Argentina – Iguazu Falls – Patagonia Departure February 2014

Day 01  BUENOS AIRES

• Private transfer in Ezeiza to Hotel with English speaking guide, porter tips and tolls
• PM Private classic Buenos Aires city tour in English
• Hotel 725 Continental 4* with breakfast and taxes
• www.725continental.com

DESCRIPTION OF OUR CLASSIC BUENOS AIRES CITY TOUR (PRIVATE)
Buenos Aires is one of the most fascinating cities in both Latin America and the world. Be it for its splendid and varied architecture, with its old Colonial buildings, French palaces and state-of-the-art skyscrapers; for its vibrant nightlife and endless cultural options; or maybe just for the rich identity of the Porteños, who proudly bear the European heritage of their ancestors, more and more visitors are coming to visit.

Our journey starts at Plaza de Mayo, the city’s foundational site and witness of our country’s political history. There we’ll visit the Pink House, our Presidential Palace, the Cabildo, our primitive town hall, and the Neoclassical-styled Metropolitan Cathedral, the final home of Argentina’s founding father, José de San Martín.

We’ll then head for San Telmo, one of the oldest neighborhoods in Buenos Aires. It used to be the residential district favored by the upper class until late 19th century, when a yellow fever epidemic caused the wealthier families to leave northwards. The area was marginalized until the 1970s, when many artists and artisans came to San Telmo to install their workshops. Nowadays, thanks to its amazing architecture and hip atmosphere, this ancient neighborhood is really blooming. We’ll walk its cobbled streets, where the city’s Colonial past seems to come back to life, making a stop at Plaza Dorrego, best known for its traditional antiques fair, held every Sunday.

Leaving San Telmo behind, we’ll continue southwards to La Boca, one of the city’s most authentic and charming neighborhoods. It is a working class district, heavily shaped by Italian immigrants who came to our country in large numbers during the last quarter of the 19th century. Here, we’ll make a special visit to the mythical Caminito Street, which sums up everything that gives La Boca its distinctive spirit: the strong passion for soccer, the heavy presence of art and color, and the Tango-esque atmosphere.

Heading back north across the river, we’ll pay a visit to Puerto Madero, the latest addition to the city’s barrios. In 1991, its huge warehouses and silos where remodeled and redesigned, to finally integrate the river to the city and to create a new corporative, residential, hotel and gastronomically district, which has become the playground for the pretty Porteños and the international jet-set. 

In Retiro and Recoleta, we will learn about the dream of our local aristocrats in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when they sought to build a small-scale Paris in the heart of Buenos Aires. After visiting the impressive Plaza San Martín, where Jorge Luis Borges used to take his walks, we’ll stroll down Avenida Alvear, chosen by the world’s most distinguished brands to install their exclusive boutiques, looking up to see the many wonderful French style palaces which nowadays house a number of embassies. Then we’ll visit the Basílica de Nuestra Señora Del Pilar, one of the city’s oldest churches, which dates to the Colonial era. Finally, we’ll admire the celebrated Recoleta Cemetery, a true labyrinth of ornate mausoleums. We’ll make a stop at Eva Peron’s grave, one of the country’s most recognizable icons.

We’ll come across sumptuous French palaces again in Palermo Chico, the area of Palermo best known for its large parks designed by celebrated landscape architects, such as the illustrious Frenchman Charles Thays.

Itinerary:
·       Montserrat, San Telmo, La Boca, Puerto Madero, Retiro, Recoleta, Palermo.

Approximate duration:
·       3.30 hours.

Included services:
·       Bilingual guide specializing in Buenos Aires’ History, Arts, and Architecture.
·       Transportation and transfers in a comfortable, top of the line vehicle. Uniformed driver.
·       Brochure with extended information of the tour and Buenos Aires postcard.

Day 02  BUENOS AIRES

• Free for personal activities
• 19:30 Private transfer to Tango Porteño
• Shared hour tango lesson in English and Spanish (1 hour lenght)
• Tango dancing diploma at the end of the lesson
• Tango show and dinner with unlimited wines and beverages, English speaking guide and tips included.
• Return to the hotel

Day 03  BUENOS AIRES – PUERTO IGUAZU

• Private transfer to domestic airport
• English speaking guide
• Early flight to Puerto Iguazu, Misiones, Argentina
• Private transfer in Puerto Iguazu in English
• 14:00 pm – 4 hours Iguazu forest experience (Shared)
• Buffet Dinner at Hotel Saint George
• Hotel Saint George 4* master room with breakfast and taxes
• www.hotelsaintgeorge.com/index_i.html

DESCRIPTION OF IGUASSU FOREST EXPERIENCE (SHARED)
It is an ecological-adventure excursion with various activities in direct contact with nature. Daily excursions leave at 8:00 am and 2:00 pm. It lasts 4 hours aprox and includes in and out transfers, professional bilingual guide. Activities are: camping, trekking, and rappel. Note: bring insect repellent, comfortable clothing and walking shoes.

Starting with a short ride through the Paranaense jungle of Misiones.  Going through the wilderness and over streams, we move towards the “Trail of the Giant Trees”. Trekking recognizing species of the native flora, their characteristics and medicinal properties, as well as their ecological value.  Ascending to a platform situated at 20 meters over the canopy, a cable ride gives you a thrilling flight through the giant trees (“canopying”), then descending in “rappelling” , all with the adequate equipment.  “Trail of the Waterfall and Giant Ferns”: Hiking, identifying the different species of flora and fauna, then following the course of the stream, going over fine bridges built by the aboriginals living in the area. Wet rappelling down the fall.  Time required: 4 hours.            

