Patagonia & Wineries

After breakfast, you’ll be taken to the domestic airport for your flight to Mendoza where your driver will transfer you to your hotel to relax for the next segment of your Argentina tour. Take the evening to enjoy a bottle from a local Mendoza winery with dinner. (B)

La Primera Zona, home to the prestigious wine regions of Luján de Cuyo, Agrelo, and Maipú, is renowned for hosting many of Mendoza’s most famous wineries. Often compared to California’s Napa Valley, this area is a must-visit for wine enthusiasts seeking the best of Argentine wine. During this tour, you’ll explore three wineries and enjoy a delightful lunch at one of them. (B,L)

Antigal Winery
Located in Mendoza, Argentina’s premier wine-producing region, Antigal Winery benefits from the unique climate shaped by the nearby Andes mountains. The region’s high altitude, continental climate, diverse soils, and abundant meltwater contribute to the creation of exceptional wines. Established in 1897, Antigal is one of Mendoza’s oldest wineries still in operation. In 2011, its UNO Malbec earned international recognition, receiving its first accolade from Wine Enthusiast, a renowned U.S. wine publication.

Trivento Winery
Blending tradition with innovation, Trivento crafts wines that honor the distinct character of Mendoza’s terroirs while embracing the challenge of the region’s strong winds. Founded in 1996, the winery has grown significantly over the past 25 years. Today, Trivento owns over 1,600 hectares across Mendoza’s key wine regions and operates three wineries. It has become Argentina’s top wine brand in terms of sales.

Trapiche Winery – Gourmet Lunch at the winery paired with wines
The history of Trapiche begins in 1883, in a small vineyard called El Trapiche, in the district of Godoy Cruz, Mendoza. With more than 130 years of experience, Trapiche has earned its place as a pioneering brand in the introduction of French vines, the production of varietal wines, the import of French oak barrels and the use of stainless-steel tanks. Trapiche opens its doors to visitors from around the world and invites them to visit the winery, a fully restored and renovated building dating back to the beginning of the 20th century. The winery pays homage to all those who laid the foundations of Argentina’s wine industry and today still contribute to its further development.

Please note: Wineries subject to change without notice. Many wineries are closed on Sundays and holidays.

Option I: Boutique Wineries Tour
This morning, you’ll meet your driver and embark on a journey to explore charming boutique wineries and estates that specialize in limited batches of handcrafted wines. These wineries emphasize innovative and emerging wines, offering a unique experience that will captivate even the most experienced wine enthusiast. (B,L)
 
Matervini
This boutique winery is dedicated to experimental soils. Their founders, however, are not new to the winemaking world: Santiago Achaval and Roberto Cipresso former founders of acclaimed Achaval Ferrer. Today, through their new project, they aim to explore the oldest geologies of Pre-Cordillera soils and their impact on wine personality and flavors. With a very limited production of wines and concentrating on high quality, these pioneers are already making a revolution in the industry.

Susana Balbo Wines
In 1999, after working for more than 20 years as a consultant winemaker for national and international wine companies, Susana decided to make her dream come true and started to build Susana Balbo Wines at Dominio del Plata in the heart of Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza. After more than 10 years of steady growth in foreign markets, another one of her dreams was fulfilled: her children, José, a winemaker who graduated from UC Davis (California) and Ana, a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University San Andrés (Buenos Aires), decided to go on with the family tradition and join Susana Balbo Wines team. Dominio del Plata stands out for its architecture, specially designed to cater to the production of high-end wines. The winery produces around 3,000,000 bottles and exports to more than 36 countries all over the world, making the United States one of its main markets.

Finca Decero Winery – Gourmet Lunch at the winery paired with wines
Finca Decero, once a bare patch of soil in the Argentine foothills of the Andes, is now a one-of-a-kind vineyard, where each vine is nurtured by hand and winemaking is without compromise, only committed to quality. Decero, as its name suggests, started from scratch and has since adopted a sustainable and sensitive approach to winemaking. This allows the natural attributes of their Remolinos Vineyard to shine through in each of their single vineyard wines. They offer a five-course lunch at the winery paired with their wines.

Please note: Wineries subject to change without notice. Many wineries are closed on Sundays and holidays.

Option 2: Mendoza Hiking + Riccitelli Vineyard
Today we will hike in the Andean foothills before enjoying a wine tasting lunch at one of Mendozas premier boutique wineries. Just one hour from the city of Mendoza is La Crucecita Village, a very picturesque village with stone houses. This is a popular hiking trail for locals with several options available to reach a bell tower standing tall upon a stone wall originally built in the 1800s. The hike features rolling terrain of moderate difficulty along a creek with excellent Andean views.

