Destinations
Argentina
Award winning wine regions, record breaking glaciers and waterfalls, high-altitude deserts and vineyards, rich terrestrial and marine wildlife, modern cities bustling with art and culture, beef and tango all come together to make Argentina a world class destination.
The second largest country on the continent, Argentina offers the discerning traveller a wide and diverse array of options. From the passion of a tango show and a polo lesson in Buenos Aires to the glistening glaciers and icebergs of Patagonia and the vast expanses of the Pampas and the otherwordly Northwest, to the thundering Iguazu Falls and its surrounding sub-tropical jungle to the juicy steaks and smooth reds you'll be feasting on throughout your trip, Argentina ticks all the boxes whether you are nature or culture lover, foodie or thrill-seeker.
Buenos Aires and the Pampas
Buenos Aires is a city not to be missed. Fondly referred to as the Paris of South America, the city is a melting pot of cultures where you'll find an eclectic mix of districts (known as barrios) showcasing the city's evolving history.
The sociable plazas and parks of bohemian Palermo make this one of the most fashionable areas, whereas elegant architecture, wide tree-lined boulevards and chic shops define the upmarket Recoleta. La Boca and San Telmo, once considered a bit rundown and gritty, have undergone a transformation. They are now home to some excellent galleries and boutiques, as well as the iconic colourful houses of El Caminito and of course the Boca Juniors football legends. Outside the city, day trips include boat trips along the Tigre Delta or to the surrounding pampas to learn polo and practice your gaucho skills at an estancia.
Argentinian Patagonia
Argentina's Patagonia is all about jagged peaks, pristine rivers, ancient glaciers, petrified forests, living icebergs, enormous scale, fierce winds, empty spaces, an wildlife rich Atlantic coast home to some of the last remaining true wilderness areas on the planet.
- In the north, the Lake District is full of sparkling blue lakes surrounded by volcanoes and the pretty alpine-like towns of Bariloche and San Martin de Los Andes make the perfect place from which to explore it all;
- To the east, nature lovers will love Peninsula Valdes where massive penguin and seal colonies thrive and Southern Right whales come to breed between June and December;
- In the south, the fjords, mountains and glaciers around Los Glaciares, El Calafate and El Chalten can be explored from a number of luxury lodges or by boat;
- In the far south lies Tierra del Fuego, the southernmost province in Argentina, with its capital Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world or the “End of the World" to explorers and adventurers. Ushuiaia is also the jump-off point for many cruises to Antarctica.
With its snow-capped peaks and crisp winter air, this laid-back mountain town in Patagonia makes travelers question whether they have landed in Switzerland instead of Argentina. Strung out along the shoreline of Lago Nahuel Huapi, Bariloche has one of the most gorgeous settings imaginable. This, combined with a wealth of summer and winter activities in the surrounding countryside, has helped it become Argentina's Lake District’s principal destination. This region of Patagonia is also noted for its chocolate, microbrews and traditional Argentine asado, making it a dream destination for both foodies and nature lovers alike.
Coastal Patagonia's Peninsula Valdes is home to an abundance of marine life and mammals and birds. Home to sea lions, elephant seals, guanacos, rheas, magellanic penguins and numerous seabirds, this Unesco World Heritage site is one of South America’s finest wildlife reserves. From June to December its natural bays and ports transform into one of the best whale watching experiences in the world. But it is world renowned for being the setting where orcas (killer whales) willfully beach themselves while hunting young sea lions and elephant seals at certain times of the year.
Ushuaia is a resort town on the southernmost tip of South America, nicknamed the “End of the World.” The windswept town, perched on a steep hill, is surrounded by the Martial Mountains and the Beagle Channel. It is the gateway to Antarctica cruises and also the starting or ending point of cruises around Cape Horn.
Tierra del Fuego, the southernmost extreme of the Americas, is a windswept archipelago described as beautiful, moody and even strange. Travelers usually visit the tip of the continent for bragging rights, but with a past full of shipwrecks, native peoples and failed missions, the "Land of Fire" has haunting scoured plains, rusted peat bogs, mossy forests and the snowy ranges above the Beagle Channel.
Mendoza Valley and the winelands
The open grasslands of the Pampas dominate central Argentina, and on the western border you will find the wine region of Mendoza, which is a must for wine and food enthusiasts. While one could spend days leisurely exploring the plazas and cafes in town or a day trip to neighbouring Uco Valley and its wine estates, there is incredible outdoor adventure right outside the city: white water rafting, fly fishing for trout, horseback riding into the Andes at sunrise, biking through the vineyards for casual wine tastings, and for the more ambitious, climbing Mt. Aconcagua, the highest peak in South America. Mendoza's Vineyards surrounded by the snowcapped peaks of the Andes make for some spectacular scenery and this is a good place to cross over into Chile for those combining the two countries.
Salta and the Puna desert
In this country of contrasts, the northwest is no different. Much more like neighbouring Bolivia and its section of the altiplano, in the northwestern corner you will find a lunar like landscape, traditional adobe villages and ruins of ancient civilisations. From the pretty colonial city of Salta to Cafayate and the highest altitude vineyards in the world, the scenery is endless. Then venture deep into the Argentinian altiplano, the Puna Desert which many refer to as the most surreal landscape on Earth. This is nirvana for landscape photographers - salt flats, collapsed dunes, dormant volcanoes, pumice stone fields, stromatolites and many other otherworldly formations.
The Iberá wetlands
Known locally as Esteros del Iberá, this vast wetland in Argentina’s northern province of Corrientes is one of the most important freshwater reservoirs in the continent. These wetlands are the world’s second largest body of fresh water after the Pantanal in Brazil and home to over 350 types of birds and other species such as marsh deer, anacondas, foxes, howler monkeys, capybaras, piranhas, two types of caiman crocodiles including the small yacaré. As part of the largest reintroduction initiative of wildlife in South America, giant anteaters, puma, jaguar, maned wolf, giant otters and pampas deer have already successfully been established within the Iberá region.
Iguazu Falls
Last but not least, over on the northeastern border with Paraguay and Brazil you will find the majestic Iguazu Falls. Rivalling Africa's Victoria Falls, this impressive site straddles three countries and we highly recommend a visit both the Argentine and Brazilian sides. The Argentinean side of the Falls allows for an awe-inspiring and up-close encounter, whilst the Brazilian side boasts exceptional panoramic views. The Falls are surrounded by a lush sub-tropical rainforest that is home to over 2,000 species of plants, an wide selection of birds including vibrant parrots and toucans, butterflies and even iconic mammals such as tapirs and howler monkeys.
DID YOU KNOW?
The Marine Iguana, which can be found in the Galapagos Islands, has the unique capability of living and foraging in the ocean. This marine reptile can dive up to 9m in search of food.
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