Highlights of Argentina & Rio de Janeiro

Today, you’ll depart from your selected airport, heading for Argentina with connecting flights along the way.

Welcome to Buenos Aires – Argentina’s vibrant capital, often referred to as the Paris of South America for its elegant boulevards, historic architecture, and charming neighbourhoods.

At the airport, your guide will be there to greet you and take you to your centrally located hotel. The drive takes around an hour, depending on traffic. Along the way, you’ll receive useful information about your tour and have the opportunity to ask any questions you may have.

Once you’ve settled in at the hotel, the rest of the day is yours to enjoy at leisure. You may wish to relax after your journey or head out to start exploring the Argentine capital. Sit at a cosy café, soak up the atmosphere in one of the leafy squares, or find a local restaurant where you can sample Argentine specialities – perhaps accompanied by a glass of wine from one of the country’s renowned wine regions.

Today, you can look forward to discovering some of Buenos Aires’ most iconic attractions while learning more about the city’s fascinating history and vibrant culture.

After breakfast, you’ll be picked up from your hotel for a guided city tour of the Argentine capital.

The first stop is Plaza de Mayo, the historic and political heart of the city, which has been the backdrop for many of Argentina’s most significant events throughout the centuries. Here, you’ll see the famous pink presidential palace, Casa Rosada.

You’ll then visit the charming San Telmo district, known for its cobbled streets, historic buildings, and authentic atmosphere. This area is home to the famous San Telmo Market, where stalls selling handicrafts, antiques, and local specialities attract both locals and visitors alike.

The next stop is La Boca, where colourful houses line the famous Caminito street, creating a unique and lively atmosphere. This neighbourhood was originally a harbour area where workers built homes from leftover materials and painted them with surplus ship paint. Because there was rarely enough paint for an entire house, the district ended up with its distinctive multicoloured look. Today, La Boca buzzes with life, music, and local culture, and you’ll clearly sense the city’s passion for tango here.

You’ll also visit Puerto Madero, where the former docklands have been transformed into a modern district with elegant high-rises, restaurants, and wide promenades along the waterfront.

The tour then continues through the leafy Palermo district, where you’ll pass some of the city’s most famous parks and landmarks, including the Botanical Gardens, the Planetarium, the racecourse, and Argentina’s renowned polo field.

Your city tour will conclude in the elegant neighbourhood of Recoleta, one of Buenos Aires’ most exclusive areas. The impressive mansions, wide boulevards, and French-inspired architecture reflect the wealth that earned the city its nickname, “The Paris of South America”. Here, you’ll visit the famous cemetery, where many notable Argentinians are buried, including Eva Perón – Argentina’s beloved first lady, better known as Evita.

The city tour takes place by minibus with stops along the way.

In the afternoon, you’ll be driven back to your hotel. The rest of the day is yours to explore Buenos Aires at your own pace.

You have the next few days to explore Buenos Aires at your own pace. The city offers a wealth of experiences, so you can easily fill your days with everything from cosy café visits and fascinating museums to atmospheric neighbourhoods and outstanding culinary experiences. Perhaps you spotted an area on your city tour that you’d like to explore in more depth, or maybe one of our optional tours has caught your eye?

Whatever you choose, it’s hard to get bored in Buenos Aires. The capital is brimming with cultural highlights, striking architecture, and an abundance of local charm.

In Palermo, you can relax in a charming café or visit one of the district’s green oases such as the beautiful rose garden El Rosedal, the botanical garden Jardín Botánico Carlos Thays, or Jardín Japonés – one of the largest Japanese gardens outside Japan.

Take a stroll down the elegant streets of Recoleta or soak up the authentic atmosphere of San Telmo, where historic buildings, art galleries, and small boutiques line the streets. If it’s shopping you’re after, the popular pedestrian street Calle Florida in Microcentro is the perfect place to browse shops, department stores, and enjoy the performances of local street artists.

If you’re passionate about art and culture, visit some of the city’s many museums, including the renowned MALBA with its collection of Latin American art, the impressive Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, or Museo Evita, which tells the story of Argentina’s iconic first lady, Eva Perón.

Buenos Aires is also a paradise for food lovers. Try classic Argentine specialities such as empanadas, milanesas, and of course, the famous Argentine steaks at a local parrilla (grill restaurant), best enjoyed with a glass of wine from the Mendoza region. Don’t forget to sample the popular alfajores – biscuits filled with dulce de leche – which can quickly become addictive if you’ve a sweet tooth. You should also try mate, the traditional herbal drink you’ll see in the hands of many locals, known as porteños, as the inhabitants of Buenos Aires are called.

It’s almost impossible to think of Argentina without also thinking of tango. Buenos Aires is the perfect place to experience an authentic tango show, where talented musicians and dancers bring this passionate dance to life.

If you’re looking for even more experiences, you can choose from our optional tours. Visit the historic town of Colonia del Sacramento in Uruguay, experience life on a traditional estancia among Argentine gauchos, sail through the Tigre Delta, explore Buenos Aires on a guided cycling tour, or take part in a foodie tour or an Argentine cooking class.

