patagonia to iguazu falls - terra argentina tailor-made travel

Contrasted Argentina: From Patagonia to Tropical Iguazu Falls

Itinerary idea for a trip to Argentina in 13 days.

This itinerary takes you across contrasted Argentine regions. Start with Patagonia’s main attraction: El Calafate, for the unforgettable Perito Moreno glacier. Next stop: Ushuaia, last port before Antarctica, for an out-of-this-world experience. Leave the arid steppes and wild winds of Patagonia to head north: welcome to the jungle! Iguazu Falls and its varied wildlife will appear to be from another country. End your trip with a warm stay in a beautiful traditional estancia in San Antonio de Areco, for a brush with gaucho culture. You will go home feeling like you have explored not one, but many countries, each one beautiful.

Length of stay: 13 days

Kind: Argentina Highlights

Fix: For all public

Countries visited: Argentina

International Aiport Ezeiza

City Tour Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires

El Calafate

National Tierra del Fuego Park

Ushuaia

Iguazu National Park, Argentinean side

Iguazu National Park Brazilian side

Puerto Iguazu

San Antonio de Areco

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Day 1 : International Aiport Ezeiza

Meet your driver at Ezeiza International Airport – transfer to Buenos Aires in a private vehicle. Transfer with an English-speaking guide. Visit Buenos Aires (half day, private tour).

Today, discover the political and historical centre of the capital . Start with the 9 de Julio Avenue , the widest in the world, dominated by the Obelisk , a symbol of Buenos Aires. You will pass the Colon Theatre , one of the jewels of the Argentine architecture, before arriving on the Capital main square, P laza de Mayo.

Your visit then takes you to San Telmo : this historical neighbourhood is a dynamic mix of tourists and locals: picturesque alleyways, old typical cafés, antique shops … This lively barrio is animated day and night – a famous flea market takes place every sunday around Dorrego square.

End your visit with the picturesque neighborhood of La Boca , with its small alley of El Caminito : painters, tango dancers and singers meet between the ancient colourful wooden houses.

Return to your hotel after the visit An English speaking guide will acompany you during the city tour. Night at the Tango de Mayo Hotel in standard room.

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Day 2 : City Tour Buenos Aires

Visit Buenos Aires (half day and private tour).

Buenos Aires , a cosmopolitan city with European features, is among the 10 most active cities in the world. City of arts, cultures, theatres, traditions … The variety satisfies even the most demanding visitor.

Guided tour of Recoleta neighbourhood, characterized by many colonial houses, often old houses of historical figures, currently inhabited by powerful Argentine families. You enter the luxurious Pacifico Shopping Center , characterized by its French architecture of 1889, with vaulted ceilings. This stunning place is one of the favourite places in Argentina.

Later you visit Recoleta Cemetery , where many celebrities, writers and politicians rest. The best known and most revered, even today is the tomb of Evita Peron , the legendary wife of President Peron .

You continue your visit to Palermo neighbourhood, with a stroll in the park Tres de Febrero , inaugurated in 1875, representing the largest green area of the city.

Return to your hotel. An English speaking guide will acompany you during the city tour. Tango Dinner Show

In El Querandí , enjoy an authentic and traditional tango show accompanied by a delicious dinner, in the intimate and exclusive atmosphere of the early twentieth century (1920s building entirely renovated). Round trip to the restaurant. Night at the Tango de Mayo Hotel in standard room.

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Day 3 : Buenos Aires

Transfer from your hotel to Buenos Aires Domestic Airport in a private vehicle. Domestic flight Buenos Aires* – Calafate.

*National o international airport depending on time schedule and availability. Transfer from El Calafate Airport to your hotel in a private vehicle. An English speaking guide will acompany you during your transfer. Free day in El Calafate.

Enjoy your free time to try one of the following activities:

– Visit the Laguna Nimez Natural Reserve to enjoy the wilderness and observe the flamingos and the 80 other species of birds living there. This is an easy, 20-minute walk from the city center – duration of the visit: 2 hours.

– Visit the Interpretive Center which covers various themes such as paleontology, geology, anthropology and history.

– Rent an electric bike to explore the city.

– Have a drink downtown at the ice bar. Night at the Los Canelos hotel in a standard room.

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Day 4 : El Calafate

At 8 am, your private transfer picks you up at your hotel to take you to the Perito Moreno Glacier, 80km away from El Calafate.

This full-day excursion allows you to thoroughly enjoy the exceptional natural surroundings.

Take in the panoramic views from the footbridges : you are facing the whole glacier and its surrounding lenga beech forest.

Return trip to El Calafate around 4:30pm. Entrance to Los Glaciares National Park included. An English speaking guide will accompany you for the tour. Moreno Spirit navigation included (45 min):

Embark on a 45 minutes navigation to enjoy the northern side of the glacier, aboard a 50 passengers boat. Night at the Los Canelos hotel in a standard room.

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Day 5 : Estancia Nibepo Aike

Departure for the Nibepo Aike estancia, located 55km away from El Calafate.

This Estancia was founded by a Croatian pioneer named Don Santiago Peso, who settled on these lands in the early twentieth century. Nestled in Los Glaciares National Park, the estancia lives off cattle and sheep farming. The visit offers an insight into the history of this area and allows the visitor to discover an authentic Patagonian Estancia lifestyle – observe the rural tasks which are now open to the public, such as the traditional demonstration of sheep shearing.

Choose among the activities the Estancia offers to its guests: horseback riding to Cerro Cristales, where you can admire the Perito Moreno glacier, walks through the typical fauna and flora of Patagonia…

If you stay during the fishing season, you should try your luck at Lake Roca – Patagonia is flyfishing’s paradise.

Night at Estancia Nibepo Aike in a standard room with full board.

