Luxury Argentine Patagonia Explorer: Buenos Aires, El Calafate & Ushuaia - 7 Days

Highlights

• Follow your private guide to the most famous landmarks in Buenos Aires
• Kayak around the massive ice walls of Perito Moreno Glacier
• Take a day trip to one of Patagonia's oldest estancias (ranches)
• Cruise down the famous Beagle Channel and visit a penguin colony

Brief Itinerary

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Buenos Aires, Guided City Tour

Welcome to Argentina! For sheer passion and abundance of beauty (both human-made and natural), it's hard to beat this South American nation. Case in point: the capital of Buenos Aires. This heady metropolis of around 15 million people is famous for its European influences coupled with a distinctly Latin American spirit. During your time here, you'll witness the full scope of the "Paris of South America's" charms. 

At the airport, your driver will pick you up for the ride into the city and the Alvear Palace. This 5-star luxury hotel in the city's sophisticated Recoleta district enjoys a central location close to historic landmarks (like the famous cemetery where Evita is buried). It's also the model of timeless elegance, mixing classic French opulence with modern city style. The grand suites feature crystal chandeliers and Argentine art hanging on the walls, and luxurious amenities include a rooftop heated pool and afternoon tea service. If you're tense after the flight, head to the spa for a massage and/or body exfoliation.

Later, embark on a guided four-hour walking tour south from dockside Puerto Madero to historic Plaza de Mayo, home to the iconic Casa Rosada (Presidential Palace). Then, stroll the cobbled streets of San Telmo, the city's oldest neighborhood, to La Boca, an old port area known for its colorful Caminito Street. Later, double back through waterfront Puerto Madero to Recoleta and its cemetery. After walking amid the grand mausoleums, the tour finishes in the trendy Palermo neighborhood at expansive parks designed by renowned landscape architect Charles Thays.

Day 2: Fly to El Calafate & Patagonia, Dinner at Rancho Aparte

Say goodbye to Buenos Aires for now because you're off to Patagonia! This morning, transfer back to the airport for the three-hour flight south to El Calafate. Sitting on the shores of Lago Argentino, El Calafate is the base for trips into the famous Los Glaciares National Park and its star attraction, Perito Moreno Glacier.

Upon arrival, your driver will transfer you west of town to EOLO. This 4-star ranch-style accommodation enjoys a privileged location on the wild Patagonian frontier. It's the place to come to experience Patagonia in a secluded setting, as it focuses on understated luxury and excursions/adventures into the surrounding wilderness. Besides the scenic landscapes, guests enjoy gourmet dining amid panoramic views and sublimely restful sleep in elegant rooms decorated with antique furniture.

After dropping off your bags, return to town for a dining experience celebrating rustic yet gourmet Patagonian cuisine in all its glory. Take a seat at Rancho Aparte, a Patagonian ranch home converted into a closed-door restaurant where guests are treated to home-cooked meals from fixed menus. Highlights include regional specialties like roast Patagonian lamb and goulash with gnocchi pasta, all prepared with organic ingredients from local farms. Of course, the menu is paired with some of the finest wines in Patagonia and throughout Argentina.

Day 3: Day Trip to Perito Moreno & Kayaking Excursion

Get ready for an adventure into Los Glaciares National Park. Meet your private driver in the morning for the transfer west to Perito Moreno. It's a scenic 1.5-hour drive during which you'll pass landmarks like Redonda Bay, home to various exotic waterbirds, like black-necked swans and flamingoes.

Continue cruising across the vast Patagonian steppe until you reach the national park's entrance, surrounded by beech and oak forests. Once here, you'll have a couple of hours to explore the network of boardwalks offering prime views of Perito Moreno. This expansive glacier flows down from the Andes over the turquoise waters of Lago Argentino, ending in a great wall that curves around the lake. At points, these walls reach 230 feet (70 m) high. If you're lucky, you'll witness "calving"—an event where massive portions of the glacier wall break off and crash into the icy waters below. 

