CLASSIC ARGENTINA

Arrive into Buenos Aires international airport where you will be met and driven to your hotel in the chic neighbourhood of Recoleta, home to a number of sophisticated shops, restaurants and galleries.

Although known as the “Paris of South America”, the city has a purely South American flavour, exemplified by world class steaks and very lively performances of the famous tango. A city tour will take you through La Boca, San Telmo and Palermo; prominent sights include Eva Peron’s grave in Recoleta Cemetery and the beautiful El Pilar Church.

Stay: Two nights at HUB Porteno – bed & breakfast

On day 3 you will fly to El Calafate, the entry point to Argentine Patagonia. During your stay you will enjoy a private tour to the mighty Perito Moreno Glacier, 5km wide and one of the few glaciers in the world to still be advancing. You’ll take in the spectacularly blue lakes of Los Glaciares National Park and explore the Patagonian Icecap, an area of immense glaciers topping the Andean Mountains. Trekking expeditions, horse riding, mountain biking and fishing can all be arranged.

Stay: Two nights at the Hotel Esplendor el Calafate – bed & breakfast

On day 5 take a short direct flight to Bariloche – an attractive destination in the Argentine Lake District. Your hotel boasts a superb location on the shores of Lake Gutierrez, backed by soaring mountains and surrounded by beech forests. You’re in the Nahuel National Park here, the ideal place to go trekking, horse riding, mountain biking, fishing, sailing, paragliding and skiing in season. You’ll also notice a distinct ‘continental’ flavour in the Swiss-style chalets, chocolate shops and fondue restaurants.

Stay: Two nights at Estancia Peuma Hue – full board

Now it’s time to sample some of Argentina’s finest vintages. On day 7 you will fly to Mendoza in the country’s wine region, to stay at a prestigious vineyard. During your stay a full day visiting three specialist wineries is included, along with a paired tasting lunch.

From Mendoza you can indulge in some wine tasting or you can browse through the city’s museums – including, of course, the National Wine Museum – and enjoy outdoor pursuits such as rafting, mountain climbing, hiking and horse riding, plus skiing in the winter.

Stay: Three nights at Entre Cielos – bed & breakfast

On day 10 you will fly north, to the charming city of Salta. Salta is the entry point to a number of attractions in the area, including salt flats, adobe villages, wonderful rock formations, vineyards and some beautiful colonial architecture.

Over the next two days you will stay in a delightful boutique hotel in the centre of the city and explore the attractive old-town with your guide. Known for its spring like climate, you will see the neoclassical architecture and beautiful plazas which make Salta so popular. You will also have a full day visit to the impressive Salinas Grandes, huge salt flats to the north of the province. En route you will visit the historic town of Purmamarca, which is flanked by the Cerro de los Siete Colores (Hill of Seven Colours).

Stay: Two nights at Legado Mitico – bed & breakfast

Important: some of the attractions around Salta are over 3,000m above sea-level.

On day 12 a short flight from Salta takes you to the world famous Iguassu Falls, the largest collection of waterfalls on the planet.

Your hotel is inside the national park on the Argentine side of the Falls and has incredible views towards the falls. During your stay you will be taken on a private tour of the Argentine National Park, visiting the hugely impressive ‘Devil’s Throat’. Helicopter rides, boat trips and other activities can be organised too, but you may prefer to relax around the hotel’s marvellous infinity pool, which looks straight out towards the falls.

Stay: Three nights at the Gran Meliá Iguazú – bed & breakfast

After a final breakfast, you will be transferred across the border to Iguassu airport on the Brazilian side of the Falls for your international flight home.