|
We
are pleased to be offering this great trip at our discounted wholesale
rate of $12,860 per person.
Travel Industry Retail Price - $26,352
|
Day |
Day of Week |
Date |
Destination |
Activity |
|
1 |
Friday |
12/3/2010 |
Home to Miami |
You will fly from your home to Miami on your own account. Please plan
to arrive no later than 5 PM. Upon arrival you will be transferred to
our local hotel. Tonight catch up with old friends and get acquainted
with new ones at dinner. Then it's off to bed for a good rest and an
early morning start on the big adventure. (D) |
|
2 |
Saturday |
12/4/2010 |
Miami to El Calafate |
Our formal itinerary begins as we will spend all of today and part of
tomorrow traveling to the end of the world. Connections to El
Calafate are tight and it will be a long flight with several
connections. Meals will be served onboard the aircraft and/or at
layover airports. We will arrive in El Calafate tomorrow. (B,L,D) |
|
3 |
Sunday |
12/5/2010 |
El Calafate |
We will be met at the El Calafate Airport by our Patagonia Trek
company and transferred to our lodging in El Calafate. We will have
shared hostel rooms with shared baths. Get ready for the "hiking
experience." At 7 PM we will meet the guides and have an introduction
to the details regarding the trek. We will enjoy a welcome dinner with
our adventure partners while chatting about the program details for
tomorrow. (B,L,D) |
|
4 |
Monday |
12/6/2010 |
El Calafate - Torres del Paine |
We depart early in the morning (around 7 AM) from El Calafate to
Torres del Paine for a 6 Hs drive through the spectacular landscape of
the Patagonia steppe following part of the legendary Route 40, to get
around Sierra de los Baguales, an impressive range in between Calafate
and Paine. Choiques and flamingos are very common in this area. Almost
4 hours from starting our journey, we will be at the border crossing
between Chile and Argentina called Paso Cancha Carrera - Cerro
Castillo. We continue until we reach the Torres del Paine National
Park. UNESCO gave to this park the World Heritage status to this park
due to its unique wildlife and magnificent scenery. During our
entrance to the Torres del Paine National Park, we start to see the
different mountains that feature the area: Paine Grande, the Horns,
Admiral Nieto and the Towers. We enter the Park by Porteria Sarmiento.
A rich wildlife: guanacos, lesser rheas, condors and all types of
wetland and buzzard birds, will be available for our eyes and cameras.
We will stop in Lake Nordenskjöld and in Salto Grande viewpoints for
short walks, to finally arrive to Pehoe Lake Full Camp after 6 hours
of travel. Lake Pehoe Full Camp keeps the style of Laguna Capri and
Cerro Torre Full Camps, but combined with the first class facilities
provided by the campsite: good and clean bathrooms and hot water
showers, water and electricity in each camping site. In the afternoon
we continue to visit the westernmost side of the National Park, Lake
Grey area, where a short and easy hike along the south shore of the
lake allows us to enjoy the blue icebergs that calf from the glacier
in the northern side of the lake and are pushed by the wind to this
side. Lodging at Camping Pehoe Full Camp double or single tent (with
bathrooms/showers). (B,L,D) |
|
5 |
Tuesday |
12/7/2010 |
Las Torres - Ascensio river Valley |
We dedicate this day to one of the most spectacular and classical
trekking in the park: the Torres Trail. We transfer after breakfast
driving to the trail start at Estancia Cerro Paine. We cross a
suspended bridge and ascend the slopes of the Almirante Nieto Mount,
bordering the Ascencio river. After one hour hiking up a steep slope,
we get into the Ascensio river Valley, a narrow “V” shape alpine
valley coming from inside the Paine massif. After one hour ascending
we go into the Valley, and a gentle downhill leads us to Chileno
Refuge, a cozy and comfortable mountain lodge, which can be a good
turnaround point for those not willing to make a full day hike. But we
don't recommend it as the best is yet to come. From there the trail
leads us through the beech forest walking in a gentle slope along the
river side, in the middle of unforgettable landscapes, to Las Torres
base camp. There the climbers wait good weather conditions to climb
Las Torres. We take a final climb through the boulders of the moraine,
it's one hour to reach the Las Towers viewpoint: an amazing natural
amphitheater at the bottom of the vertical granite towers with a
glacier-fed lagoon and the three towers rising vertically 1000 mts
from the glacier and reaching 2800 meters height above sea level. The
lack of breath will be either because the climb and the sight. We go
back to our camp on the same way we came. Walking time: 7 to 8 Hs.
