Spectacular Argentina Tour: Total Solar Eclipse

Your day will begin after breakfast when your guide meets you in the hotel lobby. You will explore the city for an in-depth historical and cultural perspective that starts at the Plaza de Mayo. The pink facade of the Presidential House will edge the famous 16th-century square. The captivating neighborhood of La Boca will welcome you with the sounds of tango music and the colorful corrugated homes that bring artistic inspiration to visitors and residents alike. Balconies and patios act like art installations and the pedestrian-friendly streets brim with artists painting passersby or capturing the sensual movements of the tango dancers demonstrating on the corner.

After your cultural discovery of the city, you will experience a traditional Argentine dinner accompanied by a fascinating tango performance. Tango is Argentina’s national dance. The passionate performers will showcase the importance of spirit and fluidity as they highlight the evolution of the tango. The display will move at an alluring pace within a captivating ambiance that evokes the essence of tango. You can embrace the flavor of Malbec wine, bask in the dancers’ elegance, and enjoy your night out in Buenos Aires.

The aromas of pastries like media lunas and alfajores will fill the dining room of your hotel in the morning. After breakfast, your private transfer will meet you in the lobby and escort you to the airport for your flight to El Calafate. Your introduction to Patagonia will begin as you travel along the famous Route 40 to reach El Chalten. You can watch as the Patagonian Steppe overtakes the horizon. The waters of the La Leona River will rush past and connect to Argentino and Viedma lakes. The legendary La Leona estancia will come into view and highlight the unique history of the region where Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid spent years.

You will reach the comforts of your hotel in El Chalten in the afternoon to find a town known as one of Argentina’s best hiking destinations. The dramatic massif of Mount Fitz Roy dwarfs the charming streets and homes of the town. Glistening glaciers, glassy lakes, rumbling rivers, and pristine forests create a paradise for visitors, whether they are interested in long treks or day hikes. In the evening, you could visit the local brewery for a delicious meal with access to gorgeous views of the star-studded sky.

The day is yours to explore the marvelous landscape outside of El Chalten at your preferred pace. You have the opportunity to choose from the different treks and hikes with paths leading from the edge of town. The Rio de las Vueltas hike will take you along the meandering twists and turns of the river to enjoy extensive views of Mount Fitz Roy looming above El Chalten. The soaring peak of the mountain reaches over 11,171 feet above sea level and showcases its prominence over the neighboring summits.

The layers of rock that create the canyon walls will slope downward until touching the edge of the riverbanks revealing how the waters carved through the soil over time. On a clear day, condors are visible flying low over thermal pockets in search of food hiding on the steppe. As you make your way back to El Chalten, the waters of the lake will change colors shifting between steely blue and slate gray. You can relax for the remainder of the day, knowing you accomplished a remarkable distance and were rewarded with unforgettable views.

You can wake up early with another chance to explore the natural wonders of the region. You can choose to conquer the 12-mile hike to Cerro Torre and Laguna Torre. The trail begins at a wooden sign outside of town and winds through the Patagonian Steppe. The valley trek will immediately reward you with a view over the gorge and Fitz Roy River set beneath the peaks of Cerro Solo, Cerro Torre, Mount Fitz Roy, and the Adele Range. The waters of Margarita cascade will thunder as you pass. Jagged snowcapped mountains will overtake the skyline while lenga trees fill the crisp air with the aromas of pine.

The granite needles of Cerro Torre will become more prominent halfway through the trek as you cross the De Agostini base camp. In the distance, Torre Lagoon will shine a steel gray beneath the receding front of Grande Glacier. The serene and secluded destination possesses a unique quiet pierced by the intermittent cracking sounds of the calving glacier. You will have an even better view of the glacier at Mirador Maestri where the frozen landscape glints beneath the granite peak of Cerro Torre at 10,262 feet above sea level.

Before breakfast, you can enjoy a leisurely hike to start your day that will lead you to Chorrillo del Salto. The waterfall is approximately a one-mile trek roundtrip through the forest. The splashing water will echo across the trailhead as you stroll at your own pace along the easy pathway surrounded by aromatic trees and lush, wild grasses, as well as Magellanic orchids. The falls spills over the granite edge of the cliff from over 65 feet high and is best seen when morning sun spreads across the landscape.

