As a country, Argentina is famed for the remarkable variety of its landscapes, the richness of its cuisine and the quality of its wine. What's equally remarkable is that the same can be said for just the one small corner of Patagonia this trip explores.

As you travel, you'll find yourself kayaking across mountain lakes, watching herds of guanacos cross the arid steppe and strolling through a sunny vineyard as you sip the latest vintage. The homecooked dinners are as good as anywhere we've been.

At each stage of your travels, you will encounter the people who call Patagonia home - the winemakers, fruit farmers, Welsh descendants, conservationists, guides and hosts. From the wildlife world, there are potential encounters to be enjoyed with flamingos, condors, rheas and armadillos, as well as the guanacos.

You have private transfers to get you from place to place, as well as all internal flights and airport transfers. You do not have to drive on any of this trip.

As a tailormade trip we can adjust things to suit you prior to your departure. There is also much of this trip where it is up to you to set the pace. There is plenty of opportunity to get out walking on this vacation but equally, if all you wanted to do is sit and stare at the landscapes, it would remain a great trip.

At various stages in the journey, you have private guides who adjust activities to suit you. You also have the chance to kayak and horse ride should you wish to. Both are extremely safe, wonderfully relaxing and very enjoyable.

The activity which you most likely have the most questions about is the rafting in Futaleufú, for which we have put together its own Q&A:

Can anyone do the rafting?
Technically there is an age limit of 65 for the excursions. What that means in practice is that if you are above this age, you need to be in good health generally and be active enough to enjoy the experience. If you have any specific concerns, please relay these to us and we can discuss with our partners beforehand.

Is the rafting suitable for me if I have no experience?
As long as you have a good level of fitness, then absolutely yes. To be honest, once you've been through one rapid, you very quickly get the idea - when the guide shouts "forward!", you paddle as fast as you can and the guide is there to steer you through it. All you need to do is listen and react accordingly.

How demanding is the rafting?
The day is intense and gets tiring at times, but there are stretches of calm water where you can rest and enjoy the glorious views. It is physical, but then so are some of the bigger walks you might wish to do here - so it's all part of the adventure. One thing to keep in mind is that you're in a boat with four other rafters, plus the guide. It's the guide's responsibility to balance out the participants according to age, size, experience etc. So as long as you do your best and keep your ears open, you'll be fine.

What safety equipment do I get?
Each rafter has a helmet, full wet suit, life jacket and rubber boots. There is a safety kayaker and a safety catamaran to each raft, meaning if you do fall/jump in, there's plenty of people on hand to haul you back in.

Will I fall in the water?
It's unlikely, but if you do fall, you simply swim calmly back to your boat or the nearest kayak/catamaran, or they will come to you. It's not really as big a deal as you might think. The water is also very clean, so drinking it is perfectly safe, even encouraged. In fact, you will very likely be asked to jump into the calmest water at the start to practice getting back in. In truth that's a positive thing as you quickly then lose any fear of falling in then - once you're wet, you're wet.

Which section will I raft?
The stretch most people raft is the 'Puente-a-Puente', the classic 'Bridge-to-Bridge'. This is a 7-mile run of class III-IV+ rapids, a mix of gentle rapids and some bigger runs to get your pulse racing.

Are there gentler/livelier options?
If you want more action, subject to availability we could offer the 'full' run, which adds the biggest class V rapids over an additional 2-mile stretch. Again, there is no need to have prior experience, you just need to be game for an adventure.

For something more gentle, the Espolón River offers a mix of class II-III rapids. In truth, it is more of a nature float than rapids, but is a fun way to experience the waterways of Futaleufú and the beautiful forest along its shores.

This vacation is really very comfortable throughout. We've visited and stayed at every one of them, giving them our seal of approval for you.

The hotels and lodges in this part of Patagonia represent a wonderful selection of very high-quality small hotels for you to stay in. These are not luxury properties by any means but rather very clean and comfortable owner-run places where the welcome is as warm as you’ll find anywhere in the world.

One thing that many have in common is the quality of the food. The delicious, varied and usually quite healthy meals you eat in many of your hotels contrast markedly with the standard of food served in most provincial towns and villages, which is average at best. It's a really special part of the experience - we've seen as much from the hundreds of photos our clients send us of their dinner delights!

Being in the southern hemisphere, the seasons are the reverse and so our winter is Argentina's summer. The season for travelling in Patagonia is therefore October to April, which equates to spring through fall.

Weather is generally dry and stable, though can be windy, as you explore along the steppe and the canyons around Esquel. Venturing into the Trevelin Valley or Los Alerces can bring more changeable weather, but there will usually be a fair amount of sunshine mixed in. This is winemaking country after all.

Not in Patagonia, no, you are at or around sea level.

No, typically your hosts will speak very good English but you should not expect locals to speak any English. You will be very well served to have at least a few words of Spanish under your belt, or tongue, before you go.

We can tailor your vacation in any number of ways, and will often have to play with the running order to find space for you, or to avoid your overlapping too much with other clients.