EXPLORING PATAGONIA
& AUSTRALIS CRUISE
|
Duration: 18 days/ 17 nights
Date: As requested.
Group
Size: 2 to 10 people
Accommodation: First Class hotels and hosterías (Inns).
Transportation: Private van or small bus and air transportation.
Price: $4,381 per person double occupancy+ AUSTRALIS CRUISE COST that
will vary according to cabin category.
NOTE:
Domestic flights in Argentina are NOT included in the price).
AUSTRALIS CRUISE PUNTA ARENAS – USHUAIA (4 NIGHTS) (Departures from Punta
Arenas are from September through April)
|
CABIN |
PROMOTIONAL
DEPARTURES |
LOW
SEASON |
HIGH SEASON |
|
B |
1,258 |
1,573 |
1,989 |
|
A |
1,806 |
2,252 |
2,738 |
|
AA |
1,895 |
2,361 |
2,868 |
|
AAA |
1,985 |
2,471 |
3,006 |
|
SINGLE* |
2,261 |
2,822 |
3,429 |
Single rate applies to B or A cabin.
For 2012/2013 cruise
departure dates: Australis Cruise |
Click to enlarge |
 | Enjoy
cosmopolitan Buenos Aires
|
| Be
enchanted by the rich wildlife of Peninsula Valdes
|
| Explore Los
Glaciares National Park and trek on the glacier
|
| Navigate
and Hike around Torres del Paine National Park |
| Cruise The Strait of
Magellan and Beagle Channel from Punta Arenas to
Discover the end of the world: Ushuaia and Tierra del Fuego National
Park |
|
Viewing the spectacular glaciers |
ITINERARY:
DAY 1 - Buenos Aires : Arrival.
Reception at Ezeiza International Airport, and private transfer to our hotel.
In the afternoon you will
enjoy a private tour of this cosmopolitan city of 12 million
inhabitants, and capital of the Argentine Republic.
DAY 2 – Punta Tombo, Puerto Madryn : Breakfast.
Flight to Trelew, a city 1,200 kms south of Buenos Aires, and welcome to
Patagonia! Our bus and local naturalist guide will be meeting us at the
airport. We will drive Punta Tombo, the biggest continental breeding
ground of Magellan penguins. There, we will have the opportunity to
meander along the park trails, which bisect the breeding ground
themselves, and see over 200 thousand live nests, and more than 500
thousand penguins. Picnic lunch. In the afternoon, we will visit Gaiman.
This is a picturesque small town that was settled by Welsh immigrants in
the 1870s, and still maintains much of its original architecture. We may
savor a delicious Welsh tea with pastries at one of the traditional
teahouses of Gaiman. In the evening we will drive to Puerto Madryn.
Lodging. (B,L)
|
 |
DAY 3 – Península Valdés : After
breakfast, we will drive to Peninsula Valdes Nature Reserve, a paradise
for wildlife lovers. Peninsula Valdes is like an island united to the
continent by a 35 km long strip of land called Ameghino Isthmus. From some
sections of the road that takes us into the reserve, we will be able to
view both gulfs: "San Jose" and "Nuevo". The distance
between them is only 7 km. at the narrowest part. We will spend some
time at Puerto Piramide, a village on the south side of the Peninsula, on
the Nuevo Gulf. .
