Exploring Glaciers of Patagonia and Wineries in Mendoza
(This sample itinerary will be customized to suit your personal interests & budget.)
Day 1 ~ Buenos Aires
International flight arrival to Buenos Aires in the morning. Our local representative will greet you at the airport greeting and transfer you to your hotel.
Spend 3 nights at a luxury hotel in Recoleta neighborhood of Buenos Aires.
Day 2 ~ Buenos Aires City Tour
Today, your private guide will take you on a city tour of Buenos Aires. Drive through the narrow streets of the old city and the broad avenues that mark the city’s modern growth. On 9 de Julio Avenue, you will see the Colon Theater and the “Obelisco.” Around the “Plaza de Mayo” you will see the “Casa Rosada” (which houses the balcony from which Evita addressed her people) and the Cathedral with the mausoleum of General San Martin. Severeal parts of the tour will be walking, including Alvear Avenue, San Telmo, Mayo Avenue and through South America’s most opulent cemetery, “Cementerio de la Recoleta,” where generations of the elite repose in the grandeur of ostentatious mausoleums. It is the resting place of Eva Peron. Your guide will tell stories of the various wealthy nobility who are laid to rest in this place.
Late afternoon, transfer to the upscale area of Palermo Soho for a 2 hour wine-tasting. You will enjoy 5 glasses of limited production, boutique Argentinean wines, paired with 5 uniquely Argentine tapas (6:30pm-7:00pm finish). Afterwards, your guide will drive you to a local restaurant. You can enjoy walking around the area for a short while before your 7:30pm dinner reservation.
Day 3 ~ Tango Show
Enjoy this day at your leisure.
Tonight, you will enjoy a late evening show and 3-course gourmet dinner at a well known intimate and sensual tango show in Buenos Aires.
Day 4 ~ Calafate
Private transfer to the domestic airport for flight to Calafate in the heart of Patagonia region.
Upon arrival in Calafate, your local guide will greet you and transfer approximately 30 minutes to the Lodge, strategically located in La Anita Valley. Spend 3 nights here.
GL Tours works with several lodges in this area. Discuss options with our travel experts to find the best match for you.
Day 5 ~ Perito Moreno Glacier
Travel with your private guide to Los Glaciares National Park and “Ventisquero Perito Moreno.” Slowly drive along a panoramic zigzag road for 15 km to a vista point. Enjoy a walk along 3.5 km “pasarelas” vantage point in front of the glacier along a fenced loop-trail. You will be able to witness the ice detachment phenomena, with the hollow sounds of ice falling and becoming smaller floating glaciers. Periodically, the glacier advances over the L-shaped Lago Argentino, forming a natural dam which separates the two halves of the lake. Without a doubt, the Perito Moreno Glacier is breathtaking. Includes a picnic lunch.
Day 6 ~ Estancia Cristina
This morning, transfer to Puerto Banderas and board your boat for a 3 hr. sail among icebergs on Lago Argentino, watching the incredible views of the occidental front of Glacier Upsala. Arrive at the port of Estancia Cristina. Enjoy a picnic lunch at the estancia, which is right on the glacier.
In the afternoon, visit the Costumbrista Museum (old shearing shed). Ascent in all-terrain vehicles, traveling 9.5 km through mountainous roads to the continental ice shelter for a 30 min. easy walk to the oriental front of Upsala Glacier and Lake Guillermo. Return to the estancia, and late afternoon, begin your return boat ride back to Puerto Banderas and your hotel.
Day 7 ~ Mendoza
Transfer to the airport in Calafate for a domestic flight to Mendoza, via Buenos Aires. In Mendoza, your private guide will transfer you to a luxury resort and spa, located in the Uco Valley.
Today, visit some of the old traditional wineries. Benegas Winery…….The Benegas family were the first to bring noble french vines to Mendoza, by carrying springs mounted on mules over the mountains in the 1880s. Nowadays, Federico Benegas Lynch manages a boutique version of the original winery and concentrates on fewer, finer wines-most notably a great blend an excellent Cabernet Franc. Achaval Ferrer Winery…… Achaval-Ferrer`s original concept was strongly founded on the terroir, and the chosen way to make it well known was through Malbec. Ruca Malen…….. Hand-crafted using traditional French winemaking techniques in a modern facility equipped with the latest technology, the goal is to produce elegant, food-friendly wines that express the true identity of each varietal. Enjoy a 5 course lunch with wine paring.
Day 8 ~ Mendoza
Enjoy this day at your leisure, taking advantage of the luxury amenities of the resort.
Day 9 ~ Uco Valley Vineyards
Today, visit some of the wineries in the Uco Valley with your private guide. This valley is the youngest wine tourism region of the province. Here, you find wineries of impressive architecture and design. Almost all of them are modern and equipped with the latest technology, mainly oriented to Premium wines. You will visit Salentein Winery and Andeluna Winery, designed like a large French Chateau. Experience a 6 course lunch paired with Andeluna wines.
Day 10 ~ Departure
Afternoon transfer to the Mendoza Airport and fly to Buenos Aires.
A private driver will meet you at the airport, transfer to a restaurant for lunch. Then, continue to the international airport for your return flights home.