Escorted Tour - Argentine Odyssey

On arrival at Ezeiza international airport in Buenos Aires, you will be met and enjoy a private transfer to PESTANA BUENOS AIRES HOTEL where we will spend three nights. 
Rest of the day at leisure to explore on your own or rest after long flights.

Get together in the lobby of our hotel this evening, to meet your tour leaders and fellow travellers.

Then on to our Welcome Dinner which takes the form of a wonderful introduction to the land of Tango!

Dinner Tango Show at La Ventana – via return Shared transfers.
Included: 1-hour Tango lesson + Dinner + Beverages + Show.
In the very heart of San Telmo, this historic restored tenement (known as "conventillo") is a classic example of the culture of the old city of Buenos Aires. The premises of La Ventana take us back to these old times. The interior, which preserves the building in its purest style, creates the ideal setting for a unique experience which includes 32 performers, two tango orchestras, an Argentine folk music group, dancers and singers. The menu consistis of national and international cuisine and an exquisite selection of Argentine wines.

Half day city tour
Buenos Aires is a beautiful city and our tour today will take us past attractions such as the 9 de Julio Avenue, the Obelisk and Corrientes Street. In the Plaza de Mayo we will see the Cathedral and the Cabildo (Old City Hall) before driving through the most traditional neighbourhood of Buenos Aires, San Telmo, which is characterized by its old colonial houses and the cobblestoned streets. We will make time for a visit to the vibrant local market.

On to La Boca Neighbourhood with its colourful zinc houses, once the refuge of the first immigrants and later home to popular artists. Here we will stop and have some time to wander and take photographs in this delightful spot. Continue to Puerto Madero – the old port of the city, now one of the most exclusive gastronomic and residential areas in Buenos Aires. Marvel at the woods of Palermo with approximately 300ha of gardens and artificial ponds surrounded by elegant buildings. The last point in the tour is Recoleta, an exclusive neighbourhood where the amazing Recoleta Cemetery is well worth a visit. Why visit a cemetery? Recoleta is no ordinary cemetery – it will astound you with its rows and rows of beautiful and some very old family tombs. Not a place to wander off from the group as it is easy to get lost here! After our visit, we will be free to find somewhere interesting to have lunch in the area, then return with our transport to the hotel. Rest of the day at leisure.

Half day Gastronomic experience: Parrilla tour!  Private service with English speaking guide

Parrillas are Argentine restaurants offering the most traditional cuisine. Most visitors to Buenos Aires only dine at the most touristy parrillas published in guidebooks and sadly miss out on some of the city’s most delicious gems. We will experience and taste authentic Porteño flavours on todays’ Parrilla Tour, discovering hole-in-the wall restaurants where the locals go, learning about Argentina’s culture and cuisine, and meeting other gourmet enthusiasts during the relaxed and social tour.

Private transfer to the airport for our flight to Puerto Iguazu airport, where we will be met and transferred to LA ALDEA DE LA SELVA, our lodge in the rain forest.  Rest of the day at leisure to enjoy the facilities at the lodge. 

Half Day Brazilian Falls Excursion - Private Service with English speaking guide.

The Brazilian Falls, declared a UNESCO Natural World Heritage site in 1986, are located on the western side of the Paraná State in Brazil. This Brazilian park with 185,000 hectares (458,000 acres) borders the Argentinean National Park and they are divided by the Iguazu River.

Both parks make this region one of the largest natural protected areas in South America.

To access the circuits along the catwalk floors, visitors board a modern panoramic view bus to move safely within the park. The length of the catwalk floors is 1,200 meters from where the view of the 275 waterfalls is breathtaking. The four main rapids on the Brazilian side are: Floriano, Deodoro, Benjamín Constant and Salto Unión or The Devil´s Throat.

At the end of the path a panoramic elevator will take you back to the bus units.

Return to our hotel. Free time for the rest of the day to enjoy the facilities available at the lodge.

Half Day Brazilian Falls Excursion - Private Service with English speaking guide.

The Brazilian Falls, declared a UNESCO Natural World Heritage site in 1986, are located on the western side of the Paraná State in Brazil. This Brazilian park with 185,000 hectares (458,000 acres) borders the Argentinean National Park and they are divided by the Iguazu River.

Both parks make this region one of the largest natural protected areas in South America.

To access the circuits along the catwalk floors, visitors board a modern panoramic view bus to move safely within the park. The length of the catwalk floors is 1,200 meters from where the view of the 275 waterfalls is breathtaking. The four main rapids on the Brazilian side are: Floriano, Deodoro, Benjamín Constant and Salto Unión or The Devil´s Throat.

At the end of the path a panoramic elevator will take you back to the bus units.

Return to our hotel. Free time for the rest of the day to enjoy the facilities available at the lodge.

Meet at a specified place to board our shared transfer  to YACUTINGA IGUAZU LODGE - a hidden haven for nature lovers in the heart of the lush Misiones jungle.

