Experience Antarctica in sheer luxury on board the MV Le Boreal. Safety is first and foremost on board. Experience high standards of comfort.

Explore the shorelines of Antarctica, teaming with penguins and seals alongside leading naturalists.

11 nights/ 12 days on board the ‘Le Boreal’

Day 1: India/ Santiago                                                                                     (B)

Arrive in Santiago and transfer to the Grand Hyatt hotel . Meet your fellow adventures this evening for a welcome cocktail reception.

Day 2: Santiago/Ushuaia                                                         (B,L,D)                                               

MV Le Boreal

Fly to Ushuaia, the southermost city in the world. Upon arrival enjoy sightseeing and a traditional Patagonia barbecue lunch.Settle in for your first night on ‘Le Boreal’.

Day 3 and 4:  Cruising the Drake Passage                                   (B,L,D)                                                   

MV Le Boreal

The Drake Passage is a small strip of sea between South America and Antartica.Known for housing some of the roughest seas in the world. Le Boreal is built to handle the seas.Join Le Boreal’s naturalists on the deck to look for various species for whale and abundant seabirds.

Day 5 to 9: Antarctica                                                                     (B,L,D)                                                                                     

MV Le Boreal

The Antarctica Peninsula and its offshore islands appear on the horizon.Shore excursions are carefully planned by the captain and expedition leader.Head out in swift and versatile Zodiacs to a number of penguin filled islands in the South Shetlands.Other possible island visits just off the continental coastline may include Cuverville, Paulet or Goudier. The Le Boreal also sails through the stunning Paradise bay and Lemaire Channel often referred to as ‘Kodak Alley’.

Day 10 and 11 : Drake Passage                                                       (B,L,D)                                                                                  

MV Le Boreal

Le Boreal sails back through the Drake passage. A recap session for you, compare notes on wildlife, nature and geology with your lecturer.

Day 12: Ushuaia/Santiago/India                                                      (B)                                                                       

Le Boreal comes to a full circle at Ushuaia. The ship disembarks and you get a transfer to the airport back to India via Santiago.

To book with us contact

DAY 2: BUENOS AIRES                                                                          (B)

Depart on a guided tour to the most important places in Buenos Aires.

The tour includes the National Congress, the Metropolitan Cathedral, Government House and the area of Plaza de Mayo. You will be at the heart of the Tango activity where this sensuous dance is performed in the street for passersby to enjoy in the traditional neighbourhood of  San  Telmo, where this typical dance dwells. Then you will visit La Boca and stop at this colorful suburb of the city adopted years ago as his home by the first Italian immigrants. Today is home for important artists.

Then, a visit to Palermo is scheduled, a residential neighbourhood with parks and elegant buildings. Finally, you will visit the sophisticated Recoleta, one of the most exclusive neighbourhoods , you can take a look at the famous cemetery alongside fine restaurants and cafes.Overnight at Monserrat Hotel.

DAY 3: BUENOS AIRES                                             (B)

Breakfast at the hotel. Day at leisure for shopping or optional excursions.Overnight at Monserrat Hotel.

DAY 4: BUENOS AIRES – IGUAZÚ                           (B)

Breakfast at hotel. At the set time, you will be transferred to the domestic airport to take your flight to Puerto Iguazu.Overnight at Continental Inn Hotel.

DAY 5: IGUAZU                                                       (B)

Breakfast at hotel. Departure to the Argentinean Falls tour. The UNESCO declared this place  Natural World Heritage in the year 1984.

The tour has a lower path, a higher path and the “Garganta del Diablo”(The Devil’s Throat) path. The Paseo Inferior (Lower Path): gives you a great view of the majority of the rapids and falls from a front and lower point of view. You get  a bird’s eye point of view of “Garganta del Diablo”  together with several Brazilian rapids, to spectacular close-ups to other falls. If you like to, you will be able to enjoy “Salto Bossetti” (the Bossetti Fall) splash.

The Paseo Superior (Higher Path)will give you a adrenaline rush, feel the vertigo of being at the edge of some waterfalls. This walk will take your breath away .This is the less effort demanding walk of the three traditional ones.

Garganta del Diablo Waterfall: to access this place, you will have to take the “Tren Ecológico de la Selva” (Ecological Jungle Train), and you must get off at the stop named after this waterfall. From there, you will start a stroll along the safe new catwalk floor which is a winding path that goes around the islands for 1,100 meters (0, 7 miles) and ends in the large balconies located on the edge of The Devil´s Throat.Overnight at Continental Inn Hotel.

DAY 6: IGUAZU                                                        (B)

Breakfast at the hotel. Day at leisure for shopping or optional excursions.Overnight at Continental Inn Hotel.

DAY 7: IGUAZU – CALAFATE                                    (B)

Breakfast will be served at the hotel, and then you will be transferred to the airport to take a flight to Calafate. Arrive in El Calafate town.Overnight at Rochester El Calafate Hotel

DAY 8: CALAFATE                                                    (B)

After having a tasty breakfast at the hotel, you will be taken to make the 80 km from El Calafate to the renowned glacier Perito Moreno, unique on the planet in its constant forward movement. Along the road you will discover many Andean pre-cordillera sites that are worth seeing by the lake Argentino you will access the National Park “Los Glaciares”. Along Brazo Rico you will start to spot the floating icebergs .

Overnight at Rochester El Calafate Hotel

DAY 9: CALAFATE                                                      (B)

Breakfast at the hotel. Day at leisure for shopping or optional excursions.Overnight at Rochester El Calafate Hotel

DAY 10: CALAFATE – BUENOS AIRES                        (B)

Breakfast at the hotel. At the set time you will be transferred to the Airport to take a flight to Buenos Aires.Overnight at Monserrat Hotel.

DAY 11: BUENOS AIRES                                                (B)

Breakfast at the hotel. At the set time you will be transferred to the International Airport to take your flight to return home.

 VALIDITY: From 14 April to 10 November 2012.

To book with us contact 

  2N Buenos Aires / 2N Puerto Madryn / 2N El Calafate /

2N Ushuaia / 2N Iguazu

 DAY 01: BUENOS AIRES

After arrival to Ezeiza International Airport you will be taken to your Hotel.

Overnight at Eurobuilding 4* / Sheraton 5*.

 DAY 02: BUENOS AIRES                                  (B, D)

After breakfast discover Outstanding Buenos Aires on a 3 hours City Tour.  Visit Puerto Madero, Plaza de Mayo, Av. de Mayo, The National Congress Building, Avenida Corrientes ,The Obelisk, El Ateneo Bookstore, Floralis Generica, Recoleta Cultural Center, Nuestra Señora del Pilar Basilica, Cemetery of la Recoleta, Caminito Street, La Boca and more…much more…

01 hour Free Tango lesson at Tango Porteño 19.30-20.30.

Evening Tango Show & Dinner at Magnificent Tango Porteño.
Only Vegetarian Indian Menu Available.

Tango Porteño recovers that spirit crystallized in a unique place.  It is the image of Buenos Aires, the “City of Tango.”

Overnight at Euro building 4* / Sheraton 5*.

DAY 03: BUENOS AIRES / PUERTO MADRYN               (B)

Free morning to enjoy the city on your own. Followed by transfer to domestic airport for flight to Trelew. Arrival at Trelew and transfer to your Hotel.

Overnight at Peninsula 4* / Rayentray 5*.

DAY 04: PUERTO MADRYN/ PENINSULA DE VALDES   (B)

Early breakfast followed by a Full Day Excursion to Peninsula Valdes, one of the most important wildlife reserves in Argentina. Here you will take the whale watching excursion by boat (available from May through December).

Your tour continues to the most unusual sight known as Caleta Valdés, or Valdés Creek. Followed by a visit to Punta Norte Colony. Get to see walrus and sea lion colonies on the shore. Afternoon Return to Puerto Madryn .

Overnight at Peninsula 4* / Rayentray 5*.

 DAY 05: PUERTO MADRYN/ EL CALAFATE     (B)

Land in El Calafate, you may explore the city on your own. Visit to the  Glacial Ice Bar in Patagonia is a must .

Glacio Bar is the first ice bar in El Calafate, Argentina’s principal glacier tourism destination. Do try their signature drink ‘Calafate’.

Overnight at Kosten Aike 4* / Xelena 5*.

DAY 06:  EL CALAFATE                                       (B)     

Full Day Excursion to Perito Moreno Glacier.

Depart from El Calafate bordering the southern arm of the Argentine Lake to get to Los Glaciares National Park  and reach the paths to the Perito Moreno Glacier.

Nautical Safari This excursion takes you on a cruise across Brazo Rico, passing beside icebergs.It lasts approximately one hour and provides a totally different perspective of the Perito Moreno Glacier, with almost constant falling walls of ice from its front.

Overnight at Kosten Aike 4* / Xelena 5*.

DAY 07: EL CALAFATE / USHUAIA                    (B)

Transfer to Airport to board flight to Ushuaia.Ushuaia is the southernmost city in the world.

Ushuaia is a picturesque city with an important tourist services infrastructure, an elegant commercial center and an increasing social and cultural activity. After arriving, transfer to Hotel

Go on a Afternoon Panoramic City Tour around Ushuaia

Overnight at Albatros 4* / Los Cauquenes 5*.

DAY 08: USHUAIA                                              (B)

After breakfast at the hotel head off for a Half Day Tierra del Fuego National Park Tour – Train of the End of the World Ride Included.

Transfer to the tourist port to board a catamaran and sail the waters of the Beagle Channel which unites the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans.

Overnight at Albatros 4* / Los Cauquenes 5*.

DAY 09: USHUAIA / IGUAZU                           (B)

Land in Iguazu.

Overnight at Viale Cataratas 4* / Bourbon Cataratas 5*.

DAY 10: IGUAZU                                                (B)

After breakfast, experience the Argentinean Side of the Falls.

Later you will be taken for an excursion to Brazilian Falls.

The Brazilian Park also offers new facilities that complement their tour.

Overnight at Viale Cataratas 4* / Bourbon Cataratas 5*.

DAY 11: IGUAZU/BUENOS AIRES                      (B)

After breakfast transfer to airport.

Arrival at Buenos Aires domestic airport and transfer to International Airport for your flight back home.

 INFORMATION

VALIDITY: 1 May to 30 September 2012.

INCLUSIONS:

• Accommodation at mentioned hotels including breakfast and taxes.
•   Includes 9 Breakfasts & 1 Dinner, meals as per itinerary (B= breakfast, L= lunch, D= dinner).
•   Entrance fees and sightseeing as per itinerary.
•   Seat in Coach excursions and transfers as mentioned in the itinerary with bilingual guide. (English & Spanish). Except City Tour Ushuaia which is on Private Basis only.
•   Transfers in Buenos Aires Private only Spanish speaking driver no guide on board.

To book contact

Knowing Spanish did help in making her trip a lot more personal and interactive.

Here is her first hand experience.

In the north-east of Argentina, there is the mighty Iguazu Falls.  The feel is tropical so dress for comfort. The panoramic view of the Falls at the end of the day is worth everything you can ever imagine. You can see Brazil right on the other side of the Falls.  You might be tempted to cross over and explore another country.

Buenos Aires, the capital city is full of life. Haute couture is what you will find. Great food to tickle your taste buds. If you have a sweet tooth, this is paradise. Argentines have a HUGE sweet tooth. If you are a meat lover, Buenos Aires would definitely be heaven as it boasts of fine quality beef, steaks at exceptional prices. Being a dancer, I got the chance to truly immerse myself in Tango. Bariloche, El Calafate and Ushuaia are truly the gems of the Patagonia region .Expect a complete change in weather over here. You will find lakes, mountains, mammoth size glaciers and of course the ‘end of the world’ Ushuaia. Freezing takes a whole new meaning at Ushuaia.

I enjoyed sporting some winter fashion which is quite rare and unusual in a city like Mumbai. Besides, it was in the Patagonia region that I got the opportunity to explore a wide range  of adventure activities that the region had to offer. From my first ever kayaking experience at Bariloche in the turquoise blue waters, to the viewing of the majestic Perito Moreno glacier, which is said to be the size of the city of Buenos Aires and my first encounter with Penguins and Sea Lions,Patagonia truly offered a variety of experiences, simply incredible.

The only flipside was missing back to back flights after the effects of a volcano eruption-Volcano Puyehue which erupted a few months before my trip which compelled me to reschedule my flights from Patagonia. I took this adventure in my stride. And my trip finally came to a full circle with a visit to Puerto Madryn in the east where I experienced an excellent Whale Watching tour. On the downside volcanic ash kept disrupting the flight schedules in Puerto Madryn.With my knowledge of Spanish I managed to find my way back by bus to Buenos Aires. 

What a great way to celebrate the year of my 25^th birthday with a pan- Argentina tour full of adventure, well co-ordinated and organized by Namaste Argentina. I truly recommend a visit to the land of six continents offering falls, glaciers, landscapes, colour, natural beauty and much more …..

Namaste Argentina (NA): Is this your first visit to India?
Leonardo Boto:  Yes indeed this is the first visit of the Argentina Tourism Board in India and we have attended SATTE in Delhi before coming to Mumbai. As part of creating awareness, we organized an Argentina evening which was widely attended by members of the tourism fraternity.  As part of our first visit, we want to see the response after which we will make future plans for the Indian market for the years to come.

NA:  So what were your impressions of India before you came and what are your impressions after you have landed here?
Leonardo Boto: India is a large nation with a very big market and a vibrant economy. There is a huge opportunity to tap the potential 300 million middle class who have high disposable income. More than 12 million people travel out of India each year and we find that there is a huge opportunity for us to tap the growing number of Indian outbound travelers, some of which would be definitely interested in visiting Argentina.

