1. Puerto Iguazú – Home of the thundering Iguazú Falls
Taller than Niagara and wider than Victoria Falls, Iguazú Falls is said to be one of the seven natural wonders of the world and it doesn’t disappoint. You are in awe of the sheer magnitude of this force of nature and words fail me in describing the beauty. It was best described by the former first lady of the USA Eleanor Roosevelt who exclaimed “Poor Niagara” when she first laid eyes on this sight. Park entrance is 500 pesos and if you get the ticket stamped on your way out, the second day’s entrance fee will be 50%. You need a good 2 days to visit the entire park and this will be enough time to see everything in a relaxed way including the boat ride. The park is extremely well maintained and the points of interest are divided into 2, the upper circuit and lower circuit. There is a small train that runs every 20 minutes from the central station near the entrance to the Cataratas station which is the starting point for both trails.
Iguazú falls comprises about 275 waterfalls spanning over 1.7kms and is much larger than the Niagara. The largest of them, aptly named “Garganta del Diablo” (Devil’s mouth) is so huge that you can hear the roar of the water from a ½ mile away. The boat ride (which is extra and not included in the ticket price) is definitely worth taking. It basically takes you in a ‘U’ shape around the Isla San Martin which is the island in the middle separating the falls. But the best part is the boat goes and touches 2 of the falls and actually just lingers under one of them for a good 20-25 seconds where you not only get completely drenched but you also experience the full force of the falls which is awesome.
2. Ushuaia – The last inhabited place on Earth
Ushuaia is a city in the southernmost tip of South America and is the largest city in Argentine Patagonia. It is the capital of Tierra del Fuego and is nicknamed “Fin Del Mundo” which stands for The End of the Earth as it is the last inhabited place on Earth. It is also the gateway to all expeditions to Antarctica.
Things to do in Ushuaia:
- Book a day tour to the Beagle Channel (with Piratour) and you will get to sail further south and visit the Islands of Sea Lions, Cormorants and walk among the magellanic and gentoo penguins on Martillo Island. For more curated details of our tour of the Beagle channel, click here.
- Visit Tierra del Fuego National Park. There are buses that take you to and back for 500 pesos ($28.50) per person from the city center. There are several trails and lakes within the national park that can be easily covered within a ½ day. Lapataia Bay is significant as it is the end of the Trans-American Highway Ruta 3 (Route 3) which starts in Alaska and travels 17,848kms and ends here. There is a marker here indicating this at Lapataia Bay. Also visit Laguna Negra (Black lake) and Laguna Verde (Green Lake) along the walking trails.
- Glacier Martial is just a few kilometers from the city center and you can take a taxi for 150 pesos($8.50) up to the base of the park. This glacier can be visited year round and during winter, skiing here is very popular. During summer months though, the ski lifts were not open, but you could hike up 300 mts to the top of the ski lift area and then walk up another 500mts to the glacier where the snow is present year round. Here you get a fantastic view of the Glacier Martial, the surrounding slope and the town of Ushuaia down below.
3. El Calafate – Getting up close and personal with the amazing Perito Moreno Glacier
The one and only sight to see in El Calafate is the Perito Moreno Glacier. Located in the Los Glaciares National Park in Southern Patagonia about 48 kms from El Calafate, it is the most important tourist attraction here. If you google the top 10 amazing glaciers in the world, you will find that this is at number one. It is the largest moving glacier in the world at 30 kms wide and 70 meters in height. This ice field is the world’s third largest reserve of freshwater and it is growing at a rate of 1.5 meters a day. Perito Moreno is one of the only glaciers in the world that is growing instead of shrinking and exactly why is a bit of a mystery.
The Glacier is at the foot of the Perito Moreno mountain, and leading up to the glacier is a beautiful pristine turquoise lake Lago Argentino, with its small floating icebergs and surrounded by snow covered mountains. As the Glacier advances, large pieces of ice collapse onto the lake making a loud noise. You could hear the constant crackling, snapping, and swooshing which sound like little firecrackers to thunder (when they are large) indicating constant activity within the glacier. We saw quite a few small to medium pieces break off while we were there although we didn’t get a chance to see large ruptures.
From El Calafate, you can take any of the day tours on offer here to visit the Glacier. Most of them provide transportation to and from and cost you anywhere from 450-600 pesos ($25-$35) for the hour-long drive. There are also guided tours but I’m not aware of their costs as we did not inquire about it. The entrance fee to the Los Glaciares National Park is 500 pesos ($28.50) per person.
