Enquire About This Tour Code BBU Moreno
Duration: 17 Days Route: Bariloche to Ushuaia Style: Discovery Tours Price: $2,870.00
Argentina, Chile
Travel the whole length of spectacular Patagonia on this enthralling trip seeing the windswept plains, forests, mountains, wildlife, and glaciers which make up this truly fascinating region.
The tour that we operate in the reverse direction is Moreno (BUB).
Tour Dossier Introduction
- Dossier Last Updated: 21-05-2012
- Tour Code: BBU
- Duration: 16 nights / 17 days
- Joining City: Bariloche
- Departure City: Ushuaia
- Nearest Joining International Airport: San Carlos de Bariloche Airport (BRC)
- Nearest Departing International Airport: Islas Malvinas Argentinas Intl Airport (USH)
This dossier is designed for this particular tour and should be read in conjunction with the country dossier(s), regional pre-departure booklet and optional excursions guides relevant to your itinerary. You will also receive a joining letter in advance of your journey with further information, while last minute updates may be posted in the Latest News section of our website.
Tour Documents
Inclusions
- Accommodation: 13 night(s) in hotel(s), hostel(s) & guesthouse(s), 3 night(s) assisted camping
- Meals: 3 breakfast(s), 8 lunch(es), 3 dinner(s)
- Excursions: Fitzroy NP, Moreno Glaciar, Torres del Paine NP, penguin colony, Beagle Channel cruise, Tierra del Fuego NP
- Transport: Tucan Travel vehicle, boat, taxi, on foot
- Age: Open age, max. 70 (recommended)
- Group: Average 15-24
- Staff: Tucan Travel tour leader, Tucan Travel driver, Tucan Travel cook (Torres del Paine NP), local guides
Exclusions
International flights and departure taxes
Domestic flight taxes if applicable (approximately US$5 each)
Tips on included excursions, visas, travel insurance, personal items
Pre & post tour accommodation
Airport transfers
Spending money – allow approximately US$25-$30 per day to cover meals, snacks, drinks, limited souvenirs, laundry, tips and any extras
Optional excursions - Please see our optional excursions guide on the dossier page for a comprehensive list of optional activities and excursions available on this tour.
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1 to 2 - Arrive Bariloche
The first day of your tour is simply an arrival day with no pre-organised activities. In order to allow time to relax and see some of the sights you may wish to add pre tour accommodation. On arrival please ask at the reception for information on when the pre departure meeting will be held.
Our next stop is the resort town of San Carlos de Bariloche, also known simply as Bariloche, on the shores of Lake Nahuel Haupi. This town is a famous winter ski resort, but it also has a great deal to offer during other seasons and is a favourite holiday spot for Argentines. Originally built by Swiss and German immigrants in the Alpine style, here you will find charming Swiss-style chalets, numerous chocolate shops and even St. Bernard dogs with brandy barrels around their necks.
With the towering peaks of the Andes to the west, the glistening lake in front and the Patagonian steppe to the east, outdoor adventures abound in Bariloche, with popular options including mountain biking, horse riding or a bus ride along the lake with an opportunity to take in the sensational scenery from the cable cars.
If you’re very (very!) lucky you may spot the legendary Nahuelito, a giant creature which the indigenous Mapuche people believe lives in the depths of the lake. There haven’t yet been any recorded sightings to support this story, which predates the Loch Ness Monster, however despite that, the Buenos Aires Zoo took it seriously enough to make a trip to the lake to search for evidence in 1922.
Day 3 to 7 - Perito Moreno – El Chaltén – El Calafate
We now enter Patagonia, a dry windswept expanse stretching to the southern tip of the continent. Our first destination is the small multicultural town of Perito Moreno. We stay the night here before continuing to our next base of El Chaltén where we will visit Fitzroy National Park. The national park is renowned for its spectacular scenery, and a fantastic place for trekking. Options include half or full day treks to Lago Capri or various other trails to take in the views of the Fitzroy Massif and the many nearby glaciers.
We resume our journey to head for the town of El Calafate, located on the southern shore of Lake Argentino. El Calafate is our base to visit the spectacular Perito Moreno glacier. With a height of around 60 metres and a front of five kilometres (three miles), covering some 250 square kilometres the glacier is an incredible sight and is one of the few glaciers in the world to be growing slightly, not decreasing in size as most glaciers do. Named after Argentine explorer Francisco Merino, the glacier is coloured in a variety of hues from blue to grey to white and continually creaks and cracks. Advancing at a speed of around two metres per day, it can put on a spectacular show when giant chunks of ice at the outermost edges crack under tremendous pressure, rupture and crash into the water – a process known as calving. You will have the chance to walk around some paths and terraces where you can get some great views of the glacier. We also go on a boat cruise taking us almost the full width of the glacier for amazingly close-up views.
Day 8 to 11 - Puerto Natales – Torres del Paine National Park
The misty port town of Puerto Natales in Chile is an important base for agriculture and tourism. After our overnight stop-over here we continue on to the majestic Torres del Paine National Park.