Lodging at Camping Pehoe Full Camp double or single tent (with
bathrooms/showers). (B,L,D) |
|
6 |
Wednesday |
12/8/2010 |
Pehoe Lake Navigation, Del Frances Valley |
Early in the morning we carry only the necessary belongings to be 2
days and 1 night away from our Camping Pehoe Full Camp, where the rest
of our luggage will stay secure. After a short drive to Port Pudeto to
board a boat, we cross sailing 45 minutes the Pehoe Lake and arrive at
the Pehoe Refuge area in the far side of the lake. We leave
unnecessary items in our tents and walk from there until reaching Del
Frances Valley. It’s a beautiful mountain valley descending from the
middle of the massif towards the Nordenskjold Lake. Flanked by The
Horns to the east and by the impressive Paine Grande (3050 meters
/10006 ft) to the west. The trail skirts Paine Grande south slopes and
lake Skottberg, to take us after 2 hs and a half of continuous ups and
downs, to the hanging bridge upon the French River. This breathtaking
location is at the foot of both the 2700 mts south east face of Paine
Grande (to the west) and the Horns, with its characteristic black
sedimentary topping, to the east. We ascend the valley until the upper
viewpoints located in a natural amphitheater surrounded by some of the
most wonderful needles and walls of the massif: Cuernos, Espada
(Sword), Mascara (Mask), Hoja (Blade), Aleta de Tiburon (Shark Fin),
Catedral (Cathedral), Fortaleza (Fortress) and Paine Grande. The
forest and the suspended glaciers that cause continuous ice and snow
fallings, give us a unique scenery to this walk. We descend the same
trail and turn west rounding Skottberg Lake until we arrive to our
Camp for this night at Pehoe Refuge area. Walking time for those who
reach the upper viewpoints: 8 to 9 hs. For those reaching the lower
viewpoints: 5 to 6 hs. Lodging at Refugio Pehoe Full Camp in double
or single tent (with bathrooms/showers). (B,L,D) |
|
7 |
Thursday |
12/9/2010 |
Grey Glacier Viewpoints |
Another unforgettable day dedicated to the Grey Glacier, impressive
glacier with 300 square kilometers of surface (115 square miles) and
25 kilometers long (16 miles). It overflows from the Patagonia Ice
Field falling into Grey Lake. The Glacier produces enormous amount of
blue icebergs that sail over the lake pushed by the wind towards the
south, given the characteristic feature to this lake. Lake Grey trail
leads from Pehoe Valley across ridges to reach Grey valley. The trail
skirts the lake, going up and down the westerns slopes of Paine
Grande, offering some of the most impressive sights of the Park,
leading us to a wonderful viewpoint where we can appreciate the whole
lake, the glacier and the mountains that emerge from the west of the
Ice Field. From the high sections of the trail, many different
viewpoints allow us to see the south end of the lake where the blue
icebergs gather, the mountains rising far in the distance above
glaciers Grey and Tyndall, and of course lake and glacier Grey. Two
more hours walking and we arrive to another viewpoint just in front of
the Glacier. All the trek is done between Andean bushes and lengas
forest, at the shadow of the ice blocks that drape the Paine Grande
Mount.We come back along the same trail, crossing bogs, shrublands and
forest. At the end of the day we sail back again the Pehoe Lake to the
south shore and then we go to our accommodation in Puerto Natales, a
picturesque fishermen town located in the shores of the Ultima
Esperanza (Last Hope) fjord. We walk this day about 8 hours. To the
half way viewpoints, round way from our camp, 4-5 hours. Lodging at
Hostel shared room & bathroom. (B,L,D) |
|
8 |
Friday |
12/10/2010 |
Puerto Natales - Rio Grande |
Long drive today, though quite worthwhile. We leave Puerto Natales
down south to reach the southernmost part of the continent, the
legendary Magellan Strait, which we will keep on sight up to Primera
Angostura, where we board the Ferry in which we will cross the Strait.