NA:  Currently, from which countries do you get the maximum number of visitors to Argentina?
Leonardo Boto: We get 1.5 million visitors from Brazil every year, followed by Chile – 800,000 visitors and then the United States – 500,000 visitors, Western Europe – 200,000 and then from Italy, Germany, France and Great Britain from whom we get 120000. Thereafter, other South American countries such as Venezuela, Ecuador, Colombia and Peru come to Argentina. The economy as well as tourism is growing in this region at a very rapid pace.

NA: Are you looking at just India or are you looking at the part of the BRICS* nations in terms of promotion?
Leonardo Boto:  We are firstly looking at India as there is a vast difference in culture and language between India and China.  For Indians they have many opportunities to visit South America as there is connectivity via South Africa, Qatar, UAE as well as Turkey. We expect the number of visitor arrivals to grow in the near future into Argentina.

NA: What according to you should be the average length of stay for an Indian visitor to have varied experiences in Argentina?
Leonardo Boto: As Argentina is a long way from India, most Indian visitors combine Argentina with neighboring countries such as Brazil, Peru, etc. Hence, a minimum of 15 days is a must out of a 3 weeks holiday to explore Argentina.

NA: Which are your preferred holiday destinations within Argentina?
Leonardo Boto:  In winter, I like visiting Ushuaia – the southernmost city as I enjoy skiing and I go there each year for skiing. During summer, I like to visit the North West – Salta, Jujuy, Tucuman- it is a beautiful region out there.

NA: Are you focusing on promoting only leisure travel or any special interest travel as well?
Leonardo Boto: We are focusing on leisure and MICE*. Argentina offers excellent opportunities for the MICE segment. So we are keen on getting some MICE movements into Argentina as well.

NA: Argentina is primarily a ‘Beef Eating’ country and obviously the Indians are more on the vegetarian side. So how do you plan to change that perception to probably attract Indian visitors?
Leonardo Boto: Argentina is a huge country with a lot of diversity. Buenos Aires is a big city with over 20 million people and we have a wide variety of restaurants including Indian restaurants. In the rest of the country you can find different vegetarian restaurants. Our priority will be to work with agencies that can cater to the Indian palate in Argentina and in places like Patagonia too you can find vegetarian restaurants as well.

NA: What are your plans for the next 3 or 4 years?
Leonardo Boto: This visit of ours is to explore opportunities and we would chalk out a plan in the coming months on what segments to target for the future.

NA: Lastly what is your message to those who may plan to visit Argentina in the near future?
Leonardo Boto:  Argentina is a beautiful country, it is an open country. It has a lot of night life. I know the Indians like night life. They will have very good opportunities to discover and experience great diversity – from vibrant city such as Buenos Aires to the glaciers in Patagonia and the wine country of Mendoza to stunning landscapes in North West and one of the amazing natural wonders in Iguazu Falls. Argentina has snow, glaciers, rainforests, falls, big cities, wine, the beef and lots more to discover. It is one country which offers the diversity of seven continents.

* BRICS = Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa

* MICE = Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions

Landing in Buenos Aires, the city of ‘good air’ in Spanish, the city definitely lives up to its name with warm, temperate climate during the day and pleasantly cool in the evenings. Buenos Aires offers a variety of experiences from tango to milonga to some very fine dining experiences. La Viruta is one such milonga where we took a couple of tango classes one night. In uptown Recoleta and Palermo there are many green parks clustered with several restaurants and cafes. The highlight for us here in being a Japanese restaurant was it had a Japanese garden in Recoleta post that had Malba – contemporary Art museum of Buenos Aires that houses the private collection of an Italian collector, Constantin Eduardo. A stunning self-portrait of Mexican legendary artist Frida Kahlo highlights this collection amongst many other contemporary art works.

One of the highlights of the five days spent in Buenos Aires, is a visit to the cultural suburb La Boca. La Boca is a colorful, cultural experience of a flea market by local artisans and craftsmen with Spanish style architecture and gaucho couples dancing tango on both sides of the streets in cafes with sit outs. The folk music, the tango, the local arts and crafts, La Boca instantly translates into a memorable moment of the Argentine experience.

We experienced a similar flea market in San Telmo’s Sunday market with antique dealers selling silver ware and cutlery, lamps and jewellery from another time is a must do. The tango show ‘ Senor Tango’ is a romantic escape into Argentine culture.

Amongst shopping and art experiences are some very chic brands and galleries in upscale Recoleta, Palermo Viejo, Chico Palermo, Soho Palermo. Restaurants and cafes outline these areas and are also clustered around Puerto  – the new developments around the harbor.

From Buenos Aires we land in Iguazu up north and check into our beautiful hotel Loi Suites in the midst of tropical jungle with an Indian concept spa, Namaste. Next morning we are driven to Iguazu National Park to meet with our ecological tour guide for the day, Carla. We trek up many catwalk trials to get some superb views of the Iguazu Falls. The power and magnanimity of the falls when viewed from the Devil’s Throat is truly considered one of the wonders of the world. With 270,000 cubic litres per second volumes of water spread across 2700 metres of width of the falls, makes Iguazu the third largest falls in the world after Niagara and Victoria Falls.

We touch the Brazilian border at this point of the falls. Our trek was a combination of some walking trails, some speed boating adventure under the falls, some train rides, a truck drive into the tropical rainforests around the falls and a rubber raft on the river. The power of the Iguazu falls is magnificent! The park adventure ends this evening and we return to our hotel to relax in the many temperature pools.

The next morning we fly to Salta and check into a boutique, Conde Nast recommended hotel – Legado Mitico with rooms highlighting famous characters of the region’s history. We were in an ethnic room called El Wichi. The hotel is situated four blocks away from the city centre 9th of July square and two blocks away from the culinary capital of Salta; the Balcarce Street. The Balcarce Street is famous for its paneas with unique live music and dance through the evening. With live gauchos, song, dance and wine this street brings alive the culture of the region with some fantastic home-grown wines from the neighborhood wineries. One of the paneas we recommend is Cafe Del Tiempo (the time cafe) amongst other Andean local paneas.

From Salta we were driven to Cafayate, which is home to a few boutique Spanish wine growing Bodegas with a breathtaking drive through the canyons of the Andes. With red mountain landscape changing formations along the way and blooming cactus trees; this picturesque landscape is part of a varied Latin American outdoor experience. A night spent on the bodega ‘wine resort’ with some very fine wine tasting and a tour of the local wineries was the highlight of the trip. Some bodegas and their wines worth a mention are from the locally grown Torrontes grapes. Torrontes grapes are found only in this Argentine region and a re-blend of two French grapes. Especially the ones we favored and bought were Elementos Torrontes Dulce natural late harvest from El Esteco Bodega and the Torrontes Tardio from Bodega Nanni – the only organic wine maker in the region and the Porvenir Torrontes dessert wine. These fine wines come with floral fragrance and a fruity bouquet. The late harvest does not need decanting as it has a very short life in the oaks. Back in Salta we learned to siesta, like the locals.

