Highlights
- Enjoy dinner and a tango show in Argentina's capital of Buenos Aires
- Visit Tigre, a colorful river town outside Buenos Aires
- Go trekking outside of El Chalten and enjoy views of Mt. Fitz Roy
- Take a boat to Perito Moreno, the most awe-inspiring glacier in the region
- Hike up to Chile's Paine Massif for incredible views of Torres del Paine
Brief Itinerary
| Day | Highlights | Overnight |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arrival in Buenos Aires - Explore | Buenos Aires |
| Day 2 | Walking Tour of Buenos Aires | Buenos Aires |
| Day 3 | Buenos Aires to Tigre | Buenos Aires |
| Day 4 | Buenos Aires to El Calafate - Transfer to El Chaltén | El Chalten |
| Day 5 | Hike to Laguna de Los Tres | El Chalten |
| Day 6 | Hike to Laguna Torre | El Chalten |
| Day 7 | El Chaltén Free Hiking | El Chalten |
| Day 8 | El Chaltén to El Calafate - Perito Moreno Glacier Tour | El Calafate |
| Day 9 | El Calafate to Torres del Paine - Driving Tour | Torres del Paine |
| Day 10 | Hike to Base Torres | Torres del Paine |
| Day 11 | Transfer to El Calafate - Departure |
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Buenos Aires - Explore
Welcome to Argentina! The capital city of Buenos Aires is known as the "Paris of South America" and the "Queen of El Plata." Famous for its mix of European ambiance and Latin American culture, it's the birthplace of the tango and abounds with cobbled streets and beautiful Baroque architecture.
Upon arrival at the airport, a driver will transfer you to your hotel for check-in. Once you've had the chance to rest, you can head out and explore. The city center is your best starting point.
Day 2: Walking Tour of Buenos Aires
After breakfast, you'll take an organized tour of Buenos Aires. During this three-hour walking excursion, you'll visit the neighborhood of Retiro plus stroll Avenida 9 de Julio—South America’s widest avenue. You'll pass through the historic city center, home to the Teatro Colón opera house, National Congress, Plaza de Mayo, and the Casa Rosada (Presidential Palace). Then, visit the oldest neighborhood in the city, San Telmo. Afterward, you'll stop by B.A.'s original port, La Boca.
In the evening, enjoy a delicious meal accompanied by a tango performance—one of Argentina's most famous cultural highlights.
Day 3: Buenos Aires to Tigre
Today you'll travel up Río de la Plata where it converges with the Paraña River Delta, located about an hour north of Buenos Aires. During the boat ride, you'll enjoy views of the city skyline as you enter a network of freshwater canals and sail among the islands that make up this unique region. The main port is in Tigre, a Venetian-style village whose small-town and relaxing atmosphere contrast with Buenos Aires' bustling energy.
On the waterfront, you'll find Puerto de Frutos, a maze of craft markets, produce stalls, and artisanal goods. The Museo de Arte features a grand collection of Argentine art spanning two centuries. The Naval Museum and the Museo de Maté are other highlights worth a visit. The latter offers an overview and tasting of maté, an herb cultivated in the Paraná region of the country and used for tea.
Day 4: Buenos Aires to El Calafate - Transfer to El Chaltén
This morning, a driver will meet you at your hotel and transfer you to the airport for your flight to El Calafate. This Patagonian city sits on the shores of Lago Argentino and is known as the gateway to Argentina's glaciers. Try to snag a window seat on the flight so you can take in the stunning views of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field as you fly over it.
Upon arrival in El Calafate, a vehicle will pick you up for the three-hour drive to El Chaltén. Along the way, if the skies are clear, you'll be treated to incredible views of Mount Fitz Roy. Upon arrival, you'll check into your hotel and have the rest of the day to acclimate to the area. Perhaps take a walk in town before a relaxing evening sampling El Chaltén's many restaurants and craft-beer bars.
Chat with a local specialist who can help organize your trip.
Day 5: Hike to Laguna de Los Tres
Put on your hiking shoes because it's time for a full-day, 16-mile (26 km) excursion into Los Glaciares National Park. El Chaltén is the perfect starting point, as there are a number of trailheads just outside of town, many of them leading up to Mt. Fitz Roy.
The destination today is Laguna de los Tres. This glassy body of water earned its name, "the lake of the three," because from its shores you have prime views of three peaks: Fitz Roy, Poincenot, and Torre. To arrive there, you'll follow a trail that leads up through alpine forest and features beautiful views in its own right, particularly of the valley below and Piedras Blancas Glacier.
Upon arrival at the lake, you'll take some time to enjoy the rewarding views before descending back down the mountain.
