Transfer IN OUT APT/HTL/APT

Permanent Coordination

Puerto Madryn
Reception and transfer from Trelew Airport to the hotel.

Bus Option:
This program can be performed by bus, setting off Buenos Aires to Puerto Madryn, travelling around 1,450km and lasting 18 hours. In this case the departure must be the previous day near 12pm or 1pm to be arriving at 8am the following day.

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.

Punta Tombo Penguin colony with Valle Inferior
Breakfast at hotel. Today we visit the most important Magellan penguin colony in South America: Punta Tombo, located in the south of the Valle Inferior of the Chubut River. At the beginning (more than 50 years ago), it was a natural reserve, 20 years later it was considered protected area. Punta Tombo has an expanse of almost 3,000m per 500m wide along the Atlantic Ocean. This natural accident is produced by crystalline rocky structures appearance before the Jurassic era which have beared the erosion produced by the ravages of the sea. Key factors for nest creation are the existence of boulder and compact sand. The season is from the beginning of September until April, when penguins emigrate to nest and protect their young.

Depending on the season, all their productive cycle can be observed. First males appear so as to build their nests or rebuild the previous year one, they take advantage of the natural caves for that. One month later, females lay their eggs to sit on them during 40 to 45 days. During that gestation period, males go for food. At the beginning of April, chicks are already good swimmers and feed alone. In the past, this zone was an indigenous cemetery where many Tehuelches also lived and hunted. When walking around the reserve we recommend not to divert the route. When returning from this adventure with penguins, we go towards the lower valley, to know the industrial and commercial center of the region: Trelew. Then we continue towards Gaiman, the most important Welsh colony in Argentina. There are still traditions and customs such as the Welsh tea with Welsh Black cake, as well as the walnut cake with fruit and homemade bread. If we go back the chacras (eateries), we will observe the different Welsh Chapels and observe the farming-tourist ventures.

Traveling to Puerto San Julián
Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to Trelew Station to take us by bus to Puerto San Julian.

San Julián Bay up to Cormorant Island
Breakfast in the hotel. We embark to sail along the San Julián Bay up to Isla Justicia. Two captains were killed under Magellan´s orders in 1520 and another one was beheaded under Drake´s orders on this island. En spite of these tragical stories, the place has a great diversity of birds and fauna where we can watch small seagulls, cormorants, skuas and oystercatchers. The second stop during the navigation is on Isla Cormorán, where more than 120,000 Magellan penguins live. We can see toninas overas, the end of the world dolphins as some people call them, these give a special show with their jumpings and their fast movements, the scenario is completed with petrels, seagulls and a maritime landscape that tells us that we are very near to the end of the world.

Optionals in Puerto San Julián:
We can visit on our own the first Spanish settlement "Floridablanca" or the British meat packing plant "Swift", now abandoned. Another possibility is to visit Nao Victoria, a replica of the "flagship" vessel which belonged to Hernando de Magallanes who stopped at the city of Puerto San Julián in his first voyage around the world.

Estancia Monte León
Breakfast in the hotel. Transfer to Estancia Monte León during the first hours in the morning (around 150km away). Before midday we are welcomed at the estancia. The Estancia Monte León is located inside the Monte León National Park, in Santa Cruz (Argentine Republic). Towards the estancia, we go past the town Commander Luis Piedrabuena. Before midday we are received in the estancia. The hostelry has a very English style, built at the beginning of the 20th Century. It has a drawing room looking to the north, a library with books about Patagonia and an austere but interesting museum. Its rooms are very big and with excellent heating.

Monte León is a synonym of pure nature in Southern Patagonia. Its beaches on the Atlantic Ocean, its high cliffs and strange caves together with its wild plateau and hills with queer formations carved by the wind erosion, are the natural shelter to an amazing biodiversity. There are penguin colonies, cetacean and sea lions, together with mammals such as pumas and guanacos, birds such as the roquero cormorant, the South American small seagull, the Southern seagull and the cocinera seagull and black oystercatchers and grey and imperial cormorants as well as invertebrates. Once on the estancia, we can do any of the following activities during the afternoon: go to the river bank of Río Santa Cruz to practise fly-fishing . The mountain thaw flows into this river as well as the water courses which flow into the Viedma and Argentino Lakes.

We can find abundant criollas trouts called perca, arco iris trouts and also salmon and sea bass. On Monte León island one can fish silverside (sand smelt), finding seafood, mussels and spider crabs too. Another option is to sail north or south the river from Pavón island depending on the Patagonian winds and the tide found. There is another possible adventure remaining more time on the estancia to live this unique journey along the Río Santa Cruz, following Charles Darwin´s footprints.