For the next two days our guests will enjoy a set of planned activities providing the opportunity to understand the Interior Atlantic rain forest from an environmental and social side.

• Canoeing through the waters of the jungle - paddling these gentle waters is extremely relaxing and gives us the opportunity to move through the forests in silence; salt patches are very common on the shores of these streams, and wild animals often seek these places, therefore it is common to find animal footprints and traces in the muddy shores. The water activity lasts almost 3 hours.

• Interpretative walks in the afternoon, conducted by expert guides who provide good information on the several natural environments, their Flora and Fauna associated. This is an ecosystem rich in biodiversity, old-growth trees, medicinal plants, orchids, bromeliads, butterflies, beetles, birds and mammals that combine to provide the key to interpretation and astonish us with a very intense natural contact inside Misiones Forest.

• Night walk. The night sounds of Nature produce a very complex symphony. We silently take part in this scene. The owls start their activities. Above us, the Milky Way becomes our ceiling.

• The visit to the neighbouring Guarani Community Kagui Pora 2 close to Yacutinga Lodge . The idea during this experience is to understand the social reality the Guarani people are undergoing. While developing this kind of low impact ecotourism activity we try to help them in various ways. It is an eye opening experience for any visitor.

• We invite our guests to participate in our Orchid rescue program.

More lodge activities with expert guides

The Yerba Mate (Ilex paraguariensis) plantation. The South American Green tea is the main agricultural product and economic stilt of the neighbouring Andresito Colony. Pioneers of the last Century transformed this wild bush into a crop. Today the Yerba Mate is a very popular infusion for Argentinians, Uruguayans and south Brazilian people.

Without the use of medicinal native plants from the Atlantic Forest, the settling of the pioneer families in this rural environment would not have been possible. Today we experience how locals use these native plants for homeopathic medicine; using the traditional mate infusion as a method to intake the homeopathic benefits provided by many of the plants of the jungle. Without doubt it has been the rural homeopathy tradition that enabled pioneer families to thrive in this unknown part of Argentina. This is a journey through the living history of the Country, where past and future meet to create a curious present.”

Out time together in this unique place will be a truly enlightening, unexpected and extremely picturesque jungle experience, and undoubtedly a highlight of our tour.

Shared transfer from Yacutinga to Puerto Iguazu airport for our flight to Salta in the north, where we will be met and transferred to INKAI HOTEL SALTA,  where we spend 2 nights.

Rest of the day at leisure to explore a very different environment on our own or just enjoy the hotel facilities.

Spa and wellness centre, Bar, Restaurant, laundry.

Full day private Cafayate excursion with English speaking guide
The Cafayate wine area is one of the highest places in the world suitable for viticulture, as the majority of the region’s vineyards are located at 1,700m above sea level. The altitude affects the climate and the terroir, both of which make the area suitable for viticulture. Wines from the Cafayate vineyards are some of the best produced in Argentina; the white Torrontes Rioja and red Malbec are the most popular varieties from Cafayate. Surrounded by the magical Calchaquí Valley, with its dramatic desert and mountain landscapes, the Cafayate wine region is a great place to enjoy nature and taste amazing wine.

Today we travel south from Salta, through spectacular scenery, traversing the Lerma Valley and its historical towns. We reach Quebrada de las Conchas (the Shell´s Gorge), where wind and water erosion have carved curious shapes into the rocks -The Amphitheater, Devil´s throat, The Toad, The Castles among others. In Cafayate, we will enjoy wine tasting at some wineries.

Late afternoon return to Salta through Quebrada de las Conchas (the Shell's Gorge) and the Lerma Valley.

Full day private Salinas Grandes – Purmamarca excursion with English speaking guide
Another scenic drive this morning, from Salta to Purmamarca, a village in the Jujuy province of northwest Argentina. It's set at the base of a striking, multi-hued mountain called the Seven Colours Hill. From the village, the Paseo de los Colorados trail leads into the surrounding desert landscapes for views of the mountain. Adobe houses line the streets, and 9 de Julio Square hosts a popular artisinal crafts market. Nearby is the centuries-old Santa Rosa de Lima church, quite simple compared to others in the region but a great example of spectacular cactus wood interior. It is surrounded by many algarrobo trees, one of which is 700 years old.

After touring the town, we will travel uphill along the switchback road called Cuesta de Lipán until we reach the impressive Salinas Grandes, an incredible place where the white landscape merges with the intense blue sky. These are the third largest salt flats in the world, spanning both Salta and Jujuy provinces, at an average altitude of 3,450 meters above sea level. Here we will observe the process of extracting table salt.

