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& Iguazu Falls Luxury Patagonia Luxury Patagonia & Wineries Patagonia Hiking Panorama Australis Glacier Cruise
& Patagonia Hiking Australis Glacier Cruise
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ARGENTINA TOUR EXTENSIONS

Day Argentina Tour Extensions Multi-Day Argentina Extensions

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HIKING TOURS AMAZON ECOTOURS RAINFOREST ECOLODGES MULTISPORT ADVENTURES GALAPAGOS SCUBA DIVING GALAPAGOS SEA KAYAKING GALAPAGOS SAILING CRUISES HIKING TO MACHU PICCHU FAMILY ADVENTURES SELF-GUIDED TOURS LUXURY TOURS RAFTING / KAYAKING TOURS CAMPING ADVENTURES PATAGONIA HIKING

CURRENT LOCAL WEATHER

Provided by The Weather Channel

Australis Glacier Cruise & Patagonia Hiking, take in different perspectives on Patagonia's Glaciers

Touring Patagonia during the southern hemisphere's summer can provide some awesome blue sky days

Duration: 14 days
2+ Travelers: $4,255 per person
This most picturesque of Patagonia tours combines a four-day voyage aboard the Chilean cruise ship, Mare Australis, passing idyllic scenery of fjords, glaciers and forests through the Strait of Magellan from Chile to Argentina. The ship stops along the way for Patagonia hiking and boating excursions to observe fascinating wildlife in their natural habitat, including penguins, elephant seals and an array of sea birds. You'll visit two of Argentina's national parks, Tierra del Fuego and Los Glaciares and witness the Perito Moreno Glacier, renowned for its vivid turquoise hue and the skyscraper size blocks of ice that frequently fall from its face. Hiking in the wilds of Patagonia is a life-altering experience, a walk back in time, offering a new definition of solitude.
This Patagonia cruise and tour can also be arranged on a private departure basis. Please contact us so we may explain details and costs.

ABOUT ARGENTINA TRAVELING TO ARGENTINA ARGENTINA WEATHER

WHEN TO VISIT ARGENTINA
= J F M A M J J A S O N D =

PATAGONIA F.A.Q. MAP OF PATAGONIA RECOMMENDED READING

Patagonia Hiking Panorama Tour Itinerary

Day 1 (Tue): ARRIVE PUNTA ARENAS - AUSTRALIS View Australis picture gallery Arrive into Punta Arenas via Santiago. From the Punta Arenas airport, you'll travel on your own to reach Punta Arenas Australis headquarters. You'll check-in aboard the Mare Australis Expedition cruise ship to start your great Patagonia adventure vacation, beginning with a welcome from the captain and crew and cocktails with your glacier cruise companions. The glacier cruise ship will then depart for the city of Ushuaia, through the mythical Strait of Magellan. (B,D)
Begin Optional Pre-Itinerary Tour Extensions
Day 2 (Wed): AINSWORTH BAY-MARINELLI GLACIER-TUCKER ISLET View Australis picture gallery At dawn, the ship will navigate through the Almirantazgo Fjord. You will disembark in Ainsworth Bay near Marinelli Glacier to cruise up and observe an elephant seal colony up-close, and view the Magellan Forests. During the afternoon, you'll motor into Tucker Islet aboard zodiac boats to see a small colony of Magellanic penguins along with other bird species such as skuas and cormorants and most likely dolphins and sea lions. (B,L,D)
Day 3 (Thu): D´AGOSTINI FJORD. SERRANO, D´AGOSTINI GLACIER and CONDOR GLACIER View Australis picture gallery By early morning you will have reached the D´Agostini Fjord to gaze upon the Serrano Glacier and later cruise to the D'Agostini Glacier. You'll disembark in Cóndor Bay, close to the Cóndor Glacier. Here you'll take a short walk through the native forest for an excursion by zodiac. After re-boarding, you'll cruise through the Magdalena and Cockburn channels towards the Beagle Channel. (B,L,D)
Day 4 (Fri): BEAGLE CHANNEL - GARIBALDI GLACIER - PUERTO WILLIAMS View Australis picture gallery

Sail into the Garibaldi Fjord for views of its namesake glacier and the impressive snow-field of the Darwin Range

