Patagonian holiday

country:	Argentina, Patagonia, Chile
trip type:	Strenuous walking holidays
departures:	2008: 9 Nov, 23 Nov, 7 Dec, 14 Dec, 21 Dec, 28 Dec 2009: 4 Jan, 11 Jan, 18 Jan, 25 Jan, 1 Feb, 8 Feb, 15 Feb, 22 Feb, 1 Mar, 8 Mar, 15 Mar, 22 Mar, 29 Mar, 5 Apr, 12 Apr
price:	From £990 (15 days) excluding flights. Local payment US $500. We can arrange flights from the UK

Patagonia holidays

Argentina holidays

Wilderness holidays

the amazing things you'll be doing

Follow in the steps of Bruce Chatwin as we explore the wilds of Patagonia - one of the most remote and beautiful wildernessess in the world.

Highlights include:

Witness nature in action at the Moreno Glacier

Enjoy day hikes in Glacier National Park

See the dramatic towers of Torres del Paine

Tour the Otway Penguin Colony

Visit the world's southernmost city & cruise the Beagle Channel

From the tango bars and heaving streets of Buenos Aires we head south to the striking mountain scenery, vast plains and changeable weather of Chilean and Argentine Patagonia. Trek among the spectacular Fitzroy Ranges and the iconic Torres del Paine, and visit the quirky towns and city's at world's end.

day-by-day itinerary

Day 1:	Buenos Aires. Get acquainted with the cosmopolitan heart of Argentina on an afternoon walk past the city's major sights. Buenos Aires is the birthplace of tango - after dining on Argentina's famous steak an evening visit to a milonga, a traditional tango dance hall, is a must.
Day 2-3:	Calafate/Perito Moreno Glacier. Fly south to the town of El Calafate on the shores of Lago Argentino. The following day enjoy a spectacular drive westwards for our first glimpse of the Perito Moreno Glacier. This glacier is probably the best known in Patagonia and is an awesome sight. See nature in action as vivid blue ice crashes into the lake below.
Day 4-5:	Glacier National Park. From our base in El Chalten, spend two days exploring the granite peaks and enormous ice fields of the northern end of the park. Trek to Laguna de Los Tres for panoramic views of the majestic Cerro Fitzroy. The following day, trek to Laguna Torre for more magical views of the surrounding peaks and glaciers.
Day 6-9:	Torres del Paine National Park. Head into the spectacular Torres del Paine National Park to spend two nights camping among the dramatic granite pillars that dot the countryside. Trek through towering mountains, sparkling lakes, waterfalls and glaciers. Keep an eye out for guanacos, flightless rheas, condors and even pink flamingos in this extraordinary park.
Day 10:	Punta Arenas. Head to the shores of the Magellan Strait to explore the historic town of Punta Arenas and watch the penguins waddle at Otway Sound.
Day 11-13:	Ushuaia. Travel to the end of the earth and the world's southernmost city, Ushuaia. From here, take a cruise out along the Beagle Channel and spot wildlife among the small islands and inlets.
Day 14-15:	Buenos Aires. From the tip of the continent fly back north to Buenos Aires for a dose of city life and another delicious steak.

small group adventure holiday

Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places.

highly commended

This tourism business was Highly Commended in our 2007 Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards - the largest awards of their kind in the world, and organised by responsibletravel.com in association with The Times, World Travel Market and Geographical Magazine, of the Royal Geographical Society.

Since 2004, the Awards has recognised individuals, companies and organisations in travel making a big commitment to the culture and economies of local communities and helping to conserve biodiversity.

how this holiday makes a difference

We just can't get enough of the Amazon, not only as a jaw-dropping travel destination but also as a global treasure and this trip will help to ensure that the incredible Amazon Rainforest is here for us to enjoy for generations to come! Our Amazon Fund will help support on the ground projects by our long time partners Greenpeace and WWF. By booking your Latin American adventure with us you're helping us work towards a sustainable future for the Amazon.

This trip gives you plenty of opportunities to get to know the culture and vibrant history of Latin America. There are numerous chances for local interaction as we cover so much ground using all means of public transport. You’ll be surprised how much you can learn from a friendly local who strikes up a conversation during your journey.

Your leader and the occasional local guide will be able to direct you to many local eateries throughout the trip, helping you discover real local fare at real local prices (and probably helping you learn some Spanish at the same time). All travellers are encouraged to explore with the group and on their own, learn a few words of the language and interact with the locals as much as possible.

Local guides are employed to help explain as much as possible about the cultural differences and the historically significant places that we visit. This also allows us to appreciate the importance of preserving and respecting these sites and to help us minimise the impact of our visits.

There are plenty of opportunities to support local merchants in the markets and stalls that we pass along the way. We can purchase traditional handicrafts from local artisans and learn more about the importance of preserving these crafts.

Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people.

We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel.

'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left).

We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays.

We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism.

This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards.