Argentina Family Vacation

After arriving at the Buenos Aires (EZE) International Airport, you will be met and transferred to the Alvear Palace Hotel by an English-speaking driver-guide. European in appearance, but Latin through to its soul, Buenos Aires will certainly impress visitors. A vibrant city, with a variety of architectural styles and colorful neighborhoods, it’s common to find porteños (locals) dancing tango in the streets, enjoying a cappuccino or glass of wine at a sidewalk cafe, playing with their family at a park or dressed to the nines heading to a concert. Your family’s base for your stay in Buenos Aires is the historic and incredibly welcoming.

On the morning of day 2 you’ll head out on a unique, private tour exploring Buenos Aires with the interpretation of an expert guide who will tailor the tour to your family’s interests, visiting parks, plazas, fountains and exploring the most unique and colorful neighborhoods of this vast city. Tonight, venture out on the town (we can recommend family-friendly restaurants) or rest up for your adventures tomorrow.

You will be met at the hotel for a day visit to La Sofia Polo. Located in the middle of the Argentine countryside, but only 60 miles from Buenos Aires, La Sofía is an oasis of calm.

La Sofía is a family-owned and operated colonial-style ranch with spectacular views of the Pampa, private wine cellar and welcoming living areas. The small estancia (ranch) is mainly dedicated to horse breeding and polo. The family has a rich history of polo playing and the German owner, Silke, was one of the first women dedicated to playing polo in Argentina. Silke and her Argentine husband, Marcos Antin Güiraldes, met at a polo tournament that took place at the Real Club de Polo in Barcelona (Spain), where Marcos was participating as a professional player and Silke as an amateur. At the time, Marcos, whose great-uncle was the famous author Ricardo Güiraldes, who wrote the well-known Argentine novel “Don Segundo Sombra”, was managing the Buenos Aires polo club Los Pinguinos, one of the most prestigious polo clubs in Argentina. Experiencing the countryside and traditional Argentine polo lifestyle surrounded by family and new friends will certainly create unforgettable memories. Spend the day relaxing, enjoy a delicious home made lunch, swim in the pool, explore the gardens or enjoy a polo lesson or horseback ride on one of their privately bred horses. It’s a typical Argentine day and a wonderful start to your family adventure.

This morning you will be met at the hotel and transferred to the domestic airport to fly to San Carlos de Bariloche. On arrival in Bariloche, you’ll be met and transferred to the magnificent Llao Llao Hotel & Resort. The evening is yours to explore the facilities and enjoy a meal in one of the hotel’s three restaurants. You have full days ahead, so rest up tonight!

On day 5 embark on a true adventure today on a full day excursion into a glacially carved inlet and the lush Valdivian Forest. There will be lots of opportunities to spot animals and birds in this amazing mountain setting. Some of the most remote wilderness of Nahuel Huapi National Park can only be accessed by water and one of these places is the rarely visited Tristeza Inlet and Hidden Falls trail. Explore the park with a private guide and enjoy a navigation on board the “Curiosity” through inlets, past tumbling waterfalls, soaring glaciers and mountain peaks. Condors usually nest on ledges just 40 or 50 feet above the water, so if you are lucky you can have very close encounters with some of these emblematic creatures. Foxes and Chinchillones are also regular sightings, and on occasions the shyer Huillin can also be spotted.

During Spring time and until early Summer, a total of 7 beautiful waterfalls which flow directly into the lake can be literally “touched” from the boat as you approach the very end of the inlet and trail head to Hidden Falls. After landing we will hike a two mile trail through the lush forest following the Frey creek. Brown and Rainbow trout lay their eggs in the higher pools of this creek, and during early summer you can see them fight and “fly” their way upstream through the rapids. Kids can run and play on the trail and climb the moss-covered massive Coihue trunks. Reach the roaring Hidden Falls, also known as the Frey Falls, and its polished granite slabs and inviting swimming holes. Snack, take a swim and explore here before heading back towards the trail head and the “Curiosity.”

On day 6 enjoy a full day at Llao Llao Hotel to enjoy the facilities, activities offered at the hotel or simply relax. The Hotel has a 15-hectare park, including the 18-hole golf course, the marina, beach, solarium, heated indoor and outdoor infinity edge swimming-pools, Spa and Health club with sauna, Fitness Center and other leisure activities. Llao Llao offers several indoor activities for all ages including yoga, pilates, and more.

The hotel also offers Kids Club for our younger guests – 3 to 12 years old. Their motto is “big vacations for our little guests”, each activity being specially designed for children’s needs. Open daily from 11 pm to 6 pm. Lunch has an additional cost and tea is free of charge. Weekly activities are programmed but they are subject to changes depending on kids’ motivation, ages, weather conditions, and the group. Among others, activities include bike riding, rappelling and zip lining, painting and craft.

Early morning airport transfer to Bariloche for your flight to Calafate. On arrival in Calafate you will be met and transferred out of the town to Hosteria Alta Vista, one of Patagonia’s “best kept secrets” – a working cattle ranch and small hosteria (country inn). Relax and explore this afternoon before a home-cooked dinner at the Hosteria.

On the morning of day 8 you will be met at the hosteria and transferred to the pier for a day on board the M/V Leal Cruise. The fully renovated motor-yacht, Crucero Leal, offers day cruises to navigate among the impressive glaciers and icebergs of the Los Glaciares National Park .

The navigation will cross the Brazo Norte and visit the barrier of icebergs in the Upsala Channel (sometimes not fully accessible when chunks of ice block it) to get a panoramic view of the Upsala Glacier, one the largest on the continental ice cap.

Continue on cruising to the stunning Spegazzini Glacier, where the boat will stop for lunch with the glacier as a back-drop and then enjoy free time for a short hike in Puesto de Vacas to get an aerial view of the glacier. Activities and tea on board as you navigate back to Puerto Bandera for your transfer back to the hosteria. (Bilingual guide on board)

Enjoy a full day as a family at Alta Vista participating in activities of your choice on the Estancia: relax in a beautiful, lonely landscape, ride horses with the gauchos, take mountain bike rides, climb nearby hills in search of the most wonderful views, share in the farm works such as sheep shearing, visit to the sheds, iron-works on the old farm premises. The work is genuine, not just prepared for the visitors. Keep your eye out for condors soaring overhead! Enjoy a typical lamb barbecue with the best Argentine wines and celebrate memories in the making.

On day 10, sadly it’s time to depart. After breakfast, you will be transferred to El Calafate airport for your flight to Aeroparque Domestic Airport. There, you will be met and transferred to Ezeiza International airport for your flight home.