Highlights
- Stroll the cobblestone streets (and meet tango dancers!) in historic Buenos Aires
- Ride horses and eat barbecue like a real gaucho on a working Argentinian ranch
- Canoe along the peaceful waters of the Río Lapataia with professional guides
- Watch your kids interact with curious penguins on Martillo Island for photo ops
Brief Itinerary
| Day | Highlights | Overnight |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arrive in Buenos Aires, Walking Tour | Buenos Aires |
| Day 2 | Buenos Aires Historic City Tour | Buenos Aires |
| Day 3 | Fiesta Gaucha Day Tour in the Countryside | Buenos Aires |
| Day 4 | Fly to El Calafate, Explore | El Calafate |
| Day 5 | Day Tour of Los Glaciares National Park | El Calafate |
| Day 6 | Hiking in Laguna Nimes Reserve | El Calafate |
| Day 7 | Fly to Ushuaia, Explore | Ushuaia |
| Day 8 | Hiking & Canoeing at Tierra del Fuego National Park | Ushuaia |
| Day 9 | Visit Harberton Ranch & Gable Island, Walk with Penguins | Ushuaia |
| Day 10 | Depart Ushuaia |
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Buenos Aires, Walking Tour
Welcome to Argentina! Your flight lands in Buenos Aires, the nation's vibrant capital. Originally founded in the 1500s, the city has a rich history and culture and is considered a major epicenter for commerce, industry, politics, and technology. After a driver collects you and your family from the airport, check in at your hotel and take some time to settle. Then, get a head start on your immersion into the city with a guided walking tour.
Your guide will collect you from your hotel, and you'll set off on foot to explore the local neighborhoods and historic landmarks. Start at the Plaza de Mayo, home to the National Government Palace and Metropolitan Cathedral. Learn about the history of these important landmarks, then head to Plaza de la República and see the Obelisco (Obelisk), a 221-foot (67 m) monument built by architect Alberto Prebisch.
You can also visit the barrios (neighborhoods) of Palermo, where you can enjoy charming cobblestone streets and a wealth of incredible street art, or Puerto Madero, a former industrial area that is today full of elegant bars and restaurants. Your guide will offer information and anecdotes about the different sights, providing entertainment and education for both kids and adults! The tour ends with a visit to a local ice creamery, where samples of authentic dulce de leche (sweetened caramelized milk) are sure to delight the little ones!
Day 2: Buenos Aires Historic City Tour
After breakfast at your hotel, you and the family will learn more about the city with a historic driving tour. You'll travel via private car to some of Buenos Aires's most notable sights while your guide shares fun facts, such as why the Presidential Palace is pink! Visit the neighborhood of La Boca, known for its brightly-painted houses and coventillos (communal housing tenements). Soccer fans in the family will be thrilled to know that this is home to the legendary Boca Juniors Football Club, where the great Diego Maradona played.
Learn why soccer, or fútbol, as they call it, is such a passion for Argentinos, and your guide will happily trade stories of favorite teams with the kids. La Boca is also the perfect place to learn the tango, especially when walking along El Caminito, where locals perform on the street. From here, you'll head to San Telmo, the oldest residential neighborhood, with its quaint cobblestone streets and cafés. If you happen to visit on a Sunday, stop at their weekly antique market in Plaza Dorrego, where you'll find souvenirs, food stalls, and street performers to entertain the kids.
Day 3: Fiesta Gaucha Day Tour in the Countryside
This morning, your guide will collect you from your hotel and take you to the nearby countryside for Fiesta Gaucha, a day of learning and activities that center around the lifestyle and history of the Argentinian gaucho (cowboy). Spend the day at a working ranch and see live horseback riding demonstrations, traditional music shows, and dance performances of the tango and malambo.
The kids will get a chance to meet the horses and other farm animals, and you can take a family horseback tour or ride in a sulky (horse-drawn cart) around the property. In the early afternoon, you'll be served lunch with empanadas, tasty barbecue, soft drinks for the kids, and local wines for the adults before heading back to your hotel.
Day 4: Fly to El Calafate, Explore
Your next destination takes you to the breathtaking mountains and glaciers of southern Patagonia. Take a private transfer in the morning to the airport, and then hop on a 3.5-hour flight to El Calafate, a town located in the province of Santa Cruz, sitting at the edge of Los Glaciares National Park and the massive Perito Moreno Glacier. Upon arrival, a driver will transport you to your hotel, where you can relax for a bit before heading out to explore.
Start with a visit to Intendencia Parque Nacional Los Glaciares (Los Glaciares National Park Administration Building), where you'll find educational displays about the glacier's namesake, Argentinian explorer Perito Moreno, as well as the glacier itself. There are beautiful gardens here that the kids can run around and play in, with interpretive trails and examples of the equipment used by the workers.
If you'd like to do some souvenir shopping, El Calafate's Paseo de Los Artesanos market has handmade arts and crafts, or visit one of the many local artisan shops in the area. El Calafate is also home to several chocolatiers, where you and the kids can sample and buy some locally-made sweet treats! After sunset, walk along the city's main street, Avenida del Libertador, and take your pick of the many family-friendly restaurants and cafés for dinner.
Chat with a local specialist who can help organize your trip.
