info@andesceltig.com www.andesceltig.com Group Tour - History and Culture - Y Wladfa - Patagonia Day 1: Buenos Aires - City Tour After to Ezeiza International airport you will be met by a representative. You will be escorted to your hotel (1 hour) where you will have time to recover from your long flight. At lunch time you will be taken to a restaurant in the fashionable port area of Puerto Madero for lunch on the Costanera Norte. After lunch you will go on a City Tour of Buenos Aires. Amongst the places you will see are Avenida 9 de Julio, Teatro Colón, Obelisco, Congreso, Viejo Congreso, Manzana de las Luces, Plaza de Mayo, La Boca, El Caminito, Palermo and Recoleta. In the evening you will be picked up from the hotel and taken to a Tango Show where you will see and hear how the traditional Tango is expressed nowadays. Listen to a Tango orchestra while watching a sophisticated choreography as you enjoy your meal. Day 2: Buenos Aires - Day on a traditional Estancia in the Pampas In the morning you will travel to an estancia on the Pampas to enjoy a day with the gauchos. On arrival, you will be welcomed and received in a traditional building with empanadas (a kind of pasty), soft drinks and wine. You will then be escorted around the estancia and visit the main residence, the museum, the bakery, the stables and other building. You will be given an opportunity to be driven by horse and carriage, or ride your own horse. Following the equestrian activities will be a gaucho show and an asado (a feast of roast meats, vegetables, bread and wine). While you enjoy your asado, professional folklore dancers and singers entertain you with traditional Argentine dances and songs. In the afternoon, gauchos on horseback entertain you with their skills as they carry out their activities and games. This can be followed by a stroll around the lands of the estancia while enjoying the rural landscapes of the pampas. There are shops on the property where regional crafts are available. Day 3: Buenos Aires - Trelew / Gaiman You will be transferred to Aeroparque airport (30 minutes) to board a 2 hour flight to Trelew in the province of Chubut in Patagonia. You will be transferred to Gaiman in the Chubut River Valley, a 30 minute drive, and taken to your guest house. Late afternoon you will be taken on a stroll about Gaiman visiting the Welsh chapels, the first house built by Dafydd Robert (1873), and other places of interest. Gaiman was founded by the Welsh in 1874 and its municipal government was formed in 1885 with authority over the whole valley, the first in the territory of Chubut. For a number of years formal documents were produced in both Welsh and Spanish. The principal attraction of the town to day is its Welshness and the characters that live there and there will be plenty of opportunities to have a chat with descendants of the original Welsh colonisers Welsh or Spanish of course! 1/6
Day 4: Gaiman - Commerson Dolphins, Chubut river valley and Moriah Chapel In the morning you will be taken to Puerto Rawson to embark on a sea excursion to see Commerson Dolphins. There are not many places in the world from where it is possible to see this small black and white dolphin in its natural environment. Playa Unión, a beach adjacent to the estuary of the Chubut river, is one of these places. The Commerson dolphin usually stays close to the coast and sometimes within a few metres from the shore. You can see these dolphins by taking a journey in fast boats driven by professionals who possess the skills that ensure your safety at all times during the sea excursion. You will receive an unforgettable experience with the Commerson dolphins while enjoying the views of the astonishing coastlines of Patagonia. In the afternoon we will visit Moriah chapel located on the outskirts of Trelew next to the river Chubut. The chapel, the third in the colony, was built in 1880 and the Reverend Abraham Matthews was its first minister. Unique amongst the Welsh chapels in Chubut, Moriah is the only chapel that has an adjacent graveyard. The chapel has been registered as a Provincial Historical Monument by the government of Chubut. During the journey to Moriah through the river valley, travelling though the areas of Bryn Gwyn, Drofa Dulog and Pont Hendre, you will see how the farmers prepare and irrigate their land to ensure a secure and measured flow of water depending on the use that is made of the land. We will return to Gaiman to visit the historical museum. After perusing the historical items at the