Discovering Argentina:
Nature, Culture, and Patagonian Landscapes

21 days - 20 nights

Day 1 - Arrival in Buenos Aires

We will welcome you at Ministro Pistarini International Airport (Ezeiza) and transfer you to your hotel in Buenos Aires City.

Day 2 - Classic 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.

Day 3 - Navigation on the Delta del Tigre

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 4 - Buenos Aires - Departure to Iguazú

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

Day 5 - Iguazú Falls: Argentina

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 6 - 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 7 - Departure from Iguazú to Salta

We will transfer from the hotel to the Iguazú Airport to take the flight to Salta. Upon arrival, we will be welcomed at Salta Airport and transferred to the hotel.

Day 8 - Discovering Salta, La Linda

We will start our tour along the city from the nice 9 de Julio Square, so eye-catching because of its decorated coloured quarries and its fruited trees which leave a nice fragrance in the salteño air. From the square we will be able to have a first vision of its history and colonial past, as we will be surrounded by old buildings such as the Cabildo, the Cathedral, the Church of San Francisco, the Convent of San Bernardo de las Monjas Carmelitas, one of the oldest buildings in the city which was the entrance door to the convent and it is made of carob wood that was carved by the natives in 1762; its old houses complete the historical quarter, which are today very important monuments.

Then, we will go to the impressive and most recognised hill in the salteña city: Cerro San Bernardo. Before getting to it, we will tour along the streets, getting to Güemes monument, an argentinian general who is known because of its ideals of freedom, dispise to materialism and his love to his Motherland. We will get to San Martín Park where we will find the cable railway station, our means of transport to get to the hill so we can have an amazing panoramic of the city and its surroundings, with the hills at the background.

After the ascent, we will continue to a really charming place, which is chosen by many tourists because of its wonderful natural attractions and the different activities to do: the summer village of San Lorenzo, where we will find the Quebrada, an ideal place to spend the day at the edge of the river, listening its relaxing sounds. We will enjoy our way to it, as we will go through flowered Gardens, mansions and castles which are surrounded by small hills and where we can do (horse) riding, trekking and pic-nic. We will go back to the city, going through the Handmade Market (Mercado Artesanal) first, where we will be able to get some souvenirs from this beautiful city, such as silver and pottery pieces, rustic fabric of llama wool, craftwork in leather, among others.

Day 9 - Calchaquí Valleys via 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 10 - Calchaquí Valleys via 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 11 - 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 12 - From Salta to Puerto Madryn

Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the Salta Airport for the flight to Puerto Madryn. Upon arrival, we will transfer you to the hotel.

Day 13 - Punta Tombo Penguin Colony

Punta Tombo Penguin Colony

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.

Day 14 - Valdés Peninsula and Whale Watching of the Southern Right Whale

Valdés Peninsula and Whale Watching of the Southern Right Whale

Breakfast at the hotel. We will have great excitement on this day. We will set out first thing in the morning towards Península de Valdés, which was declared Natural and Cultural World Heritage by the UNESCO for being one of the few places in the world where you can watch the Southern right whale in its natural habitat. In this place we can find the biggest concentration of sea animals in the entire Atlantic coastline.

We will visit the Interpretation Center in Carlos Ameghino Isthmus, and then we will head for the ecotouristic village of Puerto Pirámides, which is the only urbanized town in the Peninsula. In Pirámides, we will enjoy a spectacular experience watching the whales in their natural habitat, accompanied by whale specialized guides, biologists, and film and naturalist photography teams.

Before starting our voyage, we will provide travelers with a raincoat and a life jacket. We will set out on a motorboat tour around the crystalline waters of Golfo Nuevo (New Gulf) to see the Southern Right Whale. We will have a unique natural experience when the whales make their appearance moving, swiping their tails, blowing air through their holes and jumping. From the end of May to December, whales from Antarctica reach the coasts of Golfo Nuevo (New Gulf) to breed in the coastline of Puerto Pirámides.

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.

Day 15 - Ushuaia

Breakfast at the hotel. We will transfer you to Trelew Airport to board the flight to Ushuaia. Upon arrival, we will be welcomed at Ushuaia Airport and transferred to the hotel.

