Encounter Patagonia
12 Days

From $ 3,049.00
This Tour is Fully Customizable
( Comfort Family Ecology Gourmet )

Patagonia must be one of the wildest and most isolated regions on earth, a place of dramatic landscapes and mile upon mile of uninhabited wilderness. The ‘Encounter Patagonia’ tour takes you on an amazing exploration of its unique beauty. In contrast to all these wide open spaces this tour to Patagonia begins in the fast-paced city of Buenos Aires, where Tango and a passion for fine wine, good food and invariably football make for a non-stop cultural and gourmet adventure. After soaking up the lively atmosphere of the capital you'll head south to the ice fields and rugged coastlines of Patagonia. From whale watching in the Valdez Peninsula, to visiting Ushuaia, 'The City at the End of the World', and walking across some of the Southern Hemisphere's most spectacular glaciers in Calafate, you are sure to go home with many incredible memories. All services and accommodation are to the highest standard, from professional guides to luxurious hotels. Our South America luxury tours are tailor-made to meet the needs of all of our travelers. So, experience dramatic landscapes and icy adventures in the wilds of Patagonia and the Tierra del Fuego, on this flexible itinerary from Class Adventure Travel – experts in Affordable Luxury Adventures.

  • Day 1

    Arrival in Argentina

    Buenos Aires

  • Recoleta Pilar Church
  • Upon arrival at the international airport in Buenos Aires you will be welcomed, escorted to your hotel and briefed on all your travel plans for your stay in Argentina. The rest of the day is free for you to spend at your leisure, either relaxing in your hotel, or exploring some of the nearby areas. One option would be to visit Recoleta Cemetery, a stunning historical site that coexists peacefully with the surrounding string of Parisian-style cafes and bars, and the busy arts and crafts market that takes place there at the weekend. It is within this famous cemetery that Evita Peron's grave can be found, along with those of many other notable characters of Buenos Aires. In the evening we recommend that you dine at one of the many celebrated steak-houses that have made Buenos Aires famous. Your Argentina Travel Expert will be happy to give you any advice you require, and to make both recommendations and restaurant reservations for you.
  • Day 2

    Paris of Latin America

    Buenos Aires

  • ARBUE03-La-Boca-Caminito
  • The Buenos Aires guided tour takes in many of the city's main attractions, including La Boca, San Telmo, the Plaza de Mayo, Casa Rosada, the cathedral, colonial Cabildo and the old Town Hall, before continuing on to the elegant Barrio Norte and finishing in the quieter residential neighborhood of Palermo. In the evening you will be attending one of the city's finest 'Dinner and Tango' shows, where you will experience the very best of Argentine cuisine accompanied by some fabulous wines. Following dinner the show will begin -Tango is a passionate and intense dance, and over the course of the evening you will have the opportunity to hear many of Argentina's most beloved numbers. (Meals - B,D)
  • Day 3

    Buenos Aires at your leisure

    Buenos Aires

  • Estancias
  • This day is left free for you to enjoy the city of Buenos Aires at your leisure, either exploring on your own or taking one of our many extra options. If this day falls on a Sunday you may wish to take a stroll around the San Telmo Flea Market. Alternatively, you can take a morning walk thorough Palermo Woods and the Rose Garden before stopping for lunch. In the afternoon you could visit the Evita Museum or the MALBA - Museum of Latin American Art. Another great option is the day trip to Uruguay and Colonia del Sacramento. With lunch included this tour visits Uruguay's most charming town giving you a tour of its most spectacular sites including the old quarter of Oporto or Lisbon and the Puerta de la Ciudadela. Just ask your Argentina Travel Expert for advice and suggestions. (Meals - B)
  • Day 4

    The Valdes Peninsula of Patagonia

    Buenos Aires to Puerto Madryn

  • Sea Lion
  • After breakfast in your hotel you will be picked up and transferred to the airport for your flight to Trelew. Upon arrival in this southerly city you will be escorted to your hotel in Puerto Madryn, where you will have some time to rest and discuss your travels in the area. Puerto Madryn is situated on the clear waters of the Atlantic's Golfo Nuevo and is the doorway to the Valdes Peninsula. In the afternoon it is recommended that you visit El Doradillo, or Punta Loma for your first encounter with the region's magnificent sea wildlife. From July to October the El Doradillo area is visited by a group of mother whales and their offspring. Owing to the tranquility of the area and the unusual depth of its waters, the whales swim very close to the coast and it is possible to watch them at 20 to 30 meters from the shore. If visiting outside of whale season the region still has much to offer, including a visit to Punta Loma sea lion reserve. (Meals -B)
  • Day 5

    Marine life at its best

    Puerto Madryn

  • Souhern Right Whale
  • After breakfast you will be led on a full day's tour of the Valdes Peninsula. To enter this UNESCO World Heritage site, you will cross an incredibly narrow strip of land with sea on both sides. Further along you will arrive at Caleta Valdes, a large natural creek that is home to a colony of sea elephants. After admiring Caleta Valdes you'll continue along the road as it drops suddenly down into a crescent of golden cliffs overlooking a bright blue bay and the small village of Puerto Piramides. Here herds of southern right whales tend to arrive in late August, although some can be seen as early as June. You can take a boat trip around the bay and watch these immense creatures gliding past. While the whales may be seen from late August to November, the sea elephants and sea lions are permanent residents. Following your tour you will return to your hotel in Puerto Madryn. ***Standard packages include whale watching in a catamaran, premium packages in zodiacs. Whale watching trips are available from July to November. (Meals - B, L)
  • Day 6