This Pass, discovered by Hernando de Magallanes in 1520, was the
natural and logical way to all vessels until de Panama Channel was
open at the beginning of the XXth century. You will find yourselves
wondering how those brave men dare to sail those waters in such
fragile caravels. Once in Tierra del Fuego (literally, Land of Fire,
due to the fires seen in the coast by the first european sailors, done
by the local Indians to cook and heat) we enter back Argentina through
Paso San Sebastián. A couple more hours to reach Estancia Las Hijas,
where our Full Camp will be waiting for us, as well as a lamb cooked
in the classical Patagonian barbecue style. A dinning saloon,
toilettes and showers are available tonight. Lodging at Full Camp in
double or single tent (with bathrooms/showers). (B,L,D) |
|
9 |
Saturday |
12/11/2010 |
Rio Grande - Tierra Mayor Valley |
In the morning we learn about the ranch activities and how dogs deal
with the sheep. By mid morning we continue south and driving a
mountain path in the De Los Andes Cordillera we arrive to Solar del
Bosque, a small and cozy mountain refuge located in the Tierra Mayor
valley, where we’ll spend the rest of the day. After lunch, we go
hiking to Laguna Esmeralda, a beautiful lagoon with Glacier Ojos del
Albino in the background. We walk back to our lodge across a terrain
full of beavers, which were introduced in the area from Canada around
mid last century, and have notably modified the ecosystem. We can
appreciate the huge changes the beavers are producing in this area.
Lodging at Mountain Refuge with shared room & bathroom. (B,L,D) |
|
10 |
Sunday |
12/12/2010 |
Ushuaia–Tierra del Fuego N. Park–Beagle Channel Boat Trip |
We leave behind the valley and a half an hour drive leads us to
Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the World. We leave our luggage in
our hostel or hotel (we will not check in, as it is still early in the
morning) and continue to Tierra del Fuego National Park, in the island
south west corner that limit Argentina and Chile, where the Andes
mountain range ("Cordillera de Los Andes") goes under the sea, an
spectacular landscape characteristic of this island. We make a short
hike in this area. After having our Box Lunch we navigate the Beagle
Channel in a boat. The Beagle Channel, in the south shore of the
Tierra del Fuego Island, forms part of the border between Argentina
and Chile. In addition to the great scenery, we should see many
species of marine mammals and birds. We will enjoy our last dinner in
the southernmost city in the World. Tonight we say goodbye to our
guides and stay one night in the hostel provided by the trek company.
(B,L,D) |
|
11 |
Monday |
12/13/2010 |
Ushuaia |
Today we transfer to the hotel arranged by our cruise company and then
enjoy a full free day in town resting, shopping, sightseeing, doing
laundry, and getting ready for the cruise. Lunch today is on your own
account. This evening we will meet up with our friends who have just
flown in today and then head off to dinner. |
|
|
|
|
NOTE: Those beginning our adventure with the cruise will join us
today in Ushuaia. Your flight from Miami will be scheduled to arrive
in Ushuaia in time to meet up with the rest of the group this evening. |
|
12 |
Tuesday |
12/14/2010 |
Cruise |
After our included breakfast you will have free time to explore
Ushuaia before boarding our expedition ship in the afternoon. We will
all gather at an agreed place for our included lunch before being
transferred to the ship. Our icebreaking cruiser follows the Beagle
Channel into the open waters of the Drake Passage. (B,L,D) |
|
13 |
Wednesday |
12/15/2010 |
Cruise |
Drake Passage to Antarctica. There will be many onboard presentations
and activites to prepare us for our adventure. (B.L.D) |
|
14 |
Thursday |
12/16/2010 |
Cruise |
Drake Passage. (B,L,D) |
|
15 |
Friday |
12/17/2010 |
Cruise |
South Shetland Islands. (B,L,D) |
|
16 |
Saturday |
12/18/2010 |
Cruise |
South Shetland Islands. (B,L,D) |
|
17 |
Sunday |
12/19/2010 |
Cruise |
Antarctic Peninsula. (B,L,D) |
|
18 |
Monday |
12/20/2010 |
Cruise |
Antarctic Peninsula. (B,L,D) |
|
19 |
Tuesday |
12/21/2010 |
Cruise |
Drake Passage. (B,L,D) |
|
20 |
Wednesday |
12/22/2010 |
Cruise |
Drake Passage. (B,L,D) |
|
21 |
Thursday |
12/23/2010 |
Ushuaia to Buenos Aires |
Today we return to Ushuaia. Upon arrival we will be tranferred to the
Ushuaia airport to take our flight to Buenos Aires. Upon arrival in
Buenos Aires we will check into our hotel and gather this evening for
dinner in the hotel or at a local restaurant. (B,L,D) |
|
|
|
|
NOTE: Those beginning the adventure here will join us in Buenos
Aires. Your flight from Miami will be scheduled to arrive in time to
meet up with the rest of the group this evening. |
|
22 |
Friday |
12/24/2010 |
Buenos Aires |
Today is a full free day to relax, catch up on email, do laundry, and
get in some last minute free shopping. Lunch is on your own today.
