Tailor made Wildlife Holidays in Argentina
All of our itineraries to Argentina are tailor-made and our 'Wild Argentina' itinerary is simply a suggestion. You can add nights, take them out or even add other locations- please do just ask for our advice and suggestions. Most of our guests fly to Argentina on British Airways who have regular flights throughout the week; we can also fly passengers on Iberia (via Madrid). Argentina is well placed to combine with Brazil and Chile and other countries in South America and we are increasingly asked to organise exciting multi-country itineraries.
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the vibrant dynamic capital of Argentina, probably more European than South American in flavour, with bustling streets, grand mansions, broad leafy avenues, old-time cafes and a colourful population. It has great restaurants and is home of the Tango. Highlights include 'Teatro Nacional', the vibrant Boca district and many museums and art galleries. The city is a busy South American transportation hub with many regional visitors passing through the domestic (Aeroparque) and international (Ezeiza) airports at some time or another. Sight-seeing tours can easily be organised for those with some time to spare.
Hotel Claridge is a classic and elegant hotel located in the Buenos Aires' main financial and shopping district, with the magnificent Teatro Colon only five blocks away. The hotel offers accommodation in 161 modern en-suite rooms. There are several dining options a gym and an outdoor heated pool.
Trelew
Trelew is the gateway to Patagonia and the wildlife rich, Valdes Peninsula and Punta Tombo. It is a quaint city with a strong Welsh influence and nearby is the rather bizarre 'Welsh' village of Gaiman, complete with traditional Welsh tea shops, chapels and Welsh-looking cottages. Many people here are descendents of the settlers who came to Patagonia in the 19th century to escape persecution at home and create a 'New Wales", and there is still a yearly festival (Eisteddfod) celebrating Welsh music and culture. The city also has a fascinating museum of palaeontology. Trelew is about 67 kilometres south of Puerto Madryn and there are regional flights from here to Buenos Aires (two hours away) and other cities in Argentina.
Puerto Madryn
Puerto Madryn is a modern, rapidly growing city and port with a decent selection of accommodation, making it an ideal gateway city for the Valdes Peninsula. Full-day excursions depart from here to the Valdes Peninsula and the Punta Tombo Penguin Colony. The city is located 67 kilometres north of Trelew, where most domestic flights operate from.
The Peninsula Hotel in Puerto Madryn offers 70 airconditioned en-suite rooms. The hotel has a spa and restaurant and it is located just a short distance from local restaurants, shops and a large beach. It is a good base for day trips to explore the nature reserves of the Valdes area.
Punta Tombo
Punta Tombo in southern Argentina is the location of the world's largest colony of Magellanic Penguins. Over half a million penguins come here to breed between September and mid-March. The eggs hatch around the beginning of December when the colony is full of noisy, hungry chicks. The nature reserve here is dedicated to the protection of the vast and arid landscapes of the Patagonian Plateau, home to Patagonian Hares amngst other mammals and a huge variety of sea-birds along the coast including Kelp Gull, Flightless Steamer Duck, Black Oystercatcher, Royal, and Black-Necked Cormorants, Antarctic Pigeon and Giant Petrel. In the icy waters off-shore are sealions, whales and dolphins. A visit to Punta Tombo is generally enjoyed as a day trip from Trelew or Puerto Madryn.
Valdes Peninsula
The Valdes Peninsula is a dramatic steppe landscape of vast bays, sandy beaches, rocky shelves and gulfs, located on the north-eastern tip of Patagonia. It juts out into the Atlantic Ocean and is only linked to the mainland by a narrow isthmus. The mixing of the warm Brazilian Current with the cold Malvinas Current encourages plankton, algae and shellfish and attracts marine wildlife in large numbers. Sealions, Elephant Seals, Southern Right Whales and dolphins, Magellanic Penguins and colonies numerous seabirds all around the peninsula. Land mammals in this area include Guanacos, Lesser Rheas, Patagonian Foxes and Hairy Armadillos. The only Elephant Seal habitat in Argentina is found in Punta Norte on the northern tip of the peninsula.. Activities in this area include walks to observe Elephant Seals, day trips by 4-wheel vehicle, horse-riding, lighthouse visits and whale-watching to see the magnificent Southern Right Whales by boat (September to December). Most accommodation in the Valdes area is in the cities of Trelew or Puerto Madryn. From here full-day excursions explore the peninsula (about 400 kilometres round-trip), and include whale-watching boat trips from the village of Puerto Piramides to see Southern Right Whales (operating May to December). The area is good year-round for birdwatching and sightings of Elephant Seals, Sealions, Commerson's Dolphin, Guanaco and Grey Wolf, whilst Orcas are present October to April, and penguins September to March. Although whales are usually present between May to December, peak numbers and viewings tend to occur around September to November.