Río Gallegos - Ushuaia
Breakfast in the Estancia. Depending on the time of the flight from Río Gallegos, we leave the estancia to make 200km which separate this Patagonian paradise from the International Airport in Río Gallegos. Welcome and transfer from the Ushuaia Airport to the hotel. Free afternoon to stroll around the city.

City Tour, Tierra del Fuego National Park & Train of the End of the World
Breakfast at the Hotel. We will do a very special tour in the morning as we start knowing the magic of the city of Ushuaia which is very famous for being recognized as the "End of the World" (also known as the most southern city of all). We will also visit the Museum of the End of the World which started working in 1979. It was firstly for families and then became part of the heritage in Ushuaia. This museum shows its collections in five different rooms where there are glasses that honour those people linked with the local history such as the explorers, natives, etc. We will know the main and most famous attractions that Ushuaia has: the old Recidivists´ Prison which is known because of its exciting and strong history, every year many visitors go visiting it because of its prison architecture and also because of its history. It is important to higlight that it worked from 1900 to 1947 and the city started growing more and more around this prison where today many and important cruises and transatlantic.

We will enjoy the building, its corridors and even today we can feel the pain the people suffered. This militar prison worked firstly in the Staten Island in San Juan de Salvamento, then it was transferred to CooK Port until it was settled in Ushuaia for humanitarian reasons. It accommodated sentenced people like the anarchist Simón Radowitsky or Cayetano Santos Godino known as the big eared shorty or the writer Ricardo Rojas. We will visit the Port, the Paseo del Centenario, an excellent panoramic spot where there is the monument for the Ushuaia´s Centennial and then, the Beban House an important architectural heritage, which was bought in Sweden and made in Ushuaia between 1911 and 1913 by Don Tomas Beban. Is one of the most ambitious buildings in the city.

During the afternoon we will go to Tierra del Fuego National Park which highlights for being the only park with sea coast because it is located at the shore of the Beagle Chanel. Outside Ushuaia, we will go through the Valley of Pipo River to get to the entrance. We will get on board the Train of the End of the World which is outside the Tierra del Fuego National Park where we start in the Central Station until getting to the Tierra del Fuego National Park Station. We will have the excellent opportunity to meet the Southern Fueguino Railway which travels along one of the routes that were used in the past by thousands prisoners who obey everyday their routine in those legendary woods. The journey starts over the embankment that the prisoners made a long time ago, going through the Cañadón del Toro so then we can ascend a steep surrounding the Pipo River until getting to the "Cascada de la Macarena" Station where we will hace the possibility to descend to the restoration of a native camp or we can have the option to appreciate the amazing panoramic view of the fall´s source.

The train´s horn give us the signal that we have to continue with the journey to get into the sub-antarctic woods. Surrounding the Pipo river and the "turbales" area where the moss Sphagnum grows, the train ends the journey when it arrives at the Park´s Station where we will descend to continue with the tour. Once we get into into the Tierra del Fuego National Park which was founded in 1960 and it is located in the region of the patagonic woods and the Andean mountain chain. Our tour goes to Ensenada Bay where we will be able to see the Redonda and Estorbo islands and the Montes Nevados in front of them which belong to the Sampaio mountain chain in Chile. Then we get to Roca Lake.

We continue the way while we are surrounded by lengas, ñires and guindos woods until getting to the bridge of the Lapataia river, an ideal area to do trekking as there are many paths such as the Paseo de la Isla, Roca Lake, Black Lagoon, etc. We will go through a winding way where we will find the Green and Black Lagoons, this last one is an impressive "turbal", until flowing in the Beavers´ dike which will guide us to Lapataia Bay.

Classic navigation on the Beagle Channel
Breakfast at the Hotel. We take a trip to the Beagle Channel. Our leaving point is in the Ushuaia Bay, which is on the banks of the City of the same name, entering the Canal by the Paso Chico. In old times the Reverend Thomas Bridges said that the 'Ushuaia Bay' means the 'the calm water bay'. The Beagle Channel, situated at the south of the Big Island of Tierra del Fuego, was originated from glaciers and it covers an area of 180 kms, it joins the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. It was baptised by Captain Fitz Roy in honour of the ship "Beagle' on which was the Lieutenant Murray who discovered the Canal in 1930. It is now the political frontier between Argentina and Chile. As in the Ushuaia Bay, the Beagle Canal offers a variety of sea birds and mammal marine life, where it is possible to watch skuas, black capped albatross, cauquenes, seagulls, etc. The crossing goes until the Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse. This has a conical tower of over 11 metres and is 22.5 metres above the sea level. The lighthouse name was given by Captain Luis Fernando Martial and that was after the place where it is located.