The flight from Salta to Ushuaia via Buenos Aires offers some great topographical views of the Atlantic Ocean with snow peaked mountain peaks of Patagonia. We were driven to the hotel, Los Cauquenes Spa and Resort which is part of the small luxury hotels. The room is overlooking the Beagle Channel; the exact point where the Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean meet; the southern most point of the world, a 1000 km from the Antarctic Circle. Ushuaia is arguably the Southern most tip of the world. There are cruises to Antarctica that depart from here.

An off-road excursion on a 4×4 Lagos in the indigenous forests in the hinterlands of Tierra Del Fuego by exceptionally experienced professional driver/guides marks one of the highlights in Ushuaia. The real fun begins when we leave the sealed road and enter the indigenous tracks from where the expert driver navigates through fallen trees and into portions of the lake where it is shallow on the shoreline. Eventually after some off-roading fun we arrive at a small sheltered hut in the middle of the ocean and the forest where fine labeled Argentine wine awaits us with a specially barbecued lunch.

Yet another highlight in Ushuaia comes with rowing and gliding through the waters of the Beagle Channel on a semi-inflatable canoe paddling our way to Gable Island. Gable Island is home to the only nesting colony of almost 3000 Magellanic Penguins in a region of the world that is a ‘road less traveled’ but well worthy of our experience.

The train to the end of the world called the “Prison Train” in the penal colony of Ushuaia is definitely worth a mention. A trip to the Lapataia Bay which is considered the end point of the world touched Chile on one side.

From Ushuaia we flew to El Calafate in northern Patagonia and were driven to our hotel ‘Alto Calafate’ to check into our presidential suite with an in-house Jacuzzi and the best view of the city. The hotel is owned by the president of the country- Christina de Kircher. It housed a cozy spa with a many hydrotherapeutic massage options and a warm indoor pool with a superb view.

Next morning we are driven 60 kilometres to see the region’s largest accessible glacier Perito Moreno for a 2-hour trek on some beautiful glacier formation in the snow. Mini trek is a glimpse of the real snow treks and ended with a glass of scotch and some fine chocolates; truly Swiss style.

Next day we were taken on a navigation safari on a cruise liner Fernandez Campbell on the captain’s deck to enjoy some of the best views, privately, on the deck of the five largest glaciers in the world: Upsala, the Spegazzini, the Onelli, the Seco and the Perito Moreno glacier. The luxurious cruise gave many Kodak moments and views of unparalleled glacier formations melting into water somewhat comparable to massive ice installations. A truly memorable day!

From El Calafate we fly to San Carlos de Bariloche – the Switzerland of Andes. With Ski resorts, spring in full bloom, chocolatiers and chocolatier architecture strewn on both side of the streets. On one of the largest lakes Nahuel Huapi, makes Bariloche and Swiss style ski resorts with snow in summer which makes Bariloche an ideal tourist destination in South America. Our hotel Llao Llao which is rated one of the world’s luxurious hotels definitely deserves a special mention. On an island 20 km from the main city of Bariloche with a private 18 hole golf course and full chateau on a lake surrounded by mountains with signature style chocolate massages at the spa and a schedule for classes from yoga, pilates tango, salsa, caminitoes with restaurant and a chapel on house, Llao Llao is truly a luxury abode.

We drive deeper into the Andes to San Martin through the lake route and arrive at Loi suites, Chapelco Hotel with a spa and golf course. The spa with a signature Shiatsu massage and a circulatory hydrotherapy with a private Scottish shower, chill pool, Jacuzzi with a relaxation area over looking the sunset marked a moment in our suits in a Loi suits. A drive to the Chile border through the Andes mountain range and afternoon hike to a beautiful water fall ended in the evening.

From San Martin we fly to Bueno Aires for our last day in the city to relive some of our experiences before boarding South American Airways flight to Bombay via Johannesburg.

In Buenos Aires we decide to stay at Faena in Puerto Madero and revisit Bengal our favorite Indian restaurant in Buenos Aires followed by a night of Tango. There we revisit La Boca to end our trip and take back some wonderful memories of Argentina!!!

Click here to read more about how exotic South America has captured the interest of the Indian traveller.

The evening climaxed with the lucky couple Mr. & Mrs. Sunil Dalal winning tickets to Buenos Aires courtesy of South African Airways and 3 nights/4 days stay at Hotel Home in Buenos Aires.

2. The same is valid on SAA only. Tickets are non-refundable, non-reroutable and non-transferable.

3. Tickets to be issued before 31 March 2011, validity of ticket is valid for a period on one month.

4. Confirmation subject to availability of seats in G class at the time of booking.

5. Employees of Compact Travels, South African Airways and the Argentine Consulate are not eligible to participate in the lucky draw.

My first major exposure to Argentina was when the President of Argentina, H.E. Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, lead a high level delegation to India in October last year. I was assigned to do a special feature on Argentina to coincide with the State-visit of the President. It was at this time I discovered that Argentina, the eighth largest nation in the world, has lots to offer in terms of tourism opportunities.
This August I had the opportunity to get a glimpse of this wonderful country and truly Argentina has all that it takes to get a complete holiday experience in one destination.

South African Airways – a member of Star Alliance – offers the shortest connection to Argentina via Johannesburg and I had the opportunity to experience the exceptional service in Business Class with their award-winning lie flat bed and excellent hospitality. We were well taken care of by Molefi Molefe, a Steward who ensured that we were well looked after on this Airbus 340-200 series flight.

On my arrival, I had to change the dollars into Argentine Pesos and the best place to do that is the Banco de la Nacion Argentina at the airport. It took us one hour to reach the Panamericano Hotel from the airport which is located on Avenue 9 de Julio and has the famous Obelisk which dominates the avenue.
The Obelisk, which is 67 metres high, divides the Corrientes Avenue and is surrounded by a small green park – Plaza de la Republica which represents the progressive spirit of the people of Argentina. The Plaza is a vast square and dissects the three arterial roads – Ninth of July Avenue, Corrientes Avenue and Diagonal Avenue and is located in the San Nicolas quarter.

It is a rare sight to see a 12-lane street in the middle of the city centre, six lanes each for either direction of vehicular traffic. The Plaza was inaugurated in 1937 and is also known as the most important porteño or meeting point when the country celebrates major sporting triumphs. The Plaza which was originally a circular esplanade was enlarged to its current dimensions in 1962 and the Corrientes Avenue was rerouted through the plaza later in 1971. It is around the Obelisk that you will find the vehicular traffic heading into the city’s financial district.

Buenos Aires, along with its suburbs known as Greater Buenos Aires, makes up almost a third of the total population of Argentina which stands at around 39 million. Buenos Aires is truly a year round destination and one can easily spend days exploring this city which is also South America’s second largest city only after Sao Paulo in Brazil.
Located on the western shore of Rio de la Plata estuary, Buenos Aires is considered as an Alpha World city and the people are referred to as porteños or people of the port. During the great immigration wave in 1880s, people of Italian, Spanish and French descent migrated to Buenos Aires and therefore the city has a great European influence and is indeed one of the most beautiful metropolises of the Southern Hemisphere.

