From the bustling capital of Buenos Aires, to the striking glaciers of El Calafate in Patagonia and the lush rainforest of Iguazu Falls, discover Argentina’s must-see destinations!
Day 1: USA – BUENOS AIRES
Welcome to vibrant Buenos Aires!
Your private English-speaking driver will meet you at the airport and take you to your hotel in the heart of the Recoleta neighborhood.
This evening you’ll dive into local culture with an authentic wine tasting with local sommeliers! Argentina is known for its production of Malbec, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Torrontés, and this evening you’ll taste 6 different wines. You’ll also enjoy a charcuterie board with local meats and cheeses while learning about the types of wine and the wine regions, the wine-making process and a bit of history of wine in the country.
Meals at your leisure. Night and breakfast at your elegant four-star hotel in Buenos Aires.
Day 2: BUENOS AIRES
Today you’ll discover the city during a private tour! Your private English-speaking guide will meet you at your hotel and take you to a café to start the day. You’ll briefly learn about Buenos Aires before taking the city by storm.
First stop, the famous Plaza de Mayo, across from the Casa Rosada, the Argentine White House. You’ll then stroll along the docks of Puerto Madero, an old port that has been renovated into a hip, modern neighborhood. Your guide will take you to the La Boca quarter, famous for its colorful buildings and tango dancers.
To top off the morning you’ll explore the bohemian neighborhood of San Telmo, one of the city’s oldest. Today, San Telmo is full of antique shops, bookstores, flea markets and milongas.
During your visit your private driver will be available to take you from destination to destination in comfort.
The remainder of the afternoon is free for you to explore the city as you wish.
This evening, you’ll feast your eyes on the most Argentine of visual spectacles: a professional tango show! Your private transfer will take you to one of the capital’s most famous cabarets for dinner. You’ll enjoy a VIP three-course à la carte dinner with Rutini Cabernet Malbec and Bodegas La Rural Sauvignon Blanc pairings, as well as soft drinks, beer and coffee.
After dinner, settle into your VIP box seats and enjoy the intensity and passion of the dancers!
Your private transfer will take you back to your hotel after the show.
Lunch at your leisure, dinner included. Night and breakfast at your elegant four-star hotel in Buenos Aires.
Day 3: BUENOS AIRES
This morning your private driver will take you to the beautiful MALBA, the Latin American Art Museum of Buenos Aires. The collection boasts a wealth of art spanning the 20th century, including work from Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo and Jorge de la Vega.
Your next stop is at El Zanjón. From the mansion’s exterior you’d never guess what’s hidden below! After falling into near ruin, the building was bought by a private family who, during renovations, discovered tunnels that snake underneath the square; many historians consider the Zanjón as the site of the first settlement of Buenos Aires in 1536. During the tour you’ll see artifacts and images of life in the city over the centuries. Your driver will take you back to your hotel in Recoleta after the visit.
Enjoy some free time in the afternoon to explore the city at your leisure before your driver takes you to a private cooking class! You’ll learn about Argentine cuisine and its rich history, while learning to make:
– Empanadas with homemade dough and two fillings: meat and vegetables
– Llauja: A spicy sauce originally from northern Argentina and southern Bolivia
– Flan and Dulce de Leche: The traditional Argentine dessert and famous sweet topping
With dinner you’ll also enjoy three wine pairings, with organic wines from Salta, Mendoza and Patagonia. Buen provecho!
Lunch at your leisure, dinner included. Night and breakfast at your elegant four-star hotel in Buenos Aires.
Day 4: BUENOS AIRES: San Antonio de Areco and Estancia
Change of scenery! Today you’ll spend the day with Gauchos in San Antonio de Areco. After a transfer to this unique village, you’ll explore with a local guide, meandering through the picturesque streets of the historical center, and seeing the pulperias (old gaucho bars), the renowned Draghi’s Silversmith Museum, traditional workshops and the Gauchesco Ricardo Güiraldes Museum. Around noon you’ll make your way to an exclusive Estancia where you will be greeted with empanadas and a delicious, authentic Argentine asado! After lunch, choose from a variety of activities, such as horseback riding, an introduction to folkloric dance and music, a destrezas gauchas (a traditional Gaucho equestrian demonstration) or learning to make the classic Argentine drink, maté. During the summer, you can also enjoy the Estancia’s two swimming pools. In the afternoon a transfer will take you back to Buenos Aires, where you’ll have the evening free.
