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Summary

RIO - USHUAIA    18 days, 17 nights

Rio de Janeiro  ↠  Foz de Iguaçu  ↠  Buenos Aires (2 nights)  ↠  Bariloche

Bariloche  ↠  San Martin de los Andes  ↠  Pucón  ↠  Puyehue  ↠  Bariloche

Bariloche  ↠  El Calafate

El Calafate (2 nights)  ↠  Puerto Natales (2 nights)  ↠  Punta Arenas

  ↠  Ushuaia (2 nights)  ↠  Río Gallegos  ↠  El Calafate

Traveling the southern half of the South American continent by visiting its most attractive metropolises but also its most beautiful natural sites, discovering the human, cultural and gastronomic specificities of each country, this is the concept of this 16-day self driving tour in Brazil, Argentina and Chile.

  4 days of guided tours in executive vans to discover Rio de Janeiro the Cidade Maravilhosa, the extraordinary Iguazu waterfalls on both the Brazilian side and the Argentine side, and the charming Buenos Aires, the most european capital of South America…

   4 days of self driving tour in Northern Patagonia, straddling Argentina and Chile, 900 km in the beautiful Lakes & Volcanoes region, with great stops in famous resorts and charming little villages...

    7 days of self driving tour in Southern Patagonia, also straddling Argentina and Chile, 1400 km discovering the imposing glaciers and icebergs, the majestic peaks of the Andean Cordillera, recorded among the “50 Best places to see” in the world (by National Geographic)...

HIGHLIGHTS

* Rio de Janeiro as a whole, but the must remains the dominant view from the Redeemer Christ and the sunset from the top of the Sugar Loaf

* Foz de Iguaçu waterfalls, a breathtaking spectacle of nature

* Buenos Aires also as a whole, but ending with Tango dinner-show makes it unique

* San Carlos de Bariloche, the most famous ski resort in South America, and Pucón, the most charming resort in Chile, dominated by the smoking Villarica volcano… 

Driving along beautiful lakes at the foot of volcanoes, inside National Parks and Reserves, observing the specific fauna and flora

* Perito Moreno, the glacier that goes forward and shatters under your eyes…

* Full day boat excursion on Lake Argentino in the midst of giant icebergs to huge glaciers Upsala & Spegazzini

* Sporty off-road excursion to Balcones de El Calafate, offering a great panoramic view to Cerro Huyliche and El Calafate

* Torres del Paine National Park, a paradise for trekking, fauna and flora observation and photography. 

* Walk on the Costanera, in Punta Arenas, at the edge of the Strait of Magellan, which the greatest navigators challenged with their boats to access posterity

* Fantastic drive in a no man´s land to the “end of world city” Ushuaia

* Tierra del Fuego National park, the most southern park on the planet and the only one in Argentina with a combination of mountains, forest and sea.

Forget the stress of everyday life, take a little break to spend a few days in fabulous landscapes !

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Route Map
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Route Map

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Arrival in Rio de Janeiro

Full day in Rio + Transfer to Foz de Iguaçu (by plane)

Foz de Iguazu + Transfer to Buenos Aires (by plane)

Full day in Buenos Aires

Transfer to Bariloche A (by plane) 

+ Bariloche - San Martin B (205 km)

San Martin de los Andes - Pucón C (185 km)

Pucón - Puyehue D (330 km)

Puyehue - Bariloche A (101 km)

Transfer to El Calafate E (by plane)

Full day around El Calafate (101 km)

El Calafate - Perito Moreno Glacier O - P. Natales F (430 km)

Full day in the Torres del Paine National Park (200 km)

Puerto Natales - Punta Arenas G (295 km)

Punta Arenas - Ushuaia H (440 km)

Full day around Ushuaia (25 km)

Ushuaia - Río Gallegos I (580 km)

Río Gallegos - El Calafate E (305 km)

GUIDE-COORDINATOR IN YOUR RENTAL CAR : Yes or No ?


* The guide-coordinator is permanently at your disposition.

* He/she speaks several languages, including necessarily English and the language of the country, this can be very helpful if you do not master it enough.
* He/
she knows the route and stops at the best points of view. 

* If necessary, he/she activates external services (insurance, mechanical repair, rescue,...).
* He/
she takes care of check-in and check-out in hotels, restaurant orders, tourist sites entrance fees,...

* In the event of a puncture or a simple problem on the vehicle, he/she is the first to roll up his/her sleeves !
* Last but not least... He/
she tells you about the country, the regions crossed, or even the places visited (when there is no local professional guide).

GUIDE-COORDINATOR IN AN ASSISTANCE VEHICLE : Yes or No ?

* The guide-coordinator is in the assistance vehicle, bringing all the advantages mentioned above.

* The assistance vehicle opens the convoy and carries the first aid kit, any excess luggage,... and basic accessories (rope...) in case your car gets stuck in sand or mud.

* In the event of a breakdown or incident on your vehicle, the assistance vehicle can go in search of help or take all or part of the occupants of your vehicle to the next town or stage.

 

BUT... If you prefer adventure in a small closed group (not alone) and you speak the language of the country, you can do without a guide and assistance vehicle. You will have maps and GPS in the car, the same advanced logistics (vehicle rental, hotels,...), and a 24-hour hotline to resolve any unforeseen event.

