Wild Patagonia - Wildlife Journey to Argentina ESCORTED SMALL GROUP NOVEMBER 2023

Day notes

On arrival, after collecting our luggage, we will be met by our driver who will take us to our hotel, The Crillon, located  in the exclusive Retiro area of Buenos Aires. A few streets from the famed Nueve de Julio Avenue and the waterfront of the Puerto Madero Quarter, the hotel offers easy access to the city’s famous sights such as the historical Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, the Colón Theater, the Museo Evita and the Jardin Japonés.

Dinner - own arrangements.  The hotel has a restaurant so we can dine together as a group as each person wishes.

Day notes

Today we fly to Trelew and then transfer by road to Bahia Bustamante.

Bahia Bustamante is surrounded by 360° of pure nature in an area recognised by its biological biodiversity - the ocean to one side and endless steppe to the other.  Only in a few places in the world is it possible to find such a number and diversity of seabirds and marine mammals, which is why it has UNESCO Biosphere Reserve status.

The origins of the lodge date back to the 1950's as a seaweed settlement that housed more than 400 workers and their families.  The old houses which used to belong to the first inhabitants have been renovated into cozy cabins that all face towards the ocean, each with an en-suite bathroom and a living room.

Activities are all carried out within the lodge area and are exclusive to the guests of the lodge.  The specific activity to be taken will be decided each day as they are dependent on tide and weather conditions.  Options include:

Day notes

Today, en route to the Peninsula , we will call in at Camarones and have a private boat trip.  We will be seeking out Commerson's  Dolphins as we sail.  One of the smallest of the dolphin species, they are very distinctive with mostly black on the head, fin and flipper regions and mostly white in the other areas of the body.  On the islands we hope to see large colonies of cormorants and seals on the rocks.

Drive from Camarones to the Puerto Pyramides on the Peninsula Valdes - the sanctuary for Southern Right Whales during the months of July to November.  Packed lunch to eat as we drive.

Overnight at Las Restingas Hotel with dinner at local restaurant.

Day notes

Very early in the morning we will take a private whale watching boat trip for around two hours. 

Lunch at local restaurant and then we drive on to Rincon Chico were we will live pure wildlife over the next four nights.

The Estancia Rincón Chico is an exclusive property located in the southeast corner of the Península Valdés with sixteen kilometers of coastline along the Patagonian Sea, one of the richest marine areas on Earth harboring populations of Right Whales, Elephant Seals, Sea Lions, Orcas, Dolphins, Penguins and numerous species of birds and fish. For this reason the site was declared “World Heritage Site” in 1999 and “Biosphere Reserve” in 2014 by UNESCO.

The lodge was constructed following the style of the old English houses of the late 19th century that were so common to find in the traditional Patagonian ranches. Rooms are comfortable, each with a private bathroom. The living room with its overstuffed sofas is the ideal place for resting after a long day of exploration. It has a well-stocked library of books about the fauna of the Península Valdés, renowned authors photo books and publications by scientists who work at the ranch.

Rincón Chico stands out as the only property in the area where all the services offered are exclusively for the people who stay at the ranch, so that their guests are the only ones who have access to them.

Thousands of Southern Elephant Seals and South American Sea Lions have chosen these beaches for breeding and birthing; and Southern Right Whales, Orcas, Penguins and Dolphins are sighted from the estancia’s 16 km of coastline. You can watch a wide variety of inland and coastal birds, and see most of Patagonia’s native terrestrial mammals.  Wildlife watching is guided by bilingual biologists and naturalists on the various beaches of the property and the off-the-beaten-path hiking trails across the steppe and cliffs that lead to superb wildlife viewing spots.  

Day notes

Return scheduled flight to Buenos Aires. 2 hours flight

Back to our for our last night in Buenos Aires.

Day notes

Departure day for international flights.