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Wildlife Holidays Argentina: Valdez Peninsula + Patagonia (penguins) + Gaiman Welsh Village

Argentina Wildlife: Iguazu + Valdez + El Calafate, Patagonia

Wildlife Holidays Argentina Valdez Patagonia Penguins Gaiman Welsh

13 NIGHTS FROM:

$3,034

Per person sharing

Scheduled flights quoted separately

ARC12B

• Wildlife Holidays Argentina

• Buenos Aires

• Iguazu Falls

• Puerto Madryn

• Valdez Peninsula

• Penguins, Sea Lions & Seals

• Gaiman Welsch Village

• El Calafate

• Patagonia

• Perito Moreno Glacier

Our wonderful wildlife holidays in Argentina visit Puerto Madryn & the Valdez Peninsula in Patagonia, where you can see penguins, sea lions & elephant seals, as well as abundant birdlife. Also visit Gaiman, a small Welsh community in Argentina, El Calafate (gateway to the spectacular Perito Merino glacier), vibrant Buenos Aires & the mighty Iguazu Falls. All transfers & specified sightseeing included.

Detailed itinerary ▶

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Day 1

You will be met at Buenos Aires Airport and transferred to your hotel in this exciting city, situated on the estuary of the Río de la Plata - the 'River of Silver'.

Check in and relax in this capital of Argentina, known for its wonderful architecture, tango dancing and rich culture, including the highest concentration of theatres in the world.

Day 2

This morning enjoy a half day shared tour of Buenos Aires - a cosmopolitan city that has been influenced by the many immigrants who helped form it and offering beautiful architecture, history and culture.

After collection from your hotel, your tour starts at the Plaza de Mayo - the historical, political and cultural centre of the city. Here you can see the Pink House (Presidential Palace), the Pyramid de Mayo and Metropolitan Cathedral. We continue down Avenida de Mayo, with its wide avenues and spacious green areas, past the Obelisk to the neighbourhood of San Telmo, one of the oldest in the city with cobbled streets and colonial houses. The vibrant area is the centre for most of the tango parlours, restaurants and bars of the city. Every Sunday a major artisan market takes place here around the Plaza Dorrego.

Going further south, we visit the Italian port neighbourhood of La Boca, with its colourful houses in Caminito Street and many 'cantinas' (small restaurants). Also the trendy modern neighbourhood of Puerto Madero, where the old piers have been converted into upmarket offices, apartments and restaurants with views of the Rio de la Plata.

We visit the residential neighbourhood of Palermo with its elegant mansions surrounded by spacious parks, before arriving in glamorous Recoleta, where there is the option to visit the famous cemetery where Eva Peron is buried, with its rich architecture (pay locally). Next to the cemetery is the church of Our Lady of Pilar, the Recoleta Cultural Centre (originally a convent) and the Palais de Glace exhibition centre.

In the evening you will be collected for a Tango Show. Born in the brothels of the city amongst a racial mix of Gauchos, Italian, Spanish and African immigrants, this dance and its music originated as a combination of Cuban and Spanish rhythms, with some polka and African beat. Enjoy the show and dinner, including mouth-watering Argentinian beef and Malbec wine.

Note: Shared day tours have a maximum of 25 people. After your city tour you will be dropped off at one of the designated drop-off points in the downtown area.

Day 3

At leisure to explore more of the fabulous city of Buenos Aires.

You can enjoy its many shops and restaurants, or take an optional walking tour of San Telmo, the oldest neighbourhood in Buenos Aires. Alternatively take a tour to San Elmo, Tigre and the vast Parana River Delta, or a full day excursion to a traditional Estancia (ranch) where you can admire the skills of Argentinian 'gauchos' (cowboys).

You can also explore some of the city's museums, such as the Naval Museum, or take a full day excursion by high-speed hydrofoil ferry to the charming colonial city of Colonia del Sacramento in Uruguay.

Day 4

Transfer to Aeroparque Airport for your onward flight.

Note: Your driver will only speak Spanish.

You will be met at Iguazu Cataratas Airport and transferred to your hotel located near one of the greatest waterfalls in the world, regarded as one of Latin America's most awe-inspiring sights.

The mighty Iguazu Falls, whose name means "Great Waters", straddles the border between Argentina and Brazil - although almost 80% of the falls are on the Argentinian side. It is situated in a huge tropical rainforest that has been declared a World Heritage Site, with countless flora and fauna species.

Note: Your driver will only speak Spanish.

Day 5

Today enjoy a full day shared tour of the Argentinian side of the incredible Iguazu Falls.

Comprising approximately 275 separate cascades, the falls form a curtain of foaming water that crashes over a vast granite amphitheatre and into the jungle below. Resembling a reversed letter "J", most of the Iguazu River plunges down through an area known as The Devil’s Throat, with the rest spreading out over a wide shelf that splits into hundreds of different waterfalls. There are a series of walkways that lead above, below and behind the falls, with breath-taking views. You can also hope to see monkeys, toucans, parakeets and other wildlife in the rainforest.

When the Devil's Throat section is inaccessible due to flooding, we will visit the Three Borders Landmark instead. This is where the Paraná River meets the Iguazú River - which marks the meeting point of Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay. There is a fair with local handicrafts, and from this point you can see the flags of all three countries. Lunch is for your own account today.

Note: Take a light raincoat, as you will get wet visiting some sections of the falls. Shared day tours have a maximum of 25 people.

Day 6

This morning we cross the border for a half day shared tour of the Brazilian side of the incredible Iguazu Falls, with panoramic views of the nearly 2-mile (3 km) cliff edge.

We take an elevator down to the base of the waterfalls and stop at different viewing points. The volume of water flowing over the falls varies greatly depending on seasonal rainfall, but the falls are a spectacular sight at any time of year. The waterflow is highest between October and March, with the heaviest rains from December to February, when many trails are closed.

Your afternoon is at leisure to relax at your hotel or explore further independently.

Note: You will need your passport to cross into Brazil. UK citizens do not need a visa for Brazil, but citizens of other countries need to check their requirements. Take a light raincoat, as you will get wet visiting some sections of the falls. Shared day tours have a maximum of 25 people.

Day 7

Transfer to Iguazu Cataratas Airport for your onward flight.

Note: Your driver will only speak Spanish.

You will be met at Trelew Airport and transferred 1-hour to Puerto Madryn on the coast of northern Patagonia.

Trelew is the gateway to the rich marine life of the Valdes Peninsula. This region has strong links to the culture of Wales, as a result of Welsh settlement in this part of Argentina.

Note: Your driver will only speak Spanish.

Day 8

Today enjoy a full day shared excursion to explore the marine life of the rocky Valdes Peninsula.

We drive 1-hour to this World Heritage site that is home to important breeding colonies of sea lions and elephant seals. These marine animals are preyed on by orcas, which have adapted their hunting techniques to local coastal conditions. From June to November, over 2,000 southern right whales gather here to give birth - making this the largest breeding population of southern right whales in the world.

Our first stop is at Puerto Pirámides, where an optional whale watching boat ride can be taken. Outside of whale watching season, you can see sea lions, cormorants and possibly bottlenose dolphins. After lunch (own account) we visit the sea lion colony at Puerto Pirámides.

Our next stop is at Punta Canor, a panoramic viewpoint over the peninsula and Caleta Valdes. From the rocky cliffs you can get close views of a colony of sea elephants. During the day we may also spot terrestrial wildlife such as guanacos, piches, maras, ostriches and foxes, as well as many different bird species.

We return to Puerto Madryn in the late afternoon, where you can walk along the beautiful sandy beach or the promenade that faces Golfo Nuevo Bay. There is also a clifftop museum with exhibits on Patagonian nature and a lighthouse-style tower with wonderful ocean views.

Note: The order we visit the above places may change.

Day 9

Today enjoy a full day shared excursion to the Punta Tombo Penguin Reserve.

We drive 3-hours southwards to Punta Tombo Fauna Reserve, which is home to the largest Magellan penguin colony on the continent (over 500,000 birds). Here you can walk along trails through the reserve and observe the penguins and their nests up close, as well as the nests of many other sea birds such as gulls, petrels, Antarctic pigeons, skuas, steam ducks, plovers, cormorants and terns. Dolphin also occasionally come in to the bay.

After an included lunch in the reserve, we return to Puerto Madryn.

Note: From April to August, when the penguins migrate, you can visit Mount Avanzado and Punta Loma instead where you can view sea lions.

Day 10

Transfer 1-hour to Trelew Airport for your onward flight.

Note: Your driver will only speak Spanish.

You will be met at El Calafate Airport and transferred to your hotel in this small town, situated on Lake Argentino in Santa Cruz province and the gateway to Los Glaciares National Park.

Check in and relax surrounded by the scenery of the spectacular Southern Patagonian Ice Field.

Note: Your driver will only speak Spanish.

Day 11

Today enjoy a full day shared excursion to Los Glaciares National Park, the largest national park in Argentina covering an area of over 725,000 hectares and a UNESCO World Heritage site.

This is an area of exceptional natural beauty, with towering mountains and many glacial lakes. The giant ice cap in the Austral Andes that feeds these 47 glaciers is the largest outside Antarctica and Greenland, with over half the park covered with enormous glaciers. You can make your way along walkways in front of the famous Perito Moreno Glacier to get closer views. With luck you may see it "calving", when huge chunks of ice break off the glacier and splash into the lake below.

Take an included 1-hour boat ride to view this spectacular glacier up-close, before returning to El Calafate in the late afternoon. Lunch is for your own account today.

Day 12

At leisure to explore more of El Calafate and the surrounding area independently or take a boat ride on Lake Argentino.

There is the option of a full day All Glaciers Navigation, sailing up the northern arm of Lake Argentino to the western front of the beautiful Upsala Glacier, crossing the impressive barrier of ice floes that break off constantly from the front of the glacier, before continuing up the Spegazzini channel to view the Seco, Heim south & impressive Spegazzini glaciers, arriving back at port around 14.00.

Alternatively you can set out early from Port de la Cruz on the Estancia Cristina cruise, that also sails to the beautiful Upsala Glacier, before continuing up the Cristina channel to a local estancia (ranch) where you can visit the Costumbrista Museum, a former shearing shed. This involves an exciting 4x4 ride up steep gradients, with panoramic views. After an included lunch at the estancia, we walk 30-minutes over glacial erosion to the Continental Ice Refuge to admire the eastern front of the Upsasla Glacier, Guillermo Lake, the Southern Patagonian Icefield and the Andes. We then sail back to Port de la Cruz, arriving at around 19.00.

There is also the option of spending a full day experiencing life on a traditional Patagonian Estancia, where you can enjoy hiking or horse riding through these landscapes and see sheep shearing, with included lunch.

El Chaltén extension

If you would like to do some walking, enquire about extending your trip to include the small village of El Chalten, which is situated inside Los Glaciares National Park and has many wonderful walking trails with views of Mount Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre.

Day 13

Transfer to El Calafate Airport for your onward flight.

Note: Your driver will only speak Spanish.

You will be met at Aeroparque Airport in Buenos Aires and transferred to your hotel in this sophisticated capital city.

Note: Your driver will only speak Spanish.

Day 14

Transfer to Buenos Aires Airport for your flight home.

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