Lunch included. In the afternoon, we will likely observe more of the
region’s native fauna which includes foxes, maras, peludos and piches
(similar to armadillos), lesser rheas (or choiques) and guanacos. The
places we’ll be visiting will be: Punta Norte, with the largest sea
elephant colony on the Peninsula or Caleta Valdes, a natural canal with
great variety of marine and terrestrial wildlife; a sea lion colony, and
the Salinas "Chica" and "Grande" that are the biggest
depressions in South America. Late in the evening we will return to our
hotel in Puerto Madryn. (B,L)
 |
Click to enlarge |
DAY 4 - Los Glaciares National Park. El Calafate :
Breakfast. Flight to El Calafate, a small town located
along the shores of Argentino Lake. The landscape of the region is a
combination of arid steppes to the east, where eagles, falcons, lesser
rheas, guanacos, hares, foxes and pumas live, and woods of lengas and ñires
near the West Andes, that are the natural habitat of Condors, eagles,
Magellan woodpeckers, and the Huemul (Andean deer). Hotel accommodation
and dinner. (B,D)
DAY 5 - Los Glaciares National Park. El Calafate :
After breakfast we will depart to visit Los Glaciares
National Park. This park of 600.000 hectares (2,300 square miles) has
thirteen glaciers that flow into the Argentino and Viedma lakes. Perito
Moreno Glacier, is one of the few glaciers in the world that is still
progressing. It is only 500 ft above sea level, which makes it very
accessible, allowing one to stand in front of a mountain of ice that
measures 60 m (180 ft) by 5 km (2.5 miles). The constant fall of huge
towers of ice from its walls and into the lake is an unforgettable
spectacle. Trekking Expedition: We will board a boat to cross Argentino
Lake with spectacular close views of the Glaciar Perito Moreno. We will
land on an isolated beach and hike on the glacier. (no additional
equipment, or previous experience required). Lunch in the park, and dinner
at the hotel. (B, L,D)
|
 Marcelo
& group trekking on the Perito Moreno Glacier.
 |
| |
DAY 6 – El Calafate : Day
at leisure to enjoy optional excursions or relax. Dinner. (B,D)
DAY 7 – Torres del Paine – Chile : Today
we will cross the border towards the Republic of Chile. Our
destination is the renowned Torres del Paine National Park. Torres del
Paine is a large park (450,000 acres) declared a Biosphere Reserve by
UNESCO. We will visit Sarmiento, Nordenskjold and Pehoe Lakes. The park is
particularly rich in fauna, and we’ll be likely to see guanacos, lesser
rheas, black-necked swans, geese, flamingos, Magellanic woodpeckers, and
peregrine falcons and condors on the mountain slopes. Lodging in the park. (B,L)
DAY 8 Torres del Paine National Park. Chile :
Breakfast. Full day to enjoy the park. Lodging. (B)
DAY 9 - Torres del Paine National Park. Chile :
After breakfast, we will depart in Zodiac boats down
Serrano River. We’ll enjoy a short hike to Glaciar Serrano. Then we’ll
sail through Ultima Esperanza Fjord to a ranch overlooking Seno Ultima Esperanza.
Barbecue lunch. Later continue by
boat to Puerto Natales and stay at Hotel Indigo Patagonia or similar for
one night.
DAY 10 - Puerto Natales/ Punta Arenas : Breakfast.
Today we will travel to Punta Arenas, a picturesque town overlooking the
Strait of Magellan. Lodging. (B)
|
DAY 11 (TUESDAY OR SATURDAY) Punta Arenas/ CRUCEROS AUSTRALIS :
Transfer to the port. Cruise ship boarding starts at 6:00 p.m. The
Captain and crew give a welcome cocktail reception on board.
Immediately afterward, the ship departs for “the uttermost part of
the earth”. The excursion will take you through the Strait of
Magellan and Beagle Channel to explore one of the most breathtaking
wilderness regions in the world: Southern Patagonia, and Tierra del
Fuego. You have just embarked on a Great Adventure! (B,D)
DAY 12 – CRUCEROS
AUSTRALIS: Ainsworth Bay – Tucker Islet
At dawn, you’ll
continue navigating through Almirantazgo Sound until finally
arriving near Marinelli Glacier in Ainsworth Bay, where you’ll enjoy
a walk to discover a beaver dam in the midst of a marvelous
Magellanic forest. On the beach you’ll observe a colony of elephant
seals. Later you’ll visit Tucker Islet, where you’ll view colonies
of Magellanic Penguins and Cormorants from the Zodiac boats. The
islet’s penguins migrate in April; as a replacement you may visit
Brookes Bay, for a short walk to aproach a glacier. (B,L,D)
DAY
13 – CRUCEROS AUSTRALIS: Pia Glacier - Glacier Alley
You’ll navigate
through the main part of Beagle Channel to reach Pia Bay, where
you’ll disembark near Pia Glacier. You’ll take a short hike to a
lookout point with a spectacular view of the entire glacier tongue,
stretching from high in the mountains all the way to the sea. After
this unforgettable experience, you’ll sail again along the northwest
arm of Beagle Channel through majestic “Glacier Alley”: Spain,
Romanche, Germany, Italy, France and Holland glaciers. (B,L,D)
DAY 14 – CRUCEROS
AUSTRALIS: Cape Horn – Wulaia Bay
You’ll sail through
Beagle and Murray channels to reach and disembark in Cape Horn
National Park (weather permitting). Cape Horn, on Hornos Island, is
a sheer, 425-meter (1,394-foot) high rocky promontory at the point
where the Atlantic and Pacific oceans merge. This mythical place is
known as the “End of the Earth”; a visit is a singular privilege.