On our arrival, I had the opportunity to stroll along Lavalle Street which was adjoining my hotel. This shopping street leads into the Florida Street near San Martin Square where you will find a wide variety of shopping – from leather goods to jewellery, books and souvenirs as well as some fine boutique shops.

The San Martin Square which is walking distance from San Telmo, one of the oldest districts of Buenos Aires and which is a must-visit for its cafes, tango parlours and antique shops in the cobblestone streets which offers unique entertainment with artists and dance performances. If you are in Buenos Aires on a Sunday, you must visit the San Telmo market known for its bohemian charms.

This quaint and funky neighbourhood comes to life every Sunday with its Antique Fair in Plaza Dorrego stretching down the cobblestone Calle Defensa or Defense Street. From musicians to artists, from full-scale Tango orchestras to solitary singers, San Telmo is the place to spend your Sunday in Buenos Aires and be entertained – be it by human statues painted in gold or a frozen man and woman caught in a storm with blowing jacket or inverted umbrella which makes it a thoroughly entertaining experience.
Here are 10 other must-do activities for visitors in Buenos Aires:
1. Visit Plaza de Mayo:

The main square in downtown Buenos Aires, a focal point of political life of Buenos Aires and Argentina. On one side you will find the public administration office from early 20th Century. The Casa Rosado located on the eastern side of the square is the Presidential Office of Colonial Times. Go back in time and visualize President Peron saluting the people from the balcony of Casa Rosada. Close to Casa Rosado is the monument of Manuel Belgrano on horseback. Manuel Belgrano took part in the Argentine Wars of Independence and also created the Flag of Argentina and is regarded as one of the Liberatodores or Principal Leader of the Latin American War of Independence from Spain.
On the northern side of the square is the Metropolitan Cathedral, to the west is the Cabildo – an imperial colonial building and a town hall of earlier times. Nearby is one of the oldest subways of South America –Peru which still has the original look which dates back to the beginning of the 20th Century with wooden wagons. A ride from Peru station is an experience. This subway was inaugurated in 1913 as the first in Latin America.
2. Visit Recoleta –

also known as “little France” or la Pequeña Francia. This traditional upscale district combines Parisian architecture with trendy high rise elegant buildings and a variety of cultural venues. Visit the Loisuites hotel and you get a bird’s-eye-view of the Recoleta Cemetery from the higher floors of this wonderful boutique property.
A visit to the Recoleta Cemetery is definitely recommended as it is the most relevant historical and artistic monument in the country and was created in 1822. It contains the graves of some of the important Argentineans including Eva Peron and some of the past Presidents of Argentina. The cemetery contains many elaborate marble mausoleums decorated with statues and various architectural styles. A walk around Recoleta will take you to some fine cafés and restaurants and maybe on a cold day you could even sip a Mate – a drink prepared from dried leaves of yerba mate along with hot water which can be sipped with a bombilla or a metal straw from a shared hollow calabash gourd which is similar to a bowl made of dried pumpkin. You can pick up a calabash gourd with a bombilla as an important Argentine souvenir.

3. Living la vida Boca –

Spend an afternoon at the Boca district and visit the most important football stadium in Buenos Aires – La Bombonera, the home of the Boca Juniors including the famous iconic Diego Maradona. The old port district of Boca still retains its 19th Century ambience and a strong European flavour thanks to the early Italian settlers from the city of Genoa. Colourful houses, pedestrian streets – especially the Caminito where tango artists perform on the streets – is an excellent outing to also pick up a few tango-related memorabilia.
4. Sip a coffee and try Alfajores or Dulce de Leche at the Havanna –
Havanna is to Argentineans what Starbucks is to the U.S. Your trip to Buenos Aires is incomplete without visiting Havanna especially in the district of Puerto Madero – the old port now converted into a famous restaurant district and somewhat reminiscent of Hamburg. This 1880 era dockland is now converted as the newest neighbourhood in Buenos Aires. Havanna, besides serving some fine coffee is one of the most popular alfajor vendors in Argentina. Alfajores are light, round cookies filled with dulce de leche – milk caramel in Spanish and the traditional local sweet made of thick jam and caramel candy. Indulge in dulce de leche without worrying about the calories along with a cappuccino con dulce de leche and a few alfajores to go. There are over 50 Havanna stores and cafés across the city and you have no reason not to spend a couple of hours for a coffee, a light meal or over indulgence of fine tempting desserts.
5. Tango and Theatre –

The Teatro Colón or Colombus Theatre located close to the Obelisk is amongst the top 5 opera houses in the world and a must-visit attraction. The theatre which opened in 1908 was closed for refurbishment from October 2006 to May 2010 and is recently reopened and should be on your agenda whilst visiting Buenos Aires.
Buenos Aires is the birth place of Tango and Piazzolla is one of the fine places in the Guemes Gallery where you can experience the vibrancy of soulful music combined with modern tango and feel the spirit of the city created by the famous Astor Piazzolla. A dinner followed by an exhilarating 90-minute Tango song and dance presentation is a wonderful way to spend an evening in Buenos Aires. Other options would be to visit one of the Parrillas or charcoal grill places to try out a barbecue. La Estancia Del Gaucho on Lavalle street or Las Cabritas at Soldado de la Independencia is a good place to order a Parillada or Asado, grilled meats or grilled beef which can be shared by two or more along with a glass of Trapiche – one of Argentine’s fine Malbec wines with produce from Altamira, Uco Valley, the premium area where Malbec is grown in Argentina.

6. Shop at Avenida Santa Fe or the Galerías Pacífico –

Avenida Santa Fe is indeed one of the well known places for shopping in Buenos Aires and stretches from Plaza San Martin to Belgrano offering a corridor of hustle, bustle and retail therapy with well known boutique brands in one of the most important shopping districts of the city.
There is also Galerias Pacifico or the Pacific Gallery located at the intersection of Florida Street and Cordoba Avenue. This is one of the most elegant shopping malls with concreted domes, renovated in 1990, and houses with a shopping mall, the Jorge Luis Borges Cultural Centre and Julia Boca Dance school. The dome is decorated with murals by famous Argentine painters and the large central cupola was constructed and decorated with 12 frescos by artists including Manuel Colmeiro, Antonio Berni , Demetrio Urruchúa and others. These frescos are some of the most important in Buenos Aires.
7. Flowering Art –

Floralis Genérica is a unique sculpture made of metal and is the gift to the city by the architect Eduardo Catalano. The Arte en Flor or Flowering Art is located in the centre of a park surrounded by wooden boundaries and represents a large flower with an aluminum skeleton of reinforced concrete and is supposedly 20 metres high. The flower which opens to the sky has six petals and is located at the United Nations Plaza and weighs 18 tons.
8. Night out in Palermo or a visit to the Cathedral of Polo –

Palermo is a trendy neighborhood filled with restaurants, shops and clubs called boliches. Located in the northeast part of the city, Palermo borders other important districts such as Belgrano, Recoleta, Rio del Plata river and is the largest neighbourhood in Buenos Aires. It is further subdivided into Alto Palermo – the main shopping area and transport hub around Santa Fe Avenue, Villa Freud – a residential area, Palermo Viejo or old Palermo which reflects an old Spanish style architecture and where well known figures such as Jorge Luis Borges and Che Guevara once lived.