The park is very well equipped with facilities like toilets, restaurant, ATM, etc attached to a large parking lot. The path to the glacier has clearly marked signs and starts from behind the restaurant and follows along next to the lake. There is a very nice walkway built with metal grates and wooden hand rails, which leads you up and down several viewpoints giving you various angles to observe the Glacier. They have clearly marked (color coded) circuits to these viewpoints and if you do all the circuits it’s about 4 kms in total. The signs clearly indicate the level of difficulty and distances covered. You can also take a boat tour on the lake for 550 pesos ($31.50) per person, which will give you a slightly closer view of the glacier.
Final note: Perito Moreno Glacier is something that should go on everyone’s must see list and the only one that you can get so up close to witness is an opportunity that must not be missed.
4. El Chaltén – a not-so strenuous guide to El Chalten and the Fitz-Roy, the symbol of Patagonia
El Chaltén is a village within Los Glaciares National Park in Argentina’s Patagonia and is a gateway to trails surrounding the peaks of Mount Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre. The Cerro Fitz-Roy is the most recognizable and one of the most dangerous mountains in Southern Patagonia and is also the inspiration behind the Patagonia clothing logo.
Located at the foot of this mountain range, El Chaltén consists of a Main Street, Avenida San Martin which runs along the length of this tiny little village from one end to the other and is just about 1.5kms long. And this street contains mainly hostels, hotels, restaurants, tour operators, a few shops that sell and rent outdoor equipment and a couple of mini-markets. Basically this town is built around the Fitz-Roy and caters only to tourists coming to hike, trek, mountain climb and camp. And the few side streets branching off of Av San Martin houses the locals who run or work in these hotels, restaurants and shops.
There are several self-guided treks that you can do here. The visitor center will provide everyone who arrives in town with a map and details of all the treks available. We ended up doing only the lighter day treks and a medium level trek to Laguna Capri, but there are also camping treks to the 2 peaks that are very adventurous and also stressful.
- Hike to Laguna Capri is a 4 km trek (with the last km being uphill) and was classified as ‘medium’ in level of endurance. The lake ‘Laguna Capri’ is a beautiful lake and a regular stop and resting spot for most people who are planning to go further 10 kilometers to ‘Laguna De Los Tres’ at the base of Fitz-Roy. It is made of large granite with a jagged edge and poses a very difficult challenge to mountaineers. Most trekkers camp at the base of ‘Laguna De Los Tres’ to watch the sunrise when the whole mountain turns pink.
- El Chorrillo Del Salto – is a 3 kms fairly easy trek to the Salto waterfalls. The waterfall is on the last leg of the Chorrillo river before it flows into the De las Vueltas river. It is nestled on the side of the mountain and surrounded by boulders and trees, and the pool that the falls plunges into, although not recommended for swimming, is a beautiful sight.
- Mirador de Los Cóndores y Águilas – This trekking circuit is the shortest in the range of possibilities taking just 1.5hours one way. It is a viewpoint from where you get the best panoramic photos of the entire valley with hills and the jagged edged mountains, the town and the De Las Vueltas river. This trek starts right at the entrance to the village, from the National Park Visitor Center. And as the name suggests, you have a great chance of watching Condors and Black Chested Eagles flying.
5. San Carlos De Bariloche – the Switzerland of South America
San Carlos de Bariloche (or Bariloche for short) is called the Switzerland of South America. Lying on the shores of Lake Nahuel Huapi and surrounded by mountains and forests, it is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. During winter, the snow covered mountains, trees and houses transform this place into a winter wonderland which is truly a magnificent sight. In summer, although the snow is just on the mountain top, the beauty of the numerous lakes and the quaint city is unmistakable.
Most of the sights are located outside of the city limits for which the best way to visit is to rent a car. You can however visits the few interesting sights in the city such as
- Civic Center – This was a big landmark square of Bariloche with beautiful Alpine-inspired buildings surrounding the square.
- Catedral Nuestra Señora Del Nahuel Huapi – This cathedral stands on the lakefront in a park-like setting and showcases some beautiful stained glass depictions of biblical stories.
- Cerro Campanario – This mountain is located 1000m above the town of Bariloche and gives you a birds eye view of the beautiful town and the breathtaking lakes around it. To get to Cerro Campanario, from the center of San Carlos de Bariloche, you can take a bus to Av. Bustillo until kilometer 17.5 from where you can take a ski lift for 300 pesos ($17 ea), which will bring you to the top of the mountain to get this view point.
For the below listed sights, it’s best to rent a car and drive to these locations as there are no Tour services available.
- Siete Lago Circuito Grande – Driving from Villa La Angostura to San Martín De Los Andes will take you through the 7 lakes, Lago Espejo, Lago Correntoso, Lago Escondido, Lago Villarino, Lago Falkner, Lago Machonico and Lago Lacar. Each one unique and beautiful and extremely picturesque. It will take you almost the entire day to visit this circuit and the views all along the way are truly spectacular.
- Ventisquero Negro – The other must visit place near Bariloche is a drive to Ventisquero Negro (Black glacier) located at the foot of Cerro Tronador. Mount Tronador is Bariloche’s highest mountain located in the Southern Andes and on the border between Argentina and Chile. The mountain is in between two national parks – Nahuel Huapi Park in the Argentine provinces of Río Negro and Neuquén & Vicente Pérez Rosales Park in the province of Llanquihue, Chile. Ventisquero Negro is a beautiful Black Glacier where the sediments, minerals and volcanic ash present in the ground and the mountains have been absorbed by the glacier and has turned the ice black. This is also a very active moving glacier and is constantly retreating by breaking off pieces of ice. The lake formed from this melting ice is a beautiful jade green and the ice floating on it is a contrasting black with some white ice showing through. The landscape of the jade green lake surrounded by white snow capped dark grey rocky mountains with streaks of snow running down its lengths and the black glacier is truly an incredible sight. Plan an entire day if you wish to visit because although the distance is around 80 kms, it is a good 2+ hour drive from Bariloche and almost 40 kms will be within the park wherein you drive on a small dirt and gravel road. And to boot, after you reach Pampa Linda 10 kms in, the rest of the distance is not suitable for heavy 2 way traffic. So the road is restricted to one way going from 10.30am to 2.00pm and you can only return after 4.00pm until 6.00pm when the same road is one way coming back.
6. Salta – “La Linda” (Salta the beautiful)
An old colonial city, Salta, located in the north-western part of Argentina is one of the country’s must-see areas. Not only for its stunning colonial architecture and museums, it is also surrounded by rugged natural landscapes, mountains, vineyards and valleys. The best way to see this city and its beautiful historic architecture is to join a free walking tour offered by saltafreewalks.com.
Things to see in Salta:
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Catedral Basílica de Salta
The most famous and recognizable sight in the city of Salta itself is probably its cathedral. It was built between 1856 and 1882, after the previous cathedral was destroyed in an earthquake. The exterior is painted an unusual light pink shade, and it is conveniently located on Salta’s central square, Plaza 9 de Julio. Inside are the ashes of Salta’s revolutionary hero of independence, General Martín Miguel de Güemes. The cathedral is open every day to visitors mornings and evenings (it is closed in afternoons until about 5 p.m.), and of course there are services on Sunday mornings.
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 6.30 a.m.-12.30 p.m., 4.30-8.30 p.m.; Sat 7.30 a.m.-12.30 p.m., 5-8.30 p.m.; Sun 7 a.m.-1 p.m., 5-9.30 p.m.
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Cabildo and Museo Histórico del Norte
The other museum on Plaza 9 de Julio is located within the old cabildo, the colonial government building. While it is primarily a museum, this building is worth visiting simply to admire the beautiful architecture, especially in the central courtyard, which is adorned with colorful climbing plants and flowers. Exhibits within the museum date from the time before the Incas took over the region to Salta’s role in the wars of independence in the early 19th century. There’s a wide range of pieces, such as paintings, ancient artifacts, furniture and even cars.
Opening times: Tue-Sun 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
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Museo de Arqueología de Alta Montaña
The Museum of High Altitude Archaeology, or MAAM, on the Plaza 9 de Julio contains a more unusual exhibit than most museums. The best-known items in the three-level space are the 500-year-old frozen bodies of three Inca children killed in a ritual sacrifice. They were discovered in 1999 when a group of scientists unearthed the remains of these children, buried under snow atop a 22,000-foot volcano, Mount Llullaillaco, at the border of Salta Province and Chile. In the cold and dry air at the top of the mountain, the bodies were naturally mummified, and the children looked eerily lifelike, as if they had just gone to sleep. As a result their hair, clothes and even internal organs are fully intact. The mummies are kept in airtight glass cases, and only one out of the three is on show at any given time, in order to continue their preservation. Also in the museum are numerous Inca artefacts made of gold, textiles and other materials, which were discovered along with the mummies and are just as well preserved.
Opening times: Tue-Sun 11 a.m.-7.30 p.m.
Entrance to the museum is 130 pesos ($8).
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Iglesia San Francisco
One of the more famous churches is the Iglesia San Francisco (Church of St Francis), which is not too far from Plaza 9 de Julio. The outer walls are gold and dark red, which certainly make it stand out.
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The Convento de San Bernardo
Convent of St Bernard does not allow members of the public to enter (it’s nuns only), but it can be appreciated from the outside, especially the ornately carved wooden door.
