Luxury Escape to Southern Patagonia: Buenos Aires & Ushuaia - 7 Days

Highlights

• Enjoy architecture tours, long lunches, and wine tastings in Buenos Aires
• Cruise the Beagle Channel by sailboat and soar over it in a private helicopter
• Trek through the wilds of Tierra del Fuego with a private guide
• Stay at a 5-star Patagonian retreat within the Cerro Alarkén Nature Reserve

Brief Itinerary

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Buenos Aires, Theater & Architecture Tour

Welcome to Argentina! If you've only got a week to spare but want to experience outdoor adventures and city fun, this South American wonderland delivers the goods. You'll arrive in Buenos Aires, a captivating port city of 15 million people sitting on the Río de la Plata. The city has a rich culture unto itself, defined by Euro-inspired architecture, tango music, a passion for fútbol (soccer), and an unquenchable thirst for nightlife.

A driver will meet you at the airport for the ride into the city and the Duque Hotel Boutique & Spa. This 4-star accommodation is set in an impeccably restored early 20th-century building that blends classical architectural elements with modern design. The elegant rooms feature hardwood floors, baths with rainwater showers, and plush beds with high-quality linens. Feel free to relax after your flight in the outdoor pool and Jacuzzi or unwind with a massage and/or facial at the on-site spa. The personalized concierge can also offer a curated list of recommendations in the city.

After dropping off your bags, you'll meet a private guide for a tour of some of Buenos Aires' most dazzling landmarks. Over the course of three fun-filled hours, you'll stroll Avenida 9 de Julio (the world's widest street) and other areas as your guide points out historic buildings. Marvel at the Teatro Colón, one of South America's premier opera houses, and Palacio Barolo, which was built in 1923 and features unique architecture inspired by Dante Alighieri's "Divine Comedy." These buildings speak to a lasting legacy that began at the turn of the 20th century when Buenos Aires became known as the "Paris of South America."

Day 2: Day Trip to Casa Gamboa Vineyard

Join your private driver and leave the city for the countryside today as you head to the Pampas, a vast grassland stretching for miles outside Buenos Aires. Around 40 miles (65 km) from the capital, you'll find the exceptional Casa Gamboa Vineyard, a small oasis in this traditional ranchland, with vines originally planted by Spanish and Italian immigrants in the late 19th century.

Start with a private tour of the grounds, gaining insight into wine production and tasting malbec, pinot noir, and cabernet franc varietals in the wine cellar. After the tour and tasting, head to the charming countryside restaurant for a multicourse lunch accompanied by paired wines before your transfer back to Buenos Aires.

Day 3: Fly to Ushuaia, Scenic Helicopter Flight

Rise and shine—you're off to Patagonia! This morning, you'll return to the airport and catch a 3.5-hour flight south to Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world. Located on a bay in the Patagonian region of Tierra del Fuego, the town sits between the jagged peaks of the Martial Mountains and the silver waters of the Beagle Channel, where Charles Darwin sailed over 200 years ago. Upon arrival at the airport, your driver will pick you up and take you to Arakur Ushuaia Resort & Spa.

This 5-star accommodation enjoys a privileged location within the Cerro Alarkén Nature Reserve. Its luxurious rooms are outfitted with plush beds and baths with rainfall showers, plus windows offering spectacular views of the mountains, forests, and sea. You can enjoy even better views of the Beagle Channel with a swim in the outdoor infinity pool, and there's also an indoor heated option. The on-site spa offers a range of treatments, and when you're feeling peckish, head to the hotel restaurant, La Cravia, which serves local and international dishes with an emphasis on Patagonian cuisine.

After checking in, you'll experience a bird's-eye view of the area on a private helicopter tour. This 30-minute flight takes you over Ushuaia, the Beagle Channel, and the surrounding Andes. Highlights include flying over Mount Olivia, the beautiful Carbajal Valley, and the turquoise waters of Laguna Esmeralda. When you land, spend the rest of the day exploring. Ushuaia's charming downtown is full of colorful shops, and you can visit the Maritime Museum, which is housed in a former prison. Nearby, the Museo del Fin del Mundo (End of the World Museum) features exhibits on the region's history. 

