BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Due to its size Argentina encompasses every sort of weather and climate from freezing to subtropical. It is famous for its natural wonders, such as the wild sea creatures, and glaciers, and the many ski resorts, lakes and mountains. Argentines are very European-minded and are quite proud of their heritage and culture. Their wines vie with those from Europe for excellence and popularity.

• Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires, the capital city, was founded in 1580 and is known as “The Paris of South America.” It is a graceful yet monumental city where past opulence is still visible in the wide and well designed avenues, and the magnificent architecture of world class hotels, theatre and opera houses, art galleries, parks, museums and many gourmet style restaurants. The city offers a wide array of modern shopping centers and in her vicinity there are over 50 golf courses. For your entertainment there are all kinds of nightclubs and unique Tango houses.

• Mendoza

Mendoza is the wine capital of Argentina . The province has over 1,000 wineries concentrated mostly in Maipu, Mendoza city’s neighboring village and San Rafael, about 240 kilometers south. Many wineries provide wine tasting and inside tours to groups. But there is more to Mendoza : wide treed avenues, old churches, national parks, breathtaking scenery, lagoons, volcanoes, ski resorts. Near the border with Chile there is the “ Incas Bridge ” and Los Horcones Gorge, entrance to Aconcagua Provincial Park , and Aconcagua Mountain , the highest in the continent. Many local celebrations evolve around the wine making: the “Vendimia” (grape harvest), wine festival and the National Queen of the Vintage. For the more active visitor: rafting, windsurf, diving, sailing, fishing, trekking and horse riding are available besides, of course, skiing.

• Bariloche

Bariloche and the Southern Lakes: This is a region of great beauty and enchantments: blue lakes, pristine forests and mountains, excellent accommodations and welcoming villages. The scenery changes with every season of the year: White snow in the winter, a colorful rainbow in the summer and the reddish, yellow and brown shades of leaves in the fall. The lake area is also world famous for its glaciers and excellent ski resorts.

• Patagonia

Central Patagonia is one of the most interesting natural reserves in the world and centre of a wide variety of marine fauna: whales, sea elephants, sea lions and penguins, as well as innumerous bird species are principal players of this huge untamed zoo. Inland there are the biggest and oldest fossilized trees in the planet. Puerto Madryn boasts an important natural sciences museum. Punta Loma, just a short drive away, is home for a colony of one-hair sea lions. Valdes Peninsula features a number of reserves that attract visitors from all over the world: “Isla de los Pajaros” (bird island) to group and allow the reproduction of marine birds; Golfo Nuevo where one can admire the southern white whale, from June to mid-December; Punta Delgada sea lions and Punta Norte sea elephants. About 190 kilometers south of Puerto Madryn are Punta Tombo and Bahia Camarones where the Magellanic penguins settle in early September to nest and stay until April.
Iguazu Falls (see Iguassu Falls in the Brazil section)

Southern Patagonia encompasses an extensive land mass that includes part of the province of Chubut , Santa Cruz and Tierra del Fuego . Its grandiose scenery and incomparable beauty has turned this area into one of the most desirable tourist destinations in the world. Here you can observe Magellanic penguins, black cormorants, seagulls, Antarctic pigeons, black necked swans, flamingoes and geese, pristine bays and lakes, some fed by glacial water. The Glaciers National Park , a monument of the world’s patrimony by UNESCO and home of the famous Perito Moreno and Tierra del Fuego is a lively and fertile land full of flowers, plants and birds. Ushuaia, the southernmost city of the world is located by the Beagle Channel and has a lot to offer the nature lover. Here, the end of the world tour by a small train is not to be missed. Southern Patagonia features excellent accommodations. Staying in “Estancias” (farm and ranch hotels) is a pleasant experience and a great way to be in direct contact with the wonders of Patagonia. Cruises that sail from Argentina to Chile , and vice-versa. are very common in the area and allow you to have a broader vision of the local most popular sights.