The Gaucho Adventure
Ain't no mountain high enough or ancient ruin remote enough. Riding in the comfort of a purpose built Classic Dragoman Overland truck with two or three crew members (including a cook in some areas) and of course local guides, with a mix of hotel stays and camping. You'll get well off the beaten track to see areas crucial to the understanding of a country as well as the highlights. There'll be the chance to help out with community projects, to try new activities while discovering a new world.
We intend following the route detailed below but exact nightstops cannot be guaranteed. It sometimes happens that we decide to make a change to our basic planned itinerary. This may be for a variety of reasons - climatic, road or bureaucratic conditions may demand it. Or it may be because we find a better, more interesting route. While actually en route, unexpected hospitality, a local festival or a great place to chill out can determine our exact route and itinerary on any given trip
|
|
|
|
|
Details |
| |
Price Includes |
(OE-6477-P) |
| |
 |
Accomodation throughout trip |
|
Food When Camping |
|
Estancia school community visit |
|
Jesuit ruins of San Ignacio de Mini Mission |
|
Laid back boat trips to islands off Parati |
|
Guided day to the penguin colonies at Punta Tombo NP |
|
Guided visit to Valdez Peninsular to meet the elephant seals and sealions |
|
| |
Price Excludes |
|
| |
Local Kitty $ 530
The following optional extras are usually
available and which cost US$20 or more:
$20 Rio - Rio sights, Pao de Azucar &
Corcovado
$20 Rio - Favela Tour (2 Hours)
$60 Parati - Scuba Diving (Half Day)
$60 Foz do Iguacu - Helicopter Ride
$25 Puerto Iguazu - Boat & 4WD
Adventure at Iguazu Falls
$65 Buenos Aires - Tango Show (Incl.
Dinner)
$20 Puerto Madryn - Whale Viewing
Boat Trip (When available)
$50 Bariloche - Skiing (Per Day)
$40 Bariloche - Horse Riding (3 Hours)
$20 Bariloche - Boat Trip, Victoria
Islands & Arrayanes (Full Day)
$35 Pucon - Whitewater rafting (1 hr)
$70 Pucon - Villarica Volcano Climb
(Full Day)
$25 Pucon - Various Trips, Incl. Huife
Thermal Springs (Full Day)
$45 Pucon - Skiing (Per Day)
$40 Pucon - Horse riding (½ day) |
|
| |
Countries / Places Visited |
|
| |
Salto de laja - Pucon - Los Alerces National Park - Patagonia - Punta Tombo - Valdez Peninsular - Puerto Madryn - Argentinian Pampas - Buenos Aires - Cordoba - Estancia los potreros -Iguazu falls - Foz do Iguacu - Parati & The Emerald Coast - Rio de Janeiro |
|
| |
Suitability / Level |
Moderate |
| |
Theme |
Small Group Travel
(Click to Search All) |
| |
|
| |
Itinerary
& Highlights |
| |
Week 1- Rio
Rio de Janeiro is one of the most beautifully situated cities in the world. Nestling beneath the Sugar Loaf Mountain, "Pao de Azucar", that rises out of Guanabara Bay, and flanked by the sandy beaches of Ipanema and Copacabana. You can take the cable-car to the top of the stunning Pao de Azucar, ride the train to Corcovado, take the historic tram to Santa Teresa or go on a Favela tour. There is also the National Park of Tijuca to explore. The Historical, Indian and National Museums are also well worth a visit for those who would like some more culture. For some quiet time in stunning surroundings the Botanical gardens are well worth a visit. There are also interesting markets for jewellery and paintings. The nightlife is exciting, stimulating and almost unbelievably varied. Brazilians have an obsession with the 'body beautiful' and a stroll along any of the beaches will confirm all those stories you've heard! At night, the streets come alive and early in the year often throb to the beat of samba bands practising for that great annual event - Carnival. The celebration of Mardi Gras 6 weeks before Easter is a great Brazilian tradition - the whole city goes wild for a week. Whatever your tastes, Rio will cater for them.
Parati & The Emerald Coast.
The Emerald Coast, or as it is known in Brazil, the Costa Verde is a thin strip of coastal land squeezed between verdant green mountains and the emerald coloured sea. It stretches south of Rio and is enchanting. Dotted along the coast are small communities and hundreds of tiny islands. The coast is full of deserted beaches, picturesque coves and is excellent for swimming and diving. We will visit the town of Parati, a colonial relic set in spectacular coastal scenery. There are numerous secluded beaches in the area and from here we can organise a boat trip out to a small island to go snorkelling or diving. This really is a beautiful place to relax and enjoy a couple of days of R & R.
Week 2 - Foz do Iguacu
Named after one of the world's most impressive waterfalls this marks the point where Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay share a common border. You can visit Itaipu Dam a vast concrete edifice spanning the Rio Parana, one of the 7 wonders of the modern world.
Iguazu falls
There is a mile long walk along the edge of the fall beginning at the Three Sisters and ending at the Devil's Throat. Millions of gallons of water pour or cascade down escarpments forming spectacular mist curtains and many rainbows. In the surrounding dense tropical jungle there are many varieties of brightly coloured butterflies and birds. If we have time we can take a closer look at these birds in the Foz Tropicana Bird Park. We will visit the falls from both the Argentinian and the Brazilian sides and there are numerous excursions that can be done around the falls. On the Argentinian side you can take 4 wheel drive adventures, boat rides and take a small train followed by a walk through the jungle to the Devil's Throat. On the Brazilian side you can take a scenic helicopter flight over the Falls.
