EXPERIENCES

Every land has its own secrets but not everyone is chosen to know them: a lighthouse in a lonely cape, a mysterious sunken ship for 40 years and a distinguished antique “estancia” are some of the icons that reveal the unknown stories of Tierra del Fuego. Very early in the morning departure from Ushuaia following National Route 3 and crossing The Andes through the Garibaldi Pass. We stop by the little town of Tolhuin, heart of the island, to visit La Unión Bakery. This is a traditional meeting point for both, locals and visitors, and it is part of the charm of this village. By midday we come to the Provincial Route “A”, where we took a gravel road heading toward the Atlantic Ocean and the San Pablo Cape. At this point, we hiked up to an isolated mountain with an abandoned lighthouse at the end. Climbing to the top of this beacon we will appreciate “Desdemona”, an abandoned ship for almost 40 years ago which invites us to sail through time. It happened on a cold winter morning in1983 when this enormous craft ran aground on the shores of the Argentine Sea. After exploring this mysterious giant, we visit Estancia Rolito. This lovely ranch, that keeps the spirit of a family business based on sheep farming tradition, is the first ranch to open its gates to rural tourism.

Puerto Madryn is one of the best places in the world for whale watching. The morphology of Patagonia offers calm and protected waters, where this giant mammals has chosen to get birth to their calves and for mating (as other species also do), turning this World Heritage in a huge nursery. Puerto Piramides becomes the undisputed place to watch the curious and friendly behavior of these animals aboard special boats. This village is located on Valdes Peninsula and it is the only location where whale watching boat trips are available. The boat ride has duration of 1.5 hour; visitors used to take a full day tour to Valdes Peninsula (departing from Puerto Madryn) and add a stop at Puerto Piramides for this optional boat trip. Lunch is optional.

Located 25 km away from Esquel, Trevelin is a peaceful Andean town with a marked presence of Welsh culture. The story begins with the arrival of the first settlers in 1985 and settled in the valley to develop productive activities mainly the wheat with the installation of the mills, thus taking the name that today characterizes Trevelin "Village of the Mill". History is kept alive in museums and stories. The beautiful valley also gave rise to different undertakings such as vineyards, Trout farms or Tulip plantations. We will visit the Nant & Fall Waterfall, the Nant Fach Flour Mill Museum and Nant & Fall vineyards. The tour ends in Trevellin, enjoying a typical Wales tea.