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Day 6 : El Calafate

Night at the Los Canelos hotel in a standard room. Morning at the Estancia with activities.

Departure from the Estancia after lunch at 14:15 and arrival in El Calafate around 15:30. If the weather is nice, make the most of the natural surroundings this morning.

You can also watch the gauchos carry out seasonal activities, such as

– Cattle branding

– Sheep shearing

– Gathering cows or sheep

– Horseback farming and games

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Day 7 : El Calafate - Ushuaia

Transfer from El Calafate to the Airport in a private vehicle. Domestic Flight Calafate – Ushuaia. Welcoming at Ushuaia airport and private transfer to your hotel in Ushuaia. Transfer with a English-speaking guide. Night at the Hosteria Patagonia Jarke in a standard room.

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Day 8 : National Tierra del Fuego Park

Half day excursion to Tierra del Fuego National Park in a private service. Located at only 11 km from Ushuaia, and next to the border with Chile, it has 63.000 hectares full of lakes, lagoons and rivers and exit towards Beagle Channel, characteristic that marks the difference with the other national parks of Argentina.

We will drive out of the city passing by the slope of the Susana Mount, where there is the Southern Fuegian Railway.

Then we continue through the Pipo River Valley to the detour that takes us to Ensenada Bay, where we will contemplate the Redonda and Estorbo Islands and on the other coast the Beagle Channel, the snow-white Mountains of the Sampaio Chain (Chile). Then we will go to Roca Lake and Lapataia River.

We will go towards the other end of the Park, where National Route Nº 3 finishes, at Lapataia Bay. Here we can find the Green Lagoon and the Black Lagoon, large growing peat bog. Finally we will pass by the beaver dams, whose footpath will lead to Lapataia Bay.

Return to Ushuaia at lunch time.

Excursion of 4 hours approximately. An English speaking guide will acompany you during your tour. Entrance fee to the National Park included. Departure from the hotel on a pool service to the Ushuaia Port, where you will embark on a 2 hours and 30 minutes navigation through the Beagle Channel. With this sailing you will discover the Fuegian geography and fauna.

We visit the Pajaros Island, famous shelter of Royal and Imperial Cormorant, Albatross and more than 20 seabirds.

Then you will sail near Lobos Island, where you can witness two species of Sea Lions. While returning, you see Ushuaia, dominated by the striking beauty of Martial Mountain Range.

Note: Sailing approximately for 2h30min. Night at the Hosteria Patagonia Jarke in a standard room.

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Day 9 : Ushuaia

2 hours before your flight, check out and transfer to Ushuaia Airport. Domestic flight Ushuaia – Buenos Aires*.

*National o international airport depending on time schedule and availability. Domestic flight Buenos Aires* – Iguazu.

*National o international airport depending on time schedule and availability. Welcoming at Puerto Iguazu Airport and transfer to the hotel in a private vehicle.

Transfer with an English-speaking guide. Night at La Aldea de la Selva Lodge – standard room.

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Day 10 : Iguazu National Park, Argentinean side

Your guide will pick you up from your hotel to visit the Iguazu Park located 18km from the city of Puerto Iguazu, on the Argentinian side. Private service with English-speaking guide.

The Iguazu Falls in Misiones have the virtue of never disappointing, but on the contrary, going beyond imagination. As we say in the region, we contemplate the falls on the Brazilian side and we live them on the Argentinian side. The falls are formed thanks to a drop of 70 meters from the Iguazu river, through 275 falls.

Departure in the morning for the upper circuit of the falls on the Argentinian side which offers panoramic viewpoints. You continue on the lower circuit which allows you to observe the Dos Hermanas Falls, and San Martín Island. Free time for lunch. After lunch, you continue the excursion by the circuit Garganta del Diablo , which culminates on a viewpoint facing the Devil’s Throat . This powerful fall stretches 150 meters long and 80 meters high and is surrounded by a dense mist.

Note: bring waterproof and light clothing. Entrance to Iguazú National Park (Argentina) included. Night at La Aldea de la Selva Lodge – standard room.

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Day 11 : Iguazu National Park Brazilian side

Departure to the Brazilian side of the waterfalls in a private service with English-speaking guide.

The 1,200 meters circuit takes the visitor along footbridges and viewing decks to admire the minor Floriano and Teodoro Da Fonseca falls and finally, the Santa María falls, from where the panorama onto Island San Martín and the entirety of the falls is absolutely breath-taking.

Note: bring waterproof and light clothing.

Note 2: from mid-October to mid-February, Brazil is one hour ahead of Argentina (daylight saving time). Entrance to Iguazú National Park (Brazil) included. Night at La Aldea de la Selva Lodge – standard room.

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Day 12 : Puerto Iguazu

Transfer from your hotel to Puerto Iguazu airport in a private vehicle.

Transfer with an English-speaking guide. Domestic flight Iguazu – Buenos Aires*.

*National o international airport depending on time schedule and availability. Welcoming at Buenos Aires domestic airport and transfer to San Antonio de Areco in private vehicle. Around lunchtime, you reach the Estancia El Ombu. Walk below the hundreds-years-old trees : oaks, araucarias, palm-trees, eucalyptus… 300 hectares are reserved for cattle – after the traditional Asado, ride one of the 38 horses of the property, try one of the sulkies or walk around. Depending on the working calendar, you can observe or participate in the tasks of the estancia: vaccines, cows gathering, branding …

Night at the Estancia Ombu de Areco in a standard room with Full Board.

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Day 13 : San Antonio de Areco

Transfer from San Antonio de Areco to Ezeiza International Airport in a private vehicle. Breakfast and morning at the Estancia.

Enjoy the activities before you leave: swim in the pool, walk or ride in the park…

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