Buenos Aires, Bariloche, and El Calafate

Day-by-Day Itinerary

Day 1: Buenos Aires.

Depart to Buenos Aires via overnight flight.

Day 2: Buenos Aires-Tango Dinner Show.

After passing through immigration and customs, proceed to the reception area, where our inbound services representative will be holding a sign with your name on it. You will be greeted and then transferred to your hotel.

In the evening, you will enjoy typical Argentine dinner and wine, and a Tango show with a re-creation of the original style and melancholic rhythms of the 1940’s. The impressive lyrics will be interpreted by some of the best singers in the city. You will also hear some folk music from the Altiplano region of the country. Overnight in Buenos Aires. (D)

Note: Check in time in Buenos Aires is typically 2:00pm. We can request early check-in for you but cannot guarantee it.

Day 3: Buenos Aires-City Tour.

In the afternoon, you will have a panoramic city tour of Buenos Aires. This tour will cover the most important sights in the city. You will visit the impressive National Congress (the Parliament), the Civic Centre, Plaza de Mayo, Casa Rosada, the headquarters of the executive branch of the government, and the town Hall. You will also see one of the best Opera Houses in the world. The tour will continue with a visit to the neighborhood of San Telmo, and you will learn about its history. On Sundays, you will be able to enjoy a flea market. You will go next to La Boca, known for its colorful architecture and for being the first port in Buenos Aires. This neighborhood was originally settled by Italian immigrants. You will also visit the Palermo and Recoleta areas of the city and modern neighborhoods such as Puerto Madero, with big mansions and great parks. Overnight in Buenos Aires. (B)

Day 4: Buenos Aires.

Today you will have a free day to explore the city. Overnight in Buenos Aires. (B)

Day 5: Buenos Aires-Bariloche.

Transfer the airport for your flight to Bariloche. Set along Lake Nahuel Huapi, and surrounded by soaring mountain peaks, Bariloche is one of Argentina’s most picturesque destinations. It offers the visitor a variety of activities in the surrounding area during the summer months, and in winter is a hub for skiers and snow boarders. It is also Argentina’s chocolate capital. Upon arrival, you will be greeted and then transferred to your hotel. Overnight in Bariloche. (B)

Day 6: Bariloche-Short Circuit Tour.

In the morning, you will have a half-day scenic driving tour known as “Circuito Chico” that takes you along Lake Nahuel Huapi to experience the fantastic scenery of the Bariloche Lake District. You stop at Cerro Campanario, where you can ride a chairlift to the summit to enjoy one of the best viewpoints of the area. As the tour continues, you pass San Eduardo Chapel, built by architect Alejandro Bustillo, Puerto Pañuelo, and Llao Llao Hotel & Resort, one of the most iconic landmarks of the region. On the way back to your hotel, you pass El Trebol Lagoon. Overnight in Bariloche. (B)

Day 7: Bariloche-Puerto Blest and Los Cántaros Cascade Tour.

Transfer to Puerto Pañuelo to board the “El Condor” catamaran for a cruise to Puerto Blest, on the western edge of Nahuel Huapi Lake, near the border with Chile. One of the attractions along the way is Centinela Islet, where Francisco P. Moreno is buried. When you arrive at Puerto Blest, you can either walk around the area, or take a short bus ride to Frias Lake for a 20 minute cruise around the lake to enjoy the scenery and magnificent views of Mount Tronador. Returning to Puerto Blest, you will board the catamaran again and navigate to Puerto Cántaros. A path of steps leads up to Los Cántaros Cascade (waterfall) and its source. Return to Puerto Pañuelo and your hotel. Overnight in Bariloche. (B)

Day 8: Bariloche-El Calafate.

Transfer the airport for your flight to El Calafate. El Calafate is named for the local blue berry that when eaten, guarantees your return to Patagonia. Located on the southern shore of Lago Argentino, it is the main hub for visitors to the southern part of Los Glaciers National Park. Upon arrival, you will be greeted and then transferred to your hotel. Overnight in El Calafate. (B)

Day 9: El Calafate-Perito Moreno Glacier.

Today, you will have a full day excursion to Perito Moreno Glacier, the highlight of any visit to southern Patagonia. The glacier is 19 miles long, three miles wide, and 200 feet high, and is one of the only advancing glaciers in the world. You can observe, hear, and take photos of the glacier from steel catwalks on Peninsula de Magallanes. The sound of huge icebergs calving into the Canal de los Tempanos (Iceberg Channel) is a truly unique experience. Overnight in El Calafate. (B)

Day 10: El Calafate-Boat Tour of Lago Argentino.

Today you will have a full day boat tour of Lago Argentino, Argentina’s largest lake. Departing from the southern shore of the lake, the boat heads northwest through Boca del Diablo, the narrowest passage point of the lake, to Brazo Norte (the northern arm of the lake) to reach the barrier of ice flows in Upsala Canal. From there, passengers can appreciate the breathtaking views of the immense Upsala Glacier in the distance. The boat then heads south along the Spegazzini Canal towards the glacier of the same name. Gourmet lunch is served on board.

After lunch, the boat continues on to Puesto de Las Vacas, a quiet bay in the Spegazzini Canal, for a landing and guided hike to enjoy the panoramic views of the glacier. After re-boarding, the boat returns along the Brazo Norte to the dock for disembarkation. Overnight in El Calafate. (B,L)

Day 11: El Calafate.

Transfer to the airport for your return flight to your final destination. (B)

B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner