150 ArgentinaArgentina and Uruguay at a glance4THE LAKE DISTRICT AND NORTHERN PATAGONIAThe hills, lakes and ski slopes around Bariloche and San Martín offer a varietyof hotels and leisure activities. To the east, the remote Valdés Peninsula is home to a tumultuous wildlife of rheas, whales, elephant seals and penguins.1THE CENTRAL SIERRAS AND NORTHERN