Argentina and Chilean Patagonia with Australis Cruise and Iguazu

Arrival, reception at the airport and transfer to hotel. Rest of the day at leisure. Accommodation.

Breakfast. During the morning, Sightseeing City Tour. This tour gives you the emotion of a multiple Buenos Aires. You will see the symbol of our city: the obelisk. You will visit different squares such as Plaza de Mayo, Plaza San Martín, Plaza Congreso. Avenues like Corrientes, Mayo, 9 de Julio, among others. Historical neighbourhoods: La Boca, San Telmo, Montserrat. Elegant neighbourhoods such as Palermo and Recoleta, and the most modern: Puerto Madero. Parks such as Lezama and Tres de Febrero. You will also visit financial and commercial areas and a Football Stadium. Afternoon at leisure. Accommodation.

Breakfast. Transfer to Jorge Newbery airport for flight to Iguazú, an area declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. Arrival and transfer to hotel. In the afternoon, visit the National Park Foz do Iguaçu to see the falls on the Brazilian side. Throughout nearly a thousand meters of footpaths and balconies, you can enjoy the panoramic view of the largest set of waterfalls in the world, with 275 jumps deployed in an arc of case three kilometers. Accommodation.

Breakfast. Full day visit to the Falls from the Argentine side, where will tour the Lower Circuit and Superior Circuit. You will travel by the Ecological Train and will visit the Devil’s Throat, the largest jump this site protected as a World Heritage Site and recently voted one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. Accommodation.

Breakfast. Transfer to airport. Flight Iguazú/Bariloche. Arrival, reception and transfer to hotel. Accommodation.

Breakfast. Excursión to Short Circuit. The journey begins from Bariloche bordering the Lake Nahuel Huapi. At the height of km 8 is Playa Bonita, where you see the Huemul Island. Ten kilometers later, you will reach the foot of Campanario Hill where there is a chairlift that reaches the summit (1050 meters), which affords one of the most beautiful and fascinating views of the region. Continuing the journey, you will cross the Angostura Bridge over the river of the same name, which joins Lakes Moreno and Nahuel Huapi and then Lopez Bay at the foot of the hill of the same name. Later this panoramic point, a natural balcony with spectacular view. Then you will cross the bridge over Lake Moreno and you will begin to border the Laguna El Trébol back to the city, closing the short circuit. Accommodation.

Breakfast. Excursión to Cerro Tronador (height 3554 meters). You leave Bariloche southwards and border Gutiérrez and Mascardi lakes. Further on, the road also borders the western arm of Mascardi Lake along a winding road up to Pampa Linda. After riding a few more kilometers you get to a brook. As from there you walk on for about 30 minutes: after crossing a suspension bridge you will go through a forest of lenga (Nothofagus pumilio) and canes (Chusquea culeou) until you reach a cliff from where you can enjoy the view of Las Nalcas fall. All around the fall we can see the great nalca (Chilean rhubarb) leaves that can grow as big as a meter wide. We go back on time for lunch and continue later to the Black Glacier belvedere. Return is scheduled at 3:45 pm so as to be back at the hotel at 6:00 pm.
Note: From September to November there is a lot af water. From December to April, the water fall becomes much thinner. And from May to October, the excursion depends on the road condition. Lunch and National Park fee are not included.

