Northern Patagonia, an exquisite wonderland of glaciated mountains, sparkling lakes, and rich deep forests, is the spectacular setting for this exclusive adventure. Based at deluxe lakefront lodges in Los Alerces and Nahuel Huapi National Parks, home to numerous lakes, crystal-clear brooks and rivers, and forests of the giant Sequoia–like Patagonia cypress, you'll hike on forested trails up to mountain ridges, kayak deep blue glacier waters, or choose to engage in other activities like horseback riding or mountain biking. At the end of each day you'll relax in the lodges' sumptuous settings, both of which feature gourmet restaurants where you can dine like a king on delicious regional fare, including the famous parrilla (Argentine barbecue), and sip wine from cellars stocked with the best Argentine wines.

TRIP HIGHLIGHTS

• Discover Patagonia’s beautiful Lake District—“The Mediterranean of Patagonia!”
• Hike and sea kayak in Los Alerces and Nahuel Huapi National Parks, with their lush forests and sparkling lakes (plus options to ride horses and go biking)
• Enjoy the good life in deluxe lakefront lodges (wonderful wines and great cuisine!)

DAY 1 ~ Buenos Aires

Arrive in Buenos Aires, Argentina. You will be met at the international airport and transferred to the hotel. The remainder of the day is free to rest, relax, or explore on your own. You may wish to take an optional sightseeing tour, including La Boca, San Telmo (antiques market), Costanera Sur (docks by the river), the Plaza de Mayo (Government House), and the Recoleta district in the northwest sector of the city, famous mainly for its nightlife but also well worth a visit by day. Close by are the National Cemetery with the tombs of many famous people (among them Eva Peron) and the Museum of Fine Arts. The downtown district, especially along Calle Florida, contains many galerias (huge enclosed shopping malls) with dozens of stores and colorful stands. Meals on your own.

Loi Suites Hotel

DAY 2 ~ Los Alerces National Park

Transfer to the airport and fly to Bariloche, located in Patagonia's Lake District. You will be met upon arrival and transferred via a scenic drive to Los Alerces National Park, which was created in 1937 to protect the last refuge of the alerce, one of the oldest trees on Earth (and often called "the redwood of South America"). The park is also home to forests of maitenes, coihues (the tallest tree species in the Notofagus family), the relatively rare, beautiful, and aromatic arrayán tree, and notros tree species, attendant bird and mammal species (endangered fauna species include the huemul (Andean deer), pudú (a miniature deer), araucana pigeon, and huiña cat), as well as many lakes, rivers, and crystal-clear brooks and streams. The human presence is here, too: traces of primitive cultures in the way of rock paintings have been found at sites on the Río Desaguadero.

Arrive at Lago Verde Wilderness Resort, located on the shores of Lago Verde, a wonderful spot from which to contemplate the beauty of the area and enjoy Patagonian hospitality. Each of the resort's three luxury bungalows boasts magnificent views of the forest and the lake. Meals reflecting the local flavor are served in the gourmet restaurant or, if you so desire, delivered right to your bungalow, where a private candlelit dinner can be arranged! The remainder of the day is free to rest, relax, or explore on your own. There are many walkways throughout the park, as well as some for vehicles, horseback riding, and cycling.

Breakfast...Lago Verde Lodge

DAY 3 ~ Los Alerces National Park

Today you can take a full day self guided hike through the native virgin forest. More than 75 miles of well maintained trails wend their way throughout the park, and are marked at intervals with red spots, so it's easy to find your way.

Breakfast...Lago Verde Lodge

DAY 4 ~ Los Alerces National Park

Another full day in Los Alerces National Park. The alerces in this forest are among the most ancient living things on Earth, rivaling the bristlecone pines of the mountains of the Western United States. The gigantic alerce called "El Abuelo" (The Grandfather) is more than 2,300 years old and around 185 feet tall; it takes more than eight people to encircle its trunk!

Today you'll have the chance to hike with local guides at Lago Cisne and enjoy a picnic lunch in view of hanging glaciers, sparkling lakes, and the park's exuberant vegetation.

Breakfast, Lunch...Lago Verde Lodge

DAY 5 ~ Nahuel Huapi National Park

We leave Lago Verde behind and drive north on gravel roads through the Cholila Valley to Bariloche. En route we'll visit the Leleque Pioneer Patagonia Museum, located on the plains of the Estancia Benetton. The museum displays Patagonia's history, melded by early Indian communities and the European pioneers who wrote their story in these lands. After the museum visit, we'll drive through Epuyén, El Bolsón (the first town in Argentina to declare itself a nuclear-free zone), and Mascardi Lake, arriving at the Aldebarán Hotel near Bariloche later in the day. The Aldebarán Hotel is located on the San Pedro Peninsula, just 14 miles from Bariloche, and is pleasantly situated in a beautiful setting, with forests, mountains, and Lago Nahuel Huapi (pronounced nah-well wah-pee) filling the views. Its ten exclusive rooms overlook the lake, and each has individual balconies providing you with unlimited enjoyment of nature.

