Trekking, stunning landscapes and authenticity in Patagonia!
13 days from 4600 € per participant
Guaranteed departure from 6 people
ARPRIV01 
Maximum altitude 1286 m
Stamina level : 2 Pros
- Walking in the mountains at the southernmost point of the American continent
- To see the most gigantic glaciers on the planet
- Sharing a culture built on the crossbreeding of European colonisation with the native peoples of the country
- Discovering the endless immensity
In a nutshell
As a cook and a guide, I have created this trip to offer you a journey to the land of my origins that will make you discover unique landscapes that you will never forget.
First of all, on your arrival, a small tour of Buenos Aires, to get an idea of the history of Argentina through its capital, the tango, the emblematic districts, its culture...
Then Ushuaia, where all the roads of the continent stop, and it is there that you start to realize the immensity of the country...
If I tell you about Lake Esmeralda, you can imagine its colour. Or the giant Perito Moreno glacier, a Unesco World Heritage Site, not for nothing. And the Fitz Roy and the Cerro Torre, "meccas" of world mountaineering? We will be there, at its base!
As much as we look up to the sky we will be spied by the Condor, the biggest bird of prey on earth, I do not promise you to see the legendary Puma (even if...) You will discover nature in its primary state, forests that have never been impacted by human intervention, how lucky!
We will walk mainly in the mountains, but we will also take a boat to visit unique bird colonies. After such expeditions in wild nature, we will have the chance to eat asados (typical grilled food in our country), and drink mate, all excuses to share, laugh, dream... that's how we live!
Day to day
Day 1- Sunday, December 3, 2023 Welcome to Argentina
Arrival in Argentina, in Buenos Aires. Transfer and installation at the hotel; visit of the city of Buenos Aires.
We will leave by private vehicle from the hotel to explore the best attractions of the city of Buenos Aires. Accompanied by our guide, we will discover the porteño lifestyle and its music and culture.
We will visit the historical centre of the city: the famous Plaza de Mayo where the Casa Rosada (the government house) is located and where the main political events took place and still take place. We will continue visiting San Telmo and La Boca, the first port of Buenos Aires, where the city is filled with colour and tango fills the streets. You will be able to walk along the most famous street of the neighbourhood, the small and cheerful "Caminito", where local dancers will ask you to dance with them.
We will visit the Retiro district, home to the famous Kavanagh skyscraper, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Palermo district, the largest in the city, divided into Palermo Viejo, Hollywood and its centre, Palermo Soho, where Argentines go out at night. We end the tour with a visit to the famous cemetery in the Recoleta neighbourhood where Evita Perón's grave is located.
We finish the tour with a typical lunch and then return to the hotel.
Duration: 5 hours
Services included: private transfers, lunch.
Night in double room with breakfast.
Discovering Patagonia!
Dinner on your own.
Day 2 - Monday, December 04, 2023 - Flight to Ushuaia - Visit Ushuaia National Park
Private transfer from the hotel to Buenos Aires airport for the flight to Ushuaia.
Welcome in Ushuaia and private transfer to the hotel
Ushuaia National Park - Half day hike
After a 25 to 40 minute drive from the hotel, in the Tierra del Fuego National Park, you will arrive at Ensenada Zaratiegui, also known as "Bahía Ensenada". Here, where the post office at the end of the world is located, a short circular walk is made along the beach and through the forest, offering a view of Redonda Island and the Chilean coast, on the other side of the Beagle Channel.
We will continue by car to Acigami Lake (called for a while lago Roca), Laguna Verde, Ovando River, the Cormoranes archipelago, and also Lapataia Bay: the end of all roads in America. At these points of interest, time is used to the maximum, making short walks at low intensity.
Night at the hotel in Ushuaia
Services included: private transfer to Buenos Aires airport and from Ushuaia airport to the hotel. Private tour of Ushuaia National Park, packed lunch, accommodation in Ushuaia.
Not included: dinner, flights
Day 3 - Tuesday, December 05, 2023 - Sailing the Beagle Channel and visiting Estancia Harberton
We start the day with a short transfer to the port of Ushuaia. After checking in at the pier, passengers enter the port for boarding. We settle in to start the sailing and enjoy the wonders of the Beagle Channel. A guide accompanies us on the tour to share his knowledge of the environment.