Breasfast. Full day cruise called “Cruce Andino”. Departure from the hotels in Bariloche by bus to Puerto Pañuelo around Nahuel Huapi lake, where you will enjoy the beautiful Swiss-style architecture that characterizes all buildings in the area, beautiful gardens and flowers that color the place. In Puerto Pañuelo, you will embark the catamaran “Victoria Andina” or “Lake Victoria” for navigating the Nahuel Huapi lake for an hour to Puerto Blest. For a trip of 15 miles, you will see the grandeur of the landscape, the green of the surrounding forest, the birds come and you will learn the history of this place. Around noon, you will arrive at Puerto Blest where you will take a bus to border the Frías River for three miles to Puerto Alegre. Then will continue on the catamaran “City of Faith” to navigate the Frías lake with its quiet and pristine waters of a deep green to Puerto Frías. In this tour will see the Cerro Tronador (3491 meters high). After sailing approximately 20 minutes, you will arrive at the small port of Puerto Frias, inserted in the middle of a beautiful vegetation. Will continue by bus to Peulla. You will appreciate the lush vegetation of the Cordillera de Los Andes and Cerro Tronador with its 9 glacier at its summit. In the afternoon, will enter the Vicente Perez Rosales National Park. After making the entry formalities at Peulla, transfer to hotel and time for lunch (not included). At 4 pm you will sail for Petrohue, sailing Todos los Santos lake. If the weather permits, you will observe the Volcano Osorno and the Volcano Puntiagudo. Also you will visit Petrohué Falls (not include ticket), volcanic rock shapes drenched green waterfalls. Then you will border on Llanquihue lake and 7:30 pm you will arrive in Puerto Varas. The times are referential and may change due to weather conditions and number of passengers.

Breakfast. City Tour of Puerto Montt and Puerto Varas. First, you will visit one of the high points of the city of Puerto Montt, where there is a lookout point with a panoramic view of the city and within Reloncavi. Then, the monument to the first German settlers, the Plaza de Armas, where the Cathedral which was built in larch wood in the year 1856, and Angelmó Pelluco, where is a typical craft market and a seafood. Then the route continues along the Pan American Highway towards the city of Puerto Varas, located on the shores of Lake Llanquihue, where are  the main attractions as the Sacred Heart of Jesus Church, Breakfast. City Tour of Puerto Montt and Puerto Varas. First, you will visit one of the high points of the city of Puerto Montt, where there is a lookout point with a panoramic view of the city and within Reloncavi. Then, the monument to the first German settlers, the Plaza de Armas, where the Cathedral which was built in larch wood in the year 1856, and Angelmó Pelluco, where is a typical craft market and a seafood. Then the route continues along the Pan American Highway towards the city of Puerto Varas, located on the shores of Lake Llanquihue, where are  the main attractions as the Sacred Heart of Jesus Church, Philippi Park, Plaza de Armas and the craft market . From the waterfront, with good weather you can see the volcanoes Osorno and Calbuco, with its glaciers which flow crystalline waters on Lake Llanquihue. Then back to the hotel. Accommodation.

Breakfast. Full day excursion to Chiloé Island. Departing from Puerto Varas on the Panamerican Highway, you reach the town of Pargua, to embark by ferry to at the island of Chiloe, the largest of the islands of the archipelago. Already in the vicinity of their place can be clearly seen trefoil architecture that surrounds the place and chilota Catholic Church in the surrounding small buildings and houses built of wood and painted in vivid colors blend gracefully to artistically carved larch shingles, no doubt this place invites us to stop and take a walk, take photographs of the site and take a look inside his church. At this point you will continue along the old road and the hills. At the cove Caulin, place of fishermen and better known as the oyster farms, is also a place to see black-necked swans and pink flamingos that gather during the months of May to July. After a stop in this area, you will take a path to cross the sea island, and start down locations not normally visited places like Quemchi where its waterfront gives us a broad view of the inland sea and volcanoes Huequi and Hornopiren or Quicavi where that was the cave of the witches and visit its church, and the small town, and then continue to San Juan de Colo, where one of the World Heritage churches, which is in its final stage of restoration and where the images shown in the Art Quiteño in their images carved in wood. You will continue to Tenahun, crossing the main street and church again underline its vivid colors and special structure. After lunch you will visit the town of San Juan, a town of fishermen and boat builders Chiloé, which is well appreciated as an art woodworking and boat shape these fragile appearance. Visit the cemetery, which disappears with the tide changes and the church recently restored and Heritage. Finally will get to Dalcahue, which would become the most famous city of our tour, and will visit its church, Heritage and the sector where the fair takes place on Sundays free. After this visit we will go to the Pan American Highway, to begin our return to mainland. Accommodation.