After navigating across Desolation Bay and through the O'Brien and Balleneros channels, you'll sail into the Garibaldi Fjord for views of its namesake glacier and the impressive snow-field of the Darwin Range. You'll go by zodiac to one of the beaches and set out on an adventurous trek through the lush vegetation and virgin forests that cover the mountain slopes. Continuing the journey, you'll enter the northwest extension of the Beagle Channel to experience the majestic "Glaciers Avenue" consisting of the Spain, Romanche, Germany, Italy, France and Holland glaciers. In the afternoon you will stop at Port Williams where you may wish to tour the Martin Gusinde Museum or take a flight over impressive Cape Horn. (B,L,D)
Day 5 (Sat): USHUAIA - TIERRA DEL FUEGO NATIONAL PARK View Ushuaia accommodations picture gallery Early in the morning you'll arrive in Ushuaia, southernmost city in the world. You'll disembark and be transferred to your hotel. After getting settled, you'll take your first Patagonia trek in nearby Tierra del Fuego National Park. You'll get to explore the park's highlights before returning to your hotel for a free evening to enjoy the fine seafood of Ushuaia before a restful night's sleep. (B)
Day 6 (Sun): CERRO CORTEZ HIKE View Ushuaia accommodations picture gallery After breakfast at the hotel, you'll set out on today's Patagonia hiking adventure, a moderate to difficult all-day guided trek to the top of Cerro Cortez. A 4 x 4 will take you through a quarry to reach the trailhead. The steep trail ascends through a sub-Antarctic beech forest, crossing peat bogs. Past the tree line, you'll have sweeping views of the area that get even better when you reach the crest for breathtaking views in all directions. Here you'll see the Martial range, the Andorra and Rio Chico valleys, Ushuaia and its landmark, Mt Olivia. Towards the sea are Isla Navarino in Chile Patagonia and the legendary Murray Pass that leads to Cape Horn. Lunch will be enjoyed in one of the most picturesque settings of the park before descending back to the quarry where the Land Rover will be waiting to return you to Ushuaia. Overnight at your comfortable Ushuaia hotel. (B,L)
Patagonia Hiking Details: 6.1 mi; 2000 ft elevation gain; 5-7 hrs
Day 7 (Mon): HARBERTON RANCH - THE HISTORY OF THE PIONEERS View Ushuaia accommodations picture gallery You'll spend another unforgettable day of Patagonia tours in the southern tip of the continent, Tierra del Fuego, learning about its fascinating history. Your first destination is Estancia Harberton, a ranch belonging to the descendants of the first British missionaries to reach Patagonia, Rev. Thomas and Mary Bridges. It was managed for many years by Natalie Goodall, a well-respected naturalist in the area. After reaching the estancia, you'll take a small boat to Gable Island (the largest island in the Beagle Channel) for lunch. After hiking on the island, you'll visit the penguin rookery at Martillo Island, where Magellanic penguins are found along with a few Gentoo penguins. This unique location is near where the Atlantic and Pacific oceans meet, which attracts a rich variety of sub-aquatic life. Bird watchers will see such species as petrels, skuas, cormorants, sea gulls and albatross. This Southern Patagonia tour ends back at Harberton before returning to Ushuaia for a free evening and another overnight at your hotel. (B, L)
Day 8 (Tue): USHUAIA - EL CALAFATE - EL CHALTEN View El Chalten accommodations picture gallery

Enjoy dramatic views of the mammoth mountain face and some other important peaks from your hotel

You'll start the day with some sightseeing in Ushuaia, including the fascinating End of the World Museum and the Presidium before flying to El Calafate. You'll then go by private car to your next destination, El Chalten, a small windswept town at the foot of Mt. Fitz Roy. Here you'll enjoy dramatic views of the mammoth mountain face and some other important peaks from your hotel. After getting settled, take an afternoon hike on your own, an ideal warm-up for your upcoming Patagonia trekking. You may take an hour-long hike to Piedras Blancas Glacier, gateway to the Continental Icecap, traveling through a beech forest, home to the Magellanic woodpecker, to view the Marconi Glacier. If a longer hike is more to your liking, you may prefer the five-hour trek to Cerro Polo which offers a panoramic view of the Poincenot, Fitz Roy, Cerro Torre and the Continental Icecap. Overnight at your cozy Chalten hosteria. (B,D)
Patagonia Hiking Details: Piedras Blancas (optional) - 2.5 miles, Altitude gain: 550 ft / Cerro Polo (optional) - 3.1 miles, Altitude gain: 2,200 ft
Day 9 (Wed): MT FITZ ROY View El Chalten accommodations picture gallery The destination of today's challenging all-day hike is Mt. Fitz Roy base camp and Laguna de los Tres. Named after Robert Fitzroy, the captain of Darwin's ship, the Beagle, the peak is still called Chalten, meaning "God of Smoke" by the indigenous Tehuelche people who mistook the mountain mists for volcanic eruptions. The Patagonia hike begins after breakfast. You'll hike north to the base of Mt. Fitz Roy where three glaciers drain into Laguna de los Tres. You'll be rewarded with breathtaking views of Lake Viedma and the vast Patagonian steppe. At the end of the day you'll be returned to your hotel. (B,L,D)
Patagonia Hiking Details: Start to Laguna Capri - 2.6 Miles, Altitude gain: 1200 ft / Laguna Capri to Laguna de los Tres - 2.7 miles, Altitude gain: 1800 ft
Day 10 (Thu): CERRO TORRE HIKE View El Chalten accommodations picture gallery Today's classic Patagonia hiking is to the base of 10,259-ft Mt. Torre, famous for its beauty and the fact that of the many expeditions that attempt to reach the summit each year, few succeed. On this full-day of trekking Patagonia, you'll take a slightly descending trail into a forest leading to a lookout facing Cerro Torre and the Adelas Range. Where the trail ends on the shores of Laguna Torre you'll enjoy beautiful views of Mt. Torre and the Torre Glacier surrounded by the Egger and Standhard spires and the Adelas Range. A van will return you to El Chalten for a final night at your hotel. (B,L,D)
Patagonia Hiking Details: Cerro Torre - 11 miles round trip, Altitude gain: 1,000 ft
Day 11 (Fri): EL CHALTEN- EL CALAFATE View El Calafate accommodations picture gallery After breakfast, you may wish to relax or get in some more hiking in the area including a short trek from town to overlook Mt. Torre. In the afternoon, you'll drive in a private van to El Calafate and have the rest of the afternoon to get acquainted with this charming city on your own. Overnight at a local hotel in El Calafate. (B)
Day 12 (Sat): PERITO MORENO GLACIER HIKE View El Calafate accommodations picture gallery Today you'll at last witness what attracts visitors on Patagonia tours from around the world, the Perito Moreno Glacier. You'll board a boat on Lake Argentino to travel to the glacier's massive wall of blue ice, passing floating icebergs along the way. After disembarking on a beach, you'll walk along an ancient beech forest that meets the glacier. After about an hour of Patagonia hiking, you'll take a short glacier hike with a local guide and equipment provided, in some most extraordinary surroundings. With luck, you may witness an ice wall calving into the lake. In the afternoon, you'll enjoy a memorable picnic lunch, listening to the ever-shifting ice of the glacier. At the end of the day's Patagonia tour, you'll return to your hotel for another comfortable night's stay. (B,L)
Blue Ice Upgrade - $100 Per Person: This extension to traditional Patagonia tours is for hikers in good physical condition who wish to spend a full day hiking deep into the Perito Moreno Glacier with plenty of time for photographing this extraordinary place. The terrain is uneven with loose pebbles and requires crampons. You'll be accompanied by a local glacier guide and receive advance training in safety techniques.
(Because this is a very demanding seven-hour ice hike, it is advisable only for participants between eighteen and forty-five years old.)
Click here to see the Blue Ice Glacier Hike picture gallery
Day 13 (Sun): EL CALAFATE - BUENOS AIRES View Buenos Aires accommodations picture gallery You'll be transferred from your hotel to the airport to fly to Buenos Aires. On arrival in the exciting capital, you'll be transferred to a hotel for the night. (B)
Day 14 (Mon): BUENOS AIRES You'll be transferred to the Buenos Aires International Airport for your flight home from your Patagonia tours. If time allows and you wish to extend your stay in the bustling capital city, we would be happy to make arrangements. (B)
Begin Optional Post-Itinerary Tour Extensions
Key: (B)reakfast (L)unch (D)inner
More information about Traveling in Patagonia

ARGENTINA EXTENSIONS

Have more time to spend? Why not customize your trip with some of these trip extensions? Add extensions to the beginning or the end of your trip, or add to both ends.
ARGENTINA DAY EXTENSIONS Estancia Cristina Blue Ice Glacier Hike Upsala Glacier Cruise BUENOS AIRES DAY EXTENSIONS Four Balconies Of Buenos Aires Fine Arts Tour Jewish Heritage Tour Wine Tasting Cooking Workshop Kayaking In Buenos Aires Bicycle Tour - Tigre & San Isidro Tango Shows The Real World Of Tango Tigre & Delta Of The Parana River	ARGENTINA MULTI-DAY EXTENSIONS Crucero Leal (2D) Iguazu Falls Tour (3D) Valdes Peninsula Tour (3D) Fitz Roy Tour (4D) Active Tierra Del Fuego (4D) Classic Tierra Del Fuego (4D) Mendoza Tour (4D) Active Bariloche Tour (5D) Classic Bariloche Tour (5D) Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (4D)

