Duration
14 Days / 13 Nights
Package Type
Adventure
Activity Level
Moderate
Physical Difficulty
Cultural rating
Wildlife expectation
One of the most spectacular places on the planet, Patagonia is blessed with a unique ruggedness and natural beauty, pristine and reminiscent of times gone by, when the earth was formed and mountains, lakes and glaciers covered large parts of the planet. Here, the Southern Andes meet dramatic coastlines and the area is home to a number of unique animal, plant and sea-life species. The extreme weather conditions only add to the dramatic essence of the area, making it a trekkers and nature-lovers paradise. It is no wonder flocks of climbers and hikers head here every year to this remote region. This 14 day itinerary is perfect for those looking to experience the authenticity of Patagonia and really get off the beaten track.
Special features of our Patagonia- Lakes and Glaciers tour:
Type of Tourism: Adventure, Mountains and Nature, Geographical, coast and sea-life, remote and lesser-visited.
Places to Visit: Buenos Aires, Esquel, Los Antiguos, Lago Posadas, Calafate,
Duration: 14 Days and 13 Nights.
Type of Service: Private and shared tours.
Accommodation: 3 star accommodation at most destinations that you will visit. These hotels had been carefully chosen and we can guarantee that you will feel comfortable and your every need catered for!
On your arrival to the Buenos Aires airport, you will be greeted by your driver, who will take you to your hotel in the City. After some time to rest up a little, your guide will come to the hotel for an afternoon tour of this incredible city.
Buenos Aires is a big city! The cosmopolitan capital is steeped in history, excellent eateries and coffee shops and cultural attractions abound. Its centre is the Plaza de Mayo, lined with 19th-century stately buildings including The Casa Rosada, the iconic presidential pala...
Today is a free day to enjoy the city.
We suggest a visit to a typical Estancia where you will discover all about the Gaucho way of life.
Today we will head to the domestic airport for your flight to Esquel airport. Your guide will be waiting at the airport to take you to your hotel for a free afternoon.
Esquel is situated in the foothills of the Andean Mountain range. This is the southernmost stop on “La Trochita”, the steam train that once ran for more than 400km through Patagonia. Here also, is Los Alerces National Park, home to forests, lakes, waterfalls and the rare “pudu” deer. Also, close-by is La Hoya Mountain, the na...
Today we will visit the Los Alerces National Park, a UNESCO Natural Heritage Site, which protects the larch tree native to the area and in danger of extinction. This is one of the most beautiful Parks in Argentina, including the Lakes Futalaufquen, Verde, Rivadavia and Menendez. We will return to Esquel in the afternoon.
Today is a free day to explore the area in full.
Today, we will take the 8 hour trip to Los Antiguos. Los Antiguos is a town in the Santa Cruz Province, located on the south shore of the Buenos Aires Lake, just 2 km from the Chilean border. It is connected to Perito Moreno and Caleta Olivia on the Atlantic coast by road.
Today we will visit the Marble Chapels. Crossing the border with Chile, we will get to Chile Chico. Here we will take the small boat that sails to the unique rock formation of the Marble Chapels, formed over time by water erosion. Later in the afternoon, we will return to Los Antiguos for the evening.
Today, we head to Lago Posadas via route 40. We will make a stop at Las Manos Cave, a UNESCO Cultural Heritage Site. This archaeological site is estimated to be over 9000 years old and has many cave paintings dating back to The Pretehuelches civilization, in prehistoric times. In the afternoon, we will head to Lago Posadas.
The highlight of today is the visit to Pueyrredon lake and Posadas Lake. A small strip of land separates both lakes, consisting of different coloured waters. Lake Posadas is located on the edge of the southern Andes, northwest of The Santa Cruz Province, near Chile's border. Its turquoise waters and a curious tunnel-shaped rock at the centre of the lake makes a distinctive landmark. These lakes have the stunning backdrop of The San Lorenzo Mount, the highest peak in the area.
Today we will head off to La Angostura Estate. Here we can enjoy the traditional experience of a typical Patagonia Estancia. We will spend the day with the family who run the estate, who will share with us their life stories and traditional hospitality.