Tonight we will stay at LA COMARCA HOTEL in Purmamarca.
Heated swimming pool, Massage, Spa and wellness centre, Solarium, Fitness centre, Sauna, Bar

Full day private Quebrada de Humahuaca excursion with English speaking guide
Visit with a local rural family and share lunch with them
Today’s journey begins in Purmamarca Village where we will have time to view the Seven Colours Hill, the Church and the Craft Market on the square, and walk along its narrow streets. We visit Uquía and the small but interesting Church of the Holy Cross and San Francisco de Paula located in front of the square. Built in adobe, wood and cactus in the last decade of the 17th century, it is distinguished by the location of the bell tower that, instead of being attached to the nave, is part of the perimeter wall. The simplicity of the interior contrasts with the splendour of the carved and gilded wood altarpiece, estimated to date from 1699.  This church is also famous for its collection of Arquebusier Angels, one of the few complete series in the Andean colonial world. These oil paintings are attributed to the Cusco school of the 17th century, where a tradition emerged with motifs of indigenous imagery, perhaps in an attempt to establish a bridge between the Catholic cult and pre-Hispanic winged divinities.

Quebrada de Humahuaca is a narrow mountain valley known for its dramatic rock formations and hills. It is the most important physical linkage between the high Andean lands and the extensive temperate plains in south-eastern South America and has been in use as a cultural route between the highlands and the plains for over 11,000 years. At noon we will arrive in Humahuaca, an indigenous Quechuan village, where we will have the opportunity to share lunch with a local indigenous family. 

The Hornaditas Aboriginal Community is known for the cordiality of its people as they share their daily agro-pastoral activities and elaborate on their products such as goat cheese, homemade bread, local foods and medicinal creams.
The community is surrounded by sites of great archaeological value, both pre-Inca and Inca, which can be learned from the experience and ancestral knowledge of our local hosts. 

During this very special time we connect with the people of the land and learn to appreciate their down to earth lifestyle.

After lunch, as we journey back to Salta, we will see La Paleta del Pintor (Painter’s Palette) framing the town of Maimara. We will pass through San Salvador de Jujuy, the capital of Jujuy province, on our way back to Salta where we will be reunited with our luggage at INKAI HOTEL.

Rest of the day at leisure.

Private transfer to Salta airport for our flight to El Calafate, where we will be met and transferred to ALTO CALAFATE HOTEL  where we spend 3 nights. 

Sauna, Fitness centre, Solarium, Spa and wellness centre, Massage, Indoor swimming pool and gorgeous views of Argentino Lake.

Full Day Perito Moreno Excursion - Private Service with English speaking guide. 
Los Glaciares National Park
The 250km2 ice formation, 30km in length, is one of 48 glaciers fed by the Southern Patagonian Ice Field located in the Andes system shared with Chile. This ice field is the world's third largest reserve of fresh water. Despite most of the innumerable glaciers worldwide retreating, one of the few unusual glaciers maintaining a state of equilibrium is the Perito Moreno Glacier because it continues to accumulate mass at a rate similar to that of its loss.

Today we travel 80 km from our hotel to reach the western end of the Peninsula de Magallanes from where the walk along the Perito Moreno glacier walkways begins. We will have ample time in this amazing place, with various stops at panoramic points within the National Park.
The walkways are 3 km long. They are located at different levels and allow you to contemplate the glacier from different perspectives and balconies. Depending on your physical condition, you are able to reach the lower balconies nearer to the glacier or you may prefer to stay on the first balconies which are more easily accessible to everyone.

• Nautical Safari Navigation - Shuttle Service with English speaking guide.

This additional shared excursion is combined with the visit to the Perito Moreno Glacier walkways. It consists of a navigation of approximately one hour, departing from the Puero Bajo Las Sombras on the Brazo Rico of Lake Argentino.

During the first 20 minutes of navigation you will be able to observe icebergs  which are the result of the constant ruptures in the front of the Glacier. The boat then approaches the southern wall of the Glacier to observe the landslides that occur. Many photo opportunities here as we marvel as this grand spectacle provided by Mother Nature.

Half Day Nativo Excursion  - Shared service with English speaking guide.
Morning at leisure , then we are in for another treat on our last day of touring. The Nativo Experience is a half-day 4x4 excursion along the coast of Lake Argentino. With an anthropological approach, it takes us on a journey through time on the passage of man in these lands, re-discovering stories of the first expeditions and daring explorers who ventured into the unknown. Every moment is a unique experience, the beautiful coast of Lake Argentino is surrounded by nature and history and the ascent to Punta Bonita cliff allows us to have an excellent panoramic view.

Between the cliffs and with views of the Andes Mountains, the excursion focuses on the first contacts of those explorers with the Tehuelche world - indigenous people from Patagonia.

On the shores of the lake are caves where thousands of years ago people from that ancient culture left their marks on the rock. Today we travel back in time as we visit the Punta Walichu archaeological site where we will discover amazing ancient paintings revealed in the walls of caves.

Our day and our tour will come to an end this evening, with a very special farewell dinner in one of the caves, with an impressive view of the lake and the mountains –a fitting finale to a truly unique tour in an incredible destination, creating memories to last a lifetime.

Private transfer to Calafate airport to take our flight back to Buernos Aires for connection to ongoing flights home, armed with wonderful memories of an incredible and sometimes unexpected destination.