Lunch included, dinner at your leisure. Night and breakfast at your elegant four-star hotel in Buenos Aires.
Day 5: BUENOS AIRES – EL CALAFATE
This morning your private driver will take you to the airport for your flight to El Calafate in the heart of Argentine Patagonia!
When you arrive, a transfer will take you to your charming hotel in the center of town before you head out for a unique Patagonian Safari Experience. You’ll make your way to the Estancia 25 de Mayo, a beautiful private nature reserve, in a Land Rover. As you explore, you’ll discover marine fossils and stop for impressive panoramic views, so you won’t want to leave your camera behind! Before returning to town, you’ll stop for an authentic Patagonian dinner with wine. After the excursion, rest up for a day of adventure tomorrow!
Lunch at your leisure, dinner included. Night and breakfast at your cozy four-star hotel in El Calafate.
Day 6: EL CALAFATE: Ice Trek
Today you’ll walk on the Perito Moreno glacier, perhaps the most famous and grandiose in all of Patagonia!
A transfer will bring you to the Los Glaciares National Park, where you’ll board a boat to cross the Rico Arm and enjoy breathtaking views of the Perito Moreno’s front wall. You’ll disembark and make your way to the glacier on foot. Take a moment to enjoy the incredible view before your guide helps you put on your crampons, permitting you to walk directly on the ice. You’ll discover the cracks, gullies, crevasses, streams and small lagoons embedded in in the imposing glacier’s strikingly blue surface as you walk on the crackling ice for an hour and a half! While the surface of the glacier is irregular, rest assured that it is firm and safe, and the trek itself is of moderate difficulty.
After this unique glacier experience, your driver will take you back to your hotel in El Calafate. Put up your feet and enjoy the view!
Meals at your leisure. Night and breakfast at your cozy four-star hotel in El Calafate.
Day 7: EL CALAFATE: Gourmet Glaciers Cruise
Get ready to enjoy the impressive view of Los Glaciares National Park from a unique angle – on a gourmet cruise!
A transfer will bring you to the port of La Soledad to embark on the Maria Turquesa Cruiser, where you’ll enjoy the best views – and meal! – from the boat’s Premium deck. The day begins on the beautiful turquoise waters of Lago Argentino. The boat will then take you towards Punto Avellaneda, Boca del Diablo and the Spegazzini Glacier. Here you’ll stop for a short trek to observe the flora and fauna, with a view of the old Settlers’ Station. Next, you’ll visit the Upsala Canal and navigate to the Herminita Peninsula for a panoramic view of the glacier.
After a delicious, six-course gourmet lunch on the deck, you’ll navigate to the Canal de los Tempanos, seeing the famous Perito Moreno glacier from a new angle. Enjoy alcoholic beverages with lunch, as well as tea, herbal infusions and other non-alcoholic beverages throughout the cruise.
Lunch included, dinner at your leisure. Night and breakfast at your cozy four-star hotel in El Calafate.
Day 8: EL CALAFATE – IGUAZU
Today a private transfer will take you to the El Calafate airport for your flight to breathtaking Iguazu! Upon arrival at the Iguazu airport, your private transfer will take you to your five-star hotel nestled in the forest. Enjoy the evening in the pool, exploring the forest or just relaxing in the lush surroundings.
Meals at your leisure. Night and breakfast at your five-star hotel in Iguazu.
Day 9: IGUAZU: Brazilian Waterfalls
Remember your passport, as today you’ll be crossing the border to see the magnificent waterfalls from the Brazilian side. Bring your camera, too, as you’ll soon understand why Eleanor Roosevelt exclaimed, “Poor Niagara!” when she first laid eyes on Iguazu’s almost 300 waterfalls, rising as high as 265 feet!
You’ll then head to Parque das Aves, a bird rescue and conservation center. You’ll see over 1,400 birds – over 150 different species, many endangered – that hail from all four corners of Brazil, and from all over the world. The park has three immersion aviaries and a butterfly house, where you’ll find yourself face to face with these amazing animals.
Optional activity: Jungle Adventure
You’ll start your jungle adventure by climbing into the canopy (50 to 80 feet) to explore nature from above! You’ll come back to the jungle floor to go for a nature walk through the forest, learning about the lush plants and native animals around you. Your adventure will end with a healthy dose of adrenaline – wet rappelling down 45 feet! You’ll be assisted by specialized instructors throughout your adventure activities.