CHILE EXTENSIONS

Have more time to spend? Why not customize your trip with some of these trip extensions? Add extensions to the beginning or the end of your trip, or add to both ends.
CHILE TRIP EXTENSIONS Santiago Arrival Package (1D) Santiago City Tour (½D) Sea Kayaking (½D-1D) Last Hope Sound Cruise (2D)	ARGENTINA (via Chile) EXTENSIONS Perito Moreno Glacier (3D) P.Moreno & Los Glaciares N.P. (5D)

ARTICLES & INFORMATION ABOUT ARGENTINA
TOURS AND TRAVEL

About Argentina's National Parks: The National Parks of Argentina: An Overview; The National Parks of Argentina by Region
The national parks of the northwest: Baritu National Park; Calilegua National Park; (Finca) El Rey National Park; Los Cardones National Park; Copo National Park; Campo de Los Alisos National Park
The national parks of the northeast: Rio Pilcomayo National Park; Chaco National Park; Mburucuya National Park; Iguazu National Park; Pre-Delta National Park; El Palmar National Park
The national parks of the central Andes: San Guillermo National Park; Talampaya National Park; El Leoncito National Park; Sierra de la Quijadas National Park; Los Venados de las Pampas National Park; Quebrada del Condorito National Park
The national parks of the pampas: Lihue Calel National Park
The national parks of northern Patagonia: Laguna Blanca National Park; Lanin National Park; Los Arrayanes National Park; Nahuel Huapi National Park; Lago Puelo National Park; Los Alerces National Park
The national parks of Southern Patagonia: Monte Leon National Park; Los Glaciares National Park; Perito Moreno National Park; Tierra del Fuego National Park

Regions of Argentina: Buenos Aires & the Pampas Region; The Northwest Region; The Northeast Region; The Central Andes Region; The Northern Patagonia Region; The Southern Patagonia & Tierra del Fuego Region
About Buenos Aires & Argentina: An Introduction to Sightseeing in Buenos Aires; Sightseeing in Buenos Aires: The Recoleta Cemetery; Sightseeing in Buenos Aires: Las Madres de Plaza de Mayo; Sightseeing in Buenos Aires: El Teatro Colon; The Neighborhoods of Buenos Aires: Downtown Buenos Aires; The Neighborhoods of Buenos Aires: Palermo; The Neighborhoods of Buenos Aires: The Recoleta; The Neighborhoods of Buenos Aires: San Telmo; The Neighborhoods of Buenos Aires: Puerto Madero; The Neighborhoods of Buenos Aires: La Boca; The Suburbs of Buenos Aires; Clothes Shopping in Buenos Aires; Getting Around in Buenos Aires; Mate, the national drink of Argentina
About Tango: Watching tango in Buenos Aires; Learning to tango in Buenos Aires; The Styles of Argentine Tango; Tangomania around the World; It takes two to tango: The Fundamentals; Tango in film; Carlos Gardel, Tango Superstar; The Films of Carlos Gardel

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2009 SCHEDULED TRIP DATES

Tuesday Departures
2 person minimum / 8 maximum

January
06-19
01/20-02/02
6 Spaces Left

February
03-16
SOLD OUT!
02/17-03/02

March
03-16
17-30
6 Spaces Left

Private Departures can be arranged. Please contact us regarding private departure costs.

INCLUSIONS / EXCLUSIONS

Included in tour cost: - Professional, English-speaking local guides; - All hotel accommodations (twin shared basis including continental breakfast); - Meals as indicated; - All transfers in private van; - Entrance fees for all scheduled tours, national parks, archaeological sites and boats; - Southern Explorations pre departure services
Excluded in tour cost: - International round-trip airfare to Santiago / from Buenos Aires; - $225 Airfare (Santiago - Punta Arenas), subject to change; - $625 Airfare (Ushuaia/El Calafate - El Calfate/Buenos Aires), subject to change; - Lunches and dinners in the cities (unless otherwise noted); - Hiking boots and other personal gear; - Personal expenses (tips and gratuities, alcoholic beverages, medical or travel insurance, laundry, airport taxes, etc.).

PHYSICAL RATING

Moderate - Difficult

CHILE / ARG ACCOMMODATION

Australis Glacier Cruise & Patagonia Hiking:: 4 nights cruise
9 nights hotel

SINGLE SUPPLEMENT

Additional $1890: - Single Supplement is the additional cost of a single traveler not sharing a room in double occupancy. We will match you with another same gender traveler unless you request single accommodations.