Leigh and I along with two great friends, Judy and Scot, backpacked in Chile's Torres del Paine National Park for eight days and then proceeded to the Patagonia Eco-Domes near El Chalten in Argentina to do some hiking in Los Glaciares National Park. We were well advised that Patagonia would be windy, rainy, sunny, cold and cool, might snow and did I mention windy. Our post-Patagonia plan was to fly to Buenos Aires and then…
The Fitz Roy trek in Los Glaciares National Park is one of the best hikes in Patagonia. The park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981, is located in the Austral Andes of Argentina. The gateway town is El Chalten, about a three hour scenic bus ride from El Calafate - where there is a decent sized airport. Los Glaciares National Park is best known for its day hikes rather than multi-day backpacking trips, though…
What can you do in Mendoza, Argentina - a city of 115,000 people? Plenty as it turns out especially with its premiere location in an area of plains and foothills east of Aconcagua - the highest mountain in South America. With the Andes as a backdrop and a sunny climate with low rainfall, it's no wonder Mendoza draws visitors from around the world. They come for the wine and the food but there's loads of…
The city of Salta in northern Argentina has beckoned for years. Through the travel grapevine I'd heard it was a must visit city. It wasn't what I expected. Salta is a medium-sized city. It's absolutely lovely around the town square. And the bird's eye view from the top of the Teleferico is beautiful. But it's noisy. Traffic is bad and the fumes from the cars aren't pleasant. Crossing the street is an exercise in timing.…
Crossing the Andes on the Mendoza to Santiago bus, or vice versa, is a superb way to see some stunning countryside. It's also a heck of a lot cheaper than flying. It's only going to cost you $US30-35 one way for a reserved seat. Plan to do the Mendoza to Santiago bus ride during the day so you can enjoy the views. This post includes some affiliate links. If you make a qualifying purchase through…
Outstanding. Brilliant. Incredible. Fantastic. Perfect. All adjectives to describe the Salta Tucuman road trip in Argentina. This drive was another one of the highlights of our trip to northern Chile and Argentina. I'd read reports of other travel bloggers about how wonderful this region is but it has to be seen to be believed. The Salta Tucuman road trip is only 450 kilometres but most of that is on rough, dirt roads so the going is…
Every trip you take teaches you something - whether about yourself, the country you're visiting, the culture or hard topics like the impact of overpopulation or rising food prices. It all depends on what you're open to learning. My recent trip with my husband, John and good friends, Jo and Ted, to northern Chile and Argentina taught me plenty. Here's what traveling teaches you in Chile and Argentina. I learned 8 lessons over 18 days.…
I've seen Yerba Mate in the grocery stores and remember reading Che Guevara's biography which had frequent references to drinking it. But it wasn't until I got to Argentina that I discovered what a love affair the people have for this drink. Healthline describes Yerba Mate as a "drink that has the strength of coffee, the health benefits of tea, and the joy of chocolate." This post includes some affiliate links. If you make a…
Our goal while in Chile and Argentina is to move between the two countries using public transport wherever possible. Not only is is much less expensive but its a great way to absorb some of the local flavour. We traveled from Chile's Atacama Desert, specifically San Pedro to Salta in northern Argentina by bus. I was less keen on this ride, mainly because of its length - 11 hours. Updated January 2020. This post includes…