The park was declared a World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in June
2005. In the afternoon, you’ll go ashore in historic Wulaia Bay,
once the site of one of the region’s largest aboriginal settlements.
This area is also renowned for the mesmerizing beauty of its
vegetation and geography. You’ll walk through a Magellanic forest of
Lengas, Coigües, Canelos, ferns and other native vegetation to reach
a lookout point. (B,L,D)
DAY 15 – Ushuaia/ Tierra del Fuego-Argentina
Arrival in Ushuaia. You’ll disembark at around 8:00 and welcome to
Ushuaia!, a charming town on the shores of the Beagle Channel.
Transfer to your hotel for check in. Later,
we will go west for a private excursion to
Tierra del Fuego National Park.
Created in 1960, this National Park protects 63.000 hectares of the
southernmost portion of the Sub Antarctic Forest, from the high
Andean steppe and peat bogs, down to the maritime coast of the
Beagle Channel. You will visit different
areas of the park such as Ensenada Bay and Lapataia Bay,
and you’ll be able to see two remarkably different ecosystems: the
sea-shore and the sub-Antarctic forest which occur together only in
a few places on earth and are unique in Argentina.
Lunch in the park. Lodging in Ushuaia
at Hotel Tolkeyen or Terrazas del Beagle or similar for three
nights. (B,L) |
Click to enlarge
|
DAY 16– Ushuaia/ Tierra del Fuego :
Full day excursión to Harberton Ranch. Lunch during the excursion. (B,L)
DAY 17 – Ushuaia/Tierra del Fuego : Day
at leisure to take optional boat excursions or relax enjoying the
beautiful landscapes surrounding our hotel. Farewell dinner to say goodbye
to our travel companions and friends. (B,D)
DAY 18– Buenos Aires / USA : Breakfast.
Flight to Buenos Aires. Arrival and transfer to Ezeiza airport to take
your international flights. (B)
INCLUDED IN TOUR PRICE
| Private transfers to and from airports.
|
| Overland transportation
+ Cruise from Punta Arenas to Ushuaia. |
| Local bilingual guides. |
|
Hotel accommodation for 13 nights (double occupancy) + 4 nights
aboard Australis Cruise |
| Meals mentioned in itinerary: all breakfasts,
6
lunches and 4 dinners
+ all meals during Australis Cruise..
|
| Park entrance fees. |
| Trekking on the Perito Moreno Glacier.
|
| Boat expedition from Torres del Paine National Park to
Seno Ultima Esperanza. |
| Other private excursions with bilingual guides
as detailed in the itinerary. NOTE: Boat excursions and trek on
the glacier as well as land excursions during cruise are group
excursions shared with other passengers. |
| |
*Single Supplement: $958.- +
Single Supplement Cruise
SERVICES NOT INCLUDED IN TOUR PRICE
| International airfare |
| Flights in Argentina: Buenos Aires/Trelew/El
Calafate + Ushuaia/Buenos Aires. (Cost vary from about $600
in economy) |
| Excursions and services not detailed in the itinerary |
| Other meals not mentioned in the itinerary |
| Personal expenses |
| Tips |
All Rates in US DOLLARS
Please email us at tours@patagoniaadventures.com
Some photos of our
Tour Exploring Patagonia,
November 2004
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