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Monumento General Martín Miguel de Güemes
The monument is dedicated to General Martin Miguel de Guemes, a hero of Argentine independence and governor of Salta Province. The imposing monument showcases a statue of the general on top and additional details on the sides. The landmark monument was erected in 1931 in the location where the general fell off his horse as he sustained a bullet wound (which he died from several days later). From the base of Bernardo hill, where the monument is located, you can find an unobstructed view of the city.
7. Jujuy Province – Arid, multicolored gorge and giant cactuses
Best way to see the various sights of the Jujuy province is to book a day tour. All the tour agencies in Salta offer tours to the Quebrada de Humahuaca. Price of the tours are usually around 640 pesos ($40) each and offer pickup from your hotel/residence and consists of visits to Purmamarca, Tilcara, Humahuaca and Miamara as an all day package and includes a break in Humahuaca for lunch at your own cost.
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Quebrada de Humahuaca
The Quebrada de Humahuaca is a dramatic canyon, which is filled with the swollen waters of the Río Grande during the summer. But what makes this Argentine landmark so striking is the mixture of vivid colors daubed on the surrounding mountains; multi colored rock in stripes of deep, russet red to creamy white decorates the slopes and is a legacy of mineral deposits that formed millions of years ago.
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Pucara de Tilcara
Pre-Columbian inhabitants known as the Omaguacas and Ocloyas, who were later conquered by the Incas during their expansion period, practiced agriculture and domesticated the guanaco. Traces of human habitation in the area date back more than 10,000 years. They had huts made of mud, and erected stone fortresses to protect their villages. An example of such fortresses is Pucará de Tilcara, Pucará meaning “fortress”. The location was strategically chosen to be easily defensible and to provide good views over a long stretch of the Quebrada de Humahuaca. There is also a small botanical garden with a variety of Cactus native to the area is worth a visit especially for the giant cactus that tower over 10-15 feet.
Tour buses stop here for 40 minutes to explore the botanical gardens and the fortress which has an entrance fee of about ARS 50 ($8) per person. The walk up to the top of the fortress where there is a viewing platform with a 360 deg view of the landscape is definitely worth the trek. You get to see the entire valley or Quebrada along with the beautiful painted hills of Maimara which you will get to see better on your way back.
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Purmamarca and Cerro de Los Siete Colores
Cerro de los Siete Colores (The Hill of Seven Colors) is one of the hills bordering the small town of Purmamarca. Its unique color range is the product of a complex geological history including marine sediments, lake and river movements elevated with the movement of the tectonic plates. This breathtaking sight is composed of 7 different colours, all of which derive from different types of rocks; leading to its diverse range of colours.
- The color pink is composed of red clay, mudstone (mud) and sand
- Shade of white surrounding the pink is mostly made up of limestone
- A mix of brown and purples are composed of lead, and rich in calcium carbonate
- The earthy brown colour is composed of rock with manganese
- Red is composed of claystones (iron)
- Shades of green are made up of phyllites, and slates of copper oxide
- Finally, the yellow mustard colour is made of sandstones with sulfur
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Sitting at the foot of the famous hills is the quaint little town of Purmamarca, considered one of the most ‘picturesque villages in the Humahuaca Ravine.’ Largely focused on the tourists that come to see the mountain; the town has a lot of artisan stands selling all kinds of tapestries, hand-knitted clothing, artwork, sculptures, pottery, etc. This was a good place to pick up a nice souvenir, be it a small Llama or Alpaca figurine, an Ocarina or some Alpaca clothing and accessories. Although the Alpaca clothing you find here are brought in from Peru, the prices were quite reasonable and on par with what you would find in Santiago.
A short walk from the square would bring you to the base of the Seven Colored Hills which was a spectacular sight.
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Humahuaca
Humahuaca is located north of Tilcara and Purmamarca, about 10,000 ft above sea level in the colourful valley of Quebrada de Humahuaca. In the centre of the village there is a church tower with a clock which can be seen from the main square. Monumento de la Independencia sits atop a small hill which has steps leading up from one end of the square from where you can get a nice view of the entire village. The stop over at this village is mainly a pit stop for lunch where you could get to try Llama meat if you desire.
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Maimara
Another of Quebrada’s astonishing landscapes is the La Paleta del Pintor (The Painters Palette) located in the village of Miamara. Large slabs of multicolored rocks, in ochre, red and green, compose a beautiful natural painting. The best view of this painted palette is from the highway that you will be taking on your drive back to Salta. So the tour would do just a pit stop on the side of the road to view and take pictures around sunset.