Meals at your leisure. Night and breakfast at your five-star hotel in Iguazu.
Day 10: IGUAZU: Argentine Waterfalls – BUENOS AIRES
This morning you’ll see the waterfalls from the Argentine side, including the famous Garganta del Diablo – the Devil’s Throat, the highest of Iguazu’s grandiose waterfalls! Keep your eyes peeled during your visit, as you’re likely to cross paths with monkeys, turtles, crocodiles and tropical birds and butterflies!
After exploring the park and taking some amazing photos, you’ll head off for a Gran Aventura! You’ll start your jungle excursion in an all-terrain vehicle on the Yacaratiá Trail, to Puerto Macuco. You’ll then board a speed boat, navigating 4 miles down the Lower Iguazu River before crossing mile-long rapids! Past the rapids, you’ll enter the Garganta del Diablo Canyon and disembark on San Martin Island, in the heart of the falls!
After this exciting day, your driver will take you to the airport for your flight to Buenos Aires.
Meals at your leisure. Night and breakfast at your elegant four-star hotel in Buenos Aires.
Day 11: BUENOS AIRES: Tigre Delta
20 miles outside of bustling Buenos Aires is Tigre, a little village on the banks of the Rio de la Plata delta. Today you’ll explore the “Argentine Venice,” a favorite spot for locals to relax outside of the city.
This morning your private driver will take you to Tigre. Along the way, you’ll stop at San Isidro, a charming little town on the banks of the Rio de la Plata, the river separating Argentina and Uruguay. You’ll take a stroll around town, visiting the 18th century church before continuing on to Tigre. The route is picturesque, with lush vegetation and beautiful flowering trees.
Once in Tigre, you can visit various museums; we’d suggest the National Naval Museum that retraces the history of the Argentine Navy, from the first Spanish boats to the latest technology.
Your driver will then take you to the Puerto de Frutos, a lively port brimming with restaurants and small boutiques selling typical local goods. Take your time to explore the area before stopping for lunch.
After a delicious local lunch, you’ll go to the port to board a private boat to discover the canals of the Tigre Delta and its characteristic houses on stilts! You’ll reach the Rio de la Plata, offering two strikingly different viewpoints: the river stretching out to your left and the Buenos Aires Bay – the Samborombon Bay – to your right. During your boat ride you’ll see some of the famous landmarks of the city, like the airport and the River Plate stadium.
You’ll disembark at the docks of Puerto Madero and meet your driver to head back to your hotel.
In the evening, you’ll meet your driver to go to an exclusive, closed-door asado restaurant for an authentic Argentine dinner! The asado barbecue is part of the foundation of Argentine cuisine, a meal traditionally shared with friends on Saturdays, with family on Sundays, and with colleagues on Fridays!
The restaurant you’ll discover tonight is not your everyday steak house… while many a meat lover would cross oceans and move mountains to enjoy a true Argentine steak, few travelers have the opportunity to participate in a true, bona fide asado dinner, complete with its rituals and traditions. Here, you’ll learn about the various cuts of meat, the cooking techniques and, most importantly, you’ll savor a delectable five-course meal including:
– A welcome picada, a meat and cheese board with local products
– A confit tomato salad with apples and honey-mustard vinaigrette
– Achuras, an assortment of perfectly grilled meat served with local Argentine sauces
– A prime, 12 oz steak served with roasted vegetables
– Cheesecake with the typical Dulce de Leche, whipped cream and confit orange peels.
Each course comes with a wine pairing, with bottles hailing from small vineyards from the four corners of the country.
After dinner, your driver will take you back to your hotel for a well-deserved night’s rest!
Lunch and dinner included. Night and breakfast at your elegant four-star hotel in Buenos Aires.
Day 12: BUENOS AIRES – USA
Enjoy your last few hours in the Argentine capital to pick up some last-minute souvenirs or take in the sights and sounds of the city before your driver takes you to the airport for your return flight to the US.
Buen viaje!
Argentine Classics
From $4,150/person
Based on double occupancy
Included
Hotels with breakfast
Meals as indicated
Transport as indicated
Activities as indicated
Entry tickets for sights and activities as indicated
Not included
International and domestic airfare
Meals, unless indicated
Beverages, unless indicated
Gratuities
Personal insurance
Personal expenses