After working up an appetite we will head to Riccitelli Vineyards for a five-course lunch and wine tasting. This small family winery is an expression of the winemakers lifetime of dedication, passion, and hard work. Matias Riccitelli, the winemaker, was born in Cafayate, the northwestern wine growing region, into a family of winemakers. Matias has worked under his fathers wing, a legendary Argentine winemaker in his own right, since the age of 8. After traveling the world studying great wine traditions and cutting his teeth at other notable Argentine wineries Matias opened Richitelli in 2009. Located in Las Compuertas, the highest sub-region of the Lujan de Cuyo, in the Andean foothills, Matias is crafting some of Argentina’s most exciting wines, with scores from 92 to 97 by Tim Atkins, Richitelli’s wines have definitely reached the top 100 of Argentina. (B, L)

There will be time in the morning to see the Mendoza sights you may have missed. The city is known for its many parks so you may wish to visit the colonial center, Independence Plaza, Plaza San Martin, Cerro de la Gloria or General San Martin Park or explore unique Espana Avenue and plaza with its impressive mosaics. After lunch on your own, you’ll be transferred to the airport for your midday flight back to Buenos Aires and connecting flight to the resort town of Bariloche, Argentina to begin your Patagonia hiking adventure. Bariloche is set on the shores of scenic Lake Nahuel Huapi. The rest of the day is yours to relax and get acquainted with this pleasant mountain town and its surroundings. (B)

Today’s hike begins after breakfast. After two to three hours in this beautiful wilderness, you’ll reach the alpine zone for a well-earned rest and to enjoy a superb picnic lunch. On the remaining three to four hours of the hike, you’ll continue to be surrounded by pristine lakes and impressive peaks. You’ll return to your Bariloche hotel in time for one last pleasant evening. (B,L)

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel and travel to the launching beach. Today will be spent on the serene waters of Nahuel Huapi Lake. Regardless of your fitness level or previous kayaking experience, you will surely take pleasure in this full day of paddling in a heavenly setting. Pause midday for a delicious picnic lunch on the shores of the lake. Complete your trip at the renowned Llao Llao Hotel, from where you will transfer back to your hotel for a last world class dinner. (B, L)

Patagonia Hike & Kayak Option: If your group prefers, we can arrange instead to combine relaxed trekking with kayaking. Enjoy breakfast before starting out on this exciting Patagonia tour. From Lopez Bay, you will hike to Tristezas granite lookout with impressive views of the Lakes Region. Here you will enjoy a scenic lunch before hiking back. You will travel to Moreno Lake and receive a safety briefing. The rest of the afternoon will be spent paddling this beautiful lake before returning to your Bariloche hotel. (B,L)

You’ll have the morning to relax before departing for the airport to catch your flight south to El Calafate and El Chalten, the gateway town of Fitz Roy. If the weather is clear, this three to four hour drive is a beautiful part of your Patagonia tour, filled with vistas of the Fitz Roy mountain range. Upon arrival in Chalten, transfer to your hotel. (B)

After breakfast, you will start a full day of hiking a Patagonian classic: Mt. Torre, famous for its beauty but also for its climbing difficulty. This is the pinnacle of trekking Patagonia. Every year, countless expeditions attempt to reach the summit, but only a few succeed. After a half hour of hiking, you reach the viewpoint of the Fitz Roy River and Margarita waterfall. Continue for another 30 minutes until you reach the Mirador del Cerro Torre, a lookout facing the Cerro Torre and Adelas ranges. From this point, the trail descends into the valley. The trail ends on the shores of Laguna Torre, offering a stunning view of Mt. Torre surrounded by the Egger and Standhard spires and the Adelas range as a backdrop together with the glacier Torre. You will have time to enjoy the view, eat lunch, and rest before returning on the same trail to the town of El Chalten. (B, L)
Patagonia Hiking Details: 11-12 miles / Elevation gain: 1,000-1200 ft / Average time: 7 hours

Today’s segment of trekking Patagonia includes a full-day hike to the Laguna Capri base camp (Fitz Roy base camp). The hike towards Fitz Roy features spectacular views of the massif. The peak was sacred and venerated by local Tehuelche groups who believed the mists enshrouding it were volcanic ash, calling it Chalten (God of Smoke). You will begin hiking south from El Pilar, passing Laguna Piedras Blancas on the way to Laguna de los Tres, at the base of Mt. Fitz Roy. Three glaciers drain into this emerald lagoon with majestic Mt. Fitz Roy towering above. Stop en route for lunch and then resume the hike to Laguna Capri, where the image of Mt. Fitz Roy is reflected. You’ll enjoy spectacular views of the sweeping Patagonian steppe and Fitz Roy, highlights of any Patagonia tour. After a full day of hiking, return to your hotel for a good meal and night’s sleep. (B, L)
Patagonia Hiking Details: 13-14 miles / Elevation gain 2200-2300ft / Average time: 9 hours

