Argentina in Brief:
The Essentials from North to South

15 days - 14 nights

Day 1 - Arrival in Buenos Aires

We will welcome you at Ministro Pistarini International Airport in Ezeiza and transfer you to the hotel in Buenos Aires city.

Day 2 - Classic City Tour of Buenos Aires & Navigation on the Tigre Delta

City Tour of Buenos Aires

Traveling along the main avenues of Buenos Aires, we will embark on a journey through the city’s most iconic neighborhoods: Recoleta, Retiro, San Nicolás, Montserrat, San Telmo, and La Boca. Each neighborhood offers a unique experience and a window into the rich history and culture of Buenos Aires. In Recoleta, we’ll admire luxurious palaces and the elegance of Avenida Alvear, while Retiro and San Nicolás showcase some of the city's most recognizable landmarks, such as the majestic Teatro Colón and the imposing Obelisco, symbols of local identity. San Telmo will take us along its narrow, cobbled streets filled with history, antiques, and the bohemian essence of the city. Montserrat and historic Plaza de Mayo immerse us in the political and cultural heart of Buenos Aires, with emblematic buildings and a fascinating past. Finally, in La Boca we’ll discover the famous and colorful Caminito street, full of art, tango, and tradition, and stroll through the modern revitalized area of Puerto Madero, with its contemporary architecture, top-tier restaurants, and waterfront promenade reflecting the city's urban transformation. This tour allows us to appreciate the architectural, cultural, and social diversity of Buenos Aires, blending history, art, tradition, and modernity into an unforgettable experience.

Navigation on the Tigre Delta

We will take a boat tour through the Paraná River Delta in the Tigre area, navigating its internal channels that form labyrinths. Afterwards, we will explore the northern residential suburbs of the city. To get to Tigre, we will take a bus heading north. Along the way, we will pass parks, Jorge Newbery Airport, and the River Plate stadium. Once in Tigre, we board a boat to begin navigating the Delta, passing islands, islets, rivers, and streams. We will connect with wildlife, observing native flora and fauna in a 16,500 km² area mostly covered by subtropical jungle. The Paraná Delta originates in the province of Entre Ríos and is divided into three main sections: Upper, Middle, and Lower Delta. It empties into the Lower Delta at the Río de la Plata. We will also visit the exclusive neighborhood of San Isidro, including the early 20th-century Gothic Cathedral (optional) and its historic center.

Day 3 - Buenos Aires - Departure to Iguazú

We will transfer from the hotel to Jorge Newbery Airport in Buenos Aires to take the flight to Iguazú. Upon arrival, we will be received at the Iguazú Airport and transferred to the hotel.

Day 4 - Iguazú Falls: Argentina

We will do one of the most interesting excursions through the hanging bridges, which will lead us to visit the stunning Falls from the Argentine side. Then we will get to the Devil's Gorge and be dazzled by its rough waters, a nature spectacles at a height of 80 meters. In the Lower Area (Circuito Inferior) we will enjoy the rich wildlife around us, as we go down the flight of steps where we can watch the spectacle offered by this water curtain surrounded by thick vegetation. We will pass by Álvar Núñez Fall, from where we will enjoy the first views of the Devil's Gorge. Following the path, we will find San Martín Island and the homonymous Fall. Finally, at the end of trip we will find Bosetti and Dos Hermanas Falls. We can stay and appreciate this spectacle of waters and get refreshed since the steam from the waves breaking on the rocks will spray us completely.

We will continue our trip, this time in the Upper Area (Circuito Superior), where we will go around the same falls but from a different point of view of the Falls and their surroundings. Besides, we will get close to our next destination, the most stunning, which will guide us through the roaring of the water currents. We will get to the Devil's Gorge's station by train, and start our trip around the islands, and thus, have a wider view of this great nature "mistake" in the middle of the forest created, according to a legend, by the angry God of Iguazú River.