The journey continues to the naval station Isla de los Lobos Marinos (Sea Lion Island) where we will be able to watch one and two hair seals and the cormorants settlements. Following our route we navigate to the Isla de los Pájaros (Bird Island) a place where we can see settlements of Magellan and Imperial Cormorants as well as enjoy more than 20 species of other marine birds. Both Islands are part of the Bridges Archipelago.

Optional disembarkation on the Bridges Islands
It is possible to ask for a landing on the Bridges Islands during this navigations, in which we can have a trekking of half an hour with the guides assistance while we go along the paths of one of the Bridges Islands to see the Concheros Yámanas (Yámana shells), relics of an old indigenous tribe.

Depart from Magellan Strait up to El Calafate
Breakfast in the hotel. We leave Ushuaia very early to start our journey to El Calafate, abandoning the last mountain promontory in the Cordillera Andina to enter the wild and silent Patagonia which appears when arriving at Río Grande, the Fueguina capital. Before this we pass the fishing hamlet of Tolhuin. To leave the Tierra del Fuego island, we must cross by ferry to the Continent at Bahía Azul, Chile, to arrive at Punta Delgada in a fascinating voyage we cross the restless Magallan Strait during around half an hour.

Then, already in Argentine territory, we continue crossing Patagonia up to our destination: El Calafate. We know all that the plane doesn´t allow us to see, the ascetic Patagonia, in another dimension, with its steppe, where the sea and the mountain continue with a plain land, monotonous and devastating, the other Southern Patagonia, where sheep graze in the wild. The journey is exhausting but it is worth discovering these remote and lonely lands.

Visit to the Perito Moreno Glacier
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.  

El Calafate - El Chaltén
Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer from Airport Calafate to hotel in El Chaltén.

Optional The Desert Lake
We leave to go the extreme south of the Desert Lake, wrongly named Laguna del Desierto. We travel for 38 kms by a dirt road that snakes along the Río Vueltas Valley. The landscape that we watch is typical of Andes Patagonia surrounded by mountains, forests, water falls and mirror like waters that combine to present a natural harmony. We can chose between a walk until the Huemul Glacier or a navigation to the icy waters of the lake. The hike is short at only one hour but has a pronounced ascent that requires a reasonable effort. This is a private area and therefore there is an entrance charge. We can also go until Laguna Larga and Diablo but the route takes another four hours. Those who decide not to take the walk can enjoy the navigation of Lago del Desierto where the boat goes from the south to the north of the lake.

Once on land we walk to the Centinela Viewpoint that is only 12 minutes and is accompanied by some fantastic views. Lago del Desierto is located in a valley that stretches 15 kms between the Andes Mountain Range, close to the O'Higgins Lake, and the Fitz Roy Mountain. The mountain chains that enclose the valley are the Occidental Massif which is made up of the Marconi chain and the Occidental Massif amongst others. The Río Las Vueltas starts from this lake and flows through the Azul Lake before finishing in the Viedma Lake.

El Chaltén - Los Antiguos
Breakfast in the hotel. We depart by regular bus from El Chaltén to Los Antiguos. Welcome at the bus terminal and transfer to the 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.

Route 40: Cueva de las Manos- Alero de Charcamata
Breakfast in the hotel. We start our journey in Los Antiguos travelling to the south of Chubut some 60km along the Ruta 40 up to the entrance of the Estancia Cueva de las Manos (Ex Los Toldos) and from there, other 30km where we have to cross the Pinturas River and descend to the bottom of the Cañadón de Hiucacha. The Alero de Charcamata is formed of a rocky structure over 65 meters long by almost 18 meters high. In the inside there are paintings of hands, related to the hunting of animals and symbols with geometric drawings.

There are different colours from black to light red. The discovery of Charcamata was at the beginning of the 70s. We start trekking and after an hour we get to the entrance of the Alero de Charcamata, by a rocky path with vegetation. This place stands out for the cave paintings displayed of more than 9,000 years old, with an excellent state of conservation. We take the enough time to rest of the trekking and then we have lunch. In the afternoon we return to the hotel.

Los Antiguos - Esquel
Breakfast in the hotel. We set off in a regular bus from Los Antiguos to Esquel, in the Chubut province. Welcome at the bus terminal and transfer to the hotel.