Day 6: Hike to Laguna Torre
Today you'll set off on a guided hike from El Chalten to another gem of Patagonia: Laguna Torre. This lake sits at the foot of the granite peak of Cerro Torre and is fed by glacial meltwater. The trail you'll follow will take you through bright green lenga forests and around blue lagoons until you reach the shores of Laguna Torre.
After spending some time at the lake admiring the views, you'll return to El Chaltén along the same path. The total distance of this hike is 15 miles (24 km), and it takes about six hours to complete.
Day 7: El Chaltén Free Hiking
Today is yours to discover additional hiking trails around El Chalten at your own pace. If you'd like to kick off with an easy option, there's a 1.9-mile (3 km) walk with views of lenga forests and the winding Las Vueltas River. This route also offers some great birding vantage points in which to spot, if you're lucky, condors and eagles.
You can also embark on a two-hour brisk hike to Laguna Capri, a lake that sits at the foot of the mountains and offers unobstructed views of Fitz Roy. On the way, you'll pass by Salto El Chorrillo, a waterfall located a short walk from town.
Yet another option is to hike to the Huemul Glacier, located about an hour outside of El Chalten. Named after a native deer, this moderately strenuous hike will take you through some of the most gorgeous scenery in the area including rivers, streams, and virgin forests. A nice reward is the view of Cerros Torre and Fitz Roy from the top.
Day 8: El Chaltén to El Calafate - Perito Moreno Glacier Tour
You're in for an exciting full-day excursion. It starts with a pick up from your hotel in El Chaltén and a one-hour transfer to Los Glaciares National Park. As you enter the park you'll catch your first glimpse of Perito Moreno. This expansive ice mass flows down from the Andes, ending in a great wall that curves around the lake. Wait a bit and you might witness "calving," the awe-inspiring sight of ice breaking off the facade and crashing into the tranquil waters below.
While not the only glacier in the area, Perito Moreno is indeed the star of the show. Also unique is that it's one of the few advancing glaciers in the world, a factor that results in the calving mentioned above. Upon arrival, you'll be able to admire Perito Moreno from a number of different vantage points via the network of wooden walkways strategically situated in front of the glacier. Even better, you'll get up close and personal with its massive ice wall on a short boat tour.
After a day spent discovering the glacier and wandering the numerous trails, you'll transfer to El Calafate where you can spend the evening relaxing.
Day 9: El Calafate to Torres del Paine - Driving Tour
This morning, you'll transfer by private vehicle from El Calafate to neighboring Chile for a full-day driving tour around Torres del Paine National Park. The drive takes about four hours depending on congestion at the border. Keep your camera close because as you approach the park you'll spot some local fauna, including many species of birds as well as the guanaco, a wild camelid related to the llama.
Once inside Torres del Paine, you'll spend the day on a driving tour, stopping at the best viewpoints to spot beautiful landmarks glacial lakes, the thundering waterfalls of Salto Grande, and of course the iconic peaks of the Horns of Paine (part of the Cordillera Paine). Besides stopping for lunch, you'll also be able to enjoy some short hikes around the park grounds.
After the tour is finished, you'll meet a driver who will transfer you to your lodging near Torres del Paine.
Day 10: Hike to Base Torres
After breakfast, head up to the base of the Torres del Paine massif (known as Base Torres) on one of the most popular hiking routes in the park. Although it can be completed in less than a day, this hike is strenuous and requires a good level of physical fitness. However, the stunning views at the base of the Paine Massif make it well worth the effort.
The trekking route covers 11 miles and lasts about nine hours. Every step of the way, enjoy views of beautiful scenery comprised of rivers, native forests, mountain peaks, and narrow valleys. Keep a close watch for local bird species, like condors and black eagles.
Your route begins at the Las Torres Hostel and will take you over the Ascencio River, at which point you'll ascend about 1.5 miles to a lookout featuring panoramic views of the valley below and the surrounding mountains. Then, continue through sections of lenga forest until the remaining 45-minute stretch, which is a steep ascent that involves a hard scramble over a moraine to the final path leading up to the viewpoint.
That's the hardest portion of the hike. However, once you arrive at the lagoon at the base of the Paine Massif and stare up at the nearby Cuernos del Paine (Horns of Paine) jutting into the sky, any exhaustion will likely dissipate. You can then rest by the lagoon and enjoy the magnificent views as you enjoy a delicious picnic lunch.
Afterward, begin the return trip back down the trail. The descent takes approximately four hours, at which point you'll reach the hotel.
Day 11: Transfer to El Calafate - Departure
It's time to bid farewell to Patagonia. In the morning you'll transfer to the El Calafate Airport (FTE) for your flight to Buenos Aires (sit near the window for great views of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field). Upon arrival in B.A., you'll connect to the international airport for your flight home. Until next time!
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