Breakfast, Lunch...Aldebarán Hotel

DAY 6 ~ Nahuel Huapi National Park

Nahuel Huapi National Park is the oldest national park in Argentina and was created to preserve its unique flora and fauna. You'll be picked up at the hotel by your guides for an unforgettable day of hiking in the nearby mountains. An alfresco gourmet picnic lunch may be the highlight of the day!

Breakfast, Lunch...Aldebarán Hotel

DAY 7 ~ Nahuel Huapi National Park

Today you'll explore Nahuel Huapi´'s deep-blue glacier lakes and shores up-close from the seat of sturdy two-person kayaks. We plan to kayak the waters of Lago Nahuel Huapi, the centerpiece of Nahuel Huapi National Park, but on windy days we'll move our kayak excursion to one of the nearby (and just as beautiful) more protected lakes. (Note—the paddling is easy and no previous experience is needed, but if you prefer not to kayak, you're welcome to spend the day relaxing at the hotel enjoying its views, outdoor pool, or spa facilities.) During the day of paddling we'll take plenty of stops for breaks, snacks, a long lunch, maybe a walk on a beach, and on warm days we can swim in the lake. We'll be back at the hotel in the afternoon in time for you to relax and enjoy the sunset (and perhaps a drink) before dinner.

Breakfast, Lunch...Aldebarán Hotel

DAY 8 ~ Return to Buenos Aires and fly home

The morning is at leisure to savor the last moments of this incredible getaway. Transfer to the airport in Bariloche and fly to Buenos Aires. Connect with homeward-bound flight or continue with other individual travel on your own.

Breakfast...

Stay a Little Longer

You may wish to combine this trip with one of our regular group departures in South America, our Patagonia Private Adventure or Iberá Wetlands & Iguazu Falls Private Adventure

Prefer a Group Adventure?
Check out our Hidden Patagonia group adventure or our many other group departures to Patagonia.

Arrival & Departure Information

You will be met at Buenos Aires' international airport on Day 1 and transferred to the Loi Suites Hotel. The trip ends in Buenos Aires on Day 8.

Air Travel

Airfare is not included in the land cost of our trips. For air reservations, we recommend you contact the airlines directly, either by phone or the Internet. In addition, many travelers elect to use their "frequent flyer" miles when traveling with us. But please check with our staff before purchasing or obtaining your tickets, so we may verify your arrival and departure schedule.

Activity Level

We rate this trip as "easy to moderate." Several planned hikes in both Los Alerces and Nahuel Huapi National Parks are included, as well as a day of sea kayaking on Lago Nahuel Huapi (no previous experience is required). Other optional activities include horseback riding and mountain biking (at additional cost).

If you are not optimally conditioned, we recommend that you start a training program at least three months before departure, gradually increasing the intensity and duration. If your health is questionable or your physical stamina is limited, please discuss other trip options with us.

Your Guide

At each destination of your journey, knowledgeable local guides attached to the accommodation will accompany you on daily activities. They are all experts in their fields and will provide fascinating insights and perspectives on what you’re seeing. You may be accompanied by other visitors staying at the lodge.

What's Included

• services of English-speaking local guides
• accommodations
• meals as noted (B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner)
• airport transfers on Days 1, 2 & 8
• guided excursions on Days 4, 6 & 7 as noted in the itinerary
• transfer from Bariloche airport to Los Alerces National Park
• transfer from Los Alerces National Park to Bariloche
• entrance fees
• basic medical and evacuation insurance

What's Not

International airfare to Buenos Aires and return; optional tips to local guides; insurance other than basic medical and evacuation insurance noted above (we strongly recommend you purchase the supplementary trip insurance offered by Mountain Travel Sobek, which includes trip cancellation insurance); excess baggage charges; airport taxes (if any); cost of medical immunizations; and items of a personal nature (sodas, alcoholic beverages, laundry, etc.). Unused transportation to/during the tour will not be reimbursed.

Payment & Cancellation Policy

(This differs from regular Mountain Travel Sobek trips.)

I. Payment
At time of reservation: $800 or 25% of Land Cost, whichever is greater
120 days prior to departure: 25% of Land Cost
90 days prior to departure: Balance of Land Cost

II. Cancellation
If written notice of cancellation is received, Cancellation Fee will be:
From time of reservation until
90 days prior to departure: $800 or 25% of Land Cost, whichever is greater
89 to 60 days prior to departure: 50% of Land Cost
59 days or fewer prior to departure: 100% of Land Cost

Note on Itinerary

This itinerary has been carefully designed for optimal value. You may wish to combine this tour with another or add extensions at the beginning or end of your trip. However, if you wish to customize this tour, other terms and conditions apply (ask us about information on customized adventures). Travel Agent commissions or any type of other discounts do not apply to custom tours.

Although we will do our best to adhere to the itinerary schedule as listed, it is subject to change. Please read the Limitation of Liability and Booking Conditions in the four-page Participant Information Form. You can find all this information on our website.