It’s now time to bid farewell to Argentina’s vibrant capital as your journey continues to El Calafate, where fascinating natural wonders await in Patagonia.

El Calafate is a charming little town on the shores of Lago Argentino in southern Patagonia. It’s best known as the gateway to Los Glaciares National Park and offers a relaxed atmosphere with cosy cafés, restaurants, and small shops.

After breakfast, you’ll be picked up from your hotel and driven to Buenos Aires airport. Upon arrival in El Calafate, a driver will be waiting to take you to your hotel.

The rest of the day is yours to spend as you please. Take some time to unwind after your journey or enjoy a leisurely stroll through the town.

Today promises one of the tour’s most memorable natural highlights – a full-day excursion to the magnificent Perito Moreno Glacier in Los Glaciares National Park, one of Argentina’s most iconic natural wonders and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

After breakfast, you’ll be picked up from your hotel for the drive through the open Patagonian landscape towards the national park. Along the way, your guide will share stories about the region’s nature and history, while the snow-capped mountain peaks slowly appear on the horizon.

Perito Moreno is one of the world’s most famous glaciers. It stretches around 30 kilometres in length and up to 5 kilometres in width, with its magnificent ice wall towering some 70 metres above Lago Argentino. Below the water’s surface, the ice continues a further 100 metres, underlining the glacier’s immense scale. For many years, Perito Moreno was regarded as one of the world’s most stable glaciers, but like many others, it is now affected by climate change.

Upon arrival at the national park, your adventure will begin with a boat trip on Lago Argentino, bringing you up close to the mighty ice wall. From the water, you’ll truly appreciate the vastness of the glacier, and if you’re lucky, you may witness the spectacular sight of calving, when huge chunks of ice break away and crash into the lake with a thunderous roar.

After the boat trip, you’ll have plenty of time to explore the area on your own along the national park’s well-maintained walkways, which lead you to a series of viewing platforms offering stunning perspectives of the glacier from different angles. At the visitor centre, you can buy lunch (not included), which you might like to take with you to enjoy along the walkways with a magnificent view of the impressive wall of ice.

After spending a few hours at the glacier, you’ll return to El Calafate, where the rest of the day will be at your leisure.

Today is yours to spend as you wish in El Calafate.

After yesterday’s unforgettable encounter with the Perito Moreno Glacier, you may prefer to take it easy and soak up the cosy atmosphere of this small Patagonian town. Stroll along the shores of Lago Argentino, settle into a charming café, or browse the little shops where you’ll find local handicrafts and products made from Patagonian wool.

If you’re up for more experiences, the area offers several exciting options. For example, you can visit a traditional estancia to gain an insight into life on the Patagonian steppe, where sheep farming has been an important part of everyday life for generations.

You might also like to stop by the Glaciarium, a modern museum dedicated to Patagonia’s fascinating glaciers and the remarkable landscapes of Los Glaciares National Park.

Whether you spend the day relaxing or discovering something new, El Calafate is the perfect place to admire the magnificent scenery and experience the special tranquillity that defines southern Patagonia.

It's time to bid farewell to Patagonia and continue your journey to the subtropical rainforest in Puerto Iguazú. 

In the morning, you’ll be picked up from your hotel in El Calafate and driven to the airport. Upon arrival in Puerto Iguazú, you’ll be met and transferred to your hotel, beautifully set amid lush green surroundings just outside the town.

The rest of the day is free at your leisure. Spend the afternoon relaxing at the hotel and enjoying the peaceful atmosphere before the coming days’ adventures at the spectacular Iguazú Falls.

The Iguazú Falls are nothing short of a natural wonder, and it’s no surprise they’re listed as a UNESCO world heritage site. To truly experience their magnificence, you’ll visit the waterfalls from both the Argentine and Brazilian sides.

After breakfast, your tour will take you to the Argentine section of Iguazú National Park, where the majority of the 275 individual falls are found. The waterfalls stretch for nearly three kilometres along the Iguazú River, where masses of water plunge up to 85 metres over the cliffs, creating a mesmerising interplay of water, mist, and vibrant rainbows.

A well-maintained network of paths, stairs, and walkways leads you through the lush subtropical rainforest to a series of spectacular viewpoints. Along the way, your guide will share fascinating insights into the area’s unique ecosystem and the rich diversity of flora and fauna thriving in and around the national park.

You’ll also take a ride on the park’s small train, which brings you to the most iconic viewpoint – the Devil’s Throat, or La Garganta del Diablo. Standing almost at the edge of this vast chasm, you’ll witness around 1.5 million litres of water crashing down every second. The roar is deafening, the air thick with spray, and on sunny days, beautiful rainbows often appear in the mist.

