Enjoy a four day Patagonia cruise on the Stella or Via Australis, where daily zodiac trips ashore allow exploration of the remote landscape, its animals and flora. Onboard, enjoy informative slide shows, a knowledgeable, attentive crew and delicious food. Next, travel to Chile, where you will stay at the foot of Los Cuernos in Torres del Paine National Park. End your trip in El Calafate for two nights at a wonderful hacienda - part B&B, part working ranch. A wonderfully varied and easy paced Patagonia travel option.
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
Arrive in Buenos Aires and transfer independently to your hotel. Spend your free time exploring the amazing architecture of Buenos Aires, or simply relax after your long international flight. Overnight.
Day 2: Fly Ushuaia
1 Breakfast
Fly south to the colorful port town of Ushuaia at the end of the world to begin your Argentina travels. With previous incarnations as a missionary outpost and, subsequently, prison town, Ushuaia is now most well-known as the "Gateway to Antarctica." From its dramatic setting between the Beagle Channel and the rugged glaciated peaks rising from the landscape, opportunities for hiking and exploring abound.
Spend the afternoon with your guide exploring nearby trails and enjoying the vistas that look over the Beagle Channel while learning about the human and natural history of this isolated region. May we recommend the Museo Marítimo & Museo del Presidio? When convicts were moved from Staten Island to Ushuaia in 1906, they began building the national prison. Finished in 1920, it was built with spoke-like halls containing single cells. In its heyday, there were as many as 800 prisoners housed in this unique facility that was designed to hold 380! It was closed in 1947 and now serves as a museum.
Just north of Ushuaia is the Parque Nacional Tierra del Fuego, Argentina's first coastal national park. The trail system of easy and undemanding paths makes this an ideal place to spend a relaxing day exploring Patagonia. Wander along the coastal path, undoubtedly the most beautiful in the park. The 3-½ hour hike takes you through forests of high and low deciduous beech, evergreen beech, winterbark, firebrush, and more. Finish the walk at Lake Roca in time for lunch. After eating your fill, climb into inflatable canoes and begin the easy downstream paddle to the Ovando River. The crystal-clear water runs into Laguna Verde, one of the most picturesque, panoramic spots in the park. The take-out point is Lapataia Bay, where you may see petrels, albatross, steamer ducks, and on occasion, penguins. Return to Ushuaia and transfer directly to the M/V Australis - a luxury passenger ship which was built specifically for cruising through the fjords of the Straits of Magellan. Make yourself at home on this spacious and comfortable ship.
Read Detailed Cruise Itinerary
Spend the next few days cruising the labyrinth of inlets, islands, fjords and channels of Patagonia. Twice-daily zodiac trips ashore allow you to experience the stunning beauty of this region and to learn about its flora and fauna. Onboard there are daily informative slide shows on the region, and the ship also has a well-stocked library with reference materials on the land, people, flora and fauna of Tierra del Fuego. Your crew will take excellent care of you with delicious meals and attend to all your creature comforts onboard. From the decks of the ship you will be able to see a wide variety of wildlife and, weather permitting, stunning views of glaciers and the Darwin Mountain range. Enjoy the roaring symphonies as huge chunks of ice break off into the water on this journey that traces the routes of some of the world's most famous explorers.
Early in the morning, drop anchor at Magdalena Island, the home of an enormous rookery of penguins and walk to the lighthouse. Arrive in Punta Arenas around 11:30 am and enjoy some time to explore the town. Transfer mid-afternoon to Torres del Paine National Park with other travelers who are also going to the EcoCamp.
Arrive at the EcoCamp, a deluxe tent camp of large igloo-shaped tents built to minimize environmental impact while providing a comfortable setting with the luxury Suite Domes. The EcoCamp provides candlelight, feather comforters, composting toilets, and plenty of quiet to enjoy your spectacular surroundings.
Click here to see more information about the excursions in Torres del Paine.
Your time at the EcoCamp is flexible and includes a menu of guided excursions. Choose your activities based on your interests and energy level for the day, options ranging from easy-paced to strenuous hikes or even cycling tours. Set off with your guide to travel across the park to Grey Glacier. Along the way, stop to visit the Salto Grande waterfall and take a quick hike (one hour roundtrip) to the Mirador Nordenskjold for stunning views of Los Cuernos and the French Valley. In the afternoon, board the ferry and set off across the Lago Grey.
Hikers may venture to the foot of the gigantic spires of El Paine (8 hours roundtrip). Weather permitting, you'll witness the most famous sight of the Torres del Paine - the three granite monoliths reaching 9,400 feet - a testament to the massive glacial forces that carved them out of the earth.
