Buenos Aires: Tigre Cycling and Kayaking Tour

Take a Buenos Aires tour with a difference, enjoying the “Paris of South America” by bike and kayak along the Tigre River Delta.

Just north of the thriving bustle of the Argentine capital lies the tranquil town of Tigre nestled on the banks of the Tigre River Delta. The summer home for Buenos Aires’s Porteñean elite in the 19^th century, Tigre retains its posh flair. Stately mansions decorate the delta, many of them only accessible by boat.

The tranquil waters of Tigre, near Buenos Aires. Photograph: Matthew Barker 2010

Take the train from the heart of Buenos Aires to its northern outskirts. From there you can cycle along the backroads and suburbs to the town of Tigre, just north of the capital. Along the peaceful and relaxing biking trail, you will pass the Tigre River’s lush islands and beautiful landscapes. When you reach the town of Tigre, you will hop in a kayak and take a guided tour past the mansions, palaces, and other landmarks.

This full day tour lasts about eight hours total. The guided tour includes all biking and kayaking equipment, train tickets and traveler’s insurance, plus lunch, snacks, and bottled water.

Iguazu Falls: Full Moon Waterfall Excursion

Enjoy a night-time Iguazu tour and enjoy the majestic falls by moonlight.

The thundering Iguazu Falls, Argentina

When the full moon is out, the Iguazu Falls – one of the world’s most impressive set of waterfalls – appears even more striking and powerful than ever. Some 270 waterfalls, a few over 250 feet tall, merge together to cascade down the Iguazu River’s deepest cataracts.  The national parks surrounding the falls, in both Argentina and Brazil, are quiet, and it seems as though you are alone with a mighty wall of water.

During this tour, which runs every evening of the full moon, you meet your guide at the park entrance to take a train ride to the Devil’s Throat, the most impressive face of the falls. At the Garganta do Diabo, or Devil’s Throat, water plunges over a 490 by 2300 feet U-shaped catarata, and observers can get close enough to be surrounded by 260° of water thundering with unimaginable power. In the moonlight, toast this remarkable force of nature with a refreshing caipirinha cocktail.

Mendoza: Cooking & Wine Tasting Class

For wine and cuisine fanatics, look no further than this Mendoza tour.

Mendoza’s gorgeous wineries and breathtaking landscapes are not to be missed, but if you want to experience Mendoza wine country in a unique way, take a Mendoza cooking and wine tasting class.

Begin your class by traveling from Mendoz to the Uco Valley, a high-altitude vineyard-rich region backed by the snowy Andes. Here the restaurant Bistro La Tupiña is situated in the midst of the Altus vineyards. This world-class restaurant serves delicious, simple Argentine meals – with some ingredients straight from the farm out back. The chef uses a tupiña, a cast iron kettle for which the restaurant is named, to marinate sausage, carmelized onions, potato wedges, and other appetizers in wines from the vineyard. A wine tasting expert will spill the secrets about the ins and outs of a good glass of wine, and a professional chef will teach you how to prepare – and pair – gourmet Argentine dishes with the best Argentine wines. Recipes may include goat in lemon sauce, barbeque lamb, along with dulce de leche and pastries.

El Calafate: Upsala Glacier Boat Cruise to Estancia Cristina

Cruise across glacial lakes on this Calafate tour to the most remote estancia in the region, perhaps in all of Patagonia.

The rugged landscape of Argentina’s Patagonia attracted rough gauchos who raised their cattle on vast stretches of land. Of all the estancias in Argentina, from the ranches on the eastern pampas near Buenos Aires, to those on the southern steppe, Estancia Cristina near El Calafate is perhaps the most remote.

Walls of ice and glacial lakes in Calafate, Patagonia. Photograph: Matthew Barker 2010

Estancia Cristina is only accessible by boat or by a several day trek. The trip is worth it though, as this 85,000 acre ranch is set on a meadow that glows green in the spring and summer, with the breathtaking Upsala Glacier as its backdrop. The ranch was founded in 1914 by an intrepid Englishman. Now it offers lodging, delicious homemade Patagonian cuisine, guided walks and horseback riding.

From El Calafate, the trekking town accessible by airport or by bus, you will head out on a boat cruise to reach Estancia Cristina. From Puerto Banderas on Lago Argentino, you will cruise north towards the Upsala Glacier. Enjoy the spectacular scenery as you weave along the glacial lake to the ranch. You will be greeted by a full lunch cooked in the traditional Patagonia style, and afterwards, you can roam the vast ranch, taking a horseback ride or hike to the Upsala Glacier lookout point. In the evening, tuck into bed in a rustic cabin on the ranch, or return along the lake to El Calafate.