In the morning we will head to El Calafate, 4 hours away. We will have a free afternoon to explore this picturesque town. El Calafate is situated near the edge of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field and is known as the gateway to Los Glaciares National Park, the home of the impressive Perito Moreno Glacier. The glaciers ever-shifting icy structure is famous for hiking and glacier-spotting in Patagonia.
Today we will have a full day to experience the Moreno Glacier, yet another UNESCO Natural Heritage Site, found in The Patagonia region. We will get up close and personal to the glacier and see the immensity and size of this ever-changing mass of ice. After the glacier visit, we will sail to the Argentino Lake to see a different perspective of the glacier from the water. Later in the afternoon, we will return to EL Calafate.
Today we will head to the Calafate Airport, for our flight back to The Capital. We will head to our hotel, from where your final evenings' activities can be arranged.
We recommend a typical dinner and tango show in one of the famous tango houses, for one of the most authentic Argentinian experiences.
Today, we will take you to the airport for your departing flight back home or onto your next exciting destination!
You can check our safety protocols in the following link: https://inspiratravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/EN-Protocol_Travel-Agencies.pdf
We do not include travel or health insurance and we strongly recommend a comprehensive travel insurance for any unexpected circumstances. This is not obligatory, however. We recommend a full travel insurance policy that covers cancellations and delays as well as medical insurance.
We suggest that you speak with your doctor to ensure that you are up-to-date with the recommended vaccinations when traveling to the destination. In any case, a negative Coronavirus Molecular Test (PCR) is needed to enter the country.
We suggest that you speak with your doctor to ensure what medications you will need to bring to the destination. Pharmacies and drugstores are common in all cities, however, it is not certain that you will be able to find a specific drug that you can find in your country of origin.
As in any city in the world, there can be pickpockets in crowded places. We suggest being vigilant at all times, but if you are in a group you will always be safer.
We do not include the cost of any domestic or international flight in any of our programs. These services must be booked independently by each guest.
Yes, hotels will charge the cost of a double room as standard, so a single supplement will be charged if you are travelling alone.
VA Expeditions is supported by Valencia Travel, a company with more than 12 years of foundation with a solid financial position. We have insurance from the insurance company La Positiva, that supports us and protects our guests from any eventuality at the destination, covering our guests for more than 5 million US dollars.
Each trip is customizable, but there may be additional restrictions and expenses in each case. We suggest contacting your sales representative for more information.
Yes, in addition to multi-day programs, we offer half-day experiences and excursions without overnight, which you can purchase as additional services. In case you wish to purchase one of these services, you can ask your guide, the transfer representative or your sales representative to provide you with the support you need.
Yes, you can add additional or optional services to your regular tour. We appreciate contacting your sales representative for any changes you wish to make.
Yes, you can travel with children and we have many activities to do as a family, however, depending on your itinerary, some experiences can be a bit demanding for young children. As a recommendation, we suggest that you ask your sales consultant if the tour you wish to book is suitable for children.
We work with a maximum group size of 12 passengers for sustainability reasons and a more personaized experience.
We suggest making your reservations at least one month before your trip in order to reserve the best hotels, transportation and services for your travel dates, however, in last minute cases, we can reserve up to 15 days in advance.
We suggest consulting with your embassy to review any documents, tests or special visa you need for your trip.
The official currency in Argentina is the Argentinian peso (ARS). In large cities there is a good chance that you will find ATMs or ATMs, however, we suggest that you do not rely entirely on this solution, as it may not be enabled to work with your bank.
Yes, we cater for all special dietary requirements. Please let us know at the time of booking if you have any allergies or special dietary needs.
As a sustainable travel company, we are in constant search of how we can improve the sustainability of our operations, that is why we carry out the following activities to generate a fair and sustainable development in our areas of operation: https://inspiratravel.com/en/sustainability/
Tips are not included in the cost of the tour. You should plan to tip 10% in restaurants and for your guided services, however, tipping is never required.
