4**** Travel to Patagonia for a Estancias Tour

Travel to Patagonia for a Estancias Tour!

A unique tour including the most typical ranches in the Patagonian steppe, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Andes. Share some time with the local people, getting to know their customs and to feel the solitude of this far southern regions.

Departures: Daily from October 1st to April 15th

Meals: Half board. Air Fare: Not included

Day 1 - Trelew
Reception and assistance at Trelew airport. Departure to Punta Tombo Rookery to admire a magnificent colony of millions of Magellan penguins. Transfer to Estancia San Guillermo, 17 km from Puerto Madryn, located in the area known as Cerro Avanzado. This traditional Patagonian ranch offers the visitor plenty of choices such as: close contact with the gauchos at work, minitrekking in the surrounding area and making your own anthrophological research.
Trekking or horse-back riding to Cerro Avanzado, only 4 km from the main house you will have the opportunity to identify the geological evolution of Patagonia and an important legacy of paleonthological interest. Also have a look at the private collection of fossils gathered at the hill by local people. Accommodation. Dinner.

Day 2 - Puerto Madryn
Continental breakfast. Full day tour to Península Valdés, passing by Ameghino Isthmus, located between the Nuevo and the San Jose Gulfs. Visit Puerto Pirámide, where there is a sea lion rookery and it's a great opportunity to take the optional boat excursion for an outstanding whale watch you cannot miss (available from June to November). Continue to Punta Delgada for a view of its important colony of sea lions and Caleta Valdés where sea elephants seem to have found their ideal natural habitat. Lunch included. During October and November there is an optional boat excursion from Puerto Pirámide to watch the whales. Return to Punta Delgada. Accommodation at Estancia Rincón Chico or Estancia La Elvira. Dinner .

Day 3 - Puerto Madryn / Ushuaia
Continental breakfast. Transfer toTrelew airport to board the flight to Ushuaia (*). Reception at Ushuaia airport and transfer to the hotel. Accommodation. In the afternoon, a city tour including a visit to the End of the World Museum. Dinner.

Day 4 – Ushuaia / Río Grande
Continental breakfast. Departure to Tierra del Fuego National Park, located only 12 km from the city. It preserves typical species of the Andean-Patagonic Forest such as firebushes, beech trees, ñires, box leafed barberries and flowers, spread in an area of 63,000 hectares. Before entering the National Park, board the Train to the End of the World and enjoy an unforgettable trip along the original terreplain where the old prisoners train ran until 1947 for their expeditions into the National Park in search of wood for heating. The highlight of the park is Lapataia Bay, the southernmost tip of the continent, with a wonderful view of the Beagle Channel. Here, the old inhabitants of the area have left their testimony in the "concheros", incredible archeological deposits.
Afternoon transfer to Estancia El Rolito, passing by the Fagnano and Escondido lakes, a well-known area for its cross-country ski resorts. Dinner and accommodation at Estancia El Rolito.

Day 5 – Estancia El Rolito
After breakfast, enjoy some trekking, horse-back riding or observation of farm activities. After lunch, departure to the “Heart of the Island”, visiting Shenolsh Hill to admire the majestic flight of the condor. Coffee break at Parador Yawen, and then return to Estancia El Rolito for dinner and overnight.

Day 6 – Estancia El Rolito / Río Grande / Río Gallegos
After breakfast, transfer to Río Grande to visit the Salesian Mission and then transfer to the airport to board the flight to Río Gallegos. Regular bus line to El Calafate (316 km) and then continue to Estancia Nibepo Aike, located within Los Glaciares National Park, by the south and east margins of Roca Lake, 60 km from El Calafate and 65 km from Perito Moreno Glacier. Dinner and accommodation at Nibepo Aike.

Day 7 - El Calafate
Continental breakfast. Departure from the hotel towards Puerto Bandera, 50 km from the town, to board the catamaran to enjoy a full day lake excursion to see Upsala Glacier and Onelli Bay, cruising among hundreds of icebergs that have broken off from the glaciers. Upsala is the largest continental glacier in the Southern Hemisphere. The height of its walls varies between 60 to 80 meters and it has an area of 595 km2. Return to Nibepo Aike. Dinner and accommodation at Nibepo Aike.

Day 8 - El Calafate
Continental breakfast. Overland trip to Perito Moreno Glacier, one of the world’s largest active continental glaciers, declared Universal Mankind´s Heritage Site by UNESCO because of its breathtaking beauty and its unusual behavior. Accommodation and dinner at Nibepo Aike.

Day 9 - El Calafate
Continental breakfast. Transfer to El Calafate airport or departure for optional tours: Torres del Paine, Fitz Roy or Helsingfors.

Note: in case of flying from Río Gallegos, optional bus transfer from El Calafate (316 km). This transfer is provided without bilingual guide due to operational reasons.