Ushuaia: Tierra Mayor Dog Sled and Snowshoe Trek

Mush Patagonia Huskies on a dog sled and snowshoe Ushuaia tour.

Experience the thrill and chill of the rugged terrain near Ushuaia in Tierra del Fuego, the southernmost tip of Argentina, on a full day dog sled and snowshoe trek. From Ushuaia, the picturesque capital of Tierra del Fuego, travel to Tierra Mayor, a trailhead that leads through snowy hills to the breathtaking Tierra Mayor valley. At the trailhead, you will meet your guide, who will introduce you to your dog sled team and explain the art of mushing. Then you will get outfitted with your sled, and take off on a seven kilometer sledding adventure along old logging trails in the snowy forests of Tierra Mayor.

When you reach the woodcutter’s shelter, a small log cabin with a cozy fireplace, you can warm up with a cup of hot chocolate or “woodsmen’s coffee.” Then gear up for the next part of the adventure, a one and a half hour snowshoe trek through the snowy hills of Tierra Mayor. Gliding across snow a meter deep, you will arrive at the Alvear icefalls and enjoy terrific views of the Tierra Mayor valley. Return to the shelter, warm up with more hot chocolate, then strap on the snowshoes and descend down the logging trails to the Tierra Mayor trailhead.

The above excursions are just five of the many tours offered by Argentina For Less. Visit us online for many more Argentina travel ideas, or contact a travel advisor at travel@argentinaforless.com for more details.

Bariloche, in northern Patagonia, is a Mecca for those heading for a Patagonia destination. The town is most famous as a ski resort due to its proximity to the ski slopes of Cerro Catedral.

Perched on the side of a huge lake and surrounded by snow-capped mountains, Bariloche seems more like a Swiss Alpine resort.

Golf and snow capped mountains in Bariloche

Its residents seem European too, as many of Argentina’s citizens are immigrants, and the capital, Buenos Aires, is often nicknamed the Paris of South America.

The local pubs have the feel of an Alpine bar, serving a variety of European and local beers.

Famous Fondue

Just like in many Alpine ski resorts, there is a range of fondue restaurants around Bariloche. You can gather around a pot of bubbling cheese and cook various meats and vegetables, perfect for warming up after a long day of hitting the slopes.

Chocolate & Bariloche

What many visitors to Bariloche are unaware of is that Bariloche is the chocolate capital of Argentina and possibly South America.

Even though the cocoa bean was first discovered in Mexico, it was the Europeans and then later Americans that perfected the process to make it into the chocolate that we know today.

It was also the Swiss and Germans that engineered the technique of mixing fresh milk with the bitter cocoa bean to make the sweet milk chocolate that we know of today.

This made Swiss chocolate some of the most famous and well-known chocolates in the early chocolate market development.

Bariloche, keeping in line with the Alpine feel, developed its own chocolate industry, using fresh sheep as well as cow milk to make the sweet chocolate.

As you walk down the main shopping street of Calle Mitre you are struck by the sweet smells and colorful stores that line the sides of the street.

Feel free to enter the shops and indulge your senses. Ask for some free samples!

Many of the stores feature displays that allow you to see how they hand-craft their luxury chocolates.

Many of the stores also have special chocolate features, such as giant chocolate rabbits during Easter.

Don’t forget to take some time between your Bariloche tours to visit the Bariloche Chocolate Museum!

The best time to hit the water is during the rainy season, from late August to November. At this time of year, the rivers are swollen and fast flowing, offering a bigger variety of options for all levels.

White water rafting on the Pacuare River, Costa Rica

One of Costa Rica’s most popular rafting spots is the Pacuare River, widely recognized as one of the top rafting rivers in the world thanks to a perfect combination of jaw-droppingly beautiful natural scenery and fast-flowing waters.

The waters are warm, the cascades are stunning and the river meanders through the dense tropical Costa Rican rainforest, surrounded by a huge diversity of wildlife. The river is generally Class III to IV, which means unpredictable waves, narrow waterways and long patches of white water, getting wet out here is a certainty!

Exploring the Pacuare River is all the more enjoyable on rafting trips departing from the Rio Tropicales Lodge, who has partnered with Costa Rica For Less to offer an adventurer’s dream trip; rafting down whitewater rapids, zip lining through the tree tops, and exploring deep into the jungle to get up close and personal with the rainforest’s countless inhabitants.

The lodge, built from ecologically sourced local materials, is set amid a large reserve of tropical gardens and untouched jungle, complete with swaying hammocks and viewing platforms from which the local colony of toucans can be spotted. A vast network of trails are perfect for exploring, while a series of freshwater pools stemming from the Pacuare River itself allow blissful and relaxing bathing.