Around 11 am, hop in a kayak and get a closer view of this marvel of Mother Nature as you paddle across the lake to Perito Moreno. You'll get within a few hundred meters of its massive ice walls, which reach 230 feet (70 m) high. At around 3 pm, you'll transfer back to El Calafate. 

Day 4: Day Trip to Estancia Cristina 

More memorable Patagonia adventures are in store today. After an early breakfast, your driver will pick you up at the hotel for the 28-mile (45 km) drive to the port at Punta Bandera, on Lago Argentino. There, you'll board a ferry and ride along the Upsala Channel, passing towering icebergs as you go. When you reach the northern section, you'll see the western front of the Spegazzini Glacier. At over 10 miles (16 km) long and 1 mile (1.6 km) wide, this ancient ice mass is nothing short of awe-inspiring.

After admiring Spegazzini, continue north into the Cristina Channel, arriving at the far end by late morning. You'll disembark at Estancia Cristina, one of the most impressive ranches in the region. It was founded by pioneers in 1914 and built on a valley once covered by the Upsala Glacier.

A visit to the Folkloric Museum here (located in an old sheepshearing shed) offers insight into the history of the estancia. After a walk around the property to admire the panoramic views of snowcapped mountains, running rivers, glassy lakes, and ancient glaciers, you'll transfer back to El Calafate.

Day 5: Fly to Ushuaia, Beagle Channel Tour & Penguin Colony

Pack your bags once again because, in the morning, you'll transfer to the airport for the 1.5-hour flight to Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world. Located on a bay in the Patagonian region of Tierra del Fuego, the city lies between the jagged peaks of the Martial Mountains and the silver waters of the Beagle Channel. This is the same waterway where Charles Darwin sailed the HMS Beagle almost 200 years ago.

Upon arrival, a driver will pick you up and transfer you to your hotel, Los Cauquenes Resort + Spa. This 5-star gem enjoys a privileged location near Tierra del Fuego National Park on the windswept shores of the Beagle Channel. Besides the scenic channel views in your luxurious suite, you can also take advantage of the hotel's heated indoor and outdoor pools. And when you're feeling peckish, grab a table at Reinmora, the hotel's gourmet restaurant, which serves delicious classics like succulent Patagonian lamb and decadent centolla (king crab).

Day 6: Tierra del Fuego Off-Roading & Trekking

Eat a hearty breakfast and lace up your hiking boots because a full day of outdoor excursions awaits. Specifically, you'll venture into the nearby Tierra del Fuego National Park. Within the park's 243 sq miles (630 sq km) are some of the wildest and most rugged landscapes in Patagonia.

Meet your private driver/guide and hop in a specially outfitted 4WD vehicle durable enough to handle the park's backroads. Then, drive into the park to a trailhead. There, you'll embark on a brisk hike through sub-Antarctic forests to landmarks like the Río Lapataia. After a few hours of walking, you'll arrive at Lapataia Bay. Located in the Beagle Channel, this bay sits at the end of the Pan-American Highway and National Route No. 3. Here, get back in the vehicle for the ride back to Ushuaia. 

Day 7: Fly to Buenos Aires, Teatro Colón & Barolo Palace, Depart

It may be the last day of the itinerary, but the fun isn't over by a long shot. Transfer to the airport in the morning for the 3.5-hour flight back to Buenos Aires. There, you'll return to downtown to tour a few more famous landmarks. First up is the Teatro Colón, one of South America's premier opera houses. The neoclassical building was inaugurated in 1908 and features a horseshoe-shaped gallery with 2,487 seats and incredible acoustics.

Another highlight you'll visit is the Palacio Barolo, which was built in 1923 and features unique architecture inspired by Dante Alighieri's "Divine Comedy." After the tour, you'll transfer back to the airport and catch your international flight home. Until next time!

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