Classic Argentina Patagonia Tour

8 Days / 7 Nights

From Puerto Madryn and El Calafate to Ushuaia

A comprehensive tour around Patagonia visiting its main attractions from the Atlantic Ocean to the Andes: Puerto Madryn and one of the most important wildlife reserves in the world for its wide variety of marine fauna: whales, sea elephants, sea lions, and penguins; Calafate and the wonder of the glaciers so incredibly at hand; Ushuaia and the magic of a visit to this enchanting land located right at the end of the world.

Departures: Daily from October 1st through April 15th
Guide: Spanish and bilingual (English - German - Italian - French)
Meals: Half board. Air Fare: Not included

Puerto Madryn - Punta Tombo Penguin Rookery - Trelew

Day 1

Arrive at Trelew Airport where your guide will greet you and transfer you to the downtown area of Puerto Madryn. Set off on a full-day tour to the Punta Tombo penguin rookery, one of the most important Magellanic penguin colonies in South America. See thousands of penguins bathing, fishing, taking care of their eggs and raising their young on the beach. Continue your tour with a visit to Chubut's capital city, Rawson, and meander along the Playa Unión beachfront. Visit Trelew and Gaiman, famous for its Welsh inhabitants who carry on the traditions of their ancestors, demonstrated by the charming Welsh teahouses found in the region. Discover the legacy of ancient civilizations at the Paleontology Museum and return to Puerto Madryn and check into your hotel.

Note: The penguin rookery visit of the tour operates from October to March.

Peninsula Valdes Tour

Day 2

Embark upon a full-day excursion to the remote yet wildly beautiful Peninsula Valdés and experience the daily lives of the exotic animals that call this isolated region their home. Pass through Patagonian landscapes and rustic farms along the way to Valdés Peninsula, a wildlife refuge reserve. From Puerto Pirámides, look out for majestic Southern Right Whales during the season of June-December, or playful sea lions from December to March. Continue to the Punta Delgada Lighthouse to enjoy panoramic views of the coastline and have a break for lunch which is included in the tour. Head to Valdés Inlet to witness the gigantic sea elephants weighing up to an astounding 3 tons and measuring around 6m long. Bird-watchers will delight in a visit to Birds Island, where flamingos abound in the wetlands and gulls, petrels and other seabirds coast and soar through the sky. Then return to Puerto Madryn and spend the rest of the day at your leisure.

Transfer to Ushuaia & City Tour

Day 3

Make your way to the southernmost city in the world, Ushuaia. Upon arrival, your guide will greet you and accompany you on a 2-hour Ushuaia city tour and museum visit. Start on Coastal Avenue which borders the Beagle Channel and the Ushuaia harbor. Meander through the old town and stop by the prison, an important cultural site given Ushuaia’s former role as a convict colony. Finally, visit the End of the World Museum to gain even greater insights into this isolated part of the southern hemisphere. Afterward, check into your hotel near the coast and appreciate its excellent location overlooking the Beagle Channel with the imposing yet scenic Andes Mountains in the background.

Tierra del Fuego National Park Tour

Day 4

Head to Argentina's first coastal national park and embark on a 4-hour Tierra del Fuego National Park tour and train ride. Experience incredible scenery including windswept lenga trees, powerful yet slow-moving glaciers, towering mountains and cascading waterfalls. Walk along paths to Ensenada Bay and Lapataia Bay, and circumvent the serene lakes of Lago Roca and Lago Fagnano. Trek through the Park and keep an eye out for native guanacos, Andean foxes and beavers. Various species of birdlife also thrive in the region, and geese, ducks and oystercatchers frequent the rivers and lakes. Then visit the End of the World Train Station, riding the Fuegian South Railway from the outskirts of the city along the Pipo River. The train was originally built by prisoners to collect and transport timber for firewood. Afterward, return to Ushuaia and spend the remainder of the day as you wish.

Transfer to El Calafate

Day 5

Head to El Calafate today, a base for visiting the glaciers of Los Glaciares National Park. Transfer to the airport and fly north to El Calafate. Upon arrival, check into your hotel and spend the rest of the day on your own. Relax at the hotel pool or explore the town and get a sense of daily life in this beautiful Patagonian town.

Tour of the Upsala Glacier and Onelli Bay

Day 6

Witness the stunning Upsala Glacier and Onelli Bay on a full-day tour. Board a cruise boat from Bandera Port in El Calafate and sail along the Southern and Northern Bends known as the Garganta del Diablo or Devil's Throat. Pass drifting ice as you approach the Upsala Glacier, continue to Onelli Bay and encounter more icebergs and floes in the pristine waters. Return to the port in the late afternoon and spend the rest of the day as you like.

Tour of the Perito Moreno Glacier

Day 7

Experience the mighty Perito Moreno Glacier on a full-day tour. One of the most famous glaciers in the region, it’s found adjacent to Lago Argentino. Drive through the Los Glaciares National Park and bask in glorious vistas of the glacier amongst a backdrop of majestic mountain peaks. Occasionally, masses of ice will break off from the glacial wall and crash into the lake, a remarkable and thrilling sight. Travel along the walkways built on the shores of Lago Argentino to admire the glacier from each unique facet, then return to the town in the afternoon and contemplate a day discovering frozen rivers and lakes.

Departure from El Calafate

Day 8

Reflect on a truly special experience in this isolated and untouched region in the depths of the southern hemisphere. Capture your last moments in Patagonia and head home or continue onto to another South American adventure.