Costa Rica For Less’ exclusive Rafting Odyssey travel deal allows visitors to arrive at this splendid lodge by raft, spend two full days exploring the rainforest reserve before leaving for another full day on the water. Visit the Costa Rica For Less site for more information.

A few days or week-long skiing vacation after catching a tour on a Chile Travel Deal is a great way to see all Chile has to offer.

Three of the most popular ski resorts, Valle Nevado, La Parva, and Colorado, are known collectively as the Tres Valles.

The Valle Nevado slopes, along with Valle Colorado and La Purva, make for some of the widest-ranging skiable snow in all of South America.

These mountains huddle together in the Andes just 1.5 hours outside of Chile’s capital – Santiago.

Strung together like Christmas lights by an interconnected lift system, the Tres Valles combine to offer enough runs to keep an advanced skier busy for a week. The peaks range 2800-3700 meters (9186-12139 ft), and during the high season (July-Aug), get a generous dusting of crisp dry powder.

Valle Nevado is the most elegant of the three, with a resort that offers a luxurious touch to its rugged slopes. With 22.9 miles of ski runs open year-round to skiers and snowboarders of all abilities, plus heliskiers, this park offers an all-inclusive stay for snow-sport lovers.

El Colorado, the next peak over, is the largest of the three parks, with 16 lifts, 25 trails, and a view over Santiago. This is an excellent park to take the kids, with several beginners’ slopes and a lift designed specifically for little ones.

Colorado slides into La Parva, and boasts untrekked trails that stretch over 66 miles. It’s known for its advanced skiers’ slopes, and great backcountry bowls of completely untouched snow. Together with the borders of Valles Colorado and Nevado, La Parva makes for some of the widest-ranging skiable snow in all of South America.

When to go:

Ski season begins mid-June and high season begins in July. If you plan for late June, you’ll beat the crowds and hit the virgin snow. But if you have to wait, wait until late August to September, when the high season is winding down. Season ends October.

Where to stay:

The Valle Nevado Resort is every skiers dream come true – guests wake up to the best views of the mountains, the La Fourchette D’or restaurant is known for its terrific French cuisine, rooms are fully renovated, and the sauna, massages, and yoga classes will be sure to get out all the knots after a long day of hitting the slopes.

Tres Puntas Hotel, also in the Valle Nevado ski center, is an affordable alternative; great for groups that still provides comfort for the weather-weary skier. It’s within walking distance of the Ski Center, and offers many amenities such as a pub with karaoke and live music, a fitness center, swimming pool, games rooms, and child care center. The Sur restaurant serves from a traditional Chilean menu.

Hotel Posada de Farellones, the charming Swiss ski lodge in Farenolles, 10 minutes from the peaks, was one of the first lodges in the area. Outfitted with modern amenties, it offers a cozy fireplace in the living room, satellite TV, games, Jacuzzi, and shuttles to and from the ski resorts.

Where to eat:

Most hotels include breakfast and dinner in their accommodation prices, and lunches can be purchased in the ski centers. Still, the Tres Valles resorts are known not only for their slopes, they’re also famous for good food and wine.

Valle Nevado Ski Resort has the most eateries. Besides the aforementioned restaurants, there’s the Swiss Le Montagnard and the Italian La Trattoria in the Puerto del Sol Hotel, plus barbeque, sushi, and other options.
Farellones has a decent nightlife, with bars El Montanes and the Blue Tambo Lodge.

Local and international divers launch daily into the sub-aquatic park to explore the several shipwrecks, reefs, and rocky bars where thousands of species of sea flora and fauna flourish.

One of Puerto Madryn's Underwater Residents, Argentina

During this full immersion experience, expect to feast your eyes on sea lions, chitons, spider crabs and tractor bank mussels, sea cucumbers and anemones.

But you don´t have to be a diving expert to take to the waters. In fact, you don´t even need to know how to swim. Scuba diving guppies can take a “baptism,” an hour-long class that gives an introduction to diving gear, diving practices, the layout of the marine park, and a safety briefing, before letting beginners take the plunge.

For beginners, the best place to start exploring is the Punta Cuevas bar, a rocky formation 200 meters offshore that houses an incredible amount of marine life. The gentle, protected waters, roughly 100 meters offshore, allow for terrific visibility. Accompanied by experts, divers go around 10 meters deep. From this depth, you can play with the sea lions, touch the shy sea anemones, and examine the varied types of cocheros mussel, turcos, and crabs.