Tonight we will gather for dinner in the hotel or at a local
restaurant. (B,L,D) |
|
23 |
Saturday |
12/25/2010 |
Buenos Aires |
Merry Christmas in Buenos Aires. Today is a planned surprize day to
relax and enjoy the holiday. What a magical day it will be exploring
the city and a few surprises! This evening we will gather for a
holiday dinner and a "secret Santa" give exchange. (B,L,D) |
|
24 |
Sunday |
12/26/2010 |
Buenos Aires |
A full day of touring the city with a private guide includes lunch.
Today's tour will be away from the traditional tourist haunts as we
explore the different neighborhoods of this famous city. While we
will include notable landmarks such as the Pink House, museums, and
churches, our focus will be more in tune with feeling the rhythum of
the city, it's sound, colors, and people. Following this special tour
we will gather for dinner at the hotel or a local restaurant. (B,L,D) |
|
25 |
Monday |
12/27/2010 |
Buenos Aires |
A full free day to relax and do whatever you want in Buenos Aires. We
will include suggestions and maps in your packets. Lunch today is on
your own account. This we evening we gather together for dinner at
the hotel or a local restaurant. (B,L,D) |
|
26 |
Tuesday |
12/28/2010 |
Buenos Aires to Montevideo |
Today we begin our journey northeast by bus and ferry to Uruguay and
its capitol city Montevideo. Upon arrival we will enjoy an overview
of the city by tour bus before checking into our hotel Dinner will be
on site or at a local restaurant. (B,L,D) |
|
27 |
Wednesday |
12/29/2010 |
Montevideo to Colonia |
Today we travel north through Uruguay to the historic town of Colonia.
Upon arrival we will enjoy free time before gathering at our local
hotel for dinner. (B,L,D) |
|
28 |
Thursday |
12/30/2010 |
Colonia to Iquazu Falls |
From Colonia we will travel along the Argentine and Brazilian border
through the town of Salto. Along the way we will visit the famous
Jesuit ruins. Upon arrival in Iquazu we will check into our hotel for
the balance of day and then gather for dinner later that evening. (B,L,D) |
|
29 |
Friday |
12/31/2010 |
Iquazu Falls |
Today we will spend the entire day touring the national park from the
Argentine side, viewing the falls, and enjoying the thrill of a boat
ride through the spray. Wear your rain gear. Afterwards we will take
a ride through the jungle to dry off. This evening we will gather
together for dinner at the hotel or a local restaurant and celebrate
New Year's Eve! (B,L,D) |
|
30 |
Saturday |
1/1/2011 |
Iquazu Falls |
Happy New Year! 'Today we will spend the entire day touring the
national park from the Brazillian side viewing the falls. This
evening we will gather together for dinner at the hotel or a local
restaurant. (B,L,D) |
|
31 |
Sunday |
1/2/2011 |
Iquazu Falls to the Amazon |
Today we transfer to the international airport for our flight to
Manaus in the heart of the Amazon rainforest. Upon arrival we will be
transferred to our hotel. Dinner will be served at the hotel or a
local restaurant. (B,L,D) |
|
|
|
|
NOTE: For those in our group not continuing on to the Amazon you will
take a return flight to Buenos Aires for your connection back to
Miami. |
|
32 |
Monday |
1/3/2011 |
Manaus - |
Meeting at the lobby of the Tropical Hotel at 14:00 hrs. Boarding and
depart toward Amazon River while we enjoy a welcome drink and listen
to the information about route and facilities. After a snack we meet
us in the leisure room for lectures about Amazon where we will get a
good start on understanding Amazon ecology while the vessel take us
the Amazon upstream. Before dinner we may already ordered a caipirinha,
the national drink of Brazil. After dinner we will explore the river's
edge with powerful searchlights and we see caiman, close relatives of
crocodile, sometimes incluiding night-hawks, snakes, toro-rats, sloth
and frogs. |
|
33 |
Tuesday |
1/4/2011 |
Manaus |
Early morning canoe trip for bird-watching. There are good chances of
seeing Hoatzins and large flocks of Egrets and Cormorants. Breakfast.