Some travelers prefer to relax and stay at the EcoCamp to enjoy the vistas and tranquility or take a walk apart from the guided group. Horseback riding and spa services can be arranged at the nearby Hosteria Las Torres during any free time or as an optional activity.
After breakfast, transfer out of the park (an hour transfer by private van) to the Chile-Argentina border and board a comfortable bus to El Calafate, the gateway to Parque Nacional Los Glaciares and the famous Moreno Glacier. This drive takes approximately 4 hours.
Stay at the picturesque El Galpon del Glaciar (formerly known as the "Estancia Alice"). The lodge is warm and welcoming with delicious homemade food, located just 15 minutes from downtown El Calafate. The homestead covers an area of Patagonian Steppe - a unique ecosystem of rivers, lakes and lagoons. While at the homestead visit the nature reserve and enjoy its many trails - over 40 species of migrating birds pass through here so keep turning your eyes skyward! The homestead is also a working ranch and you'll have the opportunity to tour the shearing sheds and watch the working sheepdogs in action. For those who want to explore by horseback this is also an option.
Drive into Parque Nacional Los Glaciares and go to the stunning lookout of the Perito Moreno Glacier. This huge advancing glacier is more than 3 miles wide at its front and over 20 stories high. Board a boat and sail across Lago Argentino, passing the massive front wall of blue ice all the while watching for icebergs. After landing on a small beach, start hiking through the forest to the massive face of the glacier, where you will don crampons and get to hike on the ice! (This Glacier trek has a minimum age of 10 and a maximum age of 65. Alternate excursions are available for those under 10 or over 65 years of age.) Eat your lunch sitting on the lateral moraine of the glacier, giving you the opportunity to absorb the magnificence of the glacier's anatomy and the treat of listening to its thunderous concerto of groaning and cracking ice dropping into the lake below. As you hike out this afternoon there are numerous photographic opportunities. See if you can spot the Andean condor or Buff-necked ibis!
Day 11: Return to Buenos Aires
1 Breakfast
Early in the morning, transfer to the airport for the morning flight to Buenos Aires and connecting flights homeward to conclude your Patagonia tour. With a few more days, you can add extensions in Buenos Aires or to Iguazu Falls to continue your Argentina travels!
Apologies for the inconvenience. Prices for not yet published. Below per person rate based on previous season. Contact us to confirm upcoming season pricing.
Prices for are estimated based on inflation. Contact us to confirm pricing and availability for your desired departure date.
- Port Charge and Park Fees are not included in cruise fare.
- Single occupancy of twin cabins is available at 1.5 times the double occupancy rate. Superior cabins are not available for single occupancy.
- Triple Option: Three guests may be accommodated in the following cabin types ONLY: A, AA, AAA, AAS or AAAS cabins with a rollaway bed. Please note that this rollaway bed is recommended for children under the age of 15, but adults may use this option according to their own discretion. An acceptance letter must be signed for all guests using the rollaway bed option.
Initial deposit is $500, and most travelers will call our office and pay the deposit with a credit card.
Final payment is due 70 days prior to departure by bank transfer, check or credit card. All final payments by credit card may be subject to a surcharge and maximum of $20,000 charge
The trip was terrific with great planning on your part. Most of the adventures were not mainstream and somewhat off the beaten path which made it especially enjoyable!! We felt taken care of and you all were readily available to respond to questions and issues. I would highly recommend your company and friends have already expressed interest based on our pictures and excitement.
Gale Cantor
TrustScore 4.8 | 174 reviews
TrustScore 4.8 of 5
Based on 174 reviews on
1 day ago
The trip was not only memorable for the amount of animals we saw but also for the people and accommodations at the two camps where we stayed. Our first guide, BK, was a wealth of information about the animals, landscape and down to the plants and what they were used for. Everyday out was a learning experience with him. All the people at the camps were gracious and the food was excellent.
Our second camp in the Okavanga was just as good as the first as far as the staff, accommodations, food and animals. After our experience at the first camp we amazed that the high quality remained the same. Our guide, G, made sure we were able to enjoy every experience including a rush through the bush to witness a cheetah and an ensuing hunt that he heard over his radio.
In both camps there were enough guides out that if they saw something the other guides were informed which helped in seeing as much as possible. It was also nice that the concessions were large enough that we did not have vehicles following each other throughout the day.
Normally there is always something in a trip of this length that we think could be improved upon but this is the rare case where we cannot think of anything. From the time we left the States to when we returned it was one of the most hassle free vacations we took.
Perhaps emphasizing the use of the laundry facilities at the camps would be useful because of the luggage restrictions would be the only thing I can think of as an improvement to future clients.
Kenneth Dropek
2 days ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.