Once you get more practiced – although don’t expect to become an expert on your first day! – you can aim for the Parque Viejo, which was built around the famous Antarctic pioneer, Ernest Shakleton’s, ships from his Antarctica expedition at the turn of the century. Or there’s the Madryn Chest, a treasure trove of messages left by the Puerto Madryn community that isn’t to be opened until 2100, plus a plastic guestbook for visiting divers to sign.

If you’re still not convinced that scuba diving is for you, Puerto Madryn itself is worth the trip. You can do plenty of whale watching from the beach, especially from Playa El Doradillo, in the summer months. You can take a mountain bike trek around the chalky cliffs, tour the Peninsula Valdes wildlife sanctuary, or go windsurfing along the crystal shores of Golfo Nuevo. The city also boasts all the things you would expect such as great restaurants, chic hotels and local attractions.

Interestingly the city also has a rich Welsh heritage, a legacy of waves of immigration that left Europe in the 19^th century which has left the Welsh language and traditional cream teas a common sight on the streets of this Patagonian city.

The town is easily accessible from Buenos Aires and other Patagonia destinations such as Bariloche. Puerto Madryn is known as the gateway to the Valdez Peninsula, an area rich in aquatic wildlife and natural beauty. You can take boat tours from Madryn or go by bus up the peninsula.

Many people are unaware that in Peru there were a great many civilizations that pre-dated the Inca. Northern Peru was once the center of several mighty civilizations including the Sipán, Moche, and Chimu.

The ancient site of Chan Chan, near the city of Trujillo, Peru

Human remains have been found in the area that date back nearly 5,000 years – easily competing with many ancient sites of the ‘Old World’. Visitors to northern Peru can explore pyramids, wander around colonial cities, observe local rural lifestyles and enjoy the numerous awe-inspiring archaeological findings at local museums and ruins.

What makes these societies so mystical and wondrous is that not much is known about them; they used no form of writing to record their history – leaving their only messages through works of art and ceramics.

Archaeologists have to interpret what they find in order to piece together a story that is yearning to be told. There are numerous ruins, monuments and museums that piece together that story, for visitors and locals. However, just seeing the ancient sights makes you appreciate the complexity and organization of these cultures that existed before ours.

First time visitors should start their trip in the town of Trujillo, which is Peru’s third biggest city. Visitors can relax enjoying the cities colonial architectural heritage and take advantage of being close to a number of archaeological sites.

Nearby are the Temples of the Sun and Moon. The temples are two huge adobe brick buildings with a large flat area that was probably used for a town market.

The Temple of the Sun is the largest but sadly some of it was washed away due to looters as they deliberately diverted a river to try to find hidden gold. It is thought that this area was the former capital of the Moche civilization.

Also near to Trujillo is the site of Chan Chan, one of the most important archaeological sites in Peru. Chan Chan was the capital of the Chimu civilization, before their conquest by the Incas. It was the largest pre-Columbian city in South America; covering an area of over 20 km.

Visitors marvel at the wondrous art carved onto the city walls; decoration that is clearly visible throughout the site. Chan Chan is a marvelous adobe city that transports you back in time to a civilization and culture that has been lost.

On leaving Trujillo visitors should head to the coastal city of Chiclayo. The city is home to the Lord of Sipán exhibition at the Royal Tombs Museum. The Lord of Sipán was one of Peru’s most spectacular recent discoveries.

Totora reed boats, used by Peruvian coastal people for millenia

Found in 1987, the tomb was uncovered fully intact, which is what makes it such an important discovery that allowed archeologists to gain a better insight into the workings of the Moche people. Lambeque is also home to the National Archaeological and Anthropological Museum, the museum’s four stories house one of the best collections of gold, silver, and copper objects from the several cultures that flourished in the region over previous millennia.

Chiclayo is also near to the ‘Valley of the Pyramids’. Tucume, as it is known to locals, is a huge complex that includes 26 large adobe pyramids that were built by the Sicán civilization in about 1000AD. The valley area was probably a regional centre of power and the valley contains a range of structures and pyramids that could have been used for a range of purposes.

In 2008 a new discovery was announced in just North of modern Chiclayo, Cerro Pátapo ruins are the ruins of the Wari culture. What is most remarkable is that it was thought the Wari only lived in the south, yet discovery here has had to change that perspective.

These are just a few of the many gems that exist in northern Peru, with new discoveries made frequently. Archaeologists are slowly learning, piecing together bits information to tell us the story of these great civilizations.

Friday night procession in the main square.