Walk in the forest with commentaries by the specialist. Visit to the
inhabitants of the lake who live from manioc plantations, fishing,
diverse fruit trees, rubber, Brazil-nut trees, wood and other
extractive products. Lunch. Navigation. Fishing for piranhas and other
types of fish. Dinner. Night trip to see nocturnal animals, sometimes
including night-hawks, snakes, toro-rats, sloth and frogs. Navigation. |
|
34 |
Wednesday |
1/5/2011 |
Manaus |
Early morning bird-watching trip in the Janauary Ecological Park and
nearby waterways. Breakfast. Navigation past Manaus port, with views
of the floating docks, market, old custom house and houses on stilts.
Navigation to the Pagodăo river (tributary of the Negro). Canoe trip
shortly before sunset, returning after dark, with the possibility of
observing nocturnal animals and perceive the change in the forest as
night falls. Dinner. Navigation to Açu Creek or nearby tributaries. |
|
35 |
Thursday |
1/6/2011 |
Manaus |
Canoe trip at sunrise for bird watching. Breakfast. Walk in the forest
with commentaries by the specialist. Observation of the flora. Visit
to a "caboclo" family. Chance to see the local way of life,
preparation of manioc flour (the staple foodstuff of the Amazon), the
health and education situation of the children etc. Lunch. Fishing for
piranhas. Navigation through the Anavilhanas, the world's largest
fresh water archipelago, more then 1000 miles from the ocean.
Navigation. Dinner. Night trip to see caimans and possibly frogs,
sloth, snakes and other species, depending on the season. |
|
36 |
Friday |
1/7/2011 |
Manaus |
Breakfast. Visit to the village of Novo Airăo, with its handicraft
boat yards where the "AMAZON CLIPPER" was built, sawmills, market and
other activities. Navigation to Praia Grande or other white sand
beach. Swimming if conditions permit, and observation of the
vegetation of sandy areas. Lunch. Canoe trip in Lake Acajatuba or
adjacent lake domains to see typical flora (rubber trees, Brazil nuts,
useful palm trees of various types). Dinner. Navigation. |
|
37 |
Saturday |
1/8/2011 |
Manaus |
Lake Janauary. Canoe trip at sunrise for bird watching. Breakfast.
Navigation to the "Meeting of the Waters". Return to the Tropical
Hotel landing-stage, with fine views of Manaus waterfront. Arrival at
11:30 hrs. |
|
38 |
Sunday |
1/9/2011 |
Manaus |
A full free day to relax and do whatever you want in Manaus. Lunch is
on your own account. We will include suggestions and maps in your
packets. (B,D) |
|
39 |
Monday |
1/10/2011 |
Manaus to Rio |
We leave the Amazon and fly to Rio de Janeiro. Upon arrival we will
check into our local hotel and enjoy free time before gathering for
dinner. (B,L,D) |
|
40 |
Tuesday |
1/11/2011 |
Rio de Janeiro |
Today we will enjoy a full day guided tour of the city. No visit to
Rio is complete without a trip to the world famous statue of Jesus on
top of Mt. Corcovado. Standing 100 feet tall on the mountain top, the
statue commands the best view in town. This evening we will gather
together for dinner at the hotel or a local restaurant. (B,L,D) |
|
41 |
Wednesday |
1/12/2011 |
Rio de Janeiro |
A full free day to relax and do whatever you want in Rio de Janeiro.
We will include suggestions and maps in your packets. Lunch is on
your own account. This evening we will gather togethe for dinner at
the hotel or a local restaurant. (B,D) |
|
42 |
Thursday |
1/13/2011 |
Rio de Janeiro to Miami |
Today we take a flight back to our original US departure city. Upon
arrival we will be transferred to our hotel for a good night's rest.
This evening we will gather for our farewell dinner at the hotel or a
local restaurant. (B,L,D) |
|
43 |
Friday |
1/14/2011 |
US departure city to Home |
Today you return to your home city on your own account. |
|