Full Moon (optional in Argentine Falls) We will enjoy this unique trip at night with a full moon, which will allow us to appreciate the sounds and secrets of Misiones forest. We will leave on the Ecologic Train and head for Devil's Gorge Station, where we will capture the first sounds of nature, which creates a magic and mysterious environment. The spectacle offered by the Falls, with the rainbow that appears from the waters with the moon reflection, will completely dazzle us. Besides, once within this overwhelming environment, we will get the movements and sounds of the animals that go for their food. After such a magnificent experience, we will return by train to the travelers' center.

Day 5 - Iguazú Falls: Brazil

Here we will have a very beautiful trip through the only hanging bridge of 1 km to enjoy the view of Iguazú Falls from the other side, the Brazilian region. During this trip we can also learn more about the fauna and flora, enjoy a unique landscape of the falls since the area is more open regarding falls because most of them are on the Argentine side and form a water curtain of 2.700 meters wide. So from this side we will be dazzled by the beauty of the Devil's Gorge to the full.

Besides, this place is home to rare wildlife species, some of them in danger of extinction such as giant otters, anteaters, jaguars, red deer and yellow alligators. We will also see native flowers such as orchids, bromelias and thousands of butterflies.

Note: We have to bear in mind that this trip is available only 5 days per month during the full moon; two days before, two days after, and during that period. We have also to take into consideration that the capacity for this activity is limited and, of course, it depends on the weather conditions that day. If you want to see other excursion options in Iguazu, click here: Tours in Iguazu.

Day 6 - From Iguazú to Salta

Breakfast at the hotel. We will transfer to Puerto Iguazú Airport. Upon arrival at Salta Airport, we will be received and transferred to the hotel.

Day 7 - Calchaquí Valleys through Cafayate

We will to Calafate city, going through impressive landscapes that change on every curve we make in wonderful colours like the reddish hills, ochre colour of the grass, grey stones and green cactus. We will get ready to descend through the valleys. We will make a stop in Alemanía, a lonely town, but we cannot miss the visit so we can admire its old country houses between green hills, the train station which doesn´t work anymore and now we can see the beautiful work of the craftsmen who invite us to bring a nice souvenir from this town.

We will be wondered as soon as we watch those rare and eye-catching shapes, going through Quebrada de las Conchas, where we will be able to see figures such as the Devil´s Throat (Garganta del Diablo), the Amfitheater (Anfiteatro) a wonderful place where we can perfectly hear the echo of any sound and it is here where many festivals take place, such as the folklore; another shapes are the Obelisk (Obelisco) which makes a lonely crag, the Castles (Castillos) of an intense red colour which reminds the castles in the medieval times, the Yesera with its light sandstone formations, the House of Parrots (Casa de los Loros) named like this because there are stone walls which are the habitat for great flock of parrots during the summer; the friar (Fraile), the toad (Sapo) and the impressive Devil´s Throat in Salta, shaped as a human trachea and also called like that because of its colour.

We will continue to visit the Archaelogical Museum, a place where there is a great quantity of objects which belonged to native villages. Many people have been investigating, making excavations, restorations and exhibitions about them. We will get to Dique Cabra Corral, next to Coronel Moldes, an ideal place to practise water sports, then we will go through some towns dedicated to the farming activities such as El Carril, where we will find many stock-tobacco companies and also fig tree, walnut tree and peach tree fields; La Merced, with its cleany streets and green spaces which make it so picturesque, and Cerrillos. All these towns belong to Valle de Lerma, where there are treasures which come from mines that were found and they are hidden somewhere between the hills, according to local stories. We will be pleasured to taste some wineries´wines.

We will continue our journey from Cafayate, by visiting the Calchaquí Valleys. We will visit the Cathedral "Nuestra Señora del Rosario" which contrast with the multi – coloured hills in the background and then we will cover the most traditional wineries in this beautiful city between valleys and hills of an impressive green colour, which is the most important one in the Calchaquí Valleys because of its "torrontés" wines above all, an ideal place because of the temperature and humidity to the development of this kind of grape with a sweet and fruited taste, together with their goat cheese. The name of the city was given because of an old native settlement which means "Bury of sorrows or sadness" (Sepultura de las Penas).