Day 04  PUERTO IGUAZU

• Private full day visit to the waterfalls on the argentine side, with English speaking guide and national park tickets
• (SIB) Great adventure
• Buffet Dinner at Hotel Saint George

DESCRIPTION OF GREAT ADVENTURE (SHARED)
4WD Truck ride and boat navigation:  It’s an exciting truck ride along 8 km through the jungle following the Yacaratiá trail until Port Macuco rapids embarking site for fast motor boats which allow navigating up the Lower Iguazú River, going through rapids along 2 km to the falls, approaching the falls at Devil’s Throat canyon and desembarking across San Martín Island, in the heart of the falls.
Duration: about 65 minutes.
Departures: every hour.              

Day 05 PUERTO IGUAZU – BUENOS AIRES – EL CALAFATE

• Private transfer out in English to Puerto Iguazu airport
• Flight to El Calafate via Buenos Aires
• Private transfer in El Calafate witn english speaking guide
• Hotel Rochester Calafate 3* with breakfast and taxes
• www.rochester-hotel.com.ar/index.php?lang=en&home=calafate&sec=inicio

Day 06  EL CALAFATE

• Full day Perito Moreno Glacier visit in English with tickets and private transfers

PERITO MORENO GLACIER VISIT WITH PRIVATE TRANSFERS

Season: all year
Distance: 160 km
Road conditions: 100 % gravel
Services: bilingual, daily
Departure: 09:00 hours
Return: 17:00 hours


This park has been declared as Mankind Heritage by UNESCO. Those glaciers that named it (about 47) show us a 10 thousand-year-old world: cold and wild. The most famous one is Perito Moreno Glacier in the southwestern end of Argentino Lake at 80 km away from El Calafate. This glacier is so-called due to a great Argentinian explorer from last century and is one of the few glaciers that is still moving in the world. That is why it has become one of the most spectacular natural shows in South America. From time to time its 60-m-high snout releases some ice walls as huge as buildings that fall into Rico Bend or Canal de los Témpanos (Ice floes Channel) and then they continue sailing along the channel to the main area of the lake. However, that is not all. The glacier, while moving forward, comes closer to the Magallanes Peninsula, in the opposite lake bank as well as footbridge and viewpoint area. This cycle takes from 4 to 6 years and it eventually separates the lake into two areas. Rico Bend is dammed up and it increases about 35 m over its average level. Its water slowly pierces its way through the glacier snout until it makes it fall down. This show is breathtaking. Water becomes into terrific waves so the whole process restarts again.

Day 07  EL CALAFATE

• Full Day All glaciers navigation in economy class
• (OPTIONAL: Upgrade to first class)

DESCRIPTION OF THE FULL DAY ALL GLACIERS NAVIGATION WITH PRIVATE TRANSFERS

Seasons and departures: September / April daily, May / August consult. 
It always depends on weather conditions.
Services: Spanish informing sailors.
Distance: 108 km to the port.
Departures: from El Calafate 07:30 h, from the port 08:45 h.
Return: 18:00 h.

The pleasure boat departs from Bandera Port and sails the cross of Southern and Northern Bends known as Garganta del Diablo. We sail among huge adrift ice floes until we arrive to our first stop: Upsala Glacier. This glacier surface is 590 km2 becoming, in this way, into one of the most extensive glaciers in America. After sailing along the snout area, we go to Onelli Bay for a hike through the forest until the homonymous lake on which a lot of ice floes make up a huge white carpet. We return to the port and to El Calafate.

Day 08  EL CALAFATE – PUERTO NATALES (CHILE) - ECOCAMP

• 07:30 Shared transfer from Hotel to El Calafate bus station
• Regular bus from El Calafate to Puerto Natales
• 13:00 pick up in Puerto Natales
• Lunch in Puerto Natales
• Shared transfer to Ecocamp
• 4 days Patagonia wild safary at Ecocamp with full board
• (Standard domes in TWIN occupancy only)
• See video here http://vimeo.com/46385852

Day 09  ECOCAMP

• 4 days Patagonia wild safary at Ecocamp with full board
• (Standard domes in TWIN occupancy only)

Day 10  ECOCAMP

• 4 days Patagonia wild safary at Ecocamp with full board
• (Standard domes in TWIN occupancy only)

Day 11  ECOCAMP – PUNTA ARENAS

• Shared transfer from Ecocamp to Punta Arenas
• Lunch
• Drop off at hotel in Punta Arenas
• Hotel Isla Rey Jorge with breakfast and taxes
• www.islareyjorge.com/index2.html

Day 12  - PUNTA ARENAS - SANTIAGO

• Day free for personal activities
• Private transfer to airport
• Flight to Santiago (Not Included)
• Private transfer in Santiago
• Hotel Diego de Velazquez with breakfast and taxes in Santiago
• www.hoteldiegodevelazquez.com

Day 13  SANTIAGO

• SIB 10 hours visit to Maipo Valley
• Visit to Concha y Toro winery with wine tasting
• Santa Rita winery with lunch and wine tastings and museum
• English speaking guide

Day 14  SANTIAGO - OUT

• Private transfer to airport in English

as per Itinerary