The Faro Punta Delgada Hotel sits in a unique location right at the tip of the beautiful Valdes Peninsula, next to the famous lighthouse of the same name. This romantic and exclusive cliff-top hotel overlooks the wild, dramatic coastline and crashing waves of the southern Atlantic Ocean with 27 rooms, pub and restaurant.
Ushuaia & Tierra Del Fuego National Park
Ushuaia is the capital of the Argentinean Province of Tierra del Fuego, Antarctica and South Atlantic Islands, and is located over 3,000 kilometres south of Buenos Aires, in a dramatic position on the Beagle Channel surrounded by the Martial Mountains. The city has an interesting history, and some buildings date from the days of the pioneers and penal colony, including the fascinating prison museum. The wilderness, lakes and bays around the city provide the opportunity for plenty of outdoor activities such as horse-riding, trekking, fishing, canoeing and of course wildlife-viewing. Ushuaia's port is the departure point for most Antarctic voyages and the airport offers direct flights to Buenos Aires, El Calafate and other regional centres. In the summer months Ushuaia is also the start (or finish) point of voyages through the Straits of Magellan with the Mare Australis or Via Australis, stopping off at Cape Horn.
Situated south of the Straits of Magellan, Tierra del Fuego is the archipelago's largest island. The island itself is divided by the Andes into two distinct regions - the northern plains and the mountainous south with its stunning scenery of deep fjords, snow-capped peaks, forests and glacial lakes. Along the coast you may well see seals, albatrosses, ducks and petrels. Also present is the rare Chungungo Otter as well as Magellanic Woodpecker, Black-chested Buzzard and Austral Parakeet.
Hotel Acebos is a new modern hotel with 56 large rooms overlooking the Beagle Channel, just a few kilometres from the port city of Ushuaia.
Beagle Channel Cruise
On a half-day Beagle Channel Cruise you will have a good opportunity to see cormorants, penguins, sealions and South American Fur Seals while you enjoy the extraordinary geography of Tierra del Fuego, its islands and bays.
El Calafate
El Calafate is a small attractive resort town on the shores of Lago Argentina, and the base for touring the region's glaciers in Los Glaciares National Park, where you can see the incredible blue ice fields of the Perito Moreno, Upsalla and Onelli Glaciers. It is possible to fly here from Buenos Aires, Trelew, Puerto Natales (in Chile) and various other regional destinations.
The Posada Los Alamos is an elegant four-star hotel set in beautiful gardens along the shores of Lago Argentino in the centre of the resort town of El Calafate. Accommodation is in 144 rooms overlooking the surrounding gardens and mountains.
Los Glaciares National Park
Los Glaciares National Park is a UNESCO Natural Heritage Site located in the south-western. Some 40% of the park is covered by giant ice fields, which feed the two big lakes, Lake Viedma in the north and Lago Argentino in the south. Lago Argentino (the source of the Santa Cruz River) is the third largest in South America. It is located 185 metres above sea level, is 60 kilometres long and up to 20 kilometres wide. Its unique and beautiful blue-green colour is due to fine glacial deposits suspended in the water. Bird-life is rich and includes Black-necked Swan, Black-chested Buzzard and Andean Condor.
Located near to the town of El Calafate the Perito Moreno Glacier is a staggering five kilometres across towering some 70 metres above the lake waters. Thunderous booms are common as huge chunks of ice break off and crash into the lake. A series of boardwalks with strategically placed viewing points let you explore the area at your own pace, and there are also boat rides along the southern face. Andean Condors, Black-necked Swans, Black-chested Buzzards, Guanacos and occasionally Pumas may be seen here. East of the ice fields are large tracts of southern beech forest and beyond that the Patagonian steppe, home to over a hundred species of birds including Lesser Rhea, Andean Condor and White-throated Caracara.
The Iguazu Falls
Iguazu Falls on the Argentine-Brazil border is a magnificent array of 275 separate waterfalls that stretches for over three kilometres. It is surrounded by lush tropical forest with an abundant flora and fauna, including over 500 species of butterfly, 400 species of bird and 2,000 species of plant. Iguazu joins Niagara Falls and Victoria Falls as one of the world's three great waterfall spectacles, with opinion generally divided as to whether Victoria Falls or Iguazu Falls are the most spectacular. Iguazu offers excellent viewing opportunities on a system of paths. We would advise visiting the parks on both sides fo the border!
