Journey Argentinian Patagonia

21 days - from € 5,100 per person

self-drive - Patagonia - wildlife spotting - active

Day 3: Buenos Aires

Today you will be taken along some of the most important sights of the fascinating Argentine capital in a special way. You will leave with your guide to explore the districts of Recoleta and Palermo by bike. In the stylish district of Recoleta you will find the famous Cementerio de Recoleta cemetery, where you will find the grave of Evita Peron. In the district of Palermo you will find the Bosques de Palermo, a green island in the city, about 400 hectares large, where young and old enjoy themselves (especially at weekends). The trendy district Palermo is also called Palermo Soho after the famous district Soho in New York, USA. Here you will find a variety of attractive boutique hotels in historic characteristic buildings, often with modern interiors combined with classic elements.
Overnight stay: Palo Santo Boutique Hotel | bed & breakfast 

Day 4 | Buenos Aires – Trelew – Puerto Madryn 

(approx. 65 km | 1 hour drive)
In the morning you will be picked up at your hotel and taken to Buenos Aires airport, from where you will take a domestic flight to Trelew. Upon arrival you can pick up your rental car and drive to your accommodation in Puerto Madryn. Puerto Madryn is a city in the south of Argentina, on the Valdes peninsula on the Atlantic coast.
Overnight stay: Hotel Territorio | bed & breakfast

Day 5 and 6 | Puerto Madryn

These days you can go out to take a closer look at the rich and exuberant wild life around the rough coast of Peninsula Valdes. In this region several species of penguins and sea lion colonies live. It is recommended to drive in the morning to the north of the peninsula until you arrive in Puerto Pirámides. Here you can board a boat that will take you to the whales that come here from June to December to give birth to their young. In the afternoon you can visit Salinas Grande and Chica in the south, where many sea lions and Magellan penguins live. 
Overnight stay: Hotel Territorio | bed & breakfast

Day 7 | Puerto Madryn – Trelew – Ushuaia

(approx. 65 km | 1 hour drive)
Today you drop off your rental car at Trelew Airport and then take a domestic flight to Ushuaia. Once here you will be welcomed by our local staff who will take you to your accommodation. Ushuaia is the largest town on Tierra del Fuego and also an interesting place with some sights. Tierra del Fuego is a special, rugged and unspoiled island with very diverse landscapes. The natural light and weather conditions are constantly changing, thanks to the often strong winds from the west. 
Overnight stay: Alto Andino Hotel | bed & breakfast

Day 8 | Ushuaia

The Tierra del Fuego National Park, which you will visit today on shared basis, is the most southerly example of a primary Patagonian forest. The landscape is characterized by rugged mountain peaks, glacial lakes and green valleys. The forests in this part of the country consist mainly of typical lenga and guindo trees. Once arrived at the National Park, the hike of 7km starts, over a safe but uneven terrain. On the way you will reach a point where you have a beautiful view over Lake Roca, Lagunas Verde and Negra, Ovando and Lapataia River and Lapataia Bay. During the walk through the beech forest there is a good chance that you will see the Magellan woodpecker, which is the largest in South America. But you will also encounter parakeets, black-breasted buzzards and Andean Condors along the way. In the afternoon you will go canoeing through the national park. You will go canoeing on the Ovando River which flows into the Green River, where you can enjoy one of the most beautiful views of the national park. Enjoy the beautiful views and crystal clear waters. You will sail to the Green Lake and Lapataia Bay, where you may see seabirds, a beautiful picture. Lapataia Bay is also the end point of your canoe trip. Here you can enjoy a relaxing sunset, you will see the sun slowly disappear behind the mountains, literally at the end of the world. 
Overnight stay: Alto Andino Hotel | bed & breakfast

Day 9 | Ushuaia

Today you will be picked up at your hotel in a 4x4 all-terrain vehicle. Togheter with an English-speaking guide you will drive on shared basis to the Garibaldi pass where you can first enjoy the fantastic panoramic view over the beautiful lakes Fagnano and Escondido. These lakes are beautifully situated between the foothills of the Andes mountains. The areas around the lake are also a paradise for birdwatchers. Then you leave the paved road and drive along the shores of the Fagnano Lake, which with its impressive water level and a length of 100 km is the largest lake on the island. You will arrive at a hill in the forest where you will find your lunch for the day. Here a typical Patagonian BBQ will be prepared for you. During your free time there is plenty of time to walk around in the area. After lunch you will continue your safari through the forest before arriving at the Escondido lake. Sometimes you will drive through the water! You will make a stop for a tea or coffee and of course to take pictures. At the end of the afternoon you will be brought back to your hotel.
Overnight stay: Alto Andino Hotel | bed & breakfast

Day 10 | Ushuaia – El Calafate – El Chalten

(approx. 200 km | 3.5 hour drive)
After breakfast you will be taken to the airport of Ushuaia, where you will board a domestic flight to El Calafate. Upon arrival you can pick up your rental car and drive to El Chalten. El Chalten is a small village at the foot of the impressive Fitz Roy massif, north of Lake Viedma. El Chalten is a base for climbing expeditions to the Fitz Roy massif and there are also several day trips possible.
Overnight stay: Hosteria El Puma | bed & breakfast

Day 11 and 12 | El Chalten

These days are scheduled off. With your rental car you can explore the spectacular surroundings. You will stay close to Cerro Chaltén, also known as the Fitz Roy massif. Chaltén originates from the indigenous language Tehuelche, which means "smoking mountain". The steep mountain peak of about 3400 meters altitude owes its name to the fact that there are always clouds around the top. In 1877, the Argentine explorer named the mountain peak after Fitz Roy, the captain of the HMS Beagle, the ship that carried Darwin across the world's seas. The most impressive glacier near El Chalten is the Viedma Glacier, which flows into Lake Viedma. The enormous mountain peaks of Fitz Roy can even be seen from the Chilean coast when the weather is clear. The 25 meters high waterfall Chorrillo del Salto is only five kilometers from El Chalten and is worth seeing. This waterfall is beautifully surrounded by the surrounding forests and is ideal for a short excursion. There are various activities to undertake, such as climbing, glacier trekking, hiking, cycling and horseback riding from where you can discover the beautiful surroundings. This is easy to organize from your hotel. Here you can also find examples of beautiful trekking tours. 
Overnight stay: Hosteria El Puma | bed & breakfast

Day 13 | El Chalten – El Calafate

(approx. 215 km | 4 hour drive)
Today you will drive with your rental car to El Calafate. El Calafate is located on the southern shore of Lake Argentino, 315 km from Rio Gallegos, capital of the province of Santa Cruz, and 80 km from the entrance to Los Glaciares National Park. In the past, the inhabitants of the town were mainly engaged in sheep farming and selling their wool. As time passed, the wool industry became less and less important and El Calafate lost its importance in the wool industry. 
Overnight stay: Hotel Kosten Aike | bed & breakfast

Day 14 | El Calafate

Today you can visit the national park Los Glaciares. In this national park there are 14 large glaciers and countless smaller glaciers, but the most impressive one is without doubt the majestic Perito Moreno glacier. This huge ice wall, 70 meters high and several kilometers wide, is one of the few glaciers in the world that is still growing in size. The glacier is easy to reach by car. There are several panorama balconies from where the glacier is easy to see. The sight and the thundering sound of breaking ice is absolutely spectacular. In addition to impressive masses of ice, the park offers beautiful nature with special species of trees such as the alerce and calafate and animals such as the grey fox and the guanaco.
Overnight stay: Hotel Kosten Aike | bed & breakfast

Day 15 | El Calafate – Bariloche

After breakfast you will drive your rental car to El Calafate airport, where you drop it off. Then you take a domestic flight to Bariloche. Once arrived here, you will pick up your rental car and drive to your accommodation in Bariloche (approx. 15 km | 30 min drive). Bariloche is the most famous place of the Argentine Lakes region. Snowy peaks, deep blue lakes, crystal clear rivers and vast dense forests are some of the ingredients that make the Argentine Lakes region a great destination. In addition to the enchanting Nahuel Huapi Lake, there are countless places of idyllic beauty to be found in this area. 
Overnight stay: Alma del Lago Suite & Spa | bed & breakfast

Day 16 | Bariloche

This day is scheduled off. There is more than enough to do in this area. You can go kayaking over one of the quiet mountain lakes or take a boat trip to one of the islands for beautiful walks. For the more active people there are also opportunities for horseback riding or mountain biking along the Nahuel Huapi lake. You will mostly find peace and quiet outside the city of Bariloche, but if you choose to visit Bariloche, the highly regarded Patagonia museum or one of the many cheese, meat or chocolate fondue restaurants are an option.  
Overnight stay: Alma del Lago Suite & Spa | bed & breakfast

Day 17 | Bariloche – Villa la Angostura

(approx. 76 km | 1.5 hour drive)
Today you drive with your rental car to the village of Villa Angostura where you will drive along the shores of Lake Nahuel Napi. You can also visit the national park Nahuel Huapi. This area is the oldest national park in Patagonia in the foothills of the Andes Mountains in Argentina. It was founded in 1934, but its heart is formed by the area that Perito Moreno donated to the federal government in 1903. The park is about 7050 km² and is located in the southwest of the provinces of Neuquén and in the northwest in Río Negro bordering Chile. Villa La Angostura is also within the park. 
Overnight stay: Hosteria la Escondida | bed & breakfast

Day 18 | Villa la Angostura

In the heart of the Argentine lake district, surrounded by lakes, rivers and a beautiful primeval forest, lies Villa La Angostura. Angostura ('isthmus') comes from the Quetrihue peninsula where Villa La Angostura is situated. A beautiful, harmonious and a quiet mountain village 45 km from the border with Chile and only 76 km from the airport of Bariloche. Here you can enjoy the surroundings but also enjoy the gastronomy. Villa La Angostura is home to a large number of excellent chefs, which means that the restaurants here can serve you the best international dishes, in addition to the very own Patagonian cuisine. 
Overnight stay: Hosteria la Escondida | bed & breakfast

Day 19 | Villa la Angostura – Bariloche – Buenos Aires

Today you will take your rental car back to Bariloche (approx. 75 km | 1 hour drive), where you can drop it off at the airport upon arrival. After that you will take a domestic flight to Buenos Aires. Once here you will be brought to your hotel, where you will stay another night before flying back to Amsterdam the next day.
Overnight stay: Palo Santo Boutique Hotel | bed & breakfast

Day 20 | Buenos Aires – Amsterdam

After breakfast you will be taken to Buenos Aires International Airport, where you will board your night flight to Amsterdam.

Day 21 | Amsterdam

You will arrive in Amsterdam today.