Limitation of Liability

“Mountain Travel Sobek” is defined to include its owners, agents, directors, officers, employees, representatives and affiliates (collectively “Mountain Travel”). Except for the Alaska Discovery Inn, some small craft and some vans in Alaska, Mountain Travel does not own or operate any entity that provides goods or services for your trip including, for example, ownership or control over hotels or other lodging facilities, airline, vessel, bus, van or other transportation companies, local ground operators, providers or organizers of optional excursions, food service or entertainment providers, etc. All such persons and entities are independent contractors. As a result, Mountain Travel is not liable for any negligent or willful act or failure to act of any such person or entity, or of any other third party. Without limitation, Mountain Travel Sobek is not responsible for any injury, loss, or damage to person or property, death, delay or inconvenience in connection with the provision of any goods or services occasioned by or resulting from, but not limited to, acts of God, force majeure, acts of war or civil unrest, insurrection or revolt, strikes or other labor activities, criminal or terrorist activities of any kind, overbooking or downgrading of accommodations, structural or other defective conditions in hotels or other lodging facilities, mechanical or other failure of airplanes or other means of transportation or for any failure of any transportation mechanism to arrive or depart timely, dangers associated with animals, marine life or vegetation of any sort, dangers incident to recreational activities such as scuba diving, snorkeling, swimming, kayaking, sailing, canoeing, rafting, hiking, bicycling, rock climbing, etc., sanitation problems, food poisoning, lack of, access to or quality of medical care, difficulty in evacuation in case of a medical or other emergency, or for any other cause beyond the direct control of Mountain Travel. In addition, participants release Mountain Travel from its own negligence and assume all risk thereof. On advancement of deposit to Mountain Travel, the depositor therefore agrees to be bound by the above recited terms and conditions. These are partial conditions. Your participation is contingent on your signature on the full list of terms specified in the four-page Participant Information Form, which you can find on our website (or call us at 1-888-687-6235 and request a copy).

Arbitration

Any dispute concerning, relating or referring to these Terms and Conditions, to any literature concerning this trip, or the trip itself, shall be resolved exclusively by binding arbitration in San Francisco, California, according to the then existing rules of the American Arbitration Association. Such proceedings will be governed by substantive California law without regard to the California Arbitration Act.

Conditions of Participation

Your participation on a Mountain Travel Sobek trip is subject to the conditions stated in the four-page Participant Information Form, which includes the Agreement and Release from Liability and the Booking Conditions. Specific information on payment and cancellation policies is also contained within this document, as well as in our current catalog and on our website. We urge you to read this information carefully, and to call us at 1-888-MTSOBEK (687-6235) if you have any questions.

Why Mountain Travel Sobek is Your First Choice for Adventure

Mountain Travel Sobek is the pioneer in active adventure travel. No other adventure travel company can lay claim to that title. We were the first to take Americans trekking in Nepal, raft the wild rivers of Africa, and open up many previously inaccessible corners of the world to curious travelers. We set the standard for adventure travel and have a strong reputation for excellence that we do everything we can to maintain. Since we are the leading adventure company, we have a lot to live up to, so we make sure we provide safe, quality trips and the best customer service to our passengers.

References

Don't take our word for how great our trips are. We'll be happy to provide you with references of satisfied past travelers. Just give us a call at 1-888-MTSOBEK (687-6235).

Questions?

Feel free to call us at 1-888-MTSOBEK (687-6235) if you still have any questions or concerns. We're here to help you.

Note on Itinerary

Although we will do our very best to adhere to the itinerary schedule as listed, it is subject to change for numerous reasons beyond our control. Please read the Limitations of Liability and Booking Conditions in the four-page Participant Information Form.

This itinerary has been carefully designed for optimal value. You may wish to combine this tour with another or add extensions at the beginning or end of your trip. However, if you wish to customize this tour, other terms and conditions apply (ask us about information on customized adventures). Travel Agent commissions or any type of other discounts do not apply to this tour.

Conditions of Participation

Your participation on a Mountain Travel Sobek trip is subject to the conditions stated in the four-page Participant Information Form, which includes the Agreement and Release from Liability and the Booking Conditions. We urge you to read this information carefully, and to call us if you have any questions.

Note on Services

We often use local suppliers who provide services that may include transportation, equipment, logistic support, and other services (hotels, restaurants, etc.). We do not own or operate these independent suppliers. We work with service providers who share our commitment to safety and quality, and work closely with them to develop itineraries unique to Mountain Travel Sobek.

Ready to go? Signing up is easy!

Just call us at 1-888-MTSOBEK (687-6235) or make a reservation request online. Immediately after we receive your deposit, we will request your preferred dates. Upon confirmation (usually within four business days), we will send you a packet with all the information you need to get ready for your trip, including clothing recommendations, suggested reading lists, and other details.

Approximately 30 days before your departure, we'll send you detailed, step-by-step instructions, with emergency contact numbers, a detailed map, and other important information. Upon arrival at your destination, you will be met by your in-country host who will help orient you and describe what to expect in the week to come.