Southern Reaches of the World Tour: Buenos Aires, Bariloche, El Calafate & Ushuaia

Hiking Perito Moreno glacier in Argentina

What to expect on this itinerary

Your custom tour to Buenos Aires, Bariloche, El Calafate and Ushuaia shows you the diversity of Argentina. Pastoral grassland rushes to the foothills of staggering, craggy mountains. Glaciers push to the edge of peninsulas. The sounds of stamping feet from tango dancing echoes blocks of ice chipping away from glacial fields and falling into the water. The beauty of Patagonia is almost mystical, both opulent and rugged, filled with charming villages and untouched landscape.  Pristine lakes reflect the surrounding ethereal landscape. Venture from the big city of Buenos Aires, filled with passionate culture, to the far reaches of Ushuaia, where you will travel to the End of the World.

Countries Visited

Argentina

Places Visited

Buenos Aires, Bariloche, El Calafate, Ushuaia

Suggested Duration

12 Days

Customizable Itinerary

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Day 1

Buenos Aires – Latin Passion and European Style

Buenos Aires was once known as the Paris of South America, filled with lavish European architecture and particular local culture expressed with passionate allure. Verdant trees line the city center. High-rise apartments separate charming 19th-century buildings. The city encompasses 47 distinct neighborhoods, each boasting a specific character.

When you arrive at the Ministro Pistarini International Airport, one of our travel agents for Argentina will have a private transfer ready to greet you. You will be escorted to your hotel in the heart of the city. You will see luscious cakes and cookies, filled with dulce de leche, displayed at bakeries. The sweet aroma blends with that of freshly baked filo dough from buttery empanadas.

The Casa Rosada, the pink Presidential Palace, adorns the 16th-century Plaza de Mayo. Domed buildings line the Avenida de Mayo, including Café Tortoni, the oldest bar in the city established in the late 19th-century.

What's Included:

Transfer
Accommodation
Day 2

Buenos Aires – Separate Paths of Buenos Aires

Day 3

Bariloche – Into the Southlands

Day 4

Bariloche – Following the Circuit

Day 5

Bariloche – Hanging Bridges and Glacial Images

Day 6

El Calafate – Promises Made by a Berry

Day 7

El Calafate – Pristine and Primitive Glaciers

Day 8

El Calafate – Bikes and Flamingos

Day 9

Ushuaia – Nearing the End of the World

Day 10

Ushuaia – Land of Fire at the End of the World

Day 11

Ushuaia – A Wild(Life) View of the Land and Sea

Day 12

Buenos Aires – Venturing North from South

Trip Highlights

  • Delight in the charming décor of the “End of the World Train,” with a journey along ancient forests
  • Revel in the passionate footsteps of a tango performance in the heart of Buenos Aires
  • Discover the natural majesty of the shimmering surface of Perito Moreno Glacier
  • Traverse the grounds of a historic ranch and eco-lodge to witness lingering flamingos on the property lagoon
  • Venture across the Beagle Channel to visit a Magellanic penguin colony
  • Travel the Grand Circuit around the town of Bariloche for an unparalleled view of the alpine villages and glacial lakes of the mountainside
  • Absorb the classic charms of Buenos Aires emanating from its history and vibrant culture on a private guided tour of the city

Detailed Description

Argentina is filled with magnificence, from the iconic neighborhoods of Buenos Aires to the Gaucho legends crossing the plains. Your 12-day tour to Buenos Aires, Bariloche, El Calafate and Ushuaia guides you through the wealth of unique culture and the riches of the Patagonia countryside. Your Argentina travel begins with your arrival in Buenos Aires. Your private transfer meets you at the Ministro Pistarini International Airport before escorting you into the city. You settle into your hotel, located in the lavish neighborhood of La Recoleta.

In the morning, your guide meets you at your hotel and leads you on a fabulous bike tour through the highlights of the city’s 47 barrios (neighborhoods), each one known to evoke a particular character. In the evening, you can enjoy the remarkable sights and sounds of a private tango and dinner show.

The following day, you travel by plane to the gateway to Patagonia, the town of Bariloche. The alpine qualities of the town are immediately apparent and offer a comfortable welcome. Your guide greets you after breakfast eager to lead you on a tour of the Grand Circuit, a roadway looping through the villages centered on the seven alpine lakes that make up the Lake District of Argentina.