Full Los Alerces National Park
Breakfast af the hotel. Today we will know one of the most attractive national parks in Patagonia: Los Alerces. The park spans two hundred and sixty-three thousand hectares protected since 1937 with the fundamental aim to safeguard the woodland species after which it is named, the lahuan or alerce. During our stroll around the park we will visit beautiful places which make up a water basin with more than 12 lakes and rivers, such as the Futalaufquen Lake, the Arrayanes River, the Verde Lake, the Menéndez Lake, surrounded by an Andean mountain range, together with glaciers and the Valdivian jungle. What completes this wonderful offer is the one-thousand-year-old alerces forest located in the north of the park, one of the few forests still kept in wilderness in the world, known as Alercial Milenario. This region is considered, by experts, the most beautiful of all regions in Patagonia and honestly they are not mistaken, it is difficult to find another destination with so much charm as this one.

Optional in High Season:
Navigation along the Menéndez Lake & Alerces Milenarios Forest or
Navigation up to Kruger Lake without disembarkation
In Summer there is an optional navigation to Menéndez Lake having access to the alerces milenarios forest (one-thousand-year-old alerces) discovering trees of more than 2,500 years of existence, which have an impressive appearance. We must arrive at the Arrayanes River, we walk over the hanging bridge to cross the river, and border the Menéndez River up to the Puerto Chucao entrance. At this harbour we embark at midday to sail along the Menéndez Lake, the biggest of the park, till we arrive at Puerto Sagrario. During the voyage, we can see the Torrecillas Glacier.

Once on land, together with the guide, we walk into the forest of alerces milenarios (one-thousand-year-old alerces) and enjoy the Cisne Lake and the rapids of the river with the same name. We can appreciate the oldest alerce in the park, with 2,600 years old and a diameter over 2 meters and a height over 57 meters. Another possibility is to sail along the Verde Lake, the Arrayanes River and the north area of the Futalaufquen Lake until we reach the Kruger Lake once we pass through the Los Monstruos Strait. In this second case, we don´t disembark.

Esquel - San Carlos de Bariloche
Breakfast in the hotel. Depart in regular bus from Esquel to San Carlos de Bariloche, in the Chubut province. Welcome at the bus terminal and transfer to hotel.

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 in the hotel. Free day to rest or perform optional activities.

Optional - Valdivian Jungle: Puerto Blest, Frías Lake & Los Cántaros Waterfall
We embark at Puerto Pañuelo (Pañuelo harbour) towards Brazo Blest, where we will arrive at the Blest harbour. We go past the Centinela islet, famous for being the place where Perito Moreno has been buried. All this region is somehow similar to the channels of Tierra del Fuego and to the fjords in Norway, it overflows with vegetation due to the damp climate and frequent rains. There is an additional possibility to reach Frías Lake by bus. Then we go to Puerto Alegre in a northernly direction of the Frías Lake, to embark up to Puerto Frías. The Frías Lake has an oval shape, there are rocky zones which protrude from the East and West coasts generating the classic image of the fjords.

Continuous rains due to the damp winds coming from the Pacific characterize all the region. The rain average is around 3,700mm per year especially in Winter, being January the only dry month. This lake feeds on thaw water coming from the Tronador Mount and on the intense rains of the Valdivian jungle. When returning to Puerto Blest (it is on the Nahuel Huapi Lake just at the mouth of the Frías river) we go by Los Cántaros waterfall. We must climb through a native wooden track surrounding the waterfall reaching some 600 meters high, where beautiful small waterfalls can be seen. We return to the ship to go back to our destination.

Tronador Mount
We start the day travelling along the Pampa de Huenuleu arriving at Gutiérrez Lake. Later we go along the East bank of the Mascardi Lake until the track splits in two, having to turn right into the dirt path which leads us to the Cerro Tronador (Tronador Mount). The bridge over the Manso River is crossed and we go along the West bank of the Mascardi Lake arriving at Pampa Linda. We go through the Vuriloches valley and after crossing a forest, we find the Ventisquero Negro. The trip ends at the foot of the mount. The tongue of the glacier can be reached by trekking. The Ventisquero Negro is a black glacier originated at the summit of Cerro Tronador. Here is where the Manso River has its source and flows down into the Pacific Ocean. The Cerro Tronador has three important peaks. The International peak with 3,555 meters, the Chilean peak with 3,430 meters and the Argentine peak with 3,400 meters, climbers have reached the top of the three of them in Summer.