Austral Route and Peninsula Valdés

After breakfast, we set off again. We’ll head toward Bahía Blanca, where we can see the Sierra de la Ventana mountain range, which will brighten up the flat landscape. Bahía Blanca is an important port city and one of the most prominent commercial, cultural, educational, and sports centers in the interior of the country.

We’ll be traveling by train at dawn, arriving in the city of San Carlos de Bariloche around noon. After checking in, we’ll have free time to visit some of the many attractions this magical city surrounded by lakes and mountains has to offer.

This day we’ll explore the city’s surroundings, taking in the famous Circuito Chico and taking the chairlift up to Cerro Campanario, where we’ll enjoy one of the best views of this wonderful city. We’ll stay here.

Leaving Bariloche behind, we’ll make a brief visit to El Bolsón, a community known for its fine crafts. We’ll continue on to the city of Trevelin, known as the “mill town.” It’s a charming Patagonian destination with deep Welsh roots, surrounded by mountains, rivers, and valleys. We can stay here or in Esquel to enjoy the colorful tulip harvest in the fields.

Today we’ll visit the famous Tulip Fields, which at this time of year display their most brilliant colors, bringing the city and surrounding areas into full bloom. If you’ve already visited the tulip fields, you’ll have time to do some optional water sports. We’ll stay in the same place to enjoy all the attractions.

We leave Trevelin behind and head toward La Junta, entering Chilean territory. Along the way, we’ll find ourselves traveling along the Futaluefú River, one of the most important rivers in the world for kayaking and rafting, due to its numerous rapids. This river has the characteristic of crossing the mountain range from east to west. The waters of the area’s rivers are notable for their vivid colors, due to the meltwater. In the town of Santa Lucía, we’ll join the famous Ruta Austral, National Route 7.

Leaving La Junta behind, we’ll pass through the town of Puyahuapi and then reach Queulat National Park, where we’ll have the opportunity to hike to visit the Hanging Glacier or admire it from the lakeshore. We continue along the Puyahuapi Fjord toward Puerto Cisnes, where we’ll stay. Along the way, we’ll encounter a beautiful enchanted forest, nestled in the cold jungle of Chilean Patagonia. In Puerto Cisnes, the main activity is fishing, with salmon farming and the sale of king crab.

After bidding farewell to La Junta, we continue enjoying the landscape of rivers and mountains. We’ll observe the changes in the landscape, the result of human modifications caused by the burning of this area for more than ten years to clear land for cattle ranching. We arrive in the capital of Chile’s eleventh region, the Ayzén region, Cohiaique, where we’ll stay.

After bidding farewell to La Junta, we continue enjoying the landscape of rivers and mountains. We’ll observe the changes in the landscape, the result of human modifications caused by the burning of this area for more than ten years to clear land for cattle ranching. We arrive in the capital of Chile’s eleventh region, the Ayzén region, Cohiaique, where we’ll stay.

Early in the morning, we’ll set out on a sailing trip across General Carrera Lake, embarking to admire the impressive marble chapels or cathedrals, recognized as a Nature Sanctuary. From there, we’ll sail by boat to reach and admire the Marble Cathedral, a peninsula of solid marble with gleaming walls polished by the water, which, illuminated by the sun, take on a special color. We’ll then continue along the lake, making stops along the way to appreciate the various dazzling landscapes that will accompany us. We’ll arrive in the town of Los Antiguos to stay overnight, re-entering Argentina. This town is known for its cherry production, having earned its name from where the Tehuelches took their elders to spend the winter to protect themselves from the cold.

We will continue our journey to Comodoro Rivadavia, where we will stay. Along the way, we will see contrasting natural landscapes. At the beginning, we will enjoy views of the impressive Lake Buenos Aires, whose turquoise waters are framed by mountains and rock formations. As we continue, the landscape changes to the immensity of the Patagonian steppe, where low vegetation and ochre tones predominate. Near the coast, as we approach Comodoro Rivadavia, views of the South Atlantic appear, offering a contrast between the marine horizon and the aridity of the Patagonian interior.

Today, our route will be marked by a visit to the largest Magellanic penguin reserve, Punta Tombo. There, we’ll be able to observe these cute little creatures up close, appreciating their nests and breeding grounds during the best season for them. We’ll arrive in Puerto Madryn, a port and industrial city. The geography of this area is notable for the two bays chosen by the whales to shelter in the spring. We’ll stay here.

This day we travel to Puerto Pirámides, entering through the Carlos Ameghino Isthmus, which connects the two gulfs of the Valdés Peninsula. This peninsula is a Protected Area declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. From Puerto Pirámides, we will embark in the hope of spotting the magnificent Southern Right Whale, the symbol of the region. Along the way, we will be able to appreciate a variety of fauna, from seabirds to sea lions and dolphins. We return to Puerto Madryn, where we will stay.

Leaving Puerto Madryn behind, we begin our return journey toward Bahía Blanca. Along the flat road, we’ll encounter geographical features such as the Sierra Grande, which stands out in the familiar landscape, making for a perfect stop. We’ll continue along the Atlantic Ocean until we reach Bahía Blanca, where we’ll stay.

After breakfast, we continue north toward Buenos Aires. We’ll arrive in the afternoon, allowing plenty of time to check into our hotel and rest.