Do you really want to go straight
home?
Having
travelled all the way to South America, it would be a shame if you just took the plane straight home after your climb. Of
course, we realise that you may have to get home to your family, or to your job to earn money for next year's expedition.
But why not get your family to fly over and meet you? If you do have time to stay in Mendoza or Argentina, we know the city
and the country very well and would be delighted to help you extend your stay.
Mendoza
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| Parque San Martin, Mendoza |
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| Local produce |
Mendoza is wine country. The majority of Argentina's fabulous
wine is produced in Mendoza. The city sits in the shadow of the Andes on the western edge of Argentina. Despite being in a
very dry part of the country, the city is very green. Trees line every street and there are a number of parks. The city has
a very relaxed feeling and it is a wonderful place to relax before or after climbing Aconcagua and is a great starting point
for discovering other parts of Argentina as it has an international airport and is an important hub in the extensive national
bus system. We are confident that you will love Mendoza because of its leafy streets and relaxed feel. And of course, the
wine!
So instead of hurrying home immediately from Mendoza,
why don't you spend a few days relaxing in the nearby thermal baths, go wine-tasting or just eat steak and ice cream in one
of Argentina's greenest cities. We can help arrange all of these for you.
The Rest of Argentina
What can we say about Argentina? Daft though this may sound,
it is very like Ireland. Yes, it is bigger, warmer, has a lot less rain and they make wine rather than Guinness, but its friendliness
and wild "real" countryside is very much like Ireland. And Argentinians who have spent time in Ireland, say the same. There
are many fabulous places to visit in Argentina before or after your expedition, such as the glaciers of Patagonia in
the South, the amazingly beautiful Iguazu Falls on the Brazilian border in the north, the north-west corner of Argentina around
Salta and Jujuy and of course, Buenos Aires itself. Or if you fancy some beach time, thousands of Argentinians flock to Mar
del Plata every summer. We appreciate that climbing Aconcagua may already use up enough of your holiday time, but having flown
so far, it would be a shame not to explore more of the country.
Buenos Aires
This city has a very European feel. Its a lovely city and if
you can be there on a Sunday morning, there is an excellent street market in San Telmo on Sunday mornings with people dancing
tango in the street. Buenos Aires is hot in the summer (Dec-Mar) but it is still worthwhile spending a couple of days here
before you head home. If you like shopping at all, it is great for leather goods. You can get a fabulous leather jacket for
a fraction of the price at home you'd pay at home.
Iguazu
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| Iguazu Falls, Misiones Province, Argentina |
This is the most beautiful place in Argentina, and possibly South America.
The Iguazu Falls are on the border with Brazil in the north of Argentina. They consist of more than 280 individual waterfalls
set in green sub-tropical rainforest. If the sunshine catches the spray, the cascades are decorated by the most beautiful
rainbows. The Iguzau Falls is completely and utterly gorgeous. You have come a long way to go to Aconcagua. This is not a
journey you will make often. If you have the time to add 2-3 days onto your stay, we highly recommend that you go to Iguazu.
The easiest way to reach it from Mendoza is by plane as it is a 36 hour bus journey. But we promise you, it is worth it. When
you get home, you will be talking as much about Iguazu as you will about Aconcagua!
Patagonia
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| The Fitzroys, El Chalten, Patagonia |
If you want to enjoy more of Argentina's wonderfully big outdoors, then head
south to Patagonia. Bariloche at the north of Patagonia is in the heart of the Argentinian Lake District and has lots of trekking,
horse-riding, rafting and other outdoor pursuits. But best of all, it has supermarkets that just sell chocolate seriously!
The little town of San Martin de los Andes is in the north of the Lake District. On the shores
of Lake Lacar,
nestled in the mountains, it is especially gorgeous and very friendly. If you go to this region, it is worthwhile going to
San Martin. The food is delicious, the chocolate is better, and there are spas where you can have a massage if your body is
aching after the expedition.
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| The Lake District - San Martin de los Andes |
El Calafate in the middle of Patagonia is near to Perito
Moreno glacier. In case you are not fed up with ice after Aconcagua, you can visit the largest ice field in the world outside
of the Arctic Circle and Antarctica. El Calafate is also near the Fitzroys which provide excellent trekking or you can cross
the border into Chile to go trekking in the wonderful Torres del Paine National Park. And if you want to head even further
south, you can travel to the end of the world at Ushuaia and enjoy trekking in the Tierra del Fuego National Park. Bariloche
can be reached by overnight coach from Mendoza or by plane, but El Calafate and Ushuaia are best reached by plane as Argentina
is a huge country.
San Juan
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| Ischigualasto Provincial Park |
There are more geological phenomena to be seen at San Juan the sheer red cliffs of the Talampaya National Park and the
weird rock formations, including balls of rock that come up out of the ground (that is as much scientific explanation as we
can manage!) in the Ischigualasto National Park. San Juan is 2 hours north of Mendoza.
North West Argentina
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| Rock of Seven Colours, Jujuy, NW Argentina |
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| Salt Flats, North-west Argentina |
The North West of Argentina is where you will experience more
Andean culture than in any other part of the country. The city of Salta is one of the most beautiful in Argentina, and has
lovely colonial architecture. Salta and Jujuy are both near the salt flats which are in the altiplano between Argentina and
Chile. From Salta you can visit the Cardones (cacti) National Park and the wine growing areas of Cafayate. From Jujuy you
can visit the amazing Rock of 7 Colours. Millions of years ago, as the Andes formed, layers of coloured rock got pushed up,
leaving a landscape of literally stripy red, pink, purple and orange rocks. Both Salta and Jujuy are an overnight coach
trip from Mendoza.
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