museum you will then be taken to one of Gaiman s famous tea houses for a late afternoon traditional tea. Day 5: Gaiman - Trelew and Porth Madryn - Disembarkation Museum In the morning you will be taken to Trelew (25km). The city, with a population of approximately 100,000, is one of the most important commercial centres in Patagonia. The city was named after Lewis Jones, one of the founders of the Welsh colony in Patagonia. By 1886, a railway was laid down that connected the agricultural area in the Chubut valley with Bahía Nueva, the principal port of the colony. Trelew grew around the Chubut valley end of the railway. The main Welsh attractions of the city are Tabernacl chapel, Saint David s Hall in which the Saint David s Society have a public office, the Pueblo de Luis historical museum in the old railway buildings, and a monument to Lewis Jones. Other attractions of note are the MEF Palaeontological Museum, the bar at the Hotel Touring Club, and the old mill El Viejo Molino. After lunch then you will head off to Puerto Madryn (65km) where you will visit the Disembarkation Historical Museum on the shores of the bay in front of where the first Welsh settlers disembarked from the clipper Mimosa. This historical centre interprets the early days of the Welsh colonists and has many interesting items to see, including the original caves that were used for temporary shelter. After the museum you will be taken to see some attractions after which you will be able to enjoy some free time in Puerto Madryn. 2/6
Day 6: Gaiman - Rookery, Punta Tombo Penguin Colony, Bryn Gwyn Geopark In the morning you will be taken to Punta Tombo (110km). Punta Tombo is the largest Magellan penguin rookery in the world located to the south of Trelew. The excursion presents a unique opportunity to become part of a community of over one million Magellan penguins. Walk amongst these small likeable birds, observe their activities, their funny walks and the way they tend to their nests and care for their chicks amidst the shrub. On the return you will be taken to Bryn Gwyn Palaeontological Park. The first park of its kind in Latin America. The park is located on the southern slopes of the Chubut valley in Bryn Gwyn near Gaiman. The park is a treasure trove of fossils and a number of very valuable fossils have been discovered there. Bryn Gwyn s geological and palaeontological formations enable you to travel through 40 million years in the history of our planet. An interpreted footpath steadily ascends to the top of the valley at 50m (150ft) though layers of sediment that correspond to the geological formations. The excursion is an opportunity to see exactly where and how fossils are discovered and to stand on the top of the valley s slopes and enjoy glorious views of Bryn Gwyn and the surrounding area. Return to hotel in Gaiman. Day 7: Gaiman Free day Day 8: Gaiman / Trevelin - The Patagonian Steppe to Trevelin in the Andes Transfer (full day 630km): to Trevelin over the Patagonian steppe to the Andes. Travelling over the steppe is normally a highpoint and an opportunity to marvel in amazement at the astonishing and striking scenery, set in an ambience of silence and tranquillity, while gazing at infinite horizons. The steppe abounds in history - in the history and place names of the old Welsh colonisers that ventured into and pioneered the steppe. Feel the thrill of finding ruts and grooves worn down by the old wagons, or a piece of chunky coloured glass, shards of old pottery, a horseshoe or a rusty piece of metal once belonging to an old bridle. En route you will travel through sites of special Welsh interest including Rhyd y Beddau in Dyffryn y Merthyron, Rocky Trip in Dyffryn yr Allorau, and Nant y Pysgod in Dyffryn Teca. On arrival in Trevelin you will be taken to your hotel. Welsh pioneers first arrived in Cwm Hyfryd where Trevelin is located in 1885 during an expedition to explore the whole of newly funded Territory of Chubut. By 1918, a company headed by J. D. Evans built a flour mill and the village of Trevelin flourished around it. Day 9: Trevelin - Old Patagonian Express and Los Alerces National Park In the morning will be taken to Esquel (30 minutes) to board the La Trochita steam train. One of the characteristics of the railway that the Trochita train runs along is the narrowness of its gauge of only 75 centimetres (29.5 inches). This railway has changed little since 1922 and a there are a number of unique steam engines. The train will run to and from Nahuel Pan, some 200 metres (650 feet) higher up through a ravine where you will see magnificent views of the steppe, baked 3/6