Coastal and marine birds accompany us throughout the navigation and we can appreciate them precisely at the first stop: Isla de Pajaros. The observation of one and two-haired sea lions on another island allows us to observe the interesting behaviour and habitat of these marine mammals.
We stop several times to enjoy the above-mentioned wildlife and the historic lighthouse "Les Éclaireurs". In addition, the landscape perseveres in its desire to dazzle us at every turn. Continuing east, we can see Puerto Almanza on the Argentinean coast and Puerto Williams on the Chilean coast.
Our next stop on the sail is Isla Martillo where we spot a colony of Magellanic penguins and a few specimens of Papuan penguins.
We then disembark at Estancia Harberton where we have free time to visit the ranch house, the first in Tierra del Fuego, and the Acatushún Museum of Birds and Marine Mammals.
Night at the hotel in Ushuaïa
Services included: private tour, lunch, accommodation in Ushuaia.
Not included: dinner
Day 4 - Wednesday, December the 6th, 2023 - Trek to Laguna Esmeralda and flight to El Calafate
The trek to Laguna Esmeralda is an active excursion, for those who like to walk and be outside in contact with nature. It is also an excellent opportunity to discover the wonderful colour of the Laguna Esmeralda and the environmental impact caused by the introduction of an exotic species: the beaver.
The walk to Laguna Esmeralda is not very challenging, but depending on the weather conditions, the Valle de Tierra Mayor, which can be crossed on foot, can be very wet and make progress a little difficult. Reaching the Esmeralda Lagoon, one of the most impressive landscapes in this region, more than rewards the effort.
Distance: 9km +165
Duration: 3h - 3h30
Level of physical requirement: moderate
After the trek, private transfer to Ushuaia airport for the flight to El Calafate.
Reception at El Calafate airport and private transfer to the hotel. Dinner at leisure.
Services included: private tour, lunch, private transfers from/to the airport, accommodation in El Calafate.
Not included: dinner, flights
Day 5- Thursday, December 07, 2023 - Visit the Perito Moreno Glacier and hike to Cerro Cristal
The Perito Moreno Glacier was declared a natural World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1981. It is undoubtedly a unique natural wonder in the world due to its characteristics and geological behaviour over the last decades.
We leave in our private vehicle from the hotel in El Calafate along a path where we will discover a succession of panoramic views of Lake Argentino, streams and snow-capped mountains.
The first activity of the day will be a walk to Cerro Cristal, which is one of the treasures to be discovered. Its distinguishing feature is its special location and the possibilities that this offers. Although it is not the highest in the region, the panoramic view that this hill offers from the top is, without a doubt, one of the best you can find. The way to the top is along a path of low difficulty, from where we can have a breathtaking view of Lake Argentino, the Perito Moreno glacier and even the Torres del Paine on a clear day.
After this walk, we return to our vehicle to walk the path to the footbridges of the Perito Moreno glacier. On the way, we will stop at the Curva de los Suspiros, to enjoy the Perito Moreno glacier from another of its panoramic points. The trip ends at the glacier walkways where you can walk the different circuits to get a panoramic view of the imposing front of the Perito Moreno glacier in all its magnitude.
Each corner of the circuit allows us to observe the front of the glacier in a different way, being able to be surprised by the different detachments of ice at any moment of our journey.
Distance Cerro Cristal: 9 km (round trip)
Duration: 6 hours (round trip)
Elevation gain: +1035 / Maximum height: 1282 metres
Note: you can choose to take a shorter walk to the first viewpoint of Cerro Cristal
Overnight in a hotel in El Calafate
Services included: private transfers, packed lunch, entrance to the National Park, hotel accommodation in El Calafate.
Not included: dinner
Day 6 - Friday, December 08, 2023 - Glaciarium Museum and private transfer to El Chaltén
We begin the morning with a visit to the Glaciarium, one of the few museums of its kind in the world.
After the visit to the museum, we will go by private transfer to El Chaltén, crossing landscapes of the typical Patagonian steppe. During the trip, stops will be made at different panoramic points from where you can take pictures of the steppe, Lake Viedma and the Cerro Fitz Roy mountain range. The trip takes about three hours and the final destination is the Cóndor refuge located in a natural environment between the mountains on the outskirts of the town of El Chaltén.
Services included: private transfers, visit to the Glaciarium Museum, packed lunch, accommodation in double rooms at the Refugio Condor, dinner.
Day 7 - Saturday, December 09, 2023 - Trek to Lago del Desierto
The day begins with a transfer by vehicle along the Las Vueltas River to its origin in the Lago del Desierto. On the way we will enjoy beautiful views that appear and disappear as the Patagonian Andean forest allows.
Upon arrival at the lake, we will walk to the pier where we will board the catamaran to sail on the lake for 45 minutes to its northern end. From here we have the opportunity to take a short walk to the Centinela lookout from where we will have a panoramic view of the whole extension of the lake with the mountain range of Mount Vespignani and the north face of Mount Fitz Roy. We return by walking along the path of low difficulty that borders the lago del Desierto for 14 km to the camp near the lake where we will spend the night.
Distance: 14 km
Duration: 6/7 hours
Physical requirements: low to moderate
Services included: private transfers, necessary permits and entries, boat ticket, packed lunch, dinner, accommodation in double rooms at Refugio Condor.
Day 8 - Sunday, December 10, 2023 -Laguna de Los Tres - Fitz Roy
We leave the refuge in a vehicle that takes a few minutes to transfer to the trailhead at Hostería El Pilar. From there we start walking along the path to Camp Poincenot through the lenga forests and along the Blanco River. During the journey we make stops to appreciate the characteristic flora and fauna of the Andean Patagonian forest. The whole route is very attractive, although the Piedras Blancas glacier lookout stands out, where you can appreciate the lateral moraines and stray blocks left by the glacier due to its retreat over the last decades. On our way to Poincenot Camp, we observe the Cerro Fitz Roy mountain range from different angles. Our ultimate goal is Laguna de los Tres, the best viewpoint of Mount Fitz Roy and one of the most impressive in all of Patagonia.
Distance: 11km +650/-400
Duration: 6/7 hours
Level of physical requirement: moderate
Services included: night in Poincenot bivouac with breakfast, packed lunch and dinner
Day 9 - Monday, December 11, 2023 - Laguna Torre - Cerro Torre
After breakfast we start the day walking towards the valley of the Madre and Hija lagunas, leaving the Fitz Roy behind. This beautiful valley with little slope leads us to Cerro Torre. On the way we will have time to stop at the lakes to take pictures and, if we are lucky, to appreciate the small colony of cauquenes that eventually land in the area. Continuing on this path between the lenga and ñire forests, we descend to the Fitz Roy River and after crossing a large glacial moraine, we will find the Laguna Torre. Next to the lagoon, we can rest and enjoy our lunch with a view of the Grande Glacier and the entire Cerro Torre range. Weather permitting, we can go to the Maestri viewpoint, where the controversial Italian mountaineer worked out his strategies for climbing one of the most difficult mountains in the world and where we will also have a closer view of the Grande Glacier.
Distance: 8km -400
Duration: 7/8 hours
Physical requirements: low to moderate
Services included: Overnight stay in an organised Torre bivouac with breakfast, packed lunch, dinner
Day 10 - Tuesday, December 12, 2023 - Fitz Roy River Tyrolean traverse - Agachonas Pass - Pliegue del Tumbado - El Chalten
We get ready early for an intense and possibly long day of adventure, after breakfast we head to the zip line that will take us across the Fitz Roy River. Once we cross the river, we cross a moraine and join a path that goes deep into the forest. As we climb, the trees become smaller until we enter steep mountainous terrain that will lead us to one of the best views in the valley: Paso de las Agachonas. During the ascent we get unique and spectacular views of Cerro Torre and the Grande Glacier.
Once over the pass, the Patagonian wind will surely give us a taste of its well known fame. From this point we can see the Fitz Roy and Torre peaks in their entirety, the Paso del Viento and, weather permitting, the snow-capped mountains inside the southern ice field. From this point we start the descent to El Chaltén surrounding the Pliegue de Tumbado mountain.
Please note. In case of bad weather or for those who want a less demanding option, we return to the city by the Fitz Roy River Valley trail.
