We tour the wilds of Patagonia for penguins in their millions, Condors over the Andean glaciers, Southern Right Whales and Elephant Seals on their breeding grounds, the seabirds and forests of Tierra del Fuego, and some of the world's most awe-inspiring scenery. Along with an extension to the mighty, bird-rich Iguazu Falls, this must be one of the most varied tours we operate!
Patagonia is one of the world's wildest and most biologically fascinating areas. Forming the closest continental land mass to the Antarctic, connected to the supreme diversity of the South American tropics, and isolated from the rest of the world's temperate zones, it has a unique assemblage of wildlife, first described in any detail by Charles Darwin.
It is a rugged, wild country. We begin our journey in the harsh, windswept deserts of the Valdes Peninsula where we immediately get a flavour of the astonishing contrasts as we inspect flowering cacti and watch offshore for Magellanic Penguins and Southern Right Whales!
Further south, we travel down to Tierra del Fuego, with its array of Southern Ocean seabirds and evocative ancient forests, before heading up into the Andes, where Andean Condors vie for attention with some of the most stunning glacial scenery on Earth.
Finally an extension will take us, in startling contrast, right up into the tropical forests of Iguazú, for a feast of tropical birding, and what many describe as the most spectacular waterfalls in the world!
Accommodation will be in hotels and lodges with all rooms en suite.
Transport is by minicoach with driver. Boat trips last about two hours at Valdes and four hours on the Beagle Channel (with coach back).
Walking: Mostly easy walks (steps down with handrails at Iguazú Falls), all taken at a slow pace. Trails can be rocky and uneven in places.
Principal Leaders: Luis Segura (Patagonia), Miguel Castelino (Iguazu)
Numbers: Max. 14 clients
Please note that we can quote for tailor-made extensions for two persons or more to many places within Argentina and Chile - we have even run tailor-made extensions to Easter Island.
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Prices:
Main tour: £ 5,295
Single supp**.: £ 645
Deposit: £ 600 per person
Iguazú Extension: £ 1,095
Single supps**.: £ 155
Deposit: £ 300 per person
The price includes scheduled return flights London/Buenos Aires*, airport taxes, internal flights as outlined above, ground and boat transportation as outlined above, accommodation on a full-board basis, admissions, incidental tips, local taxes, and the services of the leaders.
The price excludes holiday insurance, drinks, optional tips to the local guides and drivers, and other personal expenses.
*For an ex-international flight cost (Buenos Aires/Buenos Aires), please deduct £645 from the tour cost.
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Outline Itinerary
Please note that the precise itinerary may change depending on flight schedules |
| Day 1 | We take an evening flight from London Heathrow to Buenos Aires, arriving the next day.
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| Day 2 | We arrive in Buenos Aires in the morning, with time for a visit to the excellent Costanera Sur reserve later.
Overnight Buenos Aires |
| Days 3-5 | We fly to Trelew, and travel to the tip of the Valdes Peninsula at Punta Delgada, looking for Burrowing Parrots and other local specialities en route. We stay for three nights at a converted lighthouse in a superb setting, with its own Elephant Seals and Southern Sea-lions on the beach below. A boat trip will take us right out into one of the bays to get close to the Southern Right Whales for which the area is famous.
Three nights Punta Delgada |
| Days 6-7 | We drive back to Trelew, with a final chance of seeing Southern Right Whales before we catch a flight to Calafate.
Next day we explore the spectacular National Park of Los Glaciares and drive to the awesome Perito Moreno Glacier.
Two nights Calafate |
| Days 8-10 | We fly south to Ushuaia, which claims to be the most southerly town in the world, on the southern coast of Tierra del Fuego. In a spectacular setting beside the Beagle Channel, surrounded by forests, mountains and glaciers, Ushuaia has a real frontier-town feel. Next day we head for the mountains and Southern Beech forests of the Tierra del Fuego National Park. We'll also take a boat trip on the Beagle Channel, with snowcapped peaks on either side, and with an opportunity to see something of the wonderful variety of South Atlantic seabirds.
Three nights Ushuaia |
| Day 11 | We catch a return flight back to Buenos Aires.
Overnight Buenos Aires |
| Day 12 | We have a morning free in Buenos Aires before catching our return flight back to London, arriving on Day 13.
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Iguazú Extension
Days 12 - 14
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A morning flight will take us north-east, to the Brazilian border. We are heading for the renowned Iguazú Falls, perhaps the most exciting in the world. The falls are surrounded by humid subtropical forest, a habitat more common in adjacent Brazil and offering some superb tropical birdwatching.
Three nights Iguazú Falls |
| Day 15 |
We fly back to Buenos Aires to connect with the afternoon flight back to London, arriving on Day 16. |
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