Fly to Buenos Aires.
Meeting at the International airport and transfer to the hotel. Accommodation in Hotel Elevage. Rest of the day at leisure.
Passengers will be picked up from the airport in the town of Trelew, and be taken to their accommodation, the ranch (estancia) “El Deseado”, located by the Península de Valdes’s entrance. Day for rest and activities on the ranch.
Boat excursion, along the waters of the Golfo Nuevo in the Peninsula de Valdés.
The first stop will be at la Lobería de Punta Loma, home to approximately 2000 sea lions. Then, as we head into the sea, with the boat engines switched off, we lie still. This is when an immense silver mass emerges from the calm waters. The Southern Right Whale weighs between 3 and 55 tons and measures from 5 to 16 metres long.
(December – April) Full day visit to Valdes Peninsula.
Península de Valdés - Natural wildlife reserve.
On our way we will stop to see the wildlife of the area: guanacos, lesser rheas, Patagonian foxes, hairy armadillos, maras and the most important rookeries protecting large colonies of South American sea lions and Southern elephant seals, Magellanic penguins also inhabits this area along with oystercatchers, dolphin gulls, kelp gulls, cormorants, etc
Rookery, the most important breeding colony of Magellanic penguins in the world. We will walk through a trail that cuts deep into the colony to observe closely these fascinating birds. Other species such as kelp gulls, skuas, guanay cormorants, giant petrels, dolphin gulls, the Chubut steamer duck, hairy armadillos and Patagonian foxes also inhabit the area and may be seen here.
The flight will take you across Argentina, from the north heading southwards, to Ushuaia, the most southerly city at the end of the world.
Arrival and transfer to the Hotel Las Hayas, located in a rural property of 5 hectares with a natural forest of beech trees, below the Glacier Martial, 2,5 km from the city of Ushuaia, with a breathtaking view of the Beagle Canal Bay.
Afternoon city trek in the city of Ushuaia. The hike starts at El Mirador del Beagle area (a side neighborhood located in the highest area of the city and an example of the amazing development of the city in the last years and the smooth transition between the city and nature. Upon our departure and towards the forest, the trail will allow us to enjoy the amazing vistas of the city which picture the history of the development of the city through the years: the Presidium, then the Naval base, the Industrial area (when Ushuaia has been a duty free area) and the newly built neighborhoods.
From the very beginning all these vistas have the magnificent Beagle Channel and the islands beyond as a backdrop.
This excursion is the perfect introduction to Tierra del Fuego, its history, its magnificent natural history and traditions.
We start from Ushuaia driving East towards Estancia Harberton. This estancia belongs to the descendants of the first British Missionaries to reach the area - Rev. Thomas Bridges- and was managed for many years by Ms Natalie Goodall, a foremost naturalist in the area.
We visit the estancia and then board a small boat to navigate to Gable Island (the largest in the Beagle Channel) where we stop for lunch. 2,30 hs hike in the island and then resume our navigation to the Penguin rookery at MARTILLO ISLAND, the domain of the Magellanic Penguin and some few Gentoo Penguins. The unique location of this island (close to the point where the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean waters merge) allows for an incredible variety of rich subaquatic life, making it an amazing spot for birdwatching (petrels, skuas, cormorants, sea gulls and albatross).
Return to Harberton and back to Ushuaia.
Full day visit to the Tierra del Fuego NP in a private car-exclusive to our small group.. Upon arrival in the park, we start a 7 km trek (3.5 hour walk) to a wonderful scenic point overlooking Lake Roca, Lagunas Verde and Negra, Rivers Ovando and Lapataia and Bahía Lapataia. Hiking through these beech forest we will be able to look for the Magaellanic woodpecker, largest in South America, Austral parakeets, black-chested buzzard eagles and Andean Condors. Embarkation on an 18 people zodiac boat and head towards Isla Redonda for lunch (pasta specialties) and afternoon short walk on the island. On the way back to Lapataia Bay, we will be able to watch cormorants and sea lions, albatross and petrels. Upon arrival we will hike an old trail to Laguna Verde, where we will board our vehicle back to Ushuaia.
The flight will take you over Patagonia towards the Andes mountain range. Arrival at El Calafate. Accommodation in Hosteria Kalken.
A long day will be spent in the gigantesque glaciers on the eastern side of the Southern Ice. You will be able to closely observe its steep walls and experience the thunder of its collapsing ice. You will also see one of the wonders of the world, the majestic Perito Moreno.
Optional. Trekking on the Perito Moreno Glacier.
Navigation throuth the northern branch of lake Argentino, where you must navigate about 70 km. to get to Glacier Upsala and Onelli Bay, where the catamaran stops for three hours.
Upsala Glacier forms an ice spit of some 60 km. long and 10 km. wide and constitutes the biggest glacier in the area. Its surface is approximately 595 km², about three times as big as Buenos Aires.
Navigation goes on until Onelli Bay, where passengers disembark and go for a short walk through the forest until Onelli Bay, where glaciers Onelli, Bolados, Agassiz and Heim meet. During the hike you will enjoy these beautiful landscapes with a variety of shapes and colors in the immense icebergs detached from Upsala Glacier.
One night will be spent in the Hotel Elevage, followed by the return flight to Buenos Aires.
Recommended: A wander around the city centre in the afternoon and Tango dinner in the evening.
• Domestics Flights in Argentina.
• Full board accommodation on the ranch El Deseado (located on entering the Península).
• Accommodation in double bedroom resorts ) with breakfast.
• All transfers from airport to the accommodation.
• Wround transportation within Patagonia.
• Private services in Buenos Aires, Valdes, Ushuaia and Calafate whit local guides.
• All excursions and specified trekkings.
• Flights to Buenos Aires
• Optional visits.
• Entrance fees to parks and reserves.
• Personalequipment.
• Anything not specified on the technical description of this trip.