The next morning, you make your way into of Nahuel Huapi National Park, following your guide through the extensive network of hiking trails leading to glaciers, and even to the top of the tallest mountain in Argentina, Mount Tronador. Venture farther south, traveling by plane, to the town of El Calafate, located on the banks of a fantastic crystal lake. You settle into an estancia style accommodation focused on enjoying the landscape.

Your guide greets you after breakfast leading you through Los Glaciares National Park to the walkways, offering you an exquisite look at Perito Moreno Glacier. In the afternoon, you embark on a boat ride taking you closer to the edges of the ice fields. With a day at your leisure at the estancia, you can hop on a mountain bike and explore the vast grounds of the ranch, traversing the hills, watching the horses, and visiting the Flamingos Lagoon. Your flight takes you even farther south, reaching the end of Argentina in the town of Ushuaia, where you have the afternoon at your leisure.

At sunrise, your guide takes you to the train station where you can ride the End of the World Train to indulge in the scenery. Continue with your exploration of the region with a private guided tour of Tierra del Fuego National Park. The next day, you board a boat to visit the various islands speckling the Antarctic Ocean, witnessing the wondrous fauna and avifauna along the way. On your final morning in Ushuaia, your private transfer meets you at your hotel and escorts you to the airport to begin your journey home.

You may want to browse the tours of Argentina section on Zicasso for further itinerary options.

Starting Price

$4,900 per person (excluding international flights)

Your Zicasso trip is fully customizable, and this sample itinerary is a starting place for your travel plans. Actual costs are dynamic, and your selection of accommodations and activities, your season of travel, and other such variables will bring this budget guideline up or down. Throughout your planning experience with your Zicasso specialist, your itinerary is designed around your budget. You can book your trip when you are satisfied with every detail. Planning your trip with a Zicasso travel specialist is a free service.

What's Included

  • Accommodations
  • In-country transportation
  • Some or all activities and tours
  • Expert trip planning
  • 24x7 support during your trip

Your final trip cost will vary based on your selected accommodations, activities, meals, and other trip elements that you opt to include.

4.8

Verified Traveler Reviews

Based on 1087 reviews

Marlene A.
Argentina Trip Review: Local Cuisine, Football, 10 Nights

Zicasso's travel specialist was absolutely the best to work with in planning a trip to Argentina for 11 family members, with ages from 10 to 73.

We were not sure if we could take a family trip this summer due to work schedules, but we were able to make something work around the third week in May for an early July trip. In a short period of time, our specialist gained an understanding of what our family was looking for and put together a memorable trip. He was very responsive, open to our ideas, and when we suggested an idea, he made it happen. Throughout our trip, he and his team were just a WhatsApp message away, supporting our trip, including getting our boarding passes for domestic flights.

We saw that his company can arrange trips to other areas in South America and hope to work with him and his team in the future.

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J L.
Argentina Travel Review: Buenos Aires, Patagonia, Mount Fitz Roy, Iguazu Falls, Glaciers, Boat Tours, Scenery, 10 Nights

When my wife and I first considered a trip to Argentina, there were many unknowns. Neither of us had ever been to South America, so everything from transportation, possible language barriers, and deciding which attractions we would enjoy most felt like a challenge. We then decided to contact several travel agencies, but one quickly stood out. Our Zicasso travel agent made a strong, welcoming first impression.

She was always prompt, helpful, and thoughtful with every interaction. It was abundantly clear how much she cared about her clients and her commitment to creating a truly personalized Argentine experience for them. She was patient, flexible, and attentive with every email and video call exchange in order to create an itinerary that matched our interests and needs. Her support continued well beyond the planning stage. She would regularly check in to make sure we were prepared for the trip. She also connected us with their 24-hour emergency assistance service and made time to meet us in person to welcome us there.

Our trip took us across a broad range of destinations and climates, including Buenos Aires, Patagonia, Mount Fitz Roy, and the Iguazú Falls region. We enjoyed guided tours, scenic hikes, and boat rides near ancient, awe-inspiring glaciers and lush, breathtaking waterfalls. Since these locations are far apart, flying was the most convenient method to travel between them. Along the way, we experienced issues with domestic flights, ranging from significant delays, an overnight reroute due to weather conditions, etc.

During our flight issues, the 24-hour emergency assistance service was incredibly helpful, with a majority of my communications handled by the travel agent's team. They provided timely, reliable guidance that reduced our stress through each event. In a few instances, they helped us avoid long delays with their expertise and local connections. No matter the time of day we messaged or called them, they responded with professionalism, patience, and genuine care. This level of quality service showed us just how dedicated this team is to supporting their travelers every step of the way.

