Balmain Rugby Club is headed to Argentina this off-season for a playing tour that includes two Tests; Argentina vs New Zealand & Argentina vs Australia, as well as some fantastic touring.
This tour is limited to 30 places. We need 20 players and the remaining 10 are open to friends, fathers, mothers, wives, girlfriends or mistresses.
We are using the services of our sponsor Fanatics who are an official tour operator of the Australian Rugby Union so all tickets are 100% guaranteed. We are staying at the same hotel as the Wallabies in Rosario and have some great 4 star hotels, tickets, merchandise and pre-match functions included as well as a discounted price via our sponsorship. As part of our sponsorship Fanatics are not making a cent from organising this tour so you are already in front there.
Tour includes:
- Return economy flight from Sydney to Buenos Aires
- Return economy flight from Buenos Aires to El Calafate to Buenos Aires
- Private coach transfer from Buenos Aires to Rosario to Buenos Aires
- All transfers & English speaking guides as detailed in the itinerary in each city.
- 4 x nights’ 4 star accommodation in Buenos Aires with breakfast included.
- 3 x nights’ 4 star accommodation in Rosario with breakfast included.
- 3 x nights’ 4 star accommodation in El Calafate with breakfast included.
- 2 x matches in Rosario & Buenos Aires & their after match functions.
- Minitrekking excursion at the Perito Moreno Glacier
- Todo Glaciares boat excursion at Lago Argentino, Glaciers national park
- Rugby Championship ticket for Argentina v New Zealand match
- Rugby Championship ticket for Argentina v Australia match
- 3 x Balmain Rugby Club touring jerseys (2 to swap with the locals, 1 to keep)
- 1 x Balmain Rugby Club tour bag
- Other Balmain Rugby Club touring paraphernalia
Price:
$4,950 per person based on twin share. The price may increase a little for those that delay booking as we are not paying any money to suppliers until you pay us.
$2,000 deposit is needed to book your place. We need a further $1,000 paid April 6 with the balance due July 1.
If you are interested to in booking or have any more questions email balmainrugby@gmail.com
Not included:
- Insurance which can be booked separately and is highly recommended.
- USD$100 arrival tax in Argentina. Must be paid on arrival.
- Boca Juniors match ticket. Approx USD$100 to be purchased in BA.
Spending money:
You will easily get away with spending US$100 a day which will include a great meal and lots of beers. You could do it for $50 if you are on a budget. Prices in shops are similar to Australia so you can base it on what you spend day to day here.
Our tour itinerary:
Thursday 26 September 2013: Arrive in Buenos Aires
We arrive at Ezeiza International airport, where we meet Adriana our English speaking guide (pictured below. Please note she may be substituted for a less attractive tour guide)
From the airport we are transferred into town where we are based for the first 4 nights with breakfast included.
Friday 27 September 2013: Free day in Buenos Aires
This morning after breakfast we spend the day walking through the old town and seeing the sites and tasting the delights of BA.
One of the world’s great cities BA is known as the Paris of South America. You could spend a lifetime in this city and never see everything (although we’ll give it a good nudge)
Saturday 28 September 2013: Buenos Aires – Match 1 + Argentina v New Zealand
After breakfast we head out to a local rugby club for our first match of the tour. After the match we will have a traditional BBQ and beers with the local footy club before heading back to the hotel to dump your gear and grab your Los Pumas jersey for the night ahead.
We depart this afternoon on our private coach to La Plata Stadium for the Pumas v All Blacks Rugby Championship match.
Category 1 match tickets are included. At the conclusion of the match we have a transfer back to the hotel before kicking on for the rest of the night with the locals.
Sunday 29 September 2013: Buenos Aires + Boca Juniors
A lie in this morning followed by breakfast and a walk to the famous San Telmo antique markets where we find ourselves dancing the tango in the streets.
This afternoon we will try and attending a Boca Juniors match at the world famous La Bombonera. The draw is not announced yet so we are unsure of times and dates but we will see a match in BA today.