Distance: 13km +850 / -950
Duration: 9 hours
Physical demands: moderate high
Services: breakfast, packed lunch. Accommodation in a double room in a hostel.
Not included: dinner.
Day 11 - Wednesday, 13 December 2023 - Patagonian Asado at Estancia Bonanza
This day we will have the morning free to relax and recover from the previous days activities.
At noon, we move a few kilometres from El Chaltén to Estancia Bonanza to enjoy a typical Patagonian barbecue (asado) surrounded by a natural environment in the middle of the mountains.
Services included: private transfers, lunch at Estancia Bonanza. Accommodation in a double room in a hostel.
Not included: dinner.
Day 12 - Thursday, December 14, 2023 - Buenos Aires - Tango Show
Private transfer to El Calafate airport for the return flight to Buenos Aires.
Upon arrival at the airport, our vehicle will be waiting to take us to the hotel and prepare us for our farewell dinner with tango dancing.
Tango is more than the national dance. Tango is: our immigrant origins, the talent of our local artists, the sensuality of Argentine women and our way of comforting a broken heart, of dancing to wipe the wounds that tragic, and therefore eternal, love stories often leave.
Tonight you will enjoy a tango show that will bring to life the manners, technique, atmosphere and clothing of the first "tangueros" who began to develop this art more than 100 years ago. Intangible cultural heritage of humanity.
Duration: 3/4 hours
Services included: Tango with dinner, hotel accommodation in Buenos Aires
Not included: Flights Calafate/Bs As.
Day 13 - Friday, December 15, 2023 - Return home
Private transfer to Ezeiza International Airport, Buenos Aires
Walking times are given as an indication. Depending on the level of the participants, the weather and/or the state of the terrain, they may vary, either more or less. I reserve the right to modify the programme at any time for any reason: accommodation, weather, plane or bus delays, group level or personal preferences... This is to ensure that your stay is as pleasant and comfortable as possible.
Meeting and leaving
Meeting points
Get together - practical information
Return flight to BUENOS AIRES (EZE) - ARGENTINA. Estimated budget: €1,500.
Domestic flight Buenos Aires-Ushuaia + Ushuaia-El Calafate + El Calafate-Buenos Aires. Estimated budget: 500€.
For reasons of price variations, this trip to Argentina is sold without flights. However, we can reserve a plane ticket for you if you wish. Don't hesitate to contact us. We strongly advise you to book changeable tickets, particularly in view of weather disruptions on domestic flights from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia, Ushuaia to El Calafate and El Calafate to Buenos Aires (mountain flights), which may mean that you have to change your return flights.
Scheduled flights to Buenos Aires.
Important: airlines sometimes change their departure/arrival times: morning instead of evening and vice versa! It is therefore possible that the 1st and last days of the programme, as well as the following or previous nights, may be changed depending on the airline rotations at the time.
For domestic flights, it is possible that, depending on availability at the time of booking, flight times may differ within the same group. In this case, airport/hotel transfers will also be arranged by us.
Technical and physical level
Physical level:
This tour is not aimed at athletes, but at hikers keen to discover the many facets of Argentine nature, who are used to walking and for whom physical effort and contemplation will always be closely linked pleasures.
Regular breaks will punctuate the walks, which will take place at a peaceful, steady pace.
Approximately 3 to 7 hours' walking per day. Elevation gain of 300 to 800 metres. Plan to do some training before you set off. Variants are available to reduce the difference in altitude if you feel tired.
Beware, however, that long-distance journeys are in remote areas and that rescue services are often long and much less well organised than in the Alps.
Please note: If you do not have the required level, the guide will be able to ask you to leave the group for the sake of the group as a whole. Don't hesitate to ask us if you have any doubts!
Group
6 to 12 people
Supervision
From arrival at Buenos Aires airport (D1) to return (D13): Pato, a qualified French-speaking tour leader and chef by trade, originally from Argentina, and a local guide.
Carrying
Rucksack suitable for hiking.
Ski lifts
Not applicable
Price
The price includes :
- Organisation
- All local transport by minibus from your arrival at the airport on D1 to your departure from the airport on the last day of your stay
- Accommodation (shared double or twin room) + breakfast + lunch (meal or picnic) + dinner (D6-J7-J8-J9-J12), from the night of D1 until the night of D12 before your departure for your return flight from Buenos Aires
- Supervision by mountain leader Pato Jarque and a local guide.