Cultural norms vary within each Latin American country, even within each city within the country, however, we recommend the following measures to have a pleasant visit in each destination: Latin American culture in general tends to be closer and more informal than in others cultures, so there is usually always a friendly approach in all conversations, and going directly to the point could be considered offensive to some people. Personal space can be much shorter as well, but without being interpreted as sexual in nature. In some places, like Argentina, kisses on the cheek are common for greeting, even between men.
The schedules are also usually more relaxed and informal, however, this is not the case of VA EXPEDITIONS, since we will always respect the hours indicated in your itinerary. This may be different for other appointments that you can book on your own at other locations.
This depends on each itinerary, and will be indicated in the detail of the day. However, our itineraries always usually include free times to offer more flexibility to our guests.
For any emergency, we appreciate contacting the following number: 0054-911-2252-6549
At VA Expeditions we believe that every action we take should generate a positive impact on the communities and the environment of our entire production chain, which is why we carry out various activities focused on this objective. An example of sustainable activities you can do in Argentina:
In Iguazu:
Visit to a Guaraní Village: a unique excursion, first crossing the M´Boca-i stream, then traveling a path in the middle of the jungle where you can discover their hunting techniques, the traps used to catch animals and learn about the use of medicinal plants.
In Bariloche
Villa La Angostura:
Forest bath: The novel forest baths, which have recently been carried out in Argentina, help to slow down and awaken the senses.
In Salta / Jujuy:
Jujuy by Bike: This tour proposes a three-day journey through the most outstanding points of the Quebrada de Humahuaca. Your two local guides take you on a different tour to delve into the history and culture of native peoples and their intersection with the Creole heritage.
In Mendoza:
Snowshoe hike in Mendoza: It is a must see in Portezuelo del Viento. The "Snowshoe Walk" is an exit that takes place from Las Cuevas, a small "Authentic Town" located very close to the border with Chile.
In Salta / Jujuy:
Salinas Grandes Jujuy: A chain of luxury camps, with Salinas Grandes as the first of several similar projects in different parts of the country ”, says one of its creators, Nicolás Languasco Basy. The entire luxury camp is 100% equipped with renewable energies beneficial to the environment.
Pristine Camps joined the Cooperativa Cachi del Chincho from the Aguas Blancas community in order to train young locals. The purpose of this alliance is for them to become external collaborators. They will be in charge of bringing local culture closer to visitors so that they can get to know it from the inside.
In estuaries of the Ibera:
The Esteros de Corrientes: Takes us to know the Carlos Pellegrini Colony and to enter an area of estuaries and palm groves; then to spend the night in an inn with the style of an old Corrientes farm to enjoy the typical gastronomy and a panoramic view from the pier of the Iberá Lagoon.
All our guests have 24/7 support for any type of emergency or eventuality. For emergencies you can contact the following number: 0054-911-2252-6549. For general inquiries, you can write to us at the following email: info@valenciatravelcusco.com
This depends on each itinerary, but generally is a ratio of one guide for every nine guests.
This depends on the type of the type of Travel insurance that the passenger has. In Argentina attention in Public hospitals is free, but we recommend that you have a comprehensive travel insurance policy for better care and hospital facilities.
The tours are carried out by an expert team that has determined the optimal times of visits to make the most of our guests' time, without rushing. All our programs are customizable, so if at any time at the destination you want to adjust the pace of the trip, you can ask your guide to reach a consensus with the whole group in case you need to make adjustments to the pace of the trip.
Each trip is customizable, but there may be additional restrictions and expenses in each case. We suggest contacting your sales representative for more information.
Yes, you can safely store any luggage at your hotel.
For city tours, there are public bathrooms available, in remote destinations bathroom facilities are more sparse.
In the mountains and remote places there is no Internet connection. Hotels and public places usually have WIFI available.
In cities and tourist centers you will have good telephone reception. In remote areas, there may be no cell phone reception.
It depends on each itinerary, but for example, in the north of Argentina we can reach more than 5000 meters of altitude.
We suggest that you bring a refillable water bottle or purchase bottled water if necessary. Depending on your destination, at various points on your trip there will be places where you can fill your water bottle.
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