Patagonia Highlights - Argentina & Chile With Fjords Cruise 13 Days
13 Days: Buenos Aires, Ushuaia, Australis Cruise, Puerto Natales & El Calafate
Tour overview:
Start in Buenos Aires with an informative panorama tour and learn to Tango where it originated. Then travel South to Patagonia. Start in Chile in Ushuaia where you will board your 5 day/4-night cruise on the Stella Australis cruise ship bound for Punta Arenas in Argentina. View the pristine landscapes, fjords, and glaciers.
Day 1 - Buenos Aires.
Arrival and reception at the airport, transfer to the hotel. In the afternoon, we make a panoramic tour of the city. We start at Plaza de Mayo, witness of the most important events of the country from 1810, to then continue to the neighbourhood of La Boca and finish in Palermo and Recoleta. In the evening, we attend a dinner show where we take a tango lesson, learn the basic steps of this rhythm, and then enjoy the magnetism of tango. (D)
Day 2 - Buenos Aires..
Day at leisure to explore the city.(B)
Day 3 - Buenos Aires / Ushuaia
Transfer to the airport to board the scheduled flight to Ushuaia. Arrival and reception at the airport, transfer to the hotel. Accommodation.(B)
Day 4 - Ushuaia / Australis Cruise
In the morning, excursion to the Tierra del Fuego National Park to enjoy excellent and panoramic views of the Beagle Channel, surrounded by mountains, lenga forest, cherries, notros and flowers. In the afternoon, we conclude with the boarding formalities and later the transfer to the port. Once on board, the captain and the crew welcome us. Set sail. (BD)
Day 5 - Australis Cruise – Cabo de Hornos – Wulaia Bay
We sail along the Murray channel and Nassau bay towards the Cabo de Hornos National Park, where, if the climatic conditions allow us, we land. The mythic Cabo de Hornos, known as “the World’s End”, was declared as Worldwide Biosphere Reserve in 2005. In the afternoon we land at Wulaia Bay, historic site that used to be one of the biggest settlements of native canoeists called Yámanas. We walk to a lighthouse where we can appreciate the beauty of the vegetation and geography. (BLD)
Day 6 - Australis Cruise – Pía Glacier – Garibaldi Glacier
We start the day sailing through the northwestern arm of the Beagle Channel to land at the Pía fiord to walk towards its lighthouse. In the afternoon, we enter the Garibaldi fiord to have a walk to the base of a glacial waterfall. Return to the cruise. (BLD)
Day 7 - Australis Cruise – Agostini Sine – Águila Glacier – Cóndor Glacier
Today we push out into the Agostini Sine, where it is possible to appreciate the glaciers that comes down from the centre of the Darwin Mountain Range, some of them reach the sea. During the morning, we land in Zodiac boats to make a smooth walk around a lagoon emerged from the Águila glacier. In the afternoon, we return to the Zodiac boats to come closer to the Cóndor Glacier. We learn about the formation of the glaciers and its influence in the Sharp geography of the Patagonian channels. (BLD)
Day 8 - Australis Cruise / Puerto Natales
Early in the morning we arrive at Magdalena Island, if the climatic conditions allow it, we must stop at the supply place of ancient sailors and discoverers. During our walk towards the lighthouse, we can appreciate a wide colony of Magellanic penguins. Finally, we arrive at Punta Arenas. The land is at 11:30am. Regular shuttle to Puerto Natales.(B)
(During September and April the landing at Magdalena Island is replaced by a landing at Marta Island, where South American sea lions can be spotted from the Zodiac boats.)
Day 9 - Torres del Paine
Full day excursion at the Torres del Paine National Park. The park was declared Biosphere Reserve by the UNESCO in 1978. The variety of flora and fauna along the landscapes and geography make of this area one of the most idea places to practice adventure sports. We admire lakes as the Sarmiento, Nordenskjold and Pehoe, etc. The fauna you may observe are foxes, guanacos and other species. During the trip, there is a huge variety of birds to see. We take a short walk towards the Salto Grande, which is a part of the water supply system of the park. The circuit continues to the administration to lead until de Grey Lake, where is possible to take a short 30-minute walk through a native Wood to reach the lakes’ coast and admire the icebergs that break off the glacier. Box Lunch. Return to the hotel. (BL)
Day 10 - Puerto Natales / El Calafate
Regular shuttle to El Calafate.Arrival and reception.Accommodation.(B)
Day 11 - El Calafate
Way out from the hotel to the Perito Moreno Glacier, located at Los Glaciares National Park. The Perito Moreno Glacier is an impressive mass of ice that descends from the Southern Ice Field, causing detachments during its advance, which makes it the only glacier in the world that is constantly moving. This is an awesome sight, not only for its beauty, but also for the detachments’ roars. It was declared World Heritage Site by UNESCO. This tour is enhanced by a 1-hour boat ride that provides a view of the glacier front of the glacier from the water level, which help us to appreciate its real height. Free time for lunch (not included). In the afternoon, return to the hotel.(B)
Day 12 - El Calafate / Buenos Aires
At scheduled time, transfer to the airport to board the flight towards Buenos Aires. Arrival and reception at the airport. Transfer to the hotel. Accommodation.(B)
Day 13 - Buenos Aires...
Transfer to the airport to board scheduled flight. (B)