The vegetation ranges from semi-deciduous to tropical resulting in dramatic contrasts in the flora with orchids growing next to pine trees, bamboo next to palm trees, and mosses next to lianas and colourful begonias. The area is subtropical with plenty of heat and rain yearround, but the summer months are generally hotter and wetter... and busiest. There are boat rides and helicopter flights available to book locally, and although a quick visit is possible we strongly recommend spending two or three nights here to ensure you make the most of your visit. There are regular daily flights from Buenos Aires.
The Sheraton Resort and Spa, Iguazu is located in the heart of the Iguazu Falls National Park. This large modern resort has 176 rooms featuring glass window walls and large private balconies offering excellent views of the rainforest or the waterfalls. There are restaurants, gardens and a swimming pool area with walking trails to the falls. The hotel is located 10 kilometres from the airport.
Yacutinga Rainforest & Lodge
A 2-hour drive west from Iguazu Falls and a short journey along the Iguazu River brings you to Yacutinga Rainforest Lodge, set amongst 250,000 hectares of primary rainforest in the north-eastern corner of the Missiones region. The surrounding jungle is a private rainforest reserve and the complex layered ecosystem is home to countless species of birds, mammals and plants. Explore it on both walking and river safaris with the lodge's naturalist guides. There are 40 rooms here each with private facilities, wood-burning stoves and great views. The main building houses a restaurant and bar, whilst outside there are botanical gardens, a pool and an elevated jungle canopy walkway. Amongst the forest colourful birds flit through the dappled shadows -toucans, guans, trogons and woodpeckers. The reserve also protects several endangered species such as the Jaguar, Tapir and Ocelot, although these elusive creatures are difficult to spot.
Ibera Marshlands
A 2-hour flight north from Buenos Aires to the town of Posadas followed by a 4-hour drive to the small town of San Juan Poriahu brings you to the Ibera Marshlands, also known as the Argentine Pantanal. The Marshlands cover an area of some 9,000 square kilometres, twice the size of Floridas Everlglades, and are made up of lagoons, dykes, water courses, marshlands and islands, creating the perfect habitat for birds, mammals and reptiles. Black Caiman, Boa Constrictor and Capybara are all common here and of course the birdlife is spectacular. Other interesting possible sightings include armadillos, turtles, monkeys, deer, anacondas, otters, wildcats and Maned Wolf. Over 400 species of bird range from the largest, the Greater Rhea, to various herons, storks, eagles, parrots, snipe, woodpeckers, kingfishers, hummingbirds, magpie tanagers and thrushes. Staying in a comfortable Estancia you will be able to explore the area on foot, by canoe and even on horseback. Do ask us for more details.
Salta
Situated in the north-west, the beautiful colonial city of Salta is surrounded by mountains and has retained much of its Hispanic architecture. During your stay you may choose to visit the magnificent El Rey National Park with a huge diversity of flora and fauna including Giant Anteaters, Tapir, Cai Monkey and White-lipped Peccary and Puma. Over 250 species of birds include the interesting Red-legged Chu??a which builds its one metre wide nest in the highest trees, Spix's Guan and Charata. Also worth a visit is the Humahuaca Gorge, a deep, narrow fault line near Salta. The gorge, which begins at an altitude of 1,300 metres, climbs steadily upwards to a height of 3,000 metres. The area is one of everchanging multi-coloured rock formations, huge cacti, small Indian settlements and ancient archaeological sites.
The Lake District
Bariloche is the perfect base for exploring Argentina's Lake District and the gateway for Nahuel Huapi National Park, Argentina's second largest. It is a vast area of virgin woodland, deep crystal lakes and snow-capped peaks of the Andes. Animals of the area include Chilean Otter, Guanaco and Mara (a large relative of the Guinea Pig). Birdlife you may see here includes Magallenic, and Red-gartered Goose, Rufous-tailed Hawk, Chilean Pigeon and Giant Hummingbird. On the cliffs of some of the Nahuel Huapi islands there are colonies of Imperial Cormorants - a striking phenomenon since it is almost exclusively a marine species! The Lake District is a perfect area to explore by hire car. In summer there are opportunities for boating on the lakes, trekking, horseriding and birdwatching in the gorgeous surroundings. From here it is also possible to cross over to Puerto Montt in neighbouring Chile by using the lake ferries.
Antarctica
Check out our Wild Argentina Suggested Itinerary