Day 8 - Calchaquí Valleys through Cachi

Breakfast at the hotel. We will do the way around through the Calchaquí Valleys, this time through Cachi, driving between extremely lovely landscapes. During our tour to this charming town, we will be able to see beautiful tourist spots in particular, starting in Quebrada del Escoipe, almost a wild region followed by the homonymous river and it crosses several Bridges until getting to Cuesta del Obispo. This last one is also a nature work, as we start the ascent by a twisted and cornice road, where we will be surrounded by impressive green coloured hills, an indescribable view together with the vegetation, in contrast with the sky. The highest point in this way is Piedra del Molino, to 3348 metres above the level of the sea and, from where we will have a unic panoramic of the Quebrada del Escoipe.

Two kilometres before getting to Piedra del Molino, we will be able to appreciate the sign which says that we are in Los Cardones National Park that protects its vegetation, such as Neblina, Monte, Puna and Alta Montaña bushes. Some fauna like the taruca, vicuña, guanaco, puma, red fox, wild cat, Wessel, quirquincho, condor, carpintero de los cardones, ututo lizard, coral, yarara, among others, are preserved in this national park.

After coming through the highest point, Piedra del Molino, we will arrive at Valle Encantado, a place where shapes and colours are mixed and where the action of the wind and water sculpt the landscapes with curious shapes and reliefs. There we will find a small lagoon and cave paintings. Of course, if we are lucky, we will be able to watch condors flying through the sky. Later on, we will get to a small soft mountainside valley covered of bushes, which is eaten by the cattle, that we are surely going to cross during the tour. If we continue a few kilometres more, we will appreciate an enclosed basin and El Hervidero lagoon, the favorite place to graze by the guanacos.  

The Tin Tin Straight Line (Recta de Tin Tin) will be another unforgettable spot in our tour as we will watch it along the way we go, as it is a perfect straight line of 18 kilometres, from where we will be able to watch a great quantity of thistles and looking at our right we will see the Tin Tin Hill and at our left we will see the Negro Hill. We will go through this old inca road so we can get to Payogasta where we will be surprised with the red and reddish pepper plantations, now descending to Cachi town, which is located at the base of Nevado Hill between the homonymous river and Calchaquí. There we will go for a walk along the streets watching its dazzled white buildings, its houses made of adobe and paving streets, but the town stresses more because of its kindness and warm contact that the local people give. We will return to Salta in the afternoon.

Day 9 - Humahuaca Gorge

Breakfast at the hotel. Today a full day of history and landscapes will be waiting for us, as we will do the circuit to Quebrada de Humahuaca, where we will visit its prehispanic villages which date from hundred years ago and some are so well kept that they shows us its original buildings and houses, so we can visit and tour closer around them.

In first place, the Quebrada de Humahuaca was declared a Natural and Cultural Heritage Mankind in 2003.

We will start by crossing the Siancas Valley through Gral. Güemes town to tour a sugar cane, tobacco, cotton farming area, among others and we will get to the bordering province of Jujuy and its capital in a valley of 155 kilometres extense, which is surrounded of multicoloured mountains and hills, an arid vegetation area and río Grande. We will get into an area of an amazing variety of brown, green, ocres and reddish tonalities. We will continue to Yala, a summer village which is located in the middle of the mountains, rivers and lagoons, with guest houses and weekend houses, there is also the Potrero de Yala Provincial Park which preserves the Lagunas de Yala (Yala Lagoons) where some birds´ species can be watched. We will start ascending the quebrada, going through villages which are kept like the ancient years and they make an unforgettable postal through the landscapes.

We now arrive at Purmamarca, a picturesque town located at the foot of the impressive and unic Cerro de los Siete Colores, which surprise us with its amazing ranges that mixes with the environment tranquility, its vegetation and the blue sky, apart from the hundred ruins of the first villages in the region. We will continue to Maimará, a town which is exactly in the centre of the quebrada, there we will be able to appreciate la Paleta del Pintor (Painter´s Palette), with is multicoloured hills which honours its name; Posta de Hornillos where we will find a museum to live and be witnesses of the prehispanic life; we will go to Tilcara, a famous village because of its caves and its small church, which is one of the oldest ones in the area. We will enjoy some regional and exquisite dishes and then, we can do a tour where the craftsmen are so we can buy some native souvenirs, rustic fabrics made of llama and vicuña, with the company of those kind and thankful people.

