CHANGES IN LATITUDE - Argentina

INTENSIVE TIERRA DEL FUEGO

HOST INSTITUTION: Fundacion Pategonia Natural

TERRAIN:  Sea Level to 13,500 feet. Slippery terrain in the rain. Walking on uneven trails with some rocks and roots exposed.

BASE LOCATIONS:  1 night Buenos Aires, 4 nights Ushuaia, 2 nights Buenos Aires

ACCOMMODATIONS: 3- and 4-star hotels

From the cosmopolitan Buenos Aires to the “end of the world”, from the Beagle Channel to the end of the Andean Range, experience Argentina on its widest range of scenarios and attractions. Become an argentine for a day while cooking the perfect Argentinian beef.  Explore the end of the world, its wildlife and history guided by the most qualified scientist of the southern cone. Visit the beauty of the southernmost city of the world. Get active and paddle the Beagle Channel amidst penguins, gulls, albatrosses and other seabirds. Visit the Oldest Estancia on Tierra del Fuego (Land of Fire), where Reverend Thomas Bridges first settled at the end of the 19th century. Learn more about the aborigins of this area, how they lived and dealt with this extreme climate, swimming and diving in these almost freezing waters. Hike on their paths and paddle along the waters in which they would swim. Visit Kami (Fagnano) Lake, where the native forest expresses its beauty at the highest point on the island.

Date                                Air-inclusive*         Land Only
11/17/07 - 11/25/07          $4918                       $3950

Single supplement: $625
*Airfare based on departure from Miami.

ITINERARY

DAY 1:  Depart USA.

DAY 2: Arrival to Buenos Aires.   Upon arrival to Argentina meet your hosts who will take you on a tour of the city.  Lunch is on your own. This afternoon we visit San Telmo district which has a flee market on Sundays, where we can mix an meet locals; La Boca where we walk famous Caminito Street with multi-coloured tin houses and the famous Boca Juniors Soccer Stadium. Next we pass by the Plaza de Mayo where the Casa Rosada, the Cabildo and the Cathedral are. We can either walk down the Av. de Mayo or take the oldest metro with some wooden carriages down the avenue to finish at the famous Café Tortoni where we end our tour sharing a drink with the local people. (D)

DAY 3: USHUAIA.   After breakfast transfer for your flight to Ushuaia. Upon arrival to Ushuaia airport, we will drive to our hotel to relax and get ready for the afternoon activity. In the afternoon we take a short hiking tour to the Tierra del Fuego National Park. After visiting this corner of the Earth and enjoying its beauty, go back to your hotel. Those wanting to extend your day may visit the Beagle Centre (optional).  (B)

DAY 4: ESTANCIA REMOLINO (USHUAIA).  In the morning, we will be transferred to the pier for a boat tour on the mighty Beagle Channel. Different kind of marine birds will accompany us throughout the trip. Our first stop will be at Estancia (Ranch) Remolino, where we will enjoy lunch on the shores of the Beagle Channel. Today we will be delighted with the presence of the most important archeologist of Tierra del Fuego Island, Dr. Ernesto Piana. Dr. Piana has worked most of his life studying the aborigins life at the end of the world. Piana and his co-workers recently found an aborigin grave on this property. Let him explain more about this particular grave and of the southernmost inhabited place on Earth.  We continue on the boat to go back to Ushuaia.  Duration of the trip: 8 hours. (B, L)

DAY 5: HARBERTON LAGO ESCONDIDO.  Today we drive to the Estancia Harberton, the oldest Ranch on the Island of the Land of Fire. Enjoy breakfast at the end of the world and get ready for today’s short boat excursion on the Beagle Channel. We will visit today a Magellanic Penguin Colony on Martillo (Hammer) Island, with the presence of one of the scientist (Adrián Schiavini or Andrea Raya Rey) that work at this location studying the biology of these incredible birds. Also on this island, we can find a colony of Gentoo Penguins. Even though only a few nest are found here, this colony is very new and important to the biology of the specie.  In good weather and if time permits, we will canoe for about 3 hours at Paso Guarani or for about 2 hours at Cambaceres Bay; or hike for about fifty minutes on an easy walk.  Today’s options are to go paddling to Upa and Waru Islands. We will descend on Waru Island for a 1-hour hike to continue to the old airport on Harberton Ranch. Descend here for a 20-minute walk. From here we will drive to Hostería Petrel on Lago Escondido (Hidden Lake). If there is not adequate time to do all these activities, we will take a canoe trip to Waru Island, hike on its surface and return to the corrals at the Estancia.  Inclement weather will leave us with the option of doing only a short canoe trip on the Cambaceres Bay.  Box Lunch will be provided during the tour. Today’s excursion will take approximately 6 hours. (B, Box-L, D)

DAY 6: LAGO ESCONDIDO – USHUAIA.   Get ready for a Mountain Bike Trip (7 km and about 2 hours bicycling on an easy route’ trip on the southernmost part of the Andean Range). Pedal around the area of Lago Escondido and Fagnano. We will enjoy asado on the shores of Fagnano Lake. Back to the Ushuaia where we will overnight at Hotel Tolkeyen or Cauquenes. Duration: 6 hours and 22 miles of length. (B, Box-L, D)

DAY 7: USHUAIA – BUENOS AIRES.  Early in the morning we will drive to Ushuaia for the flight to Buenos Aires.  Upon arrival you will be transferred to your hotel. (B, D)

DAY 8: BUENOS AIRES and departure to USA.  Your morning will be at leisure.  You will have lunch at a local restaurant, complete your city tour and transfer to the international airport for your flight home.  Morning at leisure for shopping. Lunch at a restaurant. Complete the city tour of the first day of arrival and from there drive to the international airport of Ezeiza. (B, L)

DAY 9:  Arrival in the USA.

Visit a Megellanic penguin colony, mountain bike on the southernmost point of the Andean Range along the shores of Fagnano Lake, hike the magnificent Tierra del Fuego National Park, meet the most important archeologist of Tierra del Fuego Island, Dr. Ernest Piana and learn about the aborigins, and more on this exciting and enriching adventure!

OPTIONAL IGUAZU FALLS EXTENSION

(2 NIGHTS)

Extend your stay and take a special journey to see the Iguazu Falls among the most spectacular in the world.  Included is roundtrip air from Buenos Aires, 2 nights at a 5-star hotel in Iguazu National Park, 2 breakfasts, and guided tours by naturalists.  Your visit will be in Argentina so that a visa for Brazil is not necessary.

Rate: $1375

Single Supplement: $425

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