The Best of Patagonia

Lost World Adventures itineraries can be tailor-made according to your plans and preferences: budget, hotel selections, travel dates, optional excursions, length of trip, etc.

Day 1 : Buenos Aires

You will be met at Ezeiza International Airport upon arrival and transferred to your hotel. Overnight Hotel Palo Santo, daily breakfast included – 2 nights.

Day 2 : Four Balconies of Buenos Aires

Visit the city through the exclusive Four Balconies of Buenos Aires. Passing by many representative parks or squares, the guide makes an introduction into Argentina, its history, its contrasts, its contradictions and the particular psychology of the inhabitants of Buenos Aires. Visiting the four highest parts of the city gives you possibility to enjoy the best panoramic views from the Buenos Aires.

La Boca, birthplace of Tango, the blue collar neighborhood of Buenos Aires in which the main street Caminito shows you the history of this beautiful and original rhythm.

San Telmo, the oldest “barrio” of Buenos Aires, where the city was founded for the first time in 1536. Discover places as Parque Lezama, Defensa Street, and the Flea Market premises. Ezeiza family house and San Lorenzo alley talking about the slave market, the arrival of the great European immigration, literature and last but not least British Invasions to the city during 1806 and 1807.

Plaza de Mayo, Casa Rosada, the Metropolitan Cathedral and the central part of the city are the next attractions to be discovered. The civic center is the spot to understand different periods in Argentine’s history, politics and religion.

Recoleta, the most aristocratic area of the city, decorated with French architecture in most of the buildings surrounded by wide parks. One important spot is the Cemetery is impressive not only for its unique architecture but also for its historical value, founded in 1822, interesting place where important figures as Eva Peron are buried.

Click here for additional optional guided excursions from Buenos Aires.

Day 3 : Buenos Aires – Trelew – Puerto Madryn

You will be met at your hotel and transferred to the National Airport for your flight to Trelew.

You will be met at the Trelew Airport by your guide and depart for a full day tour to Punta Tombo, the most important breeding colony of Magellanic penguins in the world (typically between September and April).

On the way back to your Puerto Madryn hotel, you will visit Gaiman, a typical Welsh settlement.

No meals included but a box lunch can be ordered in advance.

Overnight at the Dazzler by Wyndham Puerto Madryn.

Bahia Nueva Hotel was built in 1995 and it was named after the bay along which Puerto Madryn was built. The simple brick and wood construction dates back to the first buildings at the beginning of the 20th century. The hotel has 40 rooms.

Daily breakfast included – 2 nights.

Day 4 : Full-day Valdes Peninsula

You will be met by your guide for a full day tour to visit the Valdes Peninsula. On the way you will stop to see the wildlife of the area: guanacos, lesser rheas, Patagonian foxes, hairy armadillos, maras and elegant-crested tinamous.

Then you’ll stop at the Carlos Ameghino Isthmus, gateway to the Peninsula, where a small museum will introduce you to the fauna of the region. Continue across the flat Patagonian countryside to Caleta Valdes, where you’ll witness the only mainland colony of huge Sea Elephants at close quarters.

You’ll visit the most important rookeries protecting large colonies of South American sealions and Southern elephant seals. Magellanic penguins also inhabit this area along with oyster catchers, dolphin gulls, kelp gulls, cormorants and other sea birds. Then continue to Puerto Piramide, where you’ll witness a huge colony of fur seals. Return to Puerto Madryn.

Note: From July to early December you may also take an optional short and exciting boat ride from Puerto Piramide to admire families of Southern Right whales. There is an additional cost for the whale watching excursion.

No meals included but a box lunch can be ordered in advance.

Day 5 : Puerto Madryn – Trelew – Ushuaia

You will be met at your hotel and transferred to the Trelew Airport for your flight to Ushuaia.

Ushuaia Airport reception and transfer to your hotel.

Overnight at the Villa Brescia, a family-owned hotel located in the heart of Ushuaia.

Daily breakfast included – 3 nights.

In addition to the three featured excursions over the next three days we offer a selection of other optional guided excursions found here.

Day 6 : Tierra del Fuego Hike & Navigation

You will be picked up at your hotel for a full day visit to the Tierra del Fuego National Park.

Tierra del Fuego National Park is one of the most frequently visited places in Ushuaia: it is close to the city and easily accessible. Upon arrival in the park, start a seaside trek from Ensenada Bay to a wonderful scenic point overlooking Lake Roca, Lagunas Verde and Negra, Rivers Ovando and Lapataia Bay.