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Accomodation

Accomodation

Comfortable single, double, twin or triple suites or apartments with breakfast included and personalized customer service

Charming Hotels, Spas and Resorts in quiet and lovely areas, preferably surrounded by nature

Local History & Culture

History & Culture

5 different places in 3 different countries, connected by 4 domestic flights, are part of this 16-day trip : Rio de Janeiro, Foz de Iguaçu, Buenos Aires, North Patagonia and South Patagonia. Each of these places has its own history, culture, nature, gastronomy,... and each one is incredible to discover ! 

Take the time to read the presentations below to see all the richness of your trip...

Rio de Janeiro

Largest international tourist destination in Brazil, Latin America and the entire Southern Hemisphere, Rio de Janeiro acts as a national "mirror", or "portrait", positively or negatively. It is the 2nd largest metropolis in Brazil (after São Paulo), the 6th largest in America and the 35th in the world. Its population is 6,719,000 inhabitants (2019 estimate).
Whoever is born in Rio de Janeiro is called a carioca. In 2012, part of the city was classified as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. In 2019, the city was elected by UNESCO as the first world capital of architecture.

Rio is one of the main economic, cultural and financial centers of Brazil, being internationally known for several cultural and landscape icons, such as the Pão de Açúcar, the Corcovado hill with the statue of the Redeemer Christ, Copacabana, Ipanema and Barra Tijuca beaches, the Maracanã and Nilton Santos stadiums, the bohemian neighborhood of Lapa and its arches, the Municipal Theater, the Tijuca and Pedra Branca forests, the Quinta da Boa Vista, the National Library, the island of Paquetá, Copacabana's New Year's Eve, the carnival, Bossa Nova and samba,...

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Iguazu Falls 

 

A Tupi-Guarani legend explains the emergence of Iguazu Falls ...
"Many years ago, the Iguaçu River flowed freely, without rapids or waterfalls. On its banks lived caingangues Indians, who believed that the great shaman M'Boy was the serpent god, son of Tupã.

Ignobi, chief of the tribe, had a daughter named Naipi, who was to be consecrated to the cult of the god M'Boy, a deity in the form of a great serpent.
Tarobá, young warrior of the tribe fell in love with Naipi and on the day of the young woman's consecration, they fled to the river that called them : "Tarobá, Naipí, come with me!"

Both went down the river in a canoe.

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M'Boy, furious with the fugitives, in the form of a large snake, penetrated the earth and twisted, causing landslides that fell over the river, forming the abyss of the falls. Surrounded by the waters, they fell from a great height. Tarobá became a palm tree on the edge of the abyss, and Naipí, a stone by the great waterfall, constantly flogged by the force of the waters. Guarded by M'Boy, the serpent-god, they remain there, Tarobá condemned to contemplate his beloved forever without being able to touch her. "

Buemos Aires 

 

Located on the western coast of the Rio de la Plata estuary, Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city in Argentina, and the 2nd largest metropolitan area in South America, after Greater São Paulo. The Greater Buenos Aires conurbation includes several districts in the province of Buenos Aires and constitutes the 3rd largest urban agglomeration in Latin America, with about 13 million people. Buenos Aires is considered an Alfa Global City, like São Paulo and Mexico.In 1880, after decades of political struggle, Buenos Aires was federalized and separated from the province of Buenos Aires. The 1994 constitutional amendment granted the city political autonomy, hence its formal name : Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires. In 1996, its citizens elected for the first time a mayor, previously directly appointed by the President of the Republic.

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Lakes & Volcanoes region (Northern Patagonia)

Large natural lakes with peaceful and transparent waters, surrounded by green hills and preserved forests, dominated by the most majestic volcanoes of the Andes (some of which are still active) with perfect symmetries and snow-capped, lined with typical villages or internationally renowned resorts,... this is the region of lakes and volcanoes : exceptionally beautiful and varied, tremendously relaxing.

Our loop self driving tour in the Lakes & Volcanoes region crosses 2 Argentine provinces and 3 Chilean regions :

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Rio Negro province : The most famous place of the 4th largest province of Argentine, created in 1955, is San Carlos de Bariloche, for its ski resorts and superb hiking in the nice mountains all around, as well as for its hotels, restaurants and luxury shops. We will spend the first and last day of our trip in San Carlos de Bariloche, at the edge of the beautiful Lake Nahuel Huapi, in the border between the provinces of Rio Negro and Neuquén.

Southern Patagonia

Known as a land of explorers, navigators and adventurers, it is historically the land of the Amerindians. Since the first traces of human civilization around 35,000 BC, several tribes inhabited the region, mainly between 12,000 and 8,000 BC : the Picunches (the largest Mapuche community of that time), the Huilliches and Chonos in central Patagonia; the Onas, the Yagans and the Alacufes in southern Patagonia; and the Mánekenkes who lived in Tierra del Fuego for 10,000 years. In the Andes, these populations hunted guanacos, llamas, rheas and two extinct species : the mylodons (big bears with camelid heads) and hippidion horses. On the coast, they lived fishing on lenga bark canoes and also fed on Lhao-Lhao mushrooms.

After the discovery of the strait linking the Pacific and Atlantic oceans by the Portuguese navigator Fernando de Magellan in 1520, Patagonia became the scene of conflicts between the Mapuche Indians and the Spanish colonizers led by Pedro de Valdivia, who died in 1553, a year before the Mapuches of the chief Lautaro win the battle of Marihueñu. The Mapuches reconquered most of Araucania but the clashes continued until the nineteenth century, without, however, harming the progressive evangelization of Amerindians.

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Local Gastronomy
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Local Gastronomy

While enjoying fantastic landscapes, we can also feast on delicious local gastronomy !