You will have time to freshen up and enjoy breakfast before you embark on the scenic ride back to El Calafate. The town is named for the berry that legend stated, once tasted, would guarantee a visitor’s return to Patagonia. The remainder of the day is yours to enjoy El Calafate at your pace, from exploring the streets to relaxing in your hotel, you could also visit Laguna Nimez to view the pink flamingos lounging in the glassy water. The charming streets at the heart of El Calafate host shops and restaurants decorated with pine facades and cobbled lanes.

Your exploration of Los Glaciares National Park and its nearly 200 glaciers will begin with a tour of Perito Moreno Glacier. The park contains the Patagonian Ice Field, which is the world’s largest ice field outside of Antarctica. Your introduction to Perito Moreno Glacier will start on the elevated walkway located opposite the massive glacier face. The wall shines with a striking mixture of icy blue and snow-white colors reaching upwards of 240 feet above the surface of Lago Argentino.

Your guide will provide information on the natural landscape, ecosystem, and geographical history, including how the glacier is one of the few glaciers in the globe advancing instead of receding. You will continue your tour of the glacier by boarding a boat bound for Lago Argentina. As you travel along the channel, you will discover the true height of the glacier face as it towers above the water like a natural masterpiece. You can also venture onto the glacier with a guide to feel the ice crunch and witness the dynamic ice tunnels and undulating surface.

At breakfast, the aromas of steeping mate tea will fill the dining room. You have the day to enjoy discovering the marvels of Patagonia at your leisure. You can remain in town to shop along the central streets or venture into the wilderness to explore La Leona Petrified Forest. The paleontological site resembles a lunar landscape with white and gray strata. The winy steppe creates a surreal image sweeping across the hills and dales spanning 1,977 acres.

The arid setting once possessed lush forests and a humid climate disrupted by volcanic eruptions and a climate shift. You will find remnants of the former tropical wilderness buried underground where archeologists have discovered dinosaur fossils and exposed tree trunks. You can follow the narrow paths with your guide in search of petrified logs and fossils. Your first impression of a lifeless setting will quickly upend into signs the region was and is filled with life amid the unrelenting elements of Patagonia.

Your private transfer will meet you at the hotel after breakfast and take you to the airport for your flight to Bariloche. The town acts as an alpine getaway on the shores of Nahuel Huapi. The stunning summits of Cerros Catedral, Lopez, and Nireco create a spectacular skyline that rings around the town’s horizon, with each peak reaching well over 6,561 feet above sea level. Snow-fall turns the slopes into a winter wonderland while the glistening waters of the lakes provide a charming summer ambiance that supports hiking trails, cycling, fishing, and horseback riding.

Your private driver will collect you at the airport and take you to your gorgeous accommodations. You will have the remainder of the day to enjoy Bariloche as you prefer, from taking to the Patagonian steppe on horseback to wandering the blue-green waters of the Lake Region on a self-guided hike. The town of Bariloche is known for its cozy alpine ambiance and mouthwatering chocolate shops. You could enjoy strolling through Argentina’s capital of chocolate to sample the decadent flavors that take inspiration from the surrounding landscape.

You will meet your guide at the hotel and venture out into the wonders of the Bariloche with an active tour that covers the history and natural heritage of the region. Your guide will be a local expert knowledgeable in the nature around the protected landscape you will uncover as you visit Campanario Hill. You can take a chair lift to the top of the summit at 3,400 feet above sea level. The panoramic view will sweep across the landscape of Bariloche revealing the glistening waters of the Lake District, the bordering snowcapped peaks, and the lush valley covered in lenga and ñires trees.

The air will carry the refreshing spiced aroma of the evergreen trees as you venture past the shores of Nahuel Huapi to the edges of Moreno Lake. The waters will glisten with layers of turquoise and cobalt as it laps against the pebbled shoreline. The glacial lake is known for possessing waters warmer than the neighboring lakes. Boats glide across the lake, and intermittent fishers cast their lines in search of rainbow trout. You can linger at the lake or find the Angostura stream, which carries melted ice from the mountains to the Nahuel Huapi Lake.