Jesuit mission
The Jesuit Mission of San Ignacio de Mini is probably the most impressive ruin in the area. Founded in the late 7th century its fortunes followed the chequered history of it's Jesuit masters until 1817 when it was finally evacuated.
Estancia los potreros
To the east of the Andes in the centre of Argentina is the country's second major city, Cordoba. Nearby are the beautiful hills of the Sierra de Cordoba where we will spend three nights at a unique Anglo Argentinian estancia. This has been in the same family for four generations, and is a working cattle ranch, farming the prized Argentinian Aberdeen Angus cattle. Here we will sample the traditional hospitality of the Anglo Argentinian ranching community, with great food straight from the farm. There is a choice of numerous outdoor activities, such as horse riding, hiking, mountain biking or even pistol shooting. Daily expeditions will be arranged to ride or hike through the hills to neighbouring estancias. The horses are fabulous and even the most "horse-fearing" feel like Gauchos in a short time, however in true gaucho fashion, you will not be issued with a helmet as they are not used out here. For those who do not like horses, or are unhappy about riding without helmets, there are alternative hikes or maybe bike riding trips that can be organised. There is also the chance of visiting the local school to see how rural Argentinian children live their lives.
Cordoba
Cordoba is Argentina's second city lying at 440m in the popular "Sierras de Cordoba" region. The surrounding hills are a popular destination for Argentinians wishing to escape the humidity of the plains and the bustle of the city. Cordoba today is a major industrial and educational centre. It is home to the country's motor industry and Argentina's first university. There are, however, many beautiful churches and sites marking its historic origins.
Week 3 - Buenos Aires
At the mouth of the River Plate lies Buenos Aires, the cosmopolitan capital of Argentina. Immigration in the past hundred years mainly from Europe, particularly Spain and Italy, has influenced the character of the city a great deal. Buenos Aires is a vibrant city with loads to see and do. You may choose to visit La Boca - Buenos Aires' most colourful barrio taking in a street Tango show from one of the bars and restaurants. Maybe you would prefer to visit San Telmo - the artist's quarter or the fashionable area of Recoleta, where Evita has her final resting place in the incredible La Recoleta Cemetery with its flamboyant tombs and vaults. A visit to one of the world's greatest opera houses the Teatro Colon and attending an evening Tango show should also be fitted in if time allows. After all the sight-seeing make time to enjoy the first class restaurants, wine bars, night clubs and lively tango shows. Argentinians are great meat eaters and many of the country's restaurants specialise in a variety of roast and barbecued meats. Many restaurants in Buenos Aires actually use their windows to display enormous joints being slowly turned over a grill - not a city for vegetarians! There is a very attractive traffic free shopping street called the Calle Florida. The Plaza de Mayo is the most historically interesting - here are the Cabillo (original town hall), the Casa Rosada or Pink House (Presidential Palace), and the cathedral where the body of General San Martin lies.
Argentinian Pampas
We cross the famous Argentinian Pampas which is real cattle country. This is an area of worldwide agricultural importance, supplying beef, sunflower oil, wheat and other commodities for export.
Puerto Madryn
Puerto Madryn offers an interesting insight into the settlement of the Welsh people who landed here during the latter part of the last century and colonised the Chubut river valley. The Welsh language was kept alive for four generations but is now gradually dying out.
Valdez Peninsular
The Valdez Peninsular juts out into the Atlantic. It is likely that whales, penguins, and other aquatic mammals may be sighted there.You may wish to take a boat trip that can take you to within a few feet of these magnificent aquatic mammals. This area is also home to many land animals such as Patagonian foxes, guanacos and hairy armadillos. There is also an enormous variety of seals that make their home here.
Punta Tombo
Punta Tombo is a breeding ground for the Magellan penguins and at the height of the breeding season there are approximately one million penguins in this small area.
Weeks 4 & 4½ - Patagonia
The southern area of Argentina is known as Patagonia. It is renowned for its desolate landscape, unrelenting winds and magnificent lake, mountain and glacial scenery.
Los Alerces National Park
We travel through Los Alerces N.P . The 'Alerces' are Patagonian cypress trees, which give the park its name. The huge trees and diverse forests along with the stunning lake views are the main interest of this park. Bariloche The resort town of Bariloche is a centre for skiing, but is also very good for walking, mountain biking and horse riding treks. For the most adventurous there's an opportunity to paraglide or if you are not feeling too active, take a boat trip to Victoria Island or just sit back and enjoy the views or head to the shops for an unbelievable selection of chocolates and leather ware.
Pucon
The southern part of this geographically unique country boasts a Lake District comparable with the best of Switzerland. Here beautiful deep blue lakes flanked by forest-clad mountains capped with snowy peaks make an ideal area for walking and camping. We will stay in the attractive small town of Pucon from where it is possible to take a day to climb the nearby volcano of Villarrica, which is still active and pours out sulphurous fumes. Alternatively the area is perfect for horse riding, white-water rafting, cycling and, in winter, skiing. There are also thermal springs to relax in after all this activity, the pools at Pozones are particularly beautiful. It was in this area that the Araucanian Indians who occupied the forest territory to the south of the Bio-Bio River halted the relentless push by the Spanish Conquistadors. Valdivia and fiftytwo of his companions were captured and killed by the Indians in 1554.
Salto de laja
We now travel through rich agricultural areas, vineyards abound and it may be possible to drop in and sample some of the excellent Chilean wines. |
| |
|
Accommodation
& Centre Details |
| |
Accommodation: Mainly campsites, some wildcamps, hostels/hotels. Winter departures use a higher proportion of hotels. (80% camping, 20% hotels) |
| |
|
|
| |
Holidays
Extras |
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