    Penguins and Welsh Tea

    Puerto Madryn

  • Magellanic Penguins
  • After a leisurely breakfast you will leave Puerto Madryn and drive 120km south to visit the largest colony of Magellan penguins in South America. The colony's population reaches over half a million birds during the peak season, and the best time to visit is between October and April. One of the greatest features of this reserve is the fact that you can literally walk among the penguins and observe their habits. You'll have the opportunity to see how they feed their babies, defend their territory, build their nests, and of course watch their characteristic comedy waddle in and out of the sea. Following the tour you will head to Trelew in order to visit the Egidio Feruglio Paleontology Museum, before continuing to the charming Welsh town of Gaiman for afternoon tea and Welsh delicacies. You will then return to your hotel in Puerto Madryn just in time to enjoy the sunset. (Meals - B, L)
  • Day 7

    Arrival at the End of the World

    Puerto Madryn to Ushuaia

  • Ushuaia
  • After breakfast you will be transferred to the airport for your domestic flight to Ushuaia. Nicknamed 'The City at the End of the World', Ushuaia lies on the shores of the Beagle Channel and is the capital of the sparsely-populated, mountainous and windswept island of Tierra del Fuego. Ushuaia was one of the last regions to be settled by immigrants and was originally home to the kayak-paddling Ona and Patagon Indians who hunted seal and fish, and daubed themselves in seal-fat during winter to ward off the sub-zero temperatures. Following arrival the remainder of the day will be free for you to spend at your leisure. Warming up by a cozy fire-place in your hotel and enjoying some delicious Patagonian food is a very good option. (Meals - B)
  • Day 8

    Tierra del Fuego National Park and the Beagle Channel

    Ushuaia

  • Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse
  • In the morning you will be collected from your hotel for a short drive west of Ushuaia to the Tierra del Fuego National Park that borders the Beagle Channel across the Pipo River valley. Age-old forest fires, often set unwittingly by fur-trappers and hunters, have scarred the hillsides, while the rivers which flow through the valley floors have become marshy swamps crisscrossed by dams - a legacy of the beaver population imported to the island in the early 1900's. After exploring the area you will return to Ushuaia for lunch. In the afternoon you will board a comfortable catamaran for a trip along the Beagle Channel. The catamaran passes many estancias as well as the historic lighthouse, Les Eclaireurs, which inspired Jules Verne's novel The Lighthouse at the End of the World. (Meals - B)
  • Day 9

    Fly to the Glaciers

    Ushuaia to El Calafate

  • Calafate Lake
  • After breakfast you will be collected from your hotel and transferred to the airport for your domestic flight to El Calafate. Upon arrival you will be met and transferred to your hotel where you can relax and unwind for the remainder of the day. El Calafate is a picturesque village by Lago Argentino, one of Patagonia's largest and most stunning lakes. The region is also home to high mountains and the immense ice-caps of Los Glaciares National Park, which was added to the World Heritage List in 1981. The pleasant village of El Calafate is the starting point for many trekking trails that lead out across the steppes through forests of poplar, willow and pine, and on to the glacier fields. (Meals - B)
  • Day 10

    Trekking over Perito Moreno Glacier

    El Calafate

  • Moreno trails
  • After breakfast you will begin a full-day's tour to the Perito Moreno Glacier. Following a beautiful two and a half hour drive through national parkland you will reach the amazing Perito Moreno Glacier. After getting fully kitted out with crampons and accompanied by a team of experienced professional guides, you will climb up onto the glacier and enjoy the extraordinary experience of walking across its icy surface. The glacier is millions of years old and has an otherworldly quality to it, peering down into its deep cracks that glow blue and green is a uniquely beautiful experience. The two-hour trek is moderate, and the surface over which you walk is irregular, but firm and safe. After the walk a stroll through the forest brings you back to the shelter. From here you will return to El Calafate for the evening. For this excursion it is recommended that you bring sports shoes or trekking boots, sunglasses, sun protection, gloves, hat, and a windproof jacket. (Meals - B, Box Lunch)
  • Day 11

    FD All Glaciers

    Calafate

  • Moreno Glacier
  • You will depart in the morning for the Los Glaciares National Park, before heading to the Punta Bandera pier where a boat will take you to the northern side of Lake Argentino. From here you will head towards the Upsala glacier - one of the largest of the Patagonian ice caps with walls stretching to over 20 meters high. You will then sail along its 6km front wall before heading towards Onelli bay, where you will go ashore and take a short walk through a typical Andean-Patagonian forest. After lunch you will return to the bay to continue your boat trip, this time towards Spegazzini, the highest glacier in the park. At around 4pm you will return to Punta Bandera pier where you will transfer back to El Calafate for the evening. (Meals - B, Box Lunch)
  • Day 12

    Return to Buenos Aires

    El Calafate to Buenos Aires

  • Puerto Madero
  • After breakfast you will be shown to the airport in Calafate for your flight back to Buenos Aires. Upon arrival you will either be transferred to the international airport (approximately an hour's drive away), or to your hotel should you wish to spend more time in Argentina. Class Adventure Travel offers many more exciting tours across Latin America such as Machu Picchu, Iguazu Falls and the Amazon Jungle. (Meals - B)
This Tour is fully customizable
We can customize and tailor-make your trip to suit your specific needs and desires – whatever these may be. Our primary concerns are your safety and comfort. All of our tours have been carefully constructed in a way that will ensure your wellbeing in Argentina and also provide you with the best class and comfort available in the country. All of our packages are built to be as fully inclusive as possible while still giving you the flexibility to spend your vacation time as you wish. Contact us

With more than 12 years in the travel business, we know what it takes to offer our clients a truly exceptional travel experience that is both exclusive and fulfilling. We provide the adventure… it’s up to you to build the memories.