero: Cabo Vírgenes Lighthouse, Southernmost point of the Continent
Breakfast in the Estancia. We can observe farm activities during the day such as shearing, cattle herding or trek up to Monte Shadai or Monte Dinero as people call it, in the limit with Chile, at 250 meters over sea level and from this beautiful place the gorge of the Magellan Strait can be seen. We recommend to continue up to Cabo Vírgenes Lighthouse and the penguin colony in this cape. An incredible sight of the southernmost point of the American Continent can be enjoyed from here where there is a strategically located cafeteria. The penguin colony is 15km from the principal house on the ecological reserve between Cabo Vírgenes and Punta Dúngenes, in the northern bank of the Magellan Strait. It has the particularity of being the second biggest one of Latin America. It can be seen from September to April.

Returning to the north by Ruta Azul
Breakfast in the Estancia. In the morning transfer to Río Gallegos to the bus station. We get on the bus to Puerto Deseado. We will arrive at night to overnight at the city after a day travelling for 730km in Patagonian routes.

Expedition to the Pingüino de Penacho Amarillo Island
Breakfast in the hotel. The northernmost colony of yellow plume penguins are in Isla Pingüino (Penguin Island), sharing the habitat with Magellan penguins, royal cormorants, sea lions, southern seagulls, etc. The most important Imperial Cormorants´ colony in all Patagonia is in the Chata Island. Today the aim is to visit the only reserve or yellow plume penguins in all the Atlantic Coast. To be able to do this, we start a 1 hour voyage in open waters, through pure adventure, avoiding waves and moving through the rough winds.

We disembark on the Isla Pingüino and after a small lunch we go to meet the Yellow Plume penguin, being able to observe it very close to us. We stroll through rocky surface, beside the Magellan penguins and with skúas flying low. We can see the historical lighthouse quite abandoned, the ruins of an old sea lions school and we get near to a small bay where there are sea lions of one hair. We have lunch on the beach and when returning we pay attention to see if we could watch the toninas overas, the southern dolphins and the emblematic flights of petrels and albatrosses.

Jaramillo Petrified Forest
Breakfast in the hotel. We leave Puerto Deseado to go towards the Jaramillo Petrified Forest, near 250km away. It is the most important fossil site in Patagonia. We walk among fossilized araucaria trunks of more than 90 million years old, some of them are still standing in spite of the age. Inside the park we can see trunks of more than 30 meters long and 2 meters diameter. When this forest was created, the Cordillera de los Andes didn´t exist and the influence of the Pacific winds was fundamental, generating a lush vegetation. This reserve was created with the only aim to preserve the paleontological site so it can be useful for scientific studies of this place. When the Cordillera Andina was formed, due to the volcano activities, some vegetation and fauna of the Patagonian zone, started disappearing giving place to the barren landscape of today.

This forest is product of the changing process in the Devonian period, some 300 million years ago. We continue southwards to arrive at Puerto San Julián, 230km away. Puerto San Julián was visited by Charles Darwin, Hernando de Magallanes and by the British corsair Francis Drake. The first Spanish colonies in the Patagonia, arrived at these lands: Florida Blanca. San Julián was declared Historical Site in 1943, it is on a bay , 350km north of Río Gallegos, between Cabo Curioso and Punta Desengaño. What is characteristic of this place is its wide avenues, low houses and particularly for the Rosa Novak Modern Art Regional Museum, where archeological and paleontological pieces are displayed. The Regional Museum in Marine Art is located here too.

Puerto Madryn
Breakfast in the hotel. Transfer to the bus terminal to get on a bus taking us to Puerto Madryn. We arrive late at night, we are welcomed at the Puerto Madryn or Trelew terminal to be taken to the hotel.

Visiting Puerto Madryn, El Doradillo & Whales Coastal watching
Breakfast at hotel. Today we will visit the most representative places of Puerto Madryn. This wonderful city attracts visitors from all over the world who arrive at the diving capital wishing to know its principal attraction: the Southern Right whale watching. After knowing the city centre we set off to the protected Municipal Area El Doradillo, located only 12km to the north of Puerto Madryn. It is one of the few places located on the shore of Golfo Nuevo, where we will not have to move from the shore to watch the whales, a unique experience.

Year after year, from June to mid October, we will meet these fascinating mammals that reach the gulf to mate and raise their whale calves. It is a magnificent experience, where we will watch the Southern Right whale in its natural environment. Besides, we will visit the Las Canteras beach and the Punta Flecha lookout point, strategically chosen by the Natural Patagonia Foundation to be able to observe and protect the maritime fauna.

Peninsula Valdes
Breakfast at the hired accommodation. We travel around the Protected Natural Area of Peninsula Valdes located 50km away from Puerto Madryn, declared as World Heritage by the UNESCO, considered as one of the most interesting ecosystems in the world, we can find the Southern Right whales as well as killer whales (orca whales), sea lions, sea elephants and Magellan penguins, choiques (kind of rhea), etc.

Our first stop is at the Interpretation Centre watching the Birds Island, a reserve created in 1967 with the aim to protect the big bird groups that live in the place. After that we will head to Puerto Piramides, located some 28km away from the city. Between July and November there is a dinghy voyage to watch the Southern Right whale. In June and December the probability is notoriously less. If it is the watching season, we embark during a little more than an hour protected with life jackets.

From Puerto Piramides, we arrive at the sea elephant station at Caleta Valdes going through the Great Saltpetre Bed with a 35km surface. Finally we go to Punta Norte at the North-East of the peninsula if it is summer or to Punta Delgada the rest of the year so as to watch sea lions and sea elephants and luckily we could see killer whales (orca whales) in Punta Norte.

Note about the whale watching
It is performed between July and November. Waterproof clothes and windbreakers are recommended. Before the trip, elemental advice is provided. This adventure is available for adults as well as for children.

Return to Buenos Aires
Breakfast in the hotel. Transfer to Trelew airport. End of the excursion.

Bus Option:
This program can be performed by bus, returning to Buenos Aires from Puerto Madryn, travelling a distance of approx. 1,450km and lasting 18 hours. In this case the depart is around 12pm to arrive at 8am the following day.