Day 5: Day Tour of Los Glaciares National Park
Rise and shine! Today is a big day that begins with an early private transfer to Puerto Bandera, where you'll start a nine-hour nautical safari through Los Glaciares National Park. You'll first set sail along the Mayo Channel, disembarking at Toro Bay to start your easy hike through the Patagonian forest. Your guide will explain how the vegetation here is specific to the area and show the kids an ancient cherry tree with a 10-foot trunk, which locals have nicknamed El Abuelo (Grandpa). Hike to a nearby waterfall for gorgeous views of the countryside, then head back to the boat to continue your journey.
You'll next sail toward Cerro Negro (Black Hill), stopping for an easy, all-ages hike that takes you to views of the massive glacier fields. Then depart for your final stop, the famous Perito Moreno Glacier. As the boat passes by the immense icy wall, have your camera ready because you may see a chunk of ice breaking off and crashing into the water below! Disembark at Puerto Moreno, where the family can stroll along the safe walkway circuit that surrounds the glacier before sailing back to Puerto Bandera.
On the return trip to your hotel, stop in at the Glaciarium Museum, where you'll learn about the history of the glaciers and their first explorers. The kids can enjoy the interactive displays and projections, as well as the natural sounds of ice caves playing throughout the museum's halls. Finish the tour with a visit to the Glaciarium Ice Bar—an actual bar made with real ice from the Perito Moreno Glacier! Bundle up and let the kids try an age-appropriate beverage from a glass made completely of ice.
Day 6: Hiking in Laguna Nimes Reserve
Today you'll visit Laguna Nimes, an ecological reserve that is home to 80 different types of birds, including flocks of bright pink Chilean flamingoes. Grab your binoculars and meet up with your guide, taking an easy trek through the reserve as they point out wildlife while stopping at panoramic points that showcase the beauty of the region. In addition to flamingoes, you're likely to see other Argentinian bird species like grebes, swans, ducks, and sparrow hawks, so tell the kids to keep their eyes peeled during the hike!
Day 7: Fly to Ushuaia, Explore
You're off to the quaint town of Ushuaia today! At the appointed time, a driver will transport you to the airport for your flight—a quick hop of an hour and 15 minutes. The Yamanas people originally settled this small town, and they are the ones who named it Ushuaia, which means "protected bay." The town sits on the Tierra del Fuego archipelago, nicknamed the "end of the world" because of its remote location on the tip of South America.
After you check in at your hotel, the rest of the day is yours. If you want to explore at your own pace, the kids might enjoy a visit to the Thematic Gallery of the Historia Fueguina, where more than 120 character life-size figures take you through the history of the region. Or you can unearth the story of the scariest and most dangerous criminals at the Prison Museum. And you won't want to forget the local gastronomy, as Ushuaia is known for its fresh seafood.
You can also take a guided walking tour to see some of the most important landmarks, such as the End of the World Museum and the town's waterfront promenade. Walk the historic streets and listen to the captivating stories about the region's first inhabitants and how the city once held the region's most dangerous criminals!
Day 8: Hiking & Canoeing at Tierra del Fuego National Park
Your family adventure continues with a full-day hiking and canoeing tour at Tierra del Fuego National Park. The park encompasses more than 240 square miles (629 sq km) and was nicknamed the "land of fires" by early explorers. Here you'll find stunning natural landscapes that include Andean-Patagonian forests, mountains that rise from the sea, and lakes that seem to go on forever.
The tour starts with a 4-mile (6.4 km) hike along a coastal path, which provides breathtaking open views of the lakes, sea, and mountains. Arrive at Lago Acigami, also known as Roca Lake, which sits near the border of the Río Lapataia, just in time to enjoy a hot lunch inside a heated dome tent. The kids might also be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of local wildlife, such as red foxes and giant woodpeckers,
After lunch, your guide will equip you with rubber boots, waterproof pants, and life jackets. You'll receive safety instructions, then board inflatable canoes for a cruise down the calm river. Paddle for about an hour through the park, eventually ending in Lapataia Bay, a scenic fjord connected to the Beagle Channel. If the kids are up for it, you can also make a stop at the End of the World Train before heading back to town. Named for being the southernmost railway in the world, take a 5-mile (8 km) ride on the vintage steam engine, following the routes of the prison inmates who once worked on the rail.Day 9: Visit Harberton Ranch & Gable Island, Walk with Penguins
Today you'll journey to Gable Island, a nearly uninhabited, peaceful location that is home to a large colony of penguins and other wildlife. Your guide will first take you to Harberton Ranch, Tierra del Fugeo's first estancia (ranch). Established in the late 1800s by missionary Thomas Bridges, this still-working property offers a look into the history of ranchers in this region. You'll have a chance to tour the farm and visit the on-site bird and mammal museum, which has exhibits of various specimens from the region.
From here, you'll board a motorboat and head toward Martillo Island, a large penguin breeding ground. You have the option to stop on the island and do a "walk with the penguins" (a thrill for the kids!) or continue to Gable Island, where you'll see penguins and their young in their natural habitat. Have lunch on the island, then explore more of it with a walking tour that takes you through the forest and to the shores of the Beagle Channel. Enjoy the stillness of this enigmatic and primal landscape before boarding the boat and heading back to town.
Day 10: Depart Ushuaia
It's time to say goodbye to Argentina! After breakfast at your hotel, a driver will pick you up and transfer you to the airport as you begin the journey either back home or to your next destination. Safe travels!
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