Breakfast. Full day cruise called “Cruce Andino” leaving Puerto Varas, through the beautiful mountainous town of Peulla, you will sail Todos los Santos lakes. If the weather permits, the views of Osorno Volcano, Cerro Tronador and Puntiagudo Volcano will surprise you. Then you will cross the Chile – Argentina by bus to Puerto Frías. From here, you will sail the Frías and Nahuel Huapi lakes until the arrival to the city of Bariloche late afternoon, in a landscape of forests, mountains and lakes of varied tonality of colors.

Breakfast. Transfer from hotel to airport for flight to El Calafate. Arrival and transfer to hotel. According to the arrival time of the flight, you will have time to tour the town and the coast of Lake Argentino or visit the Ice Museum “Glaciarium”. Accommodation.

Breakfast. Perito Moreno Glacier. Departure from the morning to travel the 80 kms, which is the distance between El Calafate and Perito Moreno Glacier, unique in the world constantly advancing. On the way, will visit beautiful places of the Andean foothills, along the south shore of Lake Argentino. After crossing rivers and Mitre Sentinel, will reach the Brazo Rico to enter Glacier National Park. Bordering the Lago Rico, begin to spot the icebergs floating on the water until finally able to appreciate the full extent of this natural wonder that has been declared by the United Nations as a World Heritage Site. Accommodation.
Optional (check extra rate)
Safari Boat – Sailing Lake Rico: the tour is a voyage of one (1) hour by the Lake Rico, who can appreciate the majestic south wall of the Perito Moreno Glacier.

Breakfast. Excursion to All Glaciers. The schedule of shipment in the port of Punta Bandera Private (47 kilometers from the city of El Calafate), will be at 8:30 am and the game will be at 9:00 am, after the passengers are informed the safety and seaworthiness. Once on board sail across the North Arm of Lake Argentino to reach the Channel Upsala, where we will find a spectacular Barrier Icebergs. From there we will have a panoramic view of the Upsala Glacier. Then navigate Spegazzini Channel, where we observe the Seco Glacier to reach the front of Spegazzini Glacier, the highest in the National Park. Then navigate the Canal of the Icebergs up to the wall of the Perito Moreno Glacier rupture and this last point of our visit. Return to Private Puerto Punta Bandera will be at approximately 4:00 pm, by boat. * The tour can be modified depending on weather conditions and safety and the decision of the captain of the boat. Accommodation.

Breakfast. Transfer to the bus station in El Calafate. Regular bus ride to Puerto Natales, beautiful little coastal town located along the Pacific Ocean in Chile. Reception at bus station and transfer to hotel. Afternoon at leisure. Accommodation.

Breakfast. Torres del Paine National Park. Full day tour starting from Puerto Natales. Once inside the park, go through the main viewpoints, waterfalls and cascades, the Grey Glacier, along the most beautiful lakes and rivers of this river chain. Also visit the Milodon Cave, will enjoy short walks and idyllic scenery. Return to hotel in Puerto Natales late in the afternoon. Accommodation.

Check in at 990 Magallanes Street between 13:00 and 17:00. Board the M/V Via Australis or M/V Stella Australis cruise ship at 18:00. After a welcoming cocktail reception hosted by the Captain and his crew, the ship will depart for one of the remotest parts of the planet. Our trip will take us through the Strait of Magellan and Beagle Channel to explore one of the most breathtaking wilderness regions in the world: Southern Patagonia, which includes the Tierra del Fuego archipelago.

At dawn, we will navigate our way through Almirantazgo Sound, arriving at Ainsworth Bay which is sited within Alberto De Agostini National Park. It’s the perfect spot from which to see the Marinelli Glacier descending from Darwin Mountain Range in the distance; and to appreciate how the land returns to life after glacial retreat. We will also take a walk to a beaver dam in the stunning sub-polar Magellan Forest. Whether on the beach or the island, there’s a good chance of sighting Southern Elephant Seals. But do bear in mind the fact that sightings cannot be guaranteed due to the colony’s unpredictable movements. Later, we will be sailing to Tuckers Islets, and after lunch, we will board well-equipped Zodiac boats to get close to a colony of Magellan Penguins (indigenous to the Southern Hemisphere) and cormorants. In September and April, this excursion is replaced by a short walk to a nearby glacier at Brookes Bay.

