Compare Antarctic Express: Fly the Drake by Quark Expeditions vs Exploring Argentine & Chilean Patagonia in 15 days by Qwerty Travel Argentina

Day 1: Punta Arenas, Chile

Your adventure begins in Punta Arenas, Chile, the most populated city in Patagonia. If you arrive early, there are many museums, restaurants and shops to keep you busy for days. By early afternoon, a Quark Expeditions representative will bring everyone together to your starting hotel, where you’ll enjoy a welcome dinner and be briefed about preparing for your embarkation day.

Your charter flight from Punta Arenas to Antarctica will have you crossing the infamous Drake Passage in only a few hours. Way below, the ship is approaching King George Island for your arrival. The dramatic Antarctic landscapes soon become visible as your plane descends for landing in the South Shetlands. After landing, stretch your legs and spend some time exploring the island before being transferred by Zodiac to your ship . Meet the rest of your shipmates and set sail for the Peninsula!

Days 3 to 6: Antarctic Peninsula and South Shetland Islands

There are few places in the world as evocative as Antarctica. As we approach the white continent, don’t be surprised if you are overcome by feelings of excitement and awe. Much of Antarctica is indescribable and can only be fully appreciated through the human eye.

Your first sightings will be from the ship itself. As the Captain and Expedition Team keep their eyes out for whales and seabirds, you’ll be alerted to any new sightings. Our team of expert lecturers will also provide in-depth explanations of the geology, history and wildlife of the region.

Even more exciting are your daily excursions to land. Your first Zodiac landing is something you’ll never forget! Walking up to a beach that is dotted with penguins and seals is the most intimate way to experience the unique wildlife of Antarctica. Each landing is different and is dependent on weather, but every day presents new sightings and photo opportunities. You may take a Zodiac cruise in search of whales and icebergs in Pleneau Island one day, followed by a hike to a chinstrap rookery the next day. From the booming shot of a calving glacier at Petermann Island to the complete silence of night while camping in Antarctica, you’ll welcome each day with the excitement and energy of a young child. Our Expedition Team will be with you all along, providing insights into the places you visit and offering photography tips to get the most out of your expedition.

Day 7: Disembarkation and Fly to Punta Arenas

After your four days of exploration, you’ll say goodbye to the Expedition Team and disembark at King George Island. Your three-hour flight across the Drake Passage to Punta Arenas, Chile brings your journey to an end. After we transfer you from the airport to the hotel, you can enjoy one final dinner (not included) to reminisce about all the sights and sounds of Antarctica.

Day 8: Depart for Home

After breakfast, you are free to continue on your own travels or make your way to the Punta Arenas airport for your homeward flights.

Day 1: Buenos Aires

Arrival at Buenos Aires airport and transfer to your accommodation.

Day 2: Buenos Aires – City tour

During the morning visit the city of Buenos Aires. This tour gives you the emotion of a multiple Buenos Aires. We will see the symbol of our city: the obelisk. We will visit different squares such as Plaza de Mayo, Plaza San Martín, Plaza Congreso. Avenues like Corrientes, Mayo, 9 de Julio, among others. Historical neighbourhoods: La Boca, San Telmo, Montserrat. Elegant neighbourhoods such as Palermo and Recoleta, and the most modern: Puerto Madero. Parks such as Lezama and Tres de Febrero. We will also visit financial and commercial areas and a Football Stadium.

Day 3: Buenos Aires – Ushuaia

Transfer to the airport. Flight to Ushuaia. Arrival and transfer to the hotel.

Day 4: Ushuaia - Tierra del Fuego National Park

Represents the southernmost protected area, the only National Park that has coastlines, covering a stretch of 6 km. Wide over the Beagle Channel and an area of 63,000 hectares. It is reached by the National Highway No. 3 to N.A. Ushuaia, met along the way Pipo River, Monte Susana, Ensenada Bay, Redonda Island sighting, lake Roca Casita del Bosque, Laguna Verde and Negra, beaver dam, Lapataia Bay, marking the end of the route, to 3,242 km. Federal Capital. The topography of the park is extremely varied, everything is a series of craggy mountains, rivers, valleys and lakes, resulting in varied landscapes from the picturesque and lively stream to the mass of towering mountains, or the extraordinary spectacle of the majestic Canal Beagle . During the spring and summer, you can admire varied and colorful flowers: mutillas, violet, primrose, white orchids, armories, white and yellow daisies, and the various tree species: Cinnamon, Wood Dura Notros Lenga Ñire, Burgundy presenting as Misodendro parasites and the Llao Llao, observing lichens, which hang in the form of a beard. The most common mammals are foxes and rabbits, living in the Park also muskrat and beaver. Among birds, Upland Goose and gray-headed, steamer ducks and great grebe, the black carpenter and rayadito giant, as the Park presents exclusive marine birds such as albatross, the oystercatcher overo the white Cauquen and mammals such as seals and otters sea.