- Entrance fees for sites and tourist resorts visited (included in the programme)
- Permits and entrance fees for national parks.
- Tango dinner and show.
- AZIMUT welcome pack
The price does not include
- A&R flights to Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Domestic flight Buenos Aires-Ushuaia
- Domestic flight Ushuaia-El Calafate
- Domestic flight El Calafate-Buenos Aires
- All airport taxes (international and domestic flights in Argentina)
- Extras in accommodation and during meals
- Dinners on days 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10 and 11 (allow between €15 and €20 per meal).
- Lunch on day 12 (allow between €10 and €15 per meal).
- Drinks, personal expenses and tips.
- Personal expenses
- Your personal insurance
- Optional cancellation, luggage and personal effects insurance (3.9%).
- The optional "Passeport montagne" card.
- And everything not included in the "price includes" section.
Payment
30% deposit on registration + insurance if taken out, balance due 30 days before departure. A reminder e-mail will be sent to you 35 days before departure.
Insurance
It is strongly recommended that you are adequately insured in the event of cancellation. It is compulsory to be insured for search and repatriation costs. When you register, we suggest that you take out insurance through our partner company, with several options covering the activities on offer and the risks incurred (please note that this insurance is only valid for European nationals).
Important for Argentina :
Before your trip, it is essential that you are clear about your assistance or insurance contract. This must cover all medical and repatriation costs, which can be very high abroad. Otherwise, the French embassy or consulate general will not be able to pay for any medical treatment or repatriation.
Guide tip
This is not compulsory, but it is customary for members of the group to leave a tip envelope for the French and Argentine guides at the end of the trip.
For the local teams, it is important to give a tip at the end of the trip (allow between €15 and €25/person). Give them the envelope in person.
Travel during the trip
Minibus and plane
Accommodation and meals
- Hotels (6 days) / Auberge (2) / Gîte (2) / Campsite (2): in double or twin rooms, shared every night. The hotels/hostels/guesthouses on site have all the necessary comforts: sanitary facilities, showers, etc. Their category varies according to the stage.
- Single accommodation during the trip: single room possible depending on availability, supplement to be checked with us at the time of registration.
Meals:
- Breakfast: hearty, of course, to keep you going all day!
- Picnic: salads, meats, sandwiches, desserts and fruit. All home-made with seasonal produce. We only take the picnic with us when we're out walking all day. A hot drink (tea or coffee) will round off this delicious moment.
- Dinner: after a busy day, it's time to sample some Argentinian specialities. Dessert will be the final treat for our taste buds!
All meals are included from D1 to dinner on D9. Breakfast and dinner at the hotel. Lunch will be either a picnic or a lunch break. The Argentine food you will find is local, hearty and always very good, with very little spice.
- Water: Water is drinkable throughout the country. Mineral water is also available in every village.
Money - foreign exchange
What official documents should I bring?
- Passport valid for at least 6 months after the end of the trip for European Union nationals; for other nationalities, check with the consulate or embassy. No visa is required.
- The currency in Argentina is the Argentine peso (current indicative exchange rate: €1 = approx. 150 pesos).
We recommend that you take euros with you, which you can exchange in Buenos Aires, Ushuaia or El Calafate. Beware of charges for payments by bank card: Master, Visa, etc. ATMs available in Buenos Aires, Ushuaia and El Calafate.
Formalities - Visas - Vaccinations - Uses and customs
Passeport:
Valid passport, valid for 6 months after the date of return for French, Belgian and Swiss nationals. For other nationalities, check with the relevant consulate or embassy.
If you are travelling with your children, you should know that minors, whatever their age, must now also have an individual passport. Children do not need authorisation to leave the country as long as they have an individual passport.
Vaccinations:
Make sure you are up to date with your usual vaccinations. No vaccinations are compulsory for entry into Argentina.
However, please note that these sections take into account the precautionary principle and the prevalence of the risks involved. It generally represents the worst that can be found and not the reality that you will experience when you get there.