We will navigate along the northwest arm of the Beagle Channel before disembarking at Pia Fjord. From there, we’ll take a short hike to a panoramic viewpoint from where we can enjoy spectacular views of the awe-inspiring Pia Glacier whose main tongue extends from the mountaintops down to the sea. After this memorable experience, we will continue our voyage along the Beagle Channel through the majestic Glacier Alley.

We will be sailing through Murray Channel and Nassau Bay to reach Cape Horn National Park, where, weather permitting, we shall go ashore. The legendary Cape Horn was discovered in 1616 and is a sheer 425-meter (1,394-foot) high rocky promontory. For many years it was an important navigation route between the Pacific and the Atlantic, and is referred to as the ‘End of the Earth’. The park was declared a World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 2005. In the afternoon, we will go ashore at historical Wulaia Bay, originally the site of one of the region’s largest Yamana aboriginal settlements. Charles Darwin landed there in 1833 during his voyage on the HMS Beagle. This area is also renowned for the mesmerizing beauty of its vegetation and geography. We will take an enchanted walk through the Magellan Forest of lengas, coigües, canelos, ferns, and other endemic vegetation, to reach a panoramic viewpoint.

In Via Australis, for 2014 – 2015 season, the excursion to Wulaia Bay will be in the morning and to Cape Horn in the afternoon.

Acknowledged as the southernmost city in the world, Ushuaia was founded in 1884 and was one of the original points of encounter between the Yamana and Anglican cultures. Its name derives from the Yamana word for ‘penetrating bay’ and it’s surrounded by the last high peaks of the Andes. Today, it is one of the largest cities on Tierra del Fuego Island, with around 65,000 inhabitants. The perfect opportunity to enjoy the city and its spectacular scenery.

Breakfast. Excursion to Escondido and Fagnano Lakes. This tour begins along National Route 3 north between several mountain ranges of the Andes Mountains where they discover peat bogs, glaciers, waterfalls in the middle of the Patagonian forest. In Rancho Hambre begins to climb the Step Garbaldi following the winding path of the route arriving at a vantage point at 430 meters from where there are spectacular views of the Lakes Escondido and Fagnano. Then you will take a short stop at Lake Escondido, where you will see the emerald green waters surrounded by an Andean Patagonian forest in a landscape of breathtaking beauty. You will continue the trip through a local sawmill to end at Lake Fagnano, located 100 km north of Ushuaia and one of the largest in South America. Accommodation.

Breakfast. During the morning, excursion to Tierra del Fuego National Park. It represents the southernmost protected area, the only National Park that has coastlines, covering a stretch of 6 km. Wide over the Beagle Channel and an area of 63,000 hectares. It is reached by the National Highway No. 3 to N.A. Ushuaia, met along the way Pipo River, Monte Susana, Ensenada Bay, Redonda Island sighting, lake Roca Casita del Bosque, Laguna Verde and Negra, beaver dam, Lapataia Bay, marking the end of the route, to 3,242 km. Federal Capital. The topography of the park is extremely varied, everything is a series of craggy mountains, rivers, valleys and lakes, resulting in varied landscapes from the picturesque and lively stream to the mass of towering mountains, or the extraordinary spectacle of the majestic Canal Beagle. During the spring and summer, you can admire varied and colorful flowers: mutillas, violet, primrose, white orchids, armories, white and yellow daisies, and the various tree species: Cinnamon, Wood Dura Notros Lenga Ñire, Burgundy presenting as Misodendro parasites and the Llao Llao, observing lichens, which hang in the form of a beard. The most common mammals are foxes and rabbits, living in the Park also muskrat and beaver. Among birds, Upland Goose and gray-headed, steamer ducks and great grebe, the black carpenter and rayadito giant, as the Park presents exclusive marine birds such as albatross, the oystercatcher overo the white Cauquen and mammals such as seals and otters sea. In the afternoon, transfer to airport to fly back to Buenos Aires. Reception and transfer to hotel. Accommodation.

Breakfast. Transfer to airport for international flight.

**End of our services**