Then there is the Palermo Soho area or Plaza Serrano which is a chic fashion district with plenty of bars and street culture and has a bohemian feel to the region. Palermo Hollywood as well has a high concentration of restaurants, clubs, cafes and active night life and finally Palermo Chico which is an up-market area and houses the National Museum of Decorative Arts. The Barrio Parque area in Palermo is home to the rich and famous and MALBA – the Museum of Latin America Art is located in the vicinity. Las Cañitas is an up-market area too and is located next to Campo Argentino de Polo – the Cathedral of Polo, a multi-purpose stadium used for polo, field hockey and has also hosted the World Hockey Cup in 1978. The stadium which holds 30000 spectators is also home to the Campeonato Argentino Abierto de Polo – the most important polo event in the world, a venue for the 1950 Olympic Games and at times is also used for concerts performed by Shakira, Carlos Santana and for public events too.
9. Browse through at El Ateneo Grand Splendid –

This amazing building on Santa Fe Avenue was designed by well known architects Peró and Torres and originally opened as a theatre during the 20th Century with a seating capacity for over a 1000 spectators. This theatre was later converted into a cinema and the first sound films were presented in Argentina here in 1929. Subsequently in the 21st Century, this iconic building was converted into a 2000-square metre book and music shop and over 700000 books were sold in 2007. The cinema seating was replaced by massive book shelves and over a million people walk through this amazing book store every year. An English newspaper, the Guardian, placed El Ateneo as number two in the list of world’s top ten best bookshops and is a must-visit attraction for reading enthusiasts.
10. Take an open bus or underground walking tour to explore more

For those who are short on time, you can take an open bus tour covering the highlights of the city of Buenos Aires in less than 3 hours. A 2-day pass can take you through the major districts which can be further explored on foot. From La Manzana de las Luces you can walk through tunnels which were built in the 17th and 18th Centuries and formed a network linking churches and public buildings. This historic block is surrounded by Bolivar Street, Moreno, Avenida Julia de Roca and the subway of Peru from where you could take these walking tours which take you through the Cabildo, the Cathedral with the Church of San Ignacio, Santo Domingo, San Juan, old Irish convents and neighbouring buildings.
You need more than one visit to experience the various dimensions of Buenos Aires – be it culture, art, tango, football, night life, shopping, notable streets, neighbourhoods, parks or landmarks. It was impossible for me to cover most of these experiences during my 2-day stay in Buenos Aires. However, those who plan to visit the country of glaciers, deserts, waterfalls and more will need little encouragement to take a short stop in Buenos Aires – truly a city with varied and diverse experiences.

Argentina is truly an enormous country with great diversity and stunning landscapes. Being the 8th largest country in the world, it was not surprising to note that it takes 6 hours by flight to reach from Buenos Aires to the southernmost city in the world, Ushuaia – which is the capital of the province of Tierra del Fuego in Patagonia. Those who plan to take the Antarctica cruise can do so from Ushuaia- a hub for Antarctic cruises.

BEYOND BUENOS AIRES

Our next destination after visiting the Paris of the Southern Hemisphere and the capital of Argentina was the city of El Calafate which is half way to Ushuaia. It takes 3 hours by flight to reach El Calafate – the city better known for its spectacular Perito Moreno Glacier, an icefield which was created millions of years ago by a gap formed in the Andes Mountains.

Whilst flying within Argentina it is essential to note that one has to keep sufficient time between connecting flights as the domestic flights tend to get delayed and a 3-hour flight can at times take 3 hours and 30 minutes. Flights within Argentina can be quite expensive and at times if you are lucky you can get some good deals as well. A return flight from Buenos Aires to El Calafate can cost you around USD 600 and there are several airlines which fly within Argentina such as Sol, TAM, Aerolineas Argentinas, Andes and LAN to name a few. So a specialist on the destination can definitely help you in getting the best deals provided you plan your trip well in advance.

LEGENDS OF PATAGONIA

The region of Patagonia is truly a delight for the adventure seeker and Cerro Castor which is 26 kilometres from Ushuaia is one of the most exclusive ski resorts in Argentina. It is located on the same latitude in the Southern Hemisphere as Moscow is in the Northern Hemisphere. This region receives the longest snow season in Latin America and one of the reasons being that the southern slopes do not receive direct sunlight. As a result skiing in Cerro Castor is a delight as it enjoys the best snow quality that you will find anywhere in the world.  Areas such as Cerro Chapelco, Bayo, Catedral, Las Leñas, Penitentes, Caviahue and La Hoya are regions where you can enjoy skiing across the region of Patagonia as well as other snow activities such as snowboarding, snow tubing, husky sledge rides and even golf as well.  From the green field and the fertile Rio Negro valley to the Andes Mountain range and the arid Patagonia plateau, the last home of the dinosaurs, to foots of hills and volcanoes, sport fishing and stays in estancias or large cattle ranches, one can spend days experiencing different activities in Patagonia and the 3 major cities worth visiting here are Bariloche, El Calafate and Ushuaia amongst others. The region is home to 13 glaciers including Uppsala – the largest of glacier in Los Glaciares National Park which derives its name from the Uppsala University which sponsored the first glaciological study in the region. Another glacier worth visiting is Spegazzini – one of the highest glaciers reaching a height of 135 metres.  The Patagonian region comprises of 17000 square kilometres of which 2000 square kilometers are in Argentina and the rest belong to Chile.

What we were to witness is the Perito Moreno glacier during our short stay in El Calafate. The Perito Moreno Glacier is located 80 kilometres from El Calafate and is the only glacier which can be viewed from a balcony stretching almost 4 kilometres.  As our flight approached El Calafate we noticed the turquoise colour of Lago Argentino – the biggest freshwater lake of Argentina in the Santa Cruz province of Patagonia. It is from this lake that the Argentinian flag derives it colour. The lake has a surface area of 1600 sq kilometres with a depth of 120 metres.

THE PRESIDENTIAL SUITE

Our hotel Los Sauces which incidentally belongs to the President of Argentina was located 20 kilometres from the airport in one of the most picturesque locations. In fact the entire drive was a perfect post card picture experience. Puerto Natales which is the Chilean border is 300 kilometres away and can be covered in a driving distance of 3.5 to 4 hours. So if you don’t have a Chilean visa but still want to get close to Chile, a day trip from El Calafate is a possibility.