Known as one of the world’s most beautiful national parks, Torres del Paine is named after three massive granite towers that rise out of the earth. Covering more than 180,000 hectares, the park boasts stunning scenery with snow covered mountain peaks, glaciers, beautiful lakes and valleys with a diverse variety of unusual flora and fauna. Some of the varied and amazing creatures you might spot include skunks, Andean condors, black-chested buzzard eagles, chilla foxes, culpeo foxes, guanacos (a relative of the llama), Chilean flamingos and rhea, a type of emu. Vividly coloured flowers, various evergreen plants and orchids may be seen. The best way to discover the national park is on foot and trekking here will take your breath away.
We have plenty of opportunity to trek the many trails in the park. Some of the walks are quite demanding, but there is a good range of options for all grades of walkers. Options include a full day trek with incredible views of the famous ‘towers’ (this walk can be demanding with the final section walking in scree, however it is well worth it), a full day trek and catamaran trip across Lago Pehoe for a full view of the Grey Glacier and a more sedate three hour scenic boat trip (dependant on boat availability). We stay in pre-erected tents in the park with all meals included (you need to bring your own sleeping bag, mattresses are provided). Camping in Torres del Paine is a great chance to explore pristine wilderness and enjoy the great outdoors.
Please Note: No food is allowed to be taken into Chile so please ensure you have eaten or disposed of any snacks you may have with you before we cross the border to Puerto Natales.
Day 12 to 16 - Punta Arenas – Ushuaia
Punta Arenas is Patagonia’s most important commercial centre and this duty free port was an early frontier town. Before the opening of the Panama Canal, the only way around South America was via the extreme southern tip of Chile and therefore Punta Arenas was a necessary stopping point in the Pacific-Atlantic shipping route. There is time to visit Zona Franca, the duty free district en route to Punta Arenas.
We also visit the nearby Magellanic penguin colony at Seno Otway (Otway Inlet), where around five thousand pairs of these strange, docile birds return annually to burrow, breed and raise their young, in their birthplace. You can watch the comic antics of these special penguins from special viewing platforms as they march back and forth between their burrows and the sea where they search for food. Each pair raises two chicks per season and takes turns looking after the young. Mating occurs in October and brooding over the eggs follows in November. From mid November to mid December the eggs hatch, then throughout January and February the newborns change their features and start to swim. From mid March to April the penguins head back to the southern coast of Brazil and the Atlantic Islands.
Next we cross the Straits of Magellan to Tierra del Fuego (Land of Fire) and re-enter Argentina, on the scenic drive to Ushuaia.
Ushuaia is the most southern city in the world with a setting that's hard to beat, dramatically located between towering mountains and icy sea. Here we can enjoy an included cruise on the blue waters of the Beagle Channel, named after Charles Darwin’s boat HMS Beagle. As we explore the straight which separates the islands of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago, keep your eyes peeled for whole colonies of sea lions, penguins, cormorants and albatross. We may even be lucky enough to see a whale.
We then visit the nearby Tierra del Fuego (Land of Fire) National Park, where the Pan American Highway ends 17,848 kilometres from its starting point in Alaska. The national park, which has often been compared with Alaska’s panhandle, covers 63,000 hectares of mountains, lakes, deep valleys, glaciers and rivers. You can trek along various trails through the beautiful beech forests, spotting wildlife along the way, including guanacos, foxes, beavers, condors and oyster catchers.
There are also some interesting museums in Ushuaia which reveal its interesting natural and colonial history, such as the Maritime Museum and Museum at the End of the World. At the Ushuaia tourist office you can have your passport stamped with an official End of the World stamp. Those interested in steam trains might like to go for a train ride on the Tren del Fin del Mundo or End of the World Train.
Day 17 to 17 - Depart Ushuaia
Your adventure of a lifetime comes to an end today, please confirm with the reception the check out time. If you have a late flight or have lengthened your stay by adding post tour accommodation you will have more time to explore the sights.
The itinerary listed above is to be used as a guide only. Occasionally we may need to update this document and it may be different to the information printed in our current brochure. Tour leaders may need to make adjustments due to unforeseen circumstances during the tour. It is very important that you visit our website and review a copy of this dossier as close as possible to your departure date in case of changes that may affect your plans. Any last minute changes may also be posted in the latest news section of our website.
Pre-departure Information
Once you have booked your tour, your travel consultant will provide you with our pre departure information booklet to help you prepare for your adventure (if you do not receive this, please ask your agent for a copy or you can download it from our website). It is very important that you read this document before you travel for valuable information on travel documents, insurance, health, money, budgeting, packing list, joining your tour, life on the road, accommodation, transportation, staff and meals.
Country Dossiers
This tour dossier is designed to be read in conjunction with the country dossiers which you can download from the website or obtain from your travel agent. The country dossiers contain essential information about visas, arrival transfers, spending money, taxes, tips, climate and local food.