Day 16 - Classic Navigation on the Beagle Channel & Tierra del Fuego National Park

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.

Tierra del Fuego National Park was created on October 15, 1960, covering 63,000 hectares of Patagonian forest and part of the Andes mountain range. The climate is temperate to cold and humid, with winter snow and rainfall, and a rugged mountainous terrain with glacial valleys. We will be able to rest our eyes by contemplating forests of lenga, ñire, and Antarctic beech, rivers, lakes, peat bogs, views of the Beagle Channel, and trails that lead us to discover the southernmost nature in the world. Along its well-marked trails, we can observe the most representative species of local flora and fauna. We will also see the "marks" left by the Yámana indigenous people, an aboriginal community that historically inhabited these forests.

On the way, we will pass through the Pipo River valley to Ensenada Bay, seeing Redonda and Estorbo Islands, and across the Beagle Channel, the snowy mountains of the Sampaio Range (Chile). We then head toward Lake Roca to go trekking along the lake and the Lapataia River. Here, we can see the natural border with Chile: Mount Condor. Finally, we reach Lapataia Bay, at the far end of Tierra del Fuego National Park, where we’ll observe the Green Lagoon and the Black Lagoon.

Day 17 - Fagnano & Escondido Lakes

Today we will visit the Fagnano and Escondido Lakes located in the center of the Big Island of Tierra del Fuego. We will leave in the morning, we will travel through the Olivia River valley to the North. We will enjoy the landscape that the Olivia River Valley offers us, to reach the Carbajal Valley viewpoint, from there we will obtain incredible panoramic views of the forests, peatlands, and mountains. On the way to the lakes we will be able to appreciate the facilities of Cerro Castor, considered the southernmost in the world, and worldwide known for the quality of the snow and its long season which lasts from mid-June to mid-October.

We will continue the route to reach another beautiful viewpoint, the Garibaldi Pass, located at 430 meters above sea level. from there we will be able to appreciate the beautiful view of Lake Escondido. We will descend bordering the mountains appreciating the Reserve "heart of the island", a protected natural area. We will arrive at the Argentine Naval Prefecture of the beautiful Fagnano Lake, a place where the beauty of the calm waters, the forest and the stories of the ancient loggers and settlers of the area mix, from there we will enjoy Lake Fagnano from its margins. We will return after noon and we will go to the Carbajal Valley area, we will stop at one of the restaurants to enjoy the renowned and exquisite Cordero Fueguino, (lunch is optional). We will return to the city in the afternoon.

Day 18 - Departure to El Calafate

Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to Ushuaia Airport to take the flight to El Calafate. Upon arrival, we will transfer you to the hotel.

Day 19 - 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 20 - Afternoon at a Patagonian Estancia

In the morning we drive to the estancia Nibepo Aike Estancia located within the Perito Moreno National Park. There and enjoying a wonderful view of the Cordillera de Los Andes will receive us with coffee, tea or mate cooked with dry cookies. Then we will walk through the South arm of lago Argentino where we will observe different folds in the Earth's crust demarcated by the variety of sediments that gave origin. Also walk trails among forests of beech and ñires in which inhabit a very varied fauna. Towards noon we will enjoy a great show of Creole skill test of reins and meekness of Criollo horses, then we will see a demonstration of sheep shearing and walk through the historical case of the stay will be where us stories of the first settlers in the area, to finish this tour with a visit to the Organic Orchard. After these activities, we will have opportunity to enjoy a typical lunch with grilled Patagonian lamb, sausages, chorizo steak, variety of salads and dessert. Then and now with new energies we will make a tour to the Crystal Hill in a way winding up and as we gain altitude will have a large panoramic town of stay, South, Rico arm arm and the Rock Lake, to finally take back to the city.

Day 21 - Departure from El Calafate to Buenos Aires

We will transfer you from the hotel to El Calafate Airport to take the flight to Buenos Aires. Upon arrival at Jorge Newbery Airport in Buenos Aires, we will transfer you to Ministro Pistarini International Airport to bid farewell to this beautiful country. End of our services.