On this 4-day Uruguay Beach Escape Tour, explore José Ignacio, Uruguay's coastal gem, which offers a serene escape. This beach town combines natural beauty, artistic inspiration, and South American bohemian charm. It's known for its authentic atmosphere, where local culture thrives, rustic beachfront homes blend with pristine shores, and time slows down. Culinary delights await, with a mix of international and Uruguayan cuisine. Adventure seekers can surf, explore lagoons, or go horseback riding, while nature enthusiasts spot diverse wildlife. This José Ignacio tour invites you to savor South American coastal living and embrace its captivating bohemian allure—a hidden gem where the essence of Uruguay shines through.
Highlights
Explore Punta Del Este City Tour with Picnic at the Sculpture Park
Discover La Barra and the local towns famous for antique shops
Enjoy a bike ride along rural trails to the Anastasio Stream and kayak to the lagoon
Visit Bodega Garzón, the "Uruguayan Tuscany," for a tour w/ lunch & tasting
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
Upon your arrival at the hotel, meet with your local guide for the following tour:
Experience the Punta Del Este City Tour with a Picnic at the Sculpture Park. Visit the fascinating "Casapueblo," a magnificent property perched on the Atlantic Ocean hillside, designed and constructed by the renowned Uruguayan artist Carlos Paez Vilaró. Explore "Mansa" beach and uncover the area's pirate legends in "Las Delicias," situated in front of "Gorritti Island." Also, have the opportunity to observe the sizeable sea lion population near the marina and port, where they gather to feed on fish provided by local fishermen.
The excursion continues to the undulating, whimsical bridge of La Barra and the charming local towns renowned for their antique shops and inviting atmosphere. The tour concludes with a visit to the Atchugarry Foundation and Sculpture Park, where you can relish a picnic lunch.
After breakfast, you are transported to Estancia Anastasio, where you embark on a cycling adventure along rustic trails, passing by private ranches until you reach the Anastasio Stream. From this point, switch to kayaking and paddle your way to the lagoon. This particular lagoon connects to the sea during the winter season, making it a haven for various bird species such as flamingos, swans, herons, storks, and more. A classic picnic lunch is served, and afterward, pedal back to Jose Ignacio. If you prefer, this tour can be modified to include horseback riding instead of cycling.
Travel to Bodega Garzón for a Tour, Lunch, and Tasting: Exploring Garzon, Often Called the "Tuscany of Uruguay"
The excursion commences with a visit to the tranquil town of Garzon, often likened to the "Uruguayan Tuscany." Here, pause at the central square, chapel, and train station. Next, proceed to Garzon Winery for a comprehensive visit that includes wine tasting and a delightful lunch. Perched atop a rocky formation, the winery provides breathtaking views of the vineyards nestled on the hillside, featuring mineral-rich, well-draining soils that contribute to the production of high-quality grapes. Following the meal, you'll be transported back to your hotel.
Day 4: End of Tour
1 Breakfast
After breakfast, make your way to Punta del Este airport via a private transfer.
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.
Initial deposit is 25%, and most travelers will call our office and pay the deposit with a credit card.
Final payment is due 70 days (10 weeks) 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
Beyond expectations! Then again we weren't sure what to expect. Lovely stay at the lodge, met other like-minded travelers (many had their trips planned by Adventure Life) and the owner was a gracious hostess. It felt like you were one happy family, visiting with a favorite aunt.
We were a group of three that initiated our research by independently searching for the best agency to help us in the somewhat complex experience of traveling to the Galapagos. We chose adventure life because they were the most responsive in the website provided the most comprehensive overview of the trip. Their reviews were also very good.
Adventure, life splits up its booking process in two parts. First Jeff, the booking agent helped us decide which experience best suited are interests. We chose a small 14 to 16 group sized yacht. Once the booking was made with Jeff, we were handed off to Coleene, who oversaw the complex process of assembling all of the necessary documents and making sure we had everything we needed to make the trip go smoothly. The adventure, life website, then becomes your personal place of reference for all things related to your trip from door to door. It’s a lot of information to assemble, especially for three travelers, but the website makes it easy and Colleen‘s gentle reminders kept us on track. In all, from the beginning, we had four months from the time we started our research till the time we departed. We felt that was, a good amount of preparation time and don’t think it would be wise to do it in less than four months. Mostly because I think you have more options with that amount of time. There were others on our trip that took six months and more from the time they started planning.
The trip itself was outstanding. We ended up on an excellent yacht (Galapagos Angel II) with a great group of guests that we were able to connect with and put together a really nice google photos album to share.
Jed
6 days ago
Mary was very helpful. Quick to reply with helpful information and closure on arrangements.
Nicola Maxwell
1 week ago
Mary Curry and Elma are always so responsive and nice to deal with.
Michael
1 week ago
I enjoyed working with Jess to put together a private N.Z. trip. Jess has been my go-to person at Adventure Life over the past several years. She listens to what my husband and I want in a trip, and is always responsive to questions. Nothing seems to be too much of a bother for Jess.
DIANNE GRAY
1 week ago
Jane was my AE agent for the 2 months of helping me decide that this will be the most amazing trip we will ever experience in our lifetime and a memorable way to celebrate our 40th!
I was also able to work with Mike from Quark who was also very helpful.
Once I had decided to go ahead with my booking Kevin took over to assist Jane while on vacation.
Kevin was able to tweak the quote even more
and truly sealed the deal! He was patient with receiving my full payment as it took time to “round up that much cash” Were booking a delux balcony and there’s no looking back
I feel confident and very satisfied that I have made the best decision choosing Quark Expeditions and look forward to a top notch experience aboard the Ultramarine.
Both Jane and Kevin are sincere, professional and courteous. They met all of our needs
to ensure my process was stress free.
I’m looking forward to all our daily excursions then enjoying a Sauna and my own cold plunge in the tub! My back up plan
to the “Antarctic Plunge”
I look forward to getting to know and dealing with Mary Rose for all the final details that will make our trip complete. Great company!