Please note! As part of the specific measures relating to the Covid pandemic, we recommend that you check your vaccination status with regard to the requirements of your destination country and the expectations of the French authorities on your return. You should also check whether one or more PCR tests are required (before departure, on arrival, during the trip or on your return). Finally, fill in the specific Covid forms that may be required to enter certain countries.
Telephone & WIFI & electricity
In the event of an emergency or delay, you can contact our guide, whose number will be given to you before departure. You can also contact Azimut on 04 92 23 07 24. Pass on these contacts to your family and friends before you leave.
Telephone: The telephone network is good, but coverage is patchy in the mountains.
Wifi: There is Wi-Fi in all the accommodation we visit, apart from the campsites. It is sometimes unreliable.
Electricity: 220V, but not the same plugs as in France (you'll need an American-style adapter).
Equipment
All your luggage should be divided into 2 bags: 1 travel bag (on domestic flights in Argentina, hold luggage is limited to 15kg; any excess may be charged at check-in) + 1 hiking bag (ideally 35 to 45 litres).
BACKPACK:
This is the bag you use in the cabin on the plane and that you will carry every day during the trek. This bag should not be too bulky (around 35 to 45 litres, no smaller). It should contain what is heavy and fragile and what can be useful between the time you check in your luggage at the departure airport and the time you collect it at the arrival airport.
During the trek, the bag you carry will contain the day's essentials. On site, I will tell you what you need to take with you for each stage.
THE TRAVEL BAG:
This is the bag that travels in the hold of the plane. It contains the things you don't use during the day's walking. A little tip: you can wrap your belongings in a large plastic bag. THIS BAG MUST NOT WEIGH MORE THAN 15 KG.
EQUIPMENT:
Don't forget to bring brightly coloured clothes, as they'll look funkier in the photos!
- Sturdy hiking boots with good ankle support.
- Tennis shoes for relaxing days.
- Plastic sandals (for crossing fords) and for the evening.
- Windproof jacket with waterproof and breathable Gore Tex or soft shell membrane.
- Warm fleece jacket.
- Down jacket or waistcoat.
- Complete rain gear (top and bottom).
- Simply protect the items in your rucksack in a plastic bag.
- Hat and gloves.
- Hat, cap or scarf.
- Shirts or sweatshirts.
- Polar fleece or warm pullover.
- Comfortable canvas hiking trousers with a waterproof, breathable membrane if possible (no tight jeans).
- Short and long synthetic T-shirts. Merino wool has the advantage of being highly breathable and antibacterial, so it retains odours less than synthetic materials. Think about it if you need to re-equip yourself.
- Socks.
- Swimming costume, towel. In all cases, bring quick-drying clothes.
- Sunglasses, sun cream, lip balm.
- Spare glasses in case of breakage.
- Pocket knife (in the hold).
- 1 litre water bottle.
- Light toiletries.
- Plastic bags to protect your belongings in the bag.
- Telescopic poles (if you are used to using them).
- Binoculars for birdwatching.
- Optional: to avoid snoring, ear plugs from the chemist.
- Personal pharmacy with your usual medicines.
- We recommend that you use the Iffremont website to put together your first-aid kit.
COLLECTIVE EQUIPMENT PROVIDED:
- Thermos flask, first-aid kit, radio.
Need to invest in some good gear?
Our partner brands
We are members of Entreprises du Voyage and APST.
Final recommendations before departure
Don't forget
- Leave our contact details with your friends and family
- Take your identity papers (up-to-date passport and visa for trips requiring them)
- Take your policy number and the details of your insurer if you have not taken out insurance with Azimut.
- Take your Vitale card and we also recommend the European Health Insurance Card - free of charge and on request: www.ameli.fr
- Check that you have the required equipment
- Take batteries / chargers for your camera / avalanche transceiver
- Take cash or your credit card
- Bring a speciality from your region, it's always nice for an aperitif or an evening out together.
- Go in cool, relaxed, it'll all work out! And even if you don't make it to the top, you'll still have had a great time!
- Before you leave, water the plants, take out the bins, turn off the water and gas, and tell your partner (other than by text message) that you're off to have a good time ... because you really need it! Anything you forget in this last recommendation will come back with a vengeance when you return.
We'll be waiting for you! Bon voyage with AZIMUT!