Ultimate Argentina

Welcome to beautiful Buenos Aires. On arrival, you’ll be swept by private transfer to your boutique hotel in Palermo Soho – one of the city’s most eclectic neighborhoods full of restaurants, bars and pop-up exhibitions.  In the evening, you’ll gather as a group by the rooftop pool for a welcome glass of Malbec with your guide. Then it’s on to a nearby restaurant for an immersive dining experience. Get to know your fellow Flashpackers as you learn how to make wine cocktails, empanadas, mouthwatering steak and dulce de leche desserts – not to mention a cup of Mate, the country’s beloved national drink. This unique and fun dinner party is a great intro to Argentina and the many delights to come.

Expect a few theatrical/foodie surprises today, as you take an inside look at some of Buenos Aires’ most vibrant parks and barrios. You’ll start off with a bike tour before exploring the cobbled streets of San Telmo by foot, soaking in its artistic, Tango-infused spirit from a local’s perspective.  Later, you’ll stop for a street food lunch – including choripan (sausage in a bun) – in the spectacular San Telmo market, with its maze of stalls and 19th century Italian architecture. A wander around the colorful streets of La Boca follows, then we’ll head for dinner at the Buenos Aires Jockey Club’s Bagatelle Restaurant: a French Riviera-style hot spot that’s bursting with atmosphere.

Today you’ll swap bright lights for Patagonian heights, as we fly south to El Calafate – the gateway to Los Glaciares National Park. Your hotel here overlooks Argentino Lake, a vast light blue lagoon framed by giant glaciers and snow-capped peaks.  This evening we’ll follow in the nomadic footsteps of the Tehuelche people of Patagonia, on a 4×4 “lakes and caves” adventure. Prepare for a spot of off-roading as we discover ancient rock art and stencilled handprints dating back thousands of years, in a series of remote canyons and caves on the shores of the lake. The highlight comes with an intimate dinner in one of the larger caves, surrounded by prehistoric artwork and the whispers of cave-dweller history all around. 

Crampons at the ready: today we’ll come face-to-face with the thrill of the mighty outdoors, as we ice-hike across Perito Moreno Glacier. This two-hour circuit is led by experienced mountain guides, and requires moderate fitness to navigate a series of dazzling blue surfaces and ice formations.  Immerse yourself in a phenomenal landscape of streams, lagoons, gullies and crevasses scattered across the 18,000-year-old glacier – one of Patagonia’s most breathtaking sights. We’ll share a picnic lunch enroute and this evening is free time back in El Calafate. 

Today you’ll travel overland to El Chaltén, Argentina’s trekking capital located in the shadow of Cerro Torre and Cerro Fitz Roy mountains. Your new base is an alpine refuge nestled in a dreamlike landscape by the Río de las Vueltas, surrounded by nature and snow-capped Andean peaks.  After the glacial drama of yesterday, this is a great place to unwind in the unspoilt outdoors. You’ll share a welcome beer and tapas lunch before a free afternoon for nearby waterfall hiking or mountain bike trails. You may also choose to kick back in the refuge’s beautiful outdoor bath. In the evening, you’ll have a set meal with wine in the cosy wooden restaurant, complete with book nook and roaring log fire

Today you embark on a challenging yet brilliant nine-hour hike to the foot of Mount Fitz Roy, with panoramic views. This remote and extraordinary trail gives you a front-row seat to the Patagonian wilderness, in all its rugged beauty. We’ll pass dazzling white glaciers, mirror-still lakes and lush green valleys as we climb 800 metres to Laguna de los Tres viewpoint. We’ll stop for lunch before heading back to the mountain lodge on the 15-mile+ hike. Your reward is a traditional lamb BBQ supper (veggie options also available), cooked outdoors in true Argentinian style. 

You’ve explored Patagonia in forests and by glaciers: today is the turn of the river. Give those weary feet a rest in a two-hour kayaking expedition down Río de las Vueltas. The adventure starts from the riverbank of our mountain refuge, so you can roll from breakfast straight into your vessel (with a safety briefing en-route).  You’ll then kayak downstream, taking in jaw-dropping views of Mount Fitz Roy and the surrounding Patagonian scenery en-route, before reaching your picnic lunch on a riverbank at the other end. We’ll then transfer back to El Chaltén, where you relax in our new cosy hotel with an evening of free time.

Today you’ll make an early start for two internal flights to Mendoza – the largest wine-producing area in South America. This gorgeous city is based in the foothills of the Andes, surrounded by wineries and highland vineyards. Your new hotel produces its own olive oils and wines and sits amongst beautiful gardens. Settle into this lovely boutique retreat, with a swimming pool and plenty of delicious vino. You’ll tuck into a light tapas supper tonight: think empanadas and cold cut meat/cheese platters, with olives and freshly baked bread.

Today you’ll visit a beautiful, family-owned winery. Test your palette as you learn all about the wine-making process on a private guided tour. Then it’s time to create your very own tailor-made blend of red under the expert eye of generations of winemakers. Afterwards, you’ll hop on over to the Susana Balbo winery – home of Argentina’s first female winemaker – for a three-course gourmet lunch. A “Mendoza by night” experience follows, where you’ll see all the city’s best sights lit up in the magic of darkness. You’ll finish with a farewell feast at Los Toneles Winery, with its majestic 1920s architecture and speciality of traditional aged meats

After 10 days of glacier-trekking, wine-making, cave-dining and more, you must bid farewell to your amazing Argentinian getaway.  After breakfast, it’s time to depart – the hotel can help in arranging your onward transfers. Or you may just choose to stay put with your homemade vino by the hotel pool for a few days. It’s been an incredible trip with incredible people in an incredible land. Who could possibly blame you?