Argentina Glacial Trails

On arrival at Ezeiza International Airport, an English-speaking driver will be there to meet you and transfer you to your hotel in the heart of the city - around an hour's drive.

Buenos Aires is a city of real contrasts: grand European architecture sits alongside Latin energy, tango rhythms spill out onto the streets, and the food scene is genuinely world-class. A great place to begin an adventure.

This morning we explore Buenos Aires by bike - one of the best ways to get under the skin of this sprawling, vibrant city. Over four hours, an English-speaking local guide leads us through some of the city's most iconic neighbourhoods.

We start in La Boca, famous for its colourful streets and impromptu tango performances, before heading to the historic Plaza de Mayo - the political heart of Argentina. From there, we take in the sleek waterfront development of Puerto Madero, before finishing with a wander through San Telmo, Buenos Aires' oldest neighbourhood and a hub for antiques, street art, and bohemian culture.

Buenos Aires - El Calafate - El Chalten. A private transfer takes you to Aeroparque airport around 2.5 hours before your flight south to El Calafate - the gateway to Patagonia. On arrival, collect your pre-booked hire car and head out on the road.

The drive to El Chaltén via the legendary Route 40 takes around four hours and is spectacular in itself - vast open plains, distant peaks, and the kind of horizon that makes you feel very small.

Today's self-guided trek to Laguna de los Tres is one of the finest day hikes in Patagonia. The route winds through lenga beech forests before climbing 400 metres to a viewpoint that earns every step - Mount Fitz Roy looming overhead, Glacier de los Tres spilling into the lagoon below.

From here, the trail continues around the lake toward the lookout over Laguna Sucia and its glacier. A long day out, but an unforgettable one.

Another day to explore at your own pace. If you completed the Laguna de los Tres hike yesterday, the trek to Laguna Torre is a natural next choice - different route, equally dramatic views of the jagged Cerro Torre massif. Alternatively, you might want to swap boots for a saddle and explore the landscape on horseback or mountain bike, or head an hour north to Lago del Desierto, where the glacial lake makes for a quieter, more reflective day out.

El Chalten - El Calafate - El Chalten. A free morning in El Chaltén before the four-hour drive back to El Calafate. El Chaltén itself is worth a final look - a small village of around 500 people that has become one of South America's premier trekking hubs, sitting right at the foot of Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre. If you have time, the La Leona Petrified Forest is a worthwhile detour - the fossilised trees date back 150 million years to the Jurassic period, though you'll need to arrange a guide in advance. Plan your morning so you're back on the road with enough time to make it to El Calafate before dark.

El Chalten - Perito Moreno - El Chalten. The Perito Moreno Glacier is one of the few glaciers in the world that is still growing - and standing on it is an experience unlike any other. A short boat ride brings us to the glacier's edge, where we strap on crampons and set out on an approximately 1 hour 40 minute trek across the ice. Afterwards, the boat takes us close to the glacier's towering face, where enormous blocks of ice calve and crash into the lake with a noise like cannon fire.Please note that mini-trekking is available to guests up to 65 years old; big-trekking is open to those 50 and under.

El Chalten - Torres del Paine. Today we cross the border from Argentina into Chile, self-driving from El Calafate to Torres del Paine National Park - roughly five hours via Route 40 and Route 5. Fill up with fuel at La Esperanza before reaching the border at Cancha Carrera, which leads directly into the park.

Torres del Paine is widely regarded as one of the world's great wilderness destinations. The iconic Torres and Cuernos del Paine rise dramatically from the Patagonian steppe, and the park is home to an impressive range of wildlife - keep an eye out for guanacos, flamingos, rheas, and Andean condors as you make your way through.

Two full days to explore the park at your own pace. An early start on day one is well worth it - hiking to the base of the Torres lookout and watching the sunrise turn the granite towers a deep shade of red is one of those moments that stays with you.

The Salto Grande waterfall is also worth the short detour, just ten minutes from the road, with the distinctive pink rock formations of the Cuernos del Paine as a backdrop.

If you're up for a more serious challenge on your second day, sections of the famous W-Trek are within reach - the hike to the Torres base or through the Valle del Francés are both exceptional, though demanding and best started early. For something more manageable, the Cuernos or Condor lookout points offer sweeping panoramic views, while a walk along the shores of Lago Grey makes for a quieter afternoon. The park rewards however much - or little - effort you want to give it.

Torres Del Pain - Buenos Aires. An early start for the drive back to El Calafate via the Mt. Castillos border crossing - around 262 km and approximately 4.5 hours. Aim to arrive by 19:00 to return the hire car at the central office, then settle in for a final night in El Calafate before flying back to Buenos Aires the following morning.

On arrival at Aeroparque, a driver will be waiting to transfer you to your hotel - around 15 minutes. Time to decompress and enjoy your last night in the city.

On your final morning, a driver will collect you from the hotel approximately four hours before your flight and transfer you to Ezeiza International Airport - allow around an hour for the journey. It's a comfortable, unhurried send-off to round out a brilliant trip.