The capital of Santa Cruz province is Rio Gallegos, located 300 kilometres from El Calafate. The town of El Calafate, known as the national capital of the glaciers has over 7000 inhabitants and is on the southern end of Lago Argentino (Lake Argentina) and a minimum 3 days stay is recommended to explore the region.

During our short stay we were highly pampered and taken care by the exceptional staff at Los Sauces – a world class luxury property with exquisite cuisine and suite style accommodation. Each room is tastefully decorated and the rooms are pretty spacious with wide windows and views of Mount Calafate or Lake Argentina. I was in one of the rooms which was roughly 40 square metres and the entire property is located in a traditional ranch estate in an area comprising of 4 acres of immaculate landscape giving you the feel of a country style accommodation. On a cool wintry day you can spend a couple of hours in front of the log fire and soak in some authentic local character with fine furnishings comprising of some striking Argentine paintings and sculptures.

La Comarca restaurant serves some fine gourmet cuisine with the suckling Patagonian lamb being an absolute specialty. The Southern Hake (fish) is another specialty. And after a full day of adventure – be it visiting the Glacier or going on horseback, you can relax in the octagonal designed spa known as Las Piedras which is fully equipped with a state of the art gym, Jacuzzi, sauna and spa.

FOOTHILLS OF THE ANDES

After a sumptuous lunch, we left for an exciting 4×4 adventure to Huyliche, a working ranch which raises cattle and criollo horses and is barely 3 kilometres from El Calafate. We could hear the sound of the wind blowing and it was the end of winter with a temperature around 5˚ C. This was probably the highlight of our entire trip to get some stunning views as we moved up the foothills of the Andean mountains on our 4×4 overlooking valleys, creeks, rivers and as we moved higher in altitude we could see some snow across the horizon.

Not only did we get the opportunity to drive on the snow but also experienced a gentle snowstorm.The amazing landscapes and spectacular views made this experience much beyond the exceptional. The region of El Calafate is known for its tourism and meat produce and is one of the few places to experience some unique Farm Tours, sheep shearing, visits to the Eola and Cristina farms which are highly recommended for the discerning travelers. Whether it is horse riding, trekking or even visiting the 3 major glaciers of the region – Upsala, Spegazzini and Perito Moreno, the Santa Cruz province of Patagonia and the city of El Calafate should be right on top of your must visit excursions when you visit the South American Continent.

The following day we had one of the best and most efficient guides in Patagonia – Paula. Paula Podromos incidentally runs a vegetarian restaurant in Patagonia and given her knowledge and expertise, I do recommend the Indian vegetarian guests to visit Veggies Patagonicos. Incidentally Paula did tell us that Sri Sri Ravishankar is likely to visit Argentina this December and there are satsangs every Friday in El Calafate – surely an Indian connection out there to Argentina.

THE GROWING GLACIER

In winter, the sun rises around 0930 hours and we left for the Perito Moreno Glacier at the break of dawn (around 0900 hours) to see both ends of the Glacier which is located 80 kilometres or a 90-minute drive from El Calafate.  El Calafate is 400 kilometres away from the Atlantic Ocean and most of the drive is alongside Lago Argentino. Our guide Paula shared some interesting facts en route such as the temperature of the water is an average of 3°C all year around.  The Perito Moreno Glacier is part of the southern Patagonian Icefield camp and the average temperature in summer is between 16°C and 18°C. No doubt the period between September and April is the peak tourist season out here. It is remarkable to note that inspite of such high temperatures in summer, the glacier remains intact all year round.

There is just one hotel in Los Glaciares National Park and you need big pockets to spend a night at Los Notros which overlooks the Glacier. The Glacier can be viewed by boat from the southern side and from the balconies in the northern side. To enter the National Park, an entrance fee of 80 ARS (Argentine Pesos) – approx INR 1000 has to be paid by international visitors. This 250-square kilometre ice formation stretches 30 kilometres in length and is shared with Chile and is the world’s third largest reserve of fresh water. The Perito Moreno Glacier is one of the three Patagonian glaciers which is growing and scientists have to still figure out the mystery behind this.

LUNCH ON ICE

After a boat ride, we had lunch at the restaurant located at the north side of the Glacier. The restaurant known as “Nativos de Patagonia” serves a meal comprising of a starter, a main course and a dessert for 90 Pesos (approx Rs 1080) and for vegetarians there are options like the Cremosa Sopa de Calabaza or the pumpkin soup with red onions and chorizo, Ensalada Tibla de Vegales or warm salads and to finish a meal a chocolate y dulce de leche is the recommended choice and would cost you 18 Pesos.

After a good meal, we descended to go to the balcony comprising of 2000 steps and is 4 kilometres long. If you are lucky, you could see large chunks of ice rupture in front of your eyes, although the ruptures are not as frequent and at times it takes place once every 4 years. The rupture of the natural dam formed over the L-shaped Lago Argentino is a rare phenomena as the water level rises upto 30 metres and the enormous pressure produced by the height breaks the ice barrier creating this unique rupture cycle. These spectacular towering chunks of eroding ice is something you must surely look out for.

GLACIER WALKS

Patagonia comprises of 5 provinces and 70% of the landscape is Patagonian steppes and receives 200 mm of rainfall every year. Incidentally the Chilean border from the Glacier is merely 20 kilometres away but you need to drive almost 400 kilometres from here to go to Chile. Another way to view the Glacier is to undertake a Glacier Walk comprising of 8 hours out of which 90 minutes is walk on the actual glacier. The boat trip is definitely a good option for the less adventurous and is an interesting 60 minutes ride and takes you very close to the glacier. The North side of the Glacier is 2.5 kilometres long, 60 metres high and 180 metres in water. The glacier stretches 30 kilometres into Chile. It was incredible to note that the total ice between Argentina and Chile comprises of 13000 sq.kilometres which is of the size of Belgium of which 80% is in Chile and 20% is in Argentina. The ice was supposedly formed 40 million years ago and is 2000 metres above sea level. There are as many as 200 glaciers in the area and the major part of the Chilean side of the ice formation is in the sea whereas the Argentine side is in fresh water and the Perito Moreno glacier moves 1.50 metres every day and is in balance and this is indeed an incredible phenomenon. The Perito Moreno glacier was named after the explorer scientist Francisco Moreno who incidentally did not see the glacier himself. For the adventure seekers, they can do a glacier walk not only at Perito Moreno but also at El Chalten which belongs to the Fitzroy Mountains and is the trekking capital of Argentina and at an altitude of 3400 metres above sea level.