Your private driver will meet you at the hotel early in the morning to escort you to the best viewpoint for the solar eclipse. The scenic drive will take you to a private ranch where the aromas of sizzling bacon and fresh medialunas will fill the air, accompanied by the scent of brewing mate tea. The open space of the ranch will give you the best unobstructed views of the eclipse. You will have plenty of time to create your viewing post by setting up your camera or gear while enjoying refreshing fresh fruit and buttery local pastries.

At lunch, the aromas of a traditional Patagonian barbecue will drift across the estancia fortified by the buttery scent of delicious empanadas. You will enjoy the rich flavors of lunch with a glass of tasty wine before the eclipse starts. You will be in the company of an astronomer who can answer your questions about the eclipse and captivating astronomical phenomena before the spectacle begins. You will have been on the eclipse route for pristine views as the sunlight peels away to reveal a black circle in the sky.

At breakfast, you can return to your photos to re-live your tremendous experience of the solar eclipse the previous day. Your private transfer will meet you at the hotel and escort you to the airport for your flight to Puerto Iguazu. The tropical climate will feel remarkably different than the mixture of Mediterranean and alpine characteristics you enjoyed in Bariloche. You will have an introduction around the gateway to Iguazu Falls at your leisure after your private transfer escorts you to your gorgeous hotel.

The jungle setting will envelop the city as you make your way to Hito Tres Fronteras. The viewpoint approximately a half-mile from the city center hosts a small obelisk painted with white and blue to represent the colors of Argentina at the confluence of the Parana and Iguazu rivers. You will have a marvelous panorama of where Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina meet. In the evening, a light show projects onto the mist of the erupting fountains where holograms hold the dancers performing on the water.

In the morning, you will have a private driver take you from the hotel to Iguazu Falls National Park. You will quickly marvel at the protected area spanning more than 167 acres and displaying a series of 275 waterfalls. The ambiance of the rainforest will welcome you with sporadic views of wildlife hidden in the trees and brazenly searching for food from visitors. Hummingbirds will flutter their wings around the tropical flowers, and coati will amble near the walkways.

You will enjoy the visceral experience of hearing the powerful thunder of hundreds of cascades spilling over the cliffs simultaneously and feeding the surrounding tropical foliage. On the Circuito Inferior, you can follow the trail that leads close to the base of Salto Bossetti. The splashing water will shroud the viewpoint in intermittent bursts of moisture. When you reach the Devil’s Throat, you will walk along 1,200 yards of footbridges to find the cascades dropping over 262 feet. The epic mist rising out of the gulch will become a thick passing cloud.

After breakfast, you will cross into Brazil to experience the marvels of Iguazu Falls from a different perspective. The stunning collection of cascades drops from 269 feet at its highest point, and your time in Brazil will give you the best panorama of the entire network of cascades. As you reach the viewpoint encompassing Salto Sant Maria, you will nearly step along the water before basking in the spectacle of Devil’s Throat and the overall immensity of Iguazu Falls.

Instead of the deafening crash of the water from the previous day, you will hear a distant roar of the falls in Brazil accompanied by the serene sounds of active birds hidden in the surrounding rainforest, such as kingfishers, toucans, and maroon-bellied parakeets. After exploring the falls, your private transfer will take you across the border to Argentina and to the airport for your return flight to Buenos Aires. You will arrive at your hotel with a private driver where you can enjoy the remainder of the day at your leisure.

In the morning, cafes will fill the streets with the aromas of frothy cappuccino and buttery medialunas. The doors to the famous El Ateneo Grand Splendid will open and invite patrons into the former theater-turned-bookshop where tables and chairs decorate the stage. Elegance and prominence will exude from the 19th-century cafe Las Violetas where the scents of alfajores and espresso drift between the bronze columns and timeless stained glass windows. Your private transfer will meet you in the hotel lobby after breakfast and escort you to Buenos Aires’s Ministro Pistarini International Airport for your flight home.