El Calafate, El Chaltén & Ushuaia

El Calafate, El Chaltén & Ushuaia

9 days, 8 nights · El Calafate · El Chaltén · Ushuaia

El Calafate

El Calafate is a small, charming town lost in the vastness of the Patagonian steppe and the main gateway to Los Glaciares National Park, a beautiful landscape of icy waters, snow-capped peaks, mighty glaciers and silent mossy forests. Set on the shore of the huge Lago Argentino, the town is full of shops and restaurants along its main street. The Perito Moreno Glacier, 80 kilometers away, is a magnificent must-see and one of the most impressive glaciers in the world. El Calafate is the gateway to a magical spectacle you simply cannot miss.

El Chaltén

Besides being the youngest town in Patagonia, El Chaltén is a dreamlike place full of cultural diversity. Many foreign visitors come for its ideal natural conditions for outdoor lovers, especially trekkers. Known as Argentina's "national trekking capital", trails start right from its streets and lead to the mighty mountains around it, such as Fitz Roy, Poincenot and the unique Cerro Torre. Its population of around a thousand people multiplies from November to May, when visitors arrive to enjoy the warmer months. It is 212 kilometers from El Calafate, less than 3 hours on an excellent road, with several stops worth photographing along the way. The surroundings combine nearby glaciers, hidden lagoons, the light-blue Lake Viedma and the mystical presence of Fitz Roy, whose summit is almost always covered by a cloud that the Tehuelche people mistook for smoke; that is the origin of the name "chaltén", meaning "smoking mountain".

Ushuaia

Overlooking the emerald waters of the Beagle Channel, Ushuaia claims to be the southernmost city in the world. It lies between the icy waters of Ushuaia Bay and snow-capped mountains that can be seen from almost everywhere. Ushuaia is a great base to explore the surrounding landscapes, but there is also plenty to see in town. San Martín Avenue, parallel to the coast, is the main shopping street, full of shops, cafés and restaurants. Downtown you can see old colonial-style houses and the interesting End of the World Museum, in the former Government House, which tells the history of Ushuaia and Tierra del Fuego and its indigenous peoples. The old prison, now a museum and art gallery, is another popular attraction. The highlights, however, are Isla de los Lobos, the penguin colonies and the Martial Glacier. Ushuaia is the gateway to Antarctica and Tierra del Fuego National Park, and a great place to see wildlife such as penguins, dolphins, orcas, seals and many birds. Ushuaia is where the world ends, or where it begins.

The package includes

• Round-trip flights
• Transfers
• 3 nights at Marcopolo Suites Calafate (breakfast included)
• 2 nights at Hosteria El Paraiso (breakfast included)
• 3 nights at Hosteria Les Eclaireurs (buffet breakfast)
• Travel insurance (Nacional 2M Ilim)