Los Glaciares
Set in the south of Argentina, Los Glaciares is a substantial national park which contains dramatic mountain peaks, vast glaciers and stunning lakes. There’s a wide selection of outdoor activities, including some great hiking and horseback riding, plus some wonderfully remote and authentic estancias.
Salta
Set in the far northwest corner of Argentina, the Salta region is a relatively little-visited part of the country, with an incredible range of landscapes, including sub-tropical cloud forests, Mediterranean-style winelands and outrageous volcanic scenery in the high Andes. Best visited by means of a private guided overland safari for at least a week.
Buenos Aires
Set in the northeast of Argentina, Buenos Aires is the capital city and the main transport hub for the country. Whilst some travellers want to get through here as fast as possible, it’s actually quite an interesting place to explore, especially if you are into tango, steak and football. There’s some rather cool little hotels too.
Bariloche
Set around 1000 km southwest of Buenos Aires in Argentina, Bariloche is the nation’s Alpine region. With a temperate climate and stunning mountain scenery, the area is often compared to Switzerland. It offers a very wide range of outdoor activities, including skiing in winter. There’s also some very strong horse-riding estancias.
Mendoza
Set at the foot of the Andes Mountains in western Argentina, Mendoza is a substantial and historic city, the capital of the country’s wine-producing industry, with a good range of high quality rural lodges out amongst the vineyards. The area also contains a significant ski resort and is the base for trekking the continent’s highest mountain, Aconcagua.
Peninsula Valdes
Set on the east coast of Argentina, Península Valdés is renowned for its prodigious marine wildlife, with highlights including orcas taking seal pups from the beaches and enormous bull elephant seals fighting over their harems. The best accommodation is in a handful of remote estancias.
Iguazu Sur
Set in the northeast of Argentina and straddling the border with Brazil, the Iguazú Falls is one of the great natural wonders of South America, a really popular hub for visitors to the continent. There’s a good range of hotels and a wide range of activities in the area.
Ushuaia
Set in the far south of Argentina, Ushuaia is a remote but substantial port city and the capital of Tierra del Fuego. Although there is a substantial ski resort here, the place is not incredibly attractive in its own right, but it is the starting point for cruises to both Antarctica and around Cape Horn to Punta Arenas in Chile.
Cordoba
Set in northcentral Argentina, Cordoba is the country’s second largest city, a moderately interesting place which rarely features in trips. In the surrounding rural areas, however, there lie two outstanding estancias, one a very polished rural retreat, the other offering some really top class horseback riding.
Los Canones
Set in the south of Argentina, Los Canones is a vast area of open steppe, etched by a network of dramatic canyons, with some fascinating geology and rock-art, as well as extensive hiking trails and some pioneering puma tracking. Accommodation is in a handful of remote lodges and estancias.
Ibera
Set in the northeast of Argentina, Iberá is a large wetland area, which is presently the subject of a major rehabilitation and re-wildlification project. It will hopefully be able to reliably deliver interesting wildlife sightings in future years. In the meantime it’s the project itself which is the main focus of interest.