After breakfast, you’ll have time for more Patagonia hiking including a short trek from town to view Mt. Torre. In the afternoon, a private van will transfer you to El Calafate where you’ll have the rest of the day and evening to tour this charming city on your own. Overnight at a local hotel. (B)

After breakfast, you will be picked up from your El Calafate hotel. An hour long bus ride takes you to the Bajo de las Sombras port on the shore of Lake Argentino. From there, you will board a comfortable boat for a 20 minute navigation across the lake. The cruise offers incredible views of the Perito Moreno glacier with its massive front wall of blue ice and surrounding field of icebergs. Following a beach landing, you’ll stop at a small shelter where the trekkers will be divided into groups of less than twenty. A short walk along an ancient beech forest takes you to the edge of the glacier, a prime location for photographing this spectacular natural wonder. You will be fitted with crampons and receive a safety briefing from your guides before beginning an unforgettable two hour trek on the glacier, with time for photos and a lunch break. This moderate trek will take you past small streams, lagoons, crevasses, and other ice formations as you explore the fascinating landscape of the Perito Moreno glacier. After completing the trek, you will embark on the boat for the return trip across the lake. A short bus ride brings you to an elaborate boardwalk system located across the lake from the glacier. From here you will be able to view and photograph the glacier from many angles, and possibly witness icebergs calving thunderously into the lake. In the late afternoon, you will return to your hotel for another comfortable night’s rest. (B,L)

Perito Moreno Glacier tour

Option 1: Perito Moreno Glacier SIGHTSEEING and Glacier Cruise – minimum 2 travelers

This private tour allows you to spend the day gazing at the most famous glacier in South America from several angles. You’ll glimpse your first breathtaking views of the glacier down a narrow arm of Lago Argentino with the majestic backdrop of the Andes. As spectacular as this is, the view pales compared to the experiences you’ll have later today. From El Calafate, it is about a two-hour drive on a paved road to reach the Perito Moreno Glacier. Here you will spend time on the catwalks, taking in the mesmerizing views of the constantly calving glacier. The area’s wildlife includes Andean condors, buff-necked ibis, black-chested buzzard eagles and ashy headed geese. An hour-long afternoon tour starts at Bajo de las Sombra where you’ll board a vessel to cross Lake Rico, passing icebergs. On reaching Iceberg Channel, the boat will stop at a safe distance to allow passengers time to photograph the Perito Moreno Glacier’s wall and watch for falling chunks of ice. You will be returned to El Calafate in the afternoon. (B,L)

*Shared boat tour

Option 2: PERITO MORENO GLACIER ICE HIKE – $290 Upgrade Per Person

After breakfast, you will be picked up from your El Calafate hotel. An hour long bus ride takes you to the Bajo de las Sombras port on the shore of Lake Argentino. From there, you will board a comfortable boat for a 20 minute navigation across the lake. The cruise offers incredible views of the Perito Moreno glacier with its massive front wall of blue ice and surrounding field of icebergs. Following a beach landing, you’ll stop at a small shelter where the trekkers will be divided into groups of less than twenty. A short walk along an ancient beech forest takes you to the edge of the glacier, a prime location for photographing this spectacular natural wonder. You will be fitted with crampons and receive a safety briefing from your guides before beginning an unforgettable two hour trek on the glacier, with time for photos and a lunch break. This moderate trek will take you past small streams, lagoons, crevasses, and other ice formations as you explore the fascinating landscape of the Perito Moreno glacier. After completing the trek, you will embark on the boat for the return trip across the lake. A short bus ride brings you to an elaborate boardwalk system located across the lake from the glacier. From here you will be able to view and photograph the glacier from many angles, and possibly witness icebergs calving thunderously into the lake. In the late afternoon, you will return to your hotel for another comfortable night’s rest.** (B,L)

*Shared boat tour

**The upper age limit for the regular Perito Moreno excursion is 65, regardless of fitness level with no exceptions.

Your tour of Patagonia ends with a transfer to the El Calafate airport in time to connect with your flight to Buenos Aires. Upon arrival transfer to the international airport. (B)