If you are planning a vacation to Argentina, I highly recommend reaching out to them. They are passionate, knowledgeable, and truly committed to making your experience unforgettable. You will not only appreciate the beauty of the country and have a relaxing time, but also gain insight into its diverse culture and rich history during your adventures there.

This travel company made our trip seamless as possible, leaving us feeling heard and cared for throughout our journey. Their high level of professionalism, combined with their personal touch and care, left a lasting impression on us.

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Mark L.
Brazil, Argentina, Chile Trip Review: Easter Island, 2 Weeks

I have already mentioned Zicasso to many others for planning their future trips.

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Keith M.
Argentina Vacation Review: Buenos Aires, Bariloche, Iguazu Falls, Lake District, Hiking, Local Cuisine, 9 Nights

We are basking in the memory of a simply amazing trip to Argentina with Zicasso... it was awesome. The responsiveness of our specialist and guides, and the attentiveness of service overall, was very noticeable throughout. In particular, there was a storm that hit in the days prior to our arrival in Bariloche (Argentine Patagonia Lake District) which impacted boat schedules, and behind the scenes, without us knowing, we were rebooked and rescheduled for various activities in a seamless fashion to ensure we got the hiking and other experiences we were hoping for. Great service!

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Michelle J.
Argentina Travel Review: Buenos Aries, Gaucho Experience, 6 Nights

Zicasso's travel specialist helped by booking and planning every aspect of our trip (flights, hotels, transfers, tours, etc), all based on my wishes, along with his suggestions. He also ensured we had time to relax between activities (so often, an agent books so many activities you don't get a chance to stop and sit, but we had a few hours each day to do so). From meeting us upon arrival to the constant communication during the trip, he made sure everything ran smoothly. We had to adjust a tour due to weather, but he was on top of it, ensuring we had other options for that day.

Our agent and his team made everything run smoothly and ensured we had a great trip to an area we were not familiar with.

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Paul N.
Argentina, Brazil, Antarctica Trip Review: Patagonia, Cruise, Private Guides, Local Cuisine, 5-Week Tour

Zicasso's trip planner is perhaps the best travel consultant I have ever engaged. As a point of context, I am a retired corporate executive who traveled 250K to 500K miles per year over the last 15 years of my career. I had the advantages of executive assistants, a corporate travel department, and extensive administrative support. Even with all those advantages, this trip planner and his team set a new standard of excellence. My trip planning covered Antarctica, Argentina, and Brazil destinations over a five-week trip. The full trip was for my wife and me, with an additional two-week block for my two children to join us partway through the vacation. He also helped to arrange the holiday for another couple who were supposed to accompany us, but they had a medical emergency occur before the departed. This necessitated a great number of changes and cancelations, which he handled, seemingly without any problems and without any complaints.

I had only traveled to that part of the world in a business capacity before, so I was entirely reliant on our travel agent, not just for the physical arrangements, but to also take the time to understand our interests, curiosities, and desired outcomes. He brilliantly translated that into choices and recommendations that I truly cannot complain about. He is so wired into the hotels, travel options, restaurants, sites, and culture of Argentina, Brazil, and Antarctica that we were blown away by his skills and knowledge. He arranged boutique experiences, personal guides, and superior transportation at all stops. There were no gaps in our travel coverage and I was 100% confident in all of our day-to-day experiences. He knew of things that I never would have discovered on my own. The ease of communicating with him was superior. He always responded to our queries within hours and even had a direct U.S. telephone number so I did not even have to pay for long-distance phone calls.

Our experience so far exceeded my already high expectations that we want to return to Argentina again, and we want to find a way to employ his services again to plan future trips to South America and Africa. Also, each person he had us interact with (drivers, guides, and support staff) was unbelievably capable, but also displayed exuberance and superior customer-service attitudes. Potential problems were non-existent.

I would be personally willing to speak directly to anyone who is considering using this tour company as their travel provider if that would sway them to choose him and his team. I have run out of superlatives, but trust me, I have very high standards. I have been to over 50 countries in my life. I have lived on three continents and (thanks to him) I can finally say I have set foot on all seven continents. With that said, this travel agent earned my admiration as a professional in his field. I believe if you engaged anyone other than him, you would likely receive a fantastic experience, but not as good as it could have been.

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Customizable Itinerary

This is a sample itinerary to inspire a personalized trip designed with your travel specialist.

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