Due to strong winds and rising water levels caused by the El Niño weather phenomenon, the Argentine park authorities have decided, for safety reasons, to temporarily remove the walkways to Garganta del Diablo (Devil’s Throat). This applies from 3 August 2026 and for approximately four months thereafter. However, a visit to the Argentine side of Iguazú Falls remains a truly spectacular experience, allowing you to get up close to the magnificent waterfalls from the park’s other trails and viewpoints.

Today, you’ll explore Iguazú Falls from the Brazilian side. 

After breakfast, you’ll cross the Tancredo Neves Bridge, which connects Puerto Iguazú in Argentina with Foz do Iguaçu in Brazil. Remember to bring your passport, as you’ll be crossing the border along the way.

Although most of the waterfalls are located on the Argentinian side, it’s from the Brazilian side that you’ll get the most spectacular panoramic view of this immense waterfall system.

A well-maintained path takes you through the lush, subtropical rainforest to a number of viewing platforms where you can experience the falls from different perspectives. The highlight of the walk is the long footbridge that brings you up close to the Devil’s Throat. Here, you’ll feel the sheer power of the thundering waters, and the fine mist often leaves you slightly damp.

You can also visit the park’s observation platform, which can be reached by stairs or lift. From here, you’ll be rewarded with a breathtaking view of the mighty waterfall system.

Keep an eye out for the area’s rich wildlife. Along the way, there’s a good chance of spotting brightly coloured butterflies, exotic birds, lush vegetation, and the curious coatis, often roaming the national park in search of food.

After your visit, you’ll head to Foz do Iguaçu airport for your onward flight to the samba capital, Rio de Janeiro.

Rio de Janeiro is a city of stunning contrasts, where golden beaches, lush mountainsides, and a vibrant metropolitan life exist side by side. To give you the best possible start to your stay, our local partner will visit your hotel for a welcome meeting lasting around 30–60 minutes. During the meeting, you’ll go through the details of your tour, and you’ll also have the opportunity to ask questions about both Rio and Brazil.

Around midday, you’ll be collected from your hotel for a city tour of some of Rio’s most iconic attractions. Along the way, you’ll explore the atmospheric neighbourhoods of Santa Teresa and Lapa, before continuing to the world-famous Christ the Redeemer statue at the top of Corcovado Mountain, 710 metres above sea level. From here, you can take in the spectacular view over Rio, with its sweeping sandy beaches, emerald-green peaks, colourful favelas, and the iconic Maracanã Stadium. Lunch is not included on this tour, but you can buy a sandwich or some snacks along the way.

The tour will then take you to the 396-metre-high mountain Pão de Açúcar – better known as Sugarloaf Mountain. Taking the cable car, you’ll first ascend to Morro da Urca before continuing the final stretch to the summit. From here you’ll enjoy yet another breath-taking view of Rio de Janeiro, Guanabara Bay, and the surrounding mountains – a panorama that has helped earn Rio its reputation as one of the most beautifully situated cities in the world.

After a day packed with experiences, you’ll be driven back to your hotel, where the evening is yours to spend as you wish.

Over the next few days, you’ll have time to experience Rio de Janeiro at your own pace. The city offers a unique blend of iconic landmarks, golden beaches, lush mountain scenery, and a vibrant joy of life that can be felt everywhere — whether you’re strolling along the beachfront, exploring lively neighbourhoods, or soaking up the views from one of its many lookouts.

Spend the day relaxing on the world-famous Copacabana Beach or the popular Ipanema Beach, where locals and visitors alike come together for beach life, sports, and chilled drinks. You can also wander through the city’s various neighbourhoods, visit local markets, or find a restaurant to sample traditional Brazilian specialities. If you’re up for more experiences, there’s a wealth of exciting excursions to choose from.

Discover the city’s natural wonders on our full-day “Rio’s natural gems” tour or join the inspiring “Tijuca National Park and hike to Pedra Bonita” — both take you to some of the most breathtaking spots in the city. Despite Rio’s bustling pace, you’ll find countless hidden oases offering peace and tranquillity.

For food lovers, we recommend our “Cooking class in Rio”, where you can learn to prepare delicious local dishes.

Dive deeper into the colourful traditions of the carnival on our “Behind the scenes of the carnival” tour, or explore Rio’s rich African heritage on the “Rio’s African cultural heritage” excursion.
If you’d like to experience the city on two wheels, join our “Bike ride in Rio” and take in the sights at a more leisurely pace.

When night falls, immerse yourself in Rio’s culture with dazzling dancers at the “Dinner show in Rio”, or dive into the city’s buzzing nightlife with “Discover Rio’s nightlife”. Join the Brazilian party spirit, try the famous caipirinha, and feel the energy at the very heart of the city. Alternatively, combine rhythm and movement on our “Samba class and nightclub” — an evening guaranteed to be full of fun.

With so many options to choose from, no matter what you decide, you’ll get closer to Rio’s diverse culture and stunning natural beauty.

It's time to say farewell to the colourful capital and head home with your luggage full of unforgettable new experiences.

You’ll be picked up from your hotel and driven to the airport, where your journey home begins.

You’ll arrive home after an experience-packed tour of Argentina and Brazil.