Monday 30 September: Buenos Aires to El Calafate
This morning we have a bite of breakfast, check out of our hotel and take our transfer to Aeroparque Domestic airport for our flight to El Calafate.
El Calafate is in the heart of Argentinean Patagonia nestled on the banks of Lake Argentino and is a popular base for visits to different parts of the Los Glaciares National Park, including the awe-inspiring Perito Moreno Glacier!
Upon arrival at El Calafate airport we will meet Adriano our local English speaking guide and be transferred by private coach to our hotel where we are based for the next 3 nights with breakfast included.
We have the rest of the day to linger at the local bars and restaurants which dot the phenomenal landscape of this town.
Tuesday 1 October 2013: El Calafate – Minitrekking
This morning we are collected from the hotel and transferred by private coach with Adriano to the Perito Moreno National Park.
The Moreno glaciers are in BRC’s committee’s opinion one of the world’s great natural wonders. (they really are f*cken amazing!)
We begin at Bay Harbor “Bajo de las Sombras” – 22km from Glaciers National Park entrance & 8km from the Perito Moreno Glacier.
We board a boat and travel to the opposite coast of Peninsula de Magallanes where local guides will take our group along a coastal path that leads to the southern margin of the glacier.
There you will be given strap ons (not that type of strap on sicko) to connect to your shoes to allow you to walk on the ice.
We take a two hour slow walk to the glacier, making sure we are not close enough to fall off the edge!
The companies blurb says it will be a “unique opportunity to appreciate the different formations of the glacier (drains, cracks, etc.) & the varied tonalities of the ice that constitute a show by themselves” so there you have it.
On the way back we are transferred to the Perito Moreno walking trails for a different view of the magnificent glacier before heading back to the hotel.
Night on the gas with the locals. Cowboy hats optional.
Wednesday 2 October 2013: El Calafate to Todo Glaciares
Today we head into the mountains surrounding El Calafate, mostly at lake level as your cruise to three other awesome glaciers that terminate at points overlooking Lago Argentino.
We depart the hotel by transfer and head to Punta Bandera where we board a catamaran with large panoramic windows for optimum viewing.
The excursion tracks around Lago Argentino to the Upsala, Spegazzini & either Onelli or the Seco Glaciers, dependant upon lake conditions & icebergs en-route.
The Upsala Glacier is by far & away the largest in Parque Nacional Los Glaciares & the Spegazzini Glacier is the tallest, being the equivalent of a 24 story building. It is a phenomenal sight and you will well and truly be blown away.
At the conclusion of the cruise we head back to the hotel.
Thursday 3 October 2013: El Calafate to Buenos Aires to Rosario
This morning after breakfast we check out of the hotel and transferred to El Calafate airport for our flight to Aeroparque Domestic airport.
Upon arrival we are met by Adriana (or similar) & transferred by private coach the 300km to Rosario the location for the Pumas vs Wallabies match.
We check into our hotel for 3 nights with breakfast included. We will be staying at the same hotel as the Wallabies just in case Robbie is short on a few blokes to hold the hit shields.
Friday 4 October 2013: Rosario – Match 2
Breakfast and free day to check out Rosario.
In the afternoon we are transferred to a local club for our 2nd tour match.
After the match we will enjoy a traditional BBQ and a beers with the local rugby team before heading back to the hotel to sign autographs for unsuspecting tourists in the lobby.
Saturday 5 October 2013: Rosario – Rugby Championship
Lie in, breakfast and some free time to stroll around town.
In the afternoon we are transferred by private coach to Rosario Stadium where the Rugby Championship match Argentina vs Australia will be played.
At the conclusion of the match we will take a transfer back to the hotel.
Sunday 6 October 2013: Rosario – Ezeiza airport – Return Home
This morning we are transferred by private coach back to Buenos Aires city and Buenos Aires International “Ezeiza” airport for our flight back home.