from the activity of ancient volcanoes, and of Nahuel Pan mountain (Mynydd Llwyd). The whole journey takes about 4 hours. After some free time in Esquel for lunch you will be taken to the Los Alerces National Park, which is one of the largest in Argentina and has a land area of 263,000 hectares (650,000 acres about the same size as the county of Gwynedd in North Wales). The park s characteristic feature are the Alerces forests. There are very few traces of human activity and the park is bursting with magnificent landscapes, lakes, rivers and numerous waterfalls, all surrounded by the Andes mountains swathed in thick forests. The Alerce tree is a Patagonian cypress and some examples in the park approach 3,000 years of age and 70 metres (230 feet) in height. Day 10: Trevelin - Historical Tour of Cwm Hyfryd In the afternoon you will be taken on a historical tour of Cwm Hyfryd. You will visit a historical museum at the old Escuela 18 at Pentre Sydyn in the Aber Gyrraints valley, which records the events of the 1902 plebiscite that helped to solve the territorial claims of Argentina and Chile over the region. You will continue by visiting Nant Fach, a thematic historical museum. This museum is on the lands of the Evans family some 22 kilometres (14 miles) from Trevelin and 13 kilometres (8 miles) from the border with Chile. The museum was created by Mervyn Evans to record the history of the various flour mills that existed in the colony. The millstones, dating from the 1930's, are turned by a water wheel. It will be possible to see how the mill functions and see flour being ground while listening to the history of the Welsh colonisers and the family of Mervyn Evans. In and adjacent room to the mill it is possible to see historical items associated with the Welsh colonisers including musical instruments, old agricultural machinery and original wagons. Day 11: Trevelin Free day Day 12: Trevelin - Bariloche Llao Llao and Gilbert s Brewery Transfer to Bariloche (330km): This is a 4-5 hour drive northwards through the Andes region and its spectacular scenery. En route it may be possible to visit the Indigenous Museum at Leleque and also stop at El Bolsón, a beautiful village set in incredible surroundings. After time to settle into your hotel you will be taken on one of the most traditional sight seeing tours of Bariloche. The tour goes through the city and then through the Nahuel Huapi National Park and Llao Llao Municipal Park. There are several interesting places on the way including the viewpoint overlooking the Llao Llao peninsula and the surrounding lake system and as the magnificent Llao Llao hotel, San Eduardo chapel and the Lopez and Capilla massive rock face. After enjoying the views of the tour you will be taken to Gilbert restaurant and brewery high up on the mountainside overlooking the lake system to enjoy your evening meal and taste a good beer. 4/6
Day 13: Bariloche - Cerro Otto In the morning you will be taken to the Cerro Otto cable car station just outside Bariloche. These modern cable cars are equipped with music and panoramic windows. After a 12 minutes ascent up to almost 1,400m you will arrive to the top of Cerro Otto mountain. On top there is a revolving restaurant from where you can take short walk through the forest or just enjoy the splendid view of Bariloche and its surroundings. The rest of the day is free tie for you to enjoy at your leisure. Day 14: Bariloche - Buenos Aires Depending on your flight times, you may be able to enjoy the city of Bariloche and all that this beautiful city has to offer. Enjoy some traditional ice cream or chocolates available in many places in the town. At the appropriate time, depending on your flight times, you will be taken to the airport to board your flight. Your flight (approximately 2 hours) will take you to Buenos Aires where you will be met by one of our representatives and taken to your hotel. Day 15: Buenos Aires Depending on your flight times, you may be able to enjoy the city of Buenos Aires and all that this beautiful city has to offer. Take a stroll along the pedestrianised areas or through the riverside parks. Ask our representative for information. At the appropriate time, depending on your flight times, you will be transferred to Ezeiza International Airport and our representative will accompany until you until you arrive at passport control. 5/6
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