Day 5: Ushuaia– Calafate

Transfer to the airport. Flight to Ushuaia. Arrival and transfer to your accommodation

Day 6: Perito Moreno Glacier with nautic safari

Departure from the morning to travel the 80 kms distance separating El Calafate Perito Moreno glacier, unique in the world in constant progress. During the trip you know beautiful places in the Andean foothills, along the south bank of Lake Argentino. After crossing the river Centinela and Mitre, was reached at Brazo Rico to enter the National Park Los Glaciares. Bordering the Lake Rico began to spot the icebergs floating on the water until we can finally appreciate the full extent of this natural wonder has been declared by the United Nations as World Heritage. Stay in place and return to El Calafate.

Day 7: El Calafate

Day at leisure to discover this amazing ville by your own or enjoy some suggested optional excursion.

Day 8: Calafate – Puerto Natales

Regular bus to Puerto Natales.

Day 9: Torres del Paine

The excursion begins visiting the Milodon Cave, a natural monument located on Benitez Hill, 25 kilometres from Puerto Natales, where in 1895 were found remains of extinct animals like Sabre Toothed Tiger, American Horse and a large mammal known as Milodon. It is necessary to walk for half an hour to go into the cave and observe the stalactites, places where the remains were found and a replica of Milodon.

Afterward a technical stop is held in the village of Cerro Castillo, where there are possibilities for shopping, enjoy the coffee service or just for a break.

Continuing the trip toward Torres del Paine National Park, visitors will be able to enjoy the most diverse landscapes, such as, the Magellanic deciduous forest and the vast Patagonian steppe dominated by the wind and aridity. On the way is possible to find two species members of the local fauna: the Patagonian guanaco, South American camel and relative of Llama, and the endemic lesser Rhea (Ñandu), relative of the African Ostrich. Once we get to the park, which is a biosphere reserve with a surface over 242.000 hectares, the landscape changes drastically becoming unforgettable due its dozen lakes populated by marine birds, and in the background granite picks dominating the area. Turquoise lakes, waterfalls and mountains covered by ice are the predominant landscape inside the park. A walk for 15 minutes into the park is necessary toward the Waterfall (Salto Grande), which is communicating two big lakes inside the park; Nordenskjold and Pehoe Lakes. After lunch the trip continues with a walk on the shores of Grey Lake, where blue icebergs can be seen, and in the background the vast Grey glacier. Depending on the requirements, the return is done by the same road, or by the new road bordering lakes Toro, Porteño and Sofía.

Day 10: Puerto Natales – Punta Arenas – Puerto Montt/Puerto Varas

Transfer to Punta Arenas on Regular Bus. Arrival at Punta Arena’s airport. Flight to Puerto Montt. Arrival and transfer to the hotel in Puerto Mont or Puerto Varas.

Day 11: Puerto Montt/Puerto Varas – Andean Crossing - Bariloche

Andean Crossing. This pioneering journey quickly became one of the attractions of Lake Todos los Santos and Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park, the first national park in Chile and the second oldest in America. The circuit offers travelers the opportunity to marvel at the nature of two national parks Andean environment, the Pérez Rosales in Chile and the NahuelHuapi in Argentina, "surf" the Andes through lakes and rivers, visit places magic, as Puerto Blest and Peulla, and enjoy, in the headwaters of the course, two beautiful cities: Bariloche and Puerto Varas

Day 12: Bariloche – Short Circuit with Campanario mount

Circuito Chico is a Scenic Tour on which to enjoy good food as well as the beautiful views. The scenery is magnificent along the whole drive, and there are several natural lookouts, such as López Bay and "Punto Panorámico" panoramic lookout. Cerro Campanario, a hill standing "in the center of the landscape" (Km 17), has a chairlift that will carry you up to "the heights of amazement" to enjoy the most beautiful view in the area.

Tasty specialties at several tea houses and restaurants along the way add flavor to the scenic tour. Hotel LlaoLlao and San Eduardo Chapel, opposite Puerto Pañuelo, are unique tourist attractions. If you have time, the easy paths through LlaoLlao Municipal Park provide an opportunity for a peaceful walk through the forest. Another alternative is to drive a few more kilometers to the traditional village Colonia Suiza with its unique atmosphere of a historical old rural settlement.

Other attractions along Circuito Chico are regional craft products including knitted garments, woodwork, candles, pottery and cosmetics, among others. Don’t miss the Small Circle Scenic Tour!

Day 13: Bariloche

Today you have a free day to enjoy and spend on your own.

Day 14: Bariloche– Buenos Aires

Transfer to the airport. Flight to Buenos Aires. Arrival and transfer to your accommodation

Day 15: Buenos Aires

Transfer to the airport.