Day 10 - Purmamarca & Salinas Grandes

We depart directly from Purmamarca, at the foot of the famous Hill of Seven Colors, beginning our journey through the Puna region. We start with a brief technical stop to walk a bit and acclimate to the altitude, while enjoying panoramic views of the hill and the town’s typical atmosphere. We continue our trip along the spectacular Cuesta del Lipán, a cliffside road where we’ll make several stops to take photos and relish the experience of being above the clouds, reaching our highest point at 4,170 meters above sea level. From there, we descend to 3,600 meters to arrive at the imposing Salinas Grandes, a dazzling white landscape that invites you to take the most creative photos and videos, living a unique and unforgettable experience.

The Salinas Grandes are one of the most impressive landscapes in northern Argentina, situated at about 3,600 meters above sea level, in the heart of the Puna region. This vast salt flat stretches as far as the eye can see, with its white, gleaming surface formed by millions of years of evaporation of ancient saline lagoons. Walking on the salt is a unique experience, as the horizon merges with the sky creating a sense of vastness and purity. The sunlight constantly transforms the colors and reflections, offering unique opportunities for memorable photos and videos. Furthermore, the Salinas Grandes are not only a visual spectacle but also a place rich in geological and cultural history, where one can feel the connection with the extreme nature and the traditions of the indigenous peoples who inhabit the region.

The return is made by the same route, but with a different landscape: the sun at our backs transforms the colors of the mountains, offering new surprising perspectives and hues. Back in Purmamarca, we’ll have the opportunity to enjoy regional cuisine (optional, not included), walk through the main square, visit the town’s church and stroll along the Paseo de los Colorados, admiring again the Hill of Seven Colors from different angles. We return to Purmamarca or we can head back to Jujuy or Salta.

Day 11 - From Salta to El Calafate

Breakfast at the hotel. We will transfer to Salta Airport for the flight to Buenos Aires, where we will take a connection flight to El Calafate. Upon arrival, we will be received at El Calafate Airport and transferred to the hotel.

Day 12 - 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.

Day 13 - Field Day in Los Glaciares National Park

We visit an estancia that is located inside the National Park. After the welcoming we go to the Brazo Sur of the Argentino Lake watching and enjoying the amazing views to the glaciers and the different levels of water that have eroded the rocks. It is possible to verify the different folds of rocks that were produced by sediments. On our way we discover an ancient forest of nothofagus, that is the habitat for the caranchos, eagles, maras etc. We will be able to enjoy how skillfull are the country men with their control and love for their horses (generally, they are local breeding animals), manual shearing of the sheeps, how to classify the wool and how to bale it.

Then, we visit the old quarters of the estancia and its organic garden. We can have roast lamb or a country barbecue for lunch together with special salads prepared with fresh vegetables from its gardens and homemade desert. Once we are rested, we return to our walk so we can get to a unique panoramic point from where we can see two branchs of the Argentino and the beautiful Roca Lake. The Perito Moreno Glacier finishes both in the Brazo Rico and the Brazo Sur of the Argentino Lake. This valley is not very often seen and its southern access is the less visited of the Southern Ice Fields.

Day 14 - Return to Buenos Aires - Tango Dinner Show

Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer from the hotel to El Calafate Airport to take the flight to Buenos Aires. Upon arrival at the Metropolitan Airport in Buenos Aires, we will be transferred to the hotel.

In the evening we enjoy a dinner and Tango show at one of the best venues of Buenos Aires ( Homero Manzi / Complejo Tango / Señor Tango / La Esquina de Carlos Gardel / Madero Tango). The Tango has a special charm outside of its origin: From New York to Sydney, people that have never visited Argentina are left seduced by its mystique and sensuality. Others stay captivated by the music. This original tour traces in parallel the history of the city and that of the tango journeying by its different stages of development from its birth in the slums, to its consummation in the Avenida Corrientes and its later internationalization.

Day 15 - Ministro Pistarini International Airport

Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer from the hotel to Ministro Pistarini International Airport for your international flight. End of our services.