Though the celebration had lasted all week, standing amidst the people, the crowds showed no signs of weariness. In fact, many were already celebrating the grand finale with morning ice creams, popcorn, and cervezas. Without introduction, the people ahead of us suddenly scattered to allow a beaming cowboy break through towing a wild bull behind him. Amongst gleeful screams, we tried desperately to catch glimpses and take photos of this famous bull pull. Within seconds they’d flown by us and we were left to wait for more.

In total, I saw three Easter Bulls run wildly past, though there may have been more. Delighted with the stunning performances I’d witnessed on Friday, I couldn’t wait to see what else Saturday had in store for the thousands of people who traveled to Ayacucho to celebrate the Christian Holy Week. All day Friday, local artists had labored on the streets of the Plaza de Armas, creating stunning murals out of colored sand. Their hard work was short lived as the evening’s touching procession, in stunning candlelit darkness, marched the Señor del Santo Sepulcro around the plaza leaving behind dusty remnants of the beautiful art sacrificed in the name of religious fervor.

I’ve spent a good deal of time in Ayacucho, and I can honestly say that it is one of my favorite destinations. It is a mixture of tranquility and activity and Semana Santa was no exception. On Saturday afternoon, to sneak away from the crowded city center, my friends and I took a short combi ride to the Wari ruins, just 30km from Ayacucho. Exploring these beautiful ruins and the quiet paths linking them riddled with cacti and fresh tuna fruit, you’d never know of the fiesta taking place just a short distance away. Not wanting to miss the evening celebrations, I was back in Ayacucho in the late afternoon, and after a reviving dinner we re-joined the crowds to enjoy the music and dancing that would last all night. Like huge statues made of construx, scattered around the square were reed towers that erupted in exciting fireworks displays throughout the night. Big brass bands played around the Plaza so that when one band grew tired of playing cumbia and samba we moved on to another corner of the square where a new band was blasting horns, guitar and drum beats into the night.

A mural made out of sand created on the streets of Ayacucho.

The excitement and fervor kept the crowd moving and though I’d taken a short nap, when my friends woke me to rejoin the festivities, there was an even bigger crowd then when I’d left just an hour ago, anxiously awaiting the famous procession which wouldn’t start until 5:30 in the morning. Tired faces waited patiently near the Cathedral, people slept on the sidewalks and small children played on the street beside their parents. The final fireworks tower erupted in announcement of what we’d all been waiting for. Tired eyes fixed on the Cathedral as the famous brilliantly lit pyramid seemed to float out of the doors of the Cathedral supported by the hands of 200 people and began to circle the Plaza in what is known as the Resurrection Mass. It was truly a remarkable finale to this exciting celebration that will ring forever in my mind as an extraordinary Peruvian cultural experience.

Lifts open at Cerro Catedral on June 20 this year.

Said to be South America’s greatest ski center, this Argentinean resort totes the largest ski infrastructure on the continent with 38 chair lifts, nearly 3,000 acres of skiable terrain and just under 4,000 feet of vertical descent.  Although Cerro Catedral is well-suited for intermediate and advanced skiers and snowboarders there are skiable slopes for all levels:  4 green cross-country trails, 6 green downhill runs, 25 blue runs, 15 red runs and 10 black runs.   If this is all gibberish to you, then perhaps you would like to try out one of the ski and/or snowboarding schools located here!  Not only will you learn how to ski or snowboard, most ski schools will also give you snow tours.  During these tours, your guide will help you understand the terrain of the mountain and point out which of the 75 miles of skiable slopes are best for your skiing ability.

The dry but moderate climate in this area makes for ideal skiing conditions.  With cheaper prices than North America, and the spectacular vistas of lakes, snow-capped mountains and forests of the dramatic southeastern Andes, Cerro Catedral is arguably South America’s best.

If skiing is not your forte, there are plenty of other winter activities you can participate in this outdoor adventurer’s paradise.  The mountains surrounding Bariloche are riddled with not only ski slopes but snow-shoeing and sledding trails as well.  You can also enjoy paragliding, hiking, mountain biking or a few hours on a snow-mobile to explore this winter wonderland. Bariloche has something to offer for everyone, whether you are an outdoor enthusiast or not with first-class restaurants, chocolate shops, tea houses and nightclubs.

Getting there: If you want to get to Bariloche quickly and comfortably, it is suggested you fly.  Otherwise, you can take a luxury bus.  The bus ride takes about 22 hours while flying is roughly two hours and twenty minutes from the capital.  There is a sustainable price difference as well, so if you are going to fly, book your flights early!

Where to Stay: There is a large variety of lodging in Bariloche for all travelers.  See our guide to recommended Bariloche Hotels.