Day 4: Visit Isla Martillo Penguin Colony & Puerto Almanza

Today's journey takes you east of Ushuaia through a glacial valley to Brown Bay, where you'll catch another boat in the Beagle Channel. This private sailing cruise covers some of the region's most incredible landscapes and visits rocky islets like Isla Martillo, home to colonies of sea lions and adorable Magellanic penguins. After the tour ends, you'll meet a local family for lunch in the small village of Puerto Almanza. Enjoy fresh seafood caught right from the channel waters, and learn about the heritage of the fishermen and other inhabitants of the village.

Later, head southeast afterward for a privately guided hike through the forest along the Río Lasifashaj. The short route passes through meadows before reaching the Cascada Lasifashaj, a hidden waterfall. After the hike, continue to the famous Flag Tree of Tierra del Fuego to watch the sunset. The area is full of these "flag trees," or trees that are misshapen and bent due to the extreme winds. Once the sun sets at this Instagrammable spot, you'll head back to Ushuaia for the night. 

Day 5: Half-Day Trek to Laguna Esmeralda

Your private guide will pick you up from the hotel this morning for a drive north on the beautiful Ruta 3. Heading away from the Beagle Channel, you'll witness one of the most remarkable valleys on the island, Valle de Los Lobos. From here, you'll start what many consider the best hike in Tierra del Fuego: the route to the glassy waters of Laguna Esmeralda.

This moderate, 6-mile (9.6 km) round-trip hike takes you through an eerie forest of native lenga trees, across a peat bog, and along a mountain stream before you reach the lake. The turquoise water is framed by the Cordón Toribio mountains and one of the area's most stunning and accessible glaciers, the Albino. There will be a break for a picnic lunch by the water before heading back along the same trail. When you return to the valley, your driver will be waiting to take you back to the city.

Day 6: Carbajal Valley Lakes Tour

Your penultimate adventure in Tierra del Fuego takes you on a privately guided journey through the wild and scenic glacial valleys around Ushuaia. After a morning pickup at your hotel, the first stop will be the viewpoint of the picturesque Valle Carbajal (Carbajal Valley). After a quick technical stop at the Villa las Cotorras resort, you'll continue to the legendary Andean mountain pass of Paso Garibaldi, where a panoramic postcard of lakes and peaks awaits you.

Here, you'll hop in a 4WD and descend through the Fuegian forest on rough logging roads carved by the region's first lumberjacks. Stop at the tree-lined Lago Escondido for some traditional Argentine maté (tea) and snacks, then continue to the glacial Lago Fagnano to see the Magallanes Fault. This continental tectonic fault line helped form prehistoric South America. At the end of the morning, you'll head to a small village on the shores of Lago Escondido, where you'll enjoy a homemade lunch before returning to Ushuaia in the afternoon.

Day 7: Tierra del Fuego Hike, Fly to Buenos Aires, Depart 

Before saying farewell to Patagonia, spend half a day exploring the wonders of Tierra del Fuego National Park. You'll arrive in the morning with your guide, who will lead you to some of the best spots within the 155,000 acres (62,726 ha) of the park. It stretches all the way from the mountains to the ocean, with plenty of meadows, rivers, valleys, forests, and lakes in between.

The hike follows a coastal path along the Beagle Channel. As you go, enjoy sublime views of the channel, appreciate the diverse flora and fauna of the area, and pass remnants of ancient settlements once occupied by the Yámana people, a local Indigenous group. End at the Alakush Visitor Center for a delicious lunch with views of the Río Lapataia and Lago Roca.

After eating, continue on a trail to the Pan-American Highway before returning to Ushuaia. There, you'll grab your bags and head to the airport for the flight back to Buenos Aires, where you'll meet your connecting flight home. Safe travels!

More Great Patagonia Itineraries

Looking for more inspiration for your trip to Patagonia? Check out these other Patagonia itineraries, explore different ways to spend a week in Patagonia, or discover the best time to visit Patagonia.