Pre-departure Meeting
The address of your joining hotel can be found on the joining letter and tour voucher. On arrival you should look for a Tucan Travel information sheet and welcome note on the hotel notice board where you will find details of the pre-departure meeting. The tour leader or the Tucan Travel representative will normally hold the pre-departure meeting early in the evening of day one (assuming that all clients have arrived by then). You will be briefed about the tour, given an outline itinerary for the next few days and any questions will be answered. The tour leader will collect the local fund (Budget Expeditions only). After the meeting there is usually an option for everyone to go out for dinner and drinks to start to get to know one another.
Please note that you will need to bring the following items to the pre departure meeting:
1. The original copy and a photocopy of your passport
2. Vaccination certificates (if required)
3. Travel voucher
4. Details of your travel insurance policy number and their 24hr emergency contact number
5. Local fund in US dollars cash (Budget Expeditions only)
What You Need to Bring
You must be prepared to carry your own bags at all times. We therefore strongly urge you to use a backpack (or similar soft luggage) and limit your luggage to a maximum of 15-17 kilograms. Please see the relevant country dossiers for further information about luggage requirements and a full list of suggested equipment can be found in the pre-departure information booklet.
Optional Excursions
During your tour there will be free time to enjoy a range of optional excursions which are listed in the optional excursions guide. Your tour leader will be able to make recommendations and bookings in advance for most of these activities so you have more flexibility and control over your itinerary. Please note that you may not have time to do all of the optional excursions listed.
Extra Services – pre & post tour accommodation and airport transfers
Very little time is spent in each of the starting and finishing cities and you will need to allow a few days at the beginning or end of your tour if you want to explore them further. Airport transfers in joining and departing cities are not included in the tour price but can be booked through Tucan Travel at an additional cost. For details about how to book pre & post accommodation please refer to the Extra Services information page in our website. Price information can be found on the price page of each tour. If you would prefer to make your own way to and from your hotel, you can find further details on the joining letter for this tour.
Single Supplements
This package may offer single supplements that enable clients to stay in a single room. This single supplement must be paid prior to departure and applies to the whole tour for nights where single rooms can be made available. If there is no offer for a single room this is usually because you will be on an overnight train or bus, or camping.
In the day-by-day grid below an 'S' will indicate in which destinations single rooms are available to those who have purchased a single supplement.
About Discovery Tours
Discovery Tours are designed to suit travellers who prefer to travel on their own private vehicle and who want to stay in comfortable 3 star or equivalent accommodation. Visit the Discovery Tours dossier page for further information on the type of transport and accommodation provided on this style of travel, as well as group size, staff, meals, degree of difficulty and recommended age.
Don’t forget that Tucan Travel also offers Tailored Travel tours as well as other Group Travel tour styles.
Day by Day Itinerary
| Day | Activity | Country | Meals | Single Room |
| Day 1 | Bariloche | Argentina | S | |
| Day 2 | Bariloche | S | ||
| Day 3 | Perito Moreno | L | S | |
| Day 4 | El Chaltén | L | S | |
| Day 5 | El Chaltén | S | ||
| Day 6 | El Calafate | L | S | |
| Day 7 | El Calafate | S | ||
| Day 8 | Puerto Natales | Chile | L | S |
| Day 9 | Torres del Paine NP | D | S | |
| Day 10 | Torres del Paine NP | BLD | S | |
| Day 11 | Torres del Paine NP | BLD | S | |
| Day 12 | Punta Arenas | BL | S | |
| Day 13 | Punta Arenas | S | ||
| Day 14 | Ushuaia | Argentina | L | S |
| Day 15 | Ushuaia | S | ||
| Day 16 | Ushuaia | S | ||
| Day 17 | Ushuaia |
(B - Breakfast, L - Lunch, D - Dinner included)
Please note the day to day itinerary above is given as a GUIDELINE ONLY.
Responsible Travel Tips
At Tucan Travel we are serious about our responsibility to care for the environment and people that we visit. Here are a few tips to help you to enjoy your tour while minimising your impact and enhancing your travelling experience. Visit the Responsible Travel Policy page to learn more.
- Offset a portion of the carbon of your Tucan Travel tour. Visit our Carbon Offset Scheme page to learn more about how your contributions make a difference.
- You could bring your own metal water bottle and fill it up at restaurants or treat your own water on tour instead of buying lots of plastic bottles. Bear in mind that there may not be recycling facilities available at some destinations.
- Cut out plastic – remove and recycle the packaging of new travel gear before you pack, and bring a light cotton or string bag for your shopping, so you can politely refuse plastic bags at shops and markets.
- Please don’t offer gifts to children as it encourages begging and promotes a culture of dependency. If possible, contribute money or supplies to a local school or charity organisation – talk to your tour leader about the options available.
- Learn a bit of the local language before you travel. Being able to say even a few words like hello, please and thank you will help you to connect with people in a positive way. Bring a phrase book on tour and keep practicing to improve your confidence.
Feedback
At the end of your tour we would greatly appreciate it if you could take the time to complete a questionnaire about your experiences. The tour leader will give you a paper copy and you can find a PDF version of the questionnaires on our website. We take feedback very seriously as it allows us to maintain and improve the very high standards we expect from our staff, local operators, hotels, transportation and excursion providers. We also use this information to improve our itineraries and optional excursions on offer.
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