Hiking through this beech forest look out for the Magaellanic woodpecker, largest in South America, Austral parakeets, black-chested buzzard eagles and Andean Condors. Reaching a clearing near the water, embark on a 15 passenger zodiac boat and head toward Isla Redonda for lunch. Hike – approximately 3 hours, 4.5 miles, round-trip.

You’ll have time to take a short walk on the island while your guide prepares lunch. Don’t forget to send a postcard from the island which has the continent’s southernmost post office. On the way back to Lapataia Bay, watch for cormorants and sea lions, albatross and petrels.

Upon arrival hike an old trail to Laguna Verde, where you will board the vehicle back to Ushuaia. The tour of the National Park focuses on ornithology, geology, ecology, hiking, and photography.

Lunch included.

Day 7 : Harberton Ranch & Gable Island

You’ll be met at your hotel early this morning and begin your scenic drive along National Route 3 and then take the “J” route towards Harberton Ranch, the oldest of the region.

The 90 km (56 miles) to the ranch will offer interesting views of the famous “Flag Trees” (exposed to the strong winds). The estancia at Harberton belongs to the descendants of the first British Missionaries to reach the area – Reverend Thomas Bridges – and was managed for many years by Ms. Natalie Goodall, a foremost naturalist in the area.

You’ll have time to explore the estancia. From the estancia you will board a small boat and navigate the Beagle Channel to Martillo Island, a Magellan penguin rookery (they can only be seen from December until around February).

The unique location of this island makes it an ideal place for an incredible variety of rich sub aquatic life and therefore, an amazing spot for bird watching (petrels, skuas, cormorants, sea gulls and albatross).

The navigation continues to Gable Island, the largest in the Beagle Channel, which belongs to the Harberton Ranch. Formerly, this was the place where they took their sheep during the summer. Today, only a large shearing shed is left. After a short walk, you will reach a refugio.

The views over the Beagle Channel from here are breathtaking. After lunch, you will enjoy a 2-3 hour hike, which will lead you into a beech forest with white orchids, wild berries, strawberries and ferns. Return to the refugio and navigate back to the estancia. From there you will transfer back to Ushuaia.

Lunch is included.

Day 8 : Ushuaia – El Calafate

Beagle Channel Navigation
This morning make your way to the port (some hotels provide complimentary shuttle service) for a navigation of the stormy waters of the Beagle Channel. The Beagle Channel is located south of Ushuaia and Tierra del Fuego, overlooking the islands that extend all the way to Cape Horn.

It was first discovered by the Fitz Roy expedition of 1830, and later again by Charles Darwin in 1833. The first Anglican settlers arrived in 1860. You’ll cruise close by several islands, including Seals Island where you may witness petrels, cormorants, and sea lions at close quarters. Port tax is included.

In due time you will be met at your hotel and transferred to the Ushuaia Airport for your flight to El Calafate.

Overnight Los Canelos, located on the outskirts of El Calafate. Hosteria Los Canelos is a rustic-style hosteria with 9 very comfortable rooms, some with views overlooking Lago Argentino. The Hosteria has a fine restaurant.

Breakfast included – 3 nights.

Day 9 : Full-day Perito Moreno Glacier excursion with minitrekking

You will be met at your hotel and transferred to Los Glaciares National Park, in the sub-Antarctic Continental Ice-cape, known as the “Third Pole”, which extends over 60,000 square km (23,000 sq. miles) and gives birth to several major glaciers along the Patagonian Andes.

The excursion begins from the pier located at “Bajo de las Sombras” bay (approximately 6 kilometers before the glacier viewpoint), where you will embark to cross Brazo Rico, reaching the southwest shore after 20 minutes of navigation in which you will appreciate the southern wall of the Perito Moreno Glacier.

After disembarking, you will reach the shelter, where the guides organize the mini trekking groups. You will walk by the lake shore to reach the glacier. It will take approximately 20 minutes. Once you are in front of it, the guides will put you the crampons and give you the instructions for a 2-hours hike over the ice.

In this mini trekking over the glacier, you will appreciate lots of ice formations such as: cracks, drains, little lagoons, etc. It is a moderate hike.

The ice surface where you will walk is irregular, but firm and safe. At the end of the hike, you will go back to the shelter walking through the exuberant Magellan forest. Arrival and embark to cross the lake. Once you arrive at the pier, you will travel for 6 km to reach the catwalks, in front of the Perito Moreno glacier, from where you will have different and amazing views of it.

A boxed-lunch will be included.

El Calafate hotel transfers can be arranged as private or large group bus.

Day 10 : El Calafate

A full day for optional guided excursions.  A menu of our excursions can be found here.

Day 11 : El Calafate – Buenos Aires – Int’l Departure

Hotel pickup and transfer to the airport for your flight to Buenos Aires.