WILDLIFE SPOTTING

As we head back Paula, our guide told us how El Calafate derived its name. It is from the Calafate plant which is grown on the Patagonian steppes. The Los Glaciares National Park is also home to several birds and quite often you spot the Condor – the biggest bird in South America – 3 metres long, 1 metre high and only eats carcasses of animals. We were lucky to spot a few Condors as we were traversing the balconies on the northern side of the glaciers. Besides Condors, one could also see the Caracara birds and Eagles and as one goes deeper into the National Park, one may be able to spot the Geoffrey’s Cat, South Andean Deer which is nearing extinction and the Mara-Hare or the Patagonian Hare which also is found only in Patagonia and nearing extinction as well. This sub-Antarctic forest is also home to lesser Rhea which looks like an Ostrich, the Guanacos from the Llama family though smaller in size than the Llama. The wool of Guanaco is supposedly the best wool available although quite often you find shops in El Calafate selling you wool of Merino Sheep which incidentally comes from Australia and New Zealand and not from Patagonia.

During our short stay in Patagonia, we got a glimpse of El Calafate, the capital of the Santa Cruz province, although Patagonia has lots to offer – from Ushuaia, the capital of Tierra del Fuego province to San Martin los Andes in Neuquen, to Puerto Madryn which is well known for penguins, whales and seals in the Chubut province to Bariloche in Rio Negro.

HEADING NORTH

Our flight left at 1918 hours and with a stop at Bariloche, we reached Buenos Aires nearing midnight.  Our next stop was in the Litoral region and the province of Misiones to see the spectacular Iguazú Falls – the widest falls in the world bordering Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay. After spending an overnight at Buenos Aires, we flew on LAN the following morning for a 90-minute flight to Iguazú Falls.

At Iguazú we were staying at one of the boutique properties – Loi Suites which is in a beautiful location in the middle of the jungle. The most striking part of the diversity of Argentina is that as we headed up north more towards a sub-tropical climate, the temperature in winter changed dramatically from 5°C in El Calafate to about 10°C in Buenos Aires and eventually to 28°C in Iguazú Falls. The falls are 22 kilometres from the city centre and is in the direction of Paraguay and Brazil. Iguazú receives 2300 mm rainfall per year and incidentally the minimum rainfall is in August. Between December and February it rains 1 hour every day. Iguazú Falls is barely 6 kilometres or an hour’s drive to Brazil. After arrival in Iguazú and checking into our hotel, we left to head to the Iguazú Forest and we were warmly received by Vin Diesel lookalike Jose who ensured that we could get the best of Iguazú during our short stay in this very interesting region offering a combination of rivers and forest. The plains and forests are surrounded by heavy flow rivers of which the Parana and Iguazú river are of great significance as they play an important part in the formation of the magnanimous Iguazú Falls. The Parana river divides Argentina and Paraguay.

ACTION BEFORE THE FALLS

En route to the forest we stopped on the way to see the Guarani Tribe – Guaranis are a group of culturally indigenous people of South America and they speak the Guarani language. They are spread across 4 countries- Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Bolivia of which over 1000 Guaranis are in Argentina. It took us 40 minutes from our hotel to reach the Iguazú Forest where we did a 4 hour excursion comprising of 3 adventure activities – Canopy, Rappelling and Hiking. We were asked to get into a heavy duty truck and our first halt was in the Forest where we would rappel down a descent of rocks of 15 metres tied to a harness and the experience was indeed very invigorating after which we hiked across the narrow paths within the forest and arrived at a waterfall. The last of the activities was the most exhilarating – the Canopy.  After climbing a treetop through a stairway, we slided from one tree to another fastened by a harness which was attached to a steel cable enjoying the views of the forest from a height and zipped passed a distance of over a kilometer in no time.

We thoroughly enjoyed the experience and if one has more time in hand, one could easily add an ATV ride experience to the four hour excursion comprising of 3 adventure activities. Later in the evening we visited Aqva – a restaurant which specializes in sea food and when in Iguazú it is recommended to try the Suruvy fish which is a local river fish. The restaurant itself is one of the best restaurants in the region and I would highly recommend a meal for anyone who plans visiting the Argentina side of the Iguazú falls.

THE ROAR OF IGUAZÚ

Next morning we were accompanied by our guide Miriam who quite resembled the President of Argentina and she took us to the Iguazú National Park where we spent the entire day to see what is undoubtedly the most spectacular falls in the world which borders 3 countries. Known as the Aguas Gerantes or Big Water by the Guaranis, the Iguazú Falls has over 275 falls and the border between Argentina and Brazil is marked by the most spectacular of them all – the Garganta del Diablo or the Devil’s Throat. The water from the falls plunges to 70 metres in the abyss below and the park besides the falls is also home to over 2000 species of plants and 400 species of birds as well. Iguazú Falls, which is one of the natural wonders of the world, has 2100 metres of the falls on the Argentina side and 600 metres on the Brazilian side. The Brazilian side is known as Foz de Iguazú and has a population of 350000 whereas the Argentina side known as the Puerto Iguazú has a population comprising of 50000 people. Paraguay, the Ciudad de l’Este which is located on the other side of the Parana River  from Argentina has 200000 inhabitants, a majority of them from the Guarani Tribe.

NAVIGATING THE DEVIL’S THROAT

The amazing part of the falls is that it changes every day as the rainfall in the area determines the falls. It was Alvar Nuñez Cabeza de Vaca from Spain who discovered the falls for the first time in 1542 and initially called it Santa Maria. Later in 1934, it was named the Iguazú National Park – one of the 32 National Parks in Argentina.  Today Iguazú receives almost 3000 to 4000 visitors a day and over a million tourists every year. To reach the falls one has to take a train which leaves every 30 minutes and takes you to the Devil’s Throat. Thereafter you have to walk over 1.3 kilometres on a walking trail known as the cat walk. En route, one can see lot of birds like we spotted the plush crested jay birds at various points along the way. Almost 80% of the falls are on the Argentine side and comprises of 3 horseshoe shaped valleys. It is a good idea to take Mate – the local drink made of herbs – along with you and the herbs, which act as anti-oxidants and has vitamin C, is a good thirst quencher especially as you are in sub-tropical climate and the average temperature is around 25 degrees Celsius with a very high humidity. It takes easily a couple of hours to see the 270 odd cataracts from various panoramic views and you have to spend almost the entire day to see the falls.  En route we also saw coaties which are type of raccoons and seem to be pretty friendly animals though it is best advised not to get very close to them.

Another activity which is worth doing is a boat trip on the gentle Iguazú river where you can view the falls and go in close proximity with the risk of getting fully drenched inspite of having a raincoat on. The boat trip in a large rubber-raft is worth it provided you carry a change of clothes or else you will come out soaking wet at the end of the trip. If you do have a Brazilian visa you can view the falls from the Brazilian side or else you can explore other exciting cities of Argentina.

SAY NAMASTE TO ARGENTINA

Argentina is truly a country of six continents and in my short trip of 7 days I got a glimpse of three unique experiences from the glaciers to the vibrant capital city and eventually the most majestic falls – truly the eight wonder of the world. I carried back pleasant memories of the land of Tango, Football, Wine, Adventure, Glaciers, Falls and much more.  From the Andes Mountains and Cuyo in the north to Patagonia in the south, Argentina truly attracts the discerning traveller. So pack your bags and get ready to say Namaste Argentina and explore a land full of varied experiences in one unique destination.

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