Compare Antarctica Express by Bunnik Tours vs Exploring Argentine & Chilean Patagonia in 15 days by Qwerty Travel Argentina

Day 1: Ushuaia, Argentina

Meals: Dinner

Your journey begins in Ushuaia, Argentina. Board your ship in the afternoon and sail along the Beagle Channel towards Puerto Williams, Chile, the southernmost town in the world. Explore the surroundings before setting sail to Cape Horn.

Day 2: Cape Horn And The Drake Passage

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

After an overnight crossing of Nassau Bay, you awake in full view of legendary Cape Horn! Weather permitting, board a Zodiac and be one of the few privileged adventurers to step foot on this famous and rarely visited island. Back on board, set sail towards Antarctica and cross the famous passage named in honour of Sir Francis Drake, the great 16th century British explorer.

Days 3: Drake Passage

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

As you sail through the Drake Passage en route to King George Island, in the South Shetland Islands, attend an engaging program of lectures and presentations. In the company of expert guides, watch for wildlife from the glass- enclosed lounge or from the outside decks. You may spot magnificent sea birds, such as albatrosses and petrels, as well as different species of whales on their way south to Antarctica.

Day 4: Drake Passage And Antarctica

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

After crossing the Antarctic Convergence, the environment changes noticeably. Keep your camera ready, as this is the time to watch for the first icebergs and the first sight of Antarctic land. Reaching the South Shetland Islands, sail in ice-filled bays, while enjoying the company of sea birds, penguins, seals and whales. Board a Zodiac for your first memorable shore visit to a penguin colony. Taking advantage of the endless Antarctic daylight, exploration will continue well into the evening.

Day 5: King George Island – Punta Arenas

Meals: Breakfast

Upon reaching King George Island, disembark at Fildes Bay and explore the area, such as the Chilean Base Frei and the Russian Base Bellingshausen. Bid farewell to Antarctica before boarding the flight back to Punta Arenas, Chile. Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel for the night. Note: Meals in Punta Arenas are at your leisure and not included in the program.

Day 6: Punta Arenas

Meals: Breakfast

Your incredible adventure comes to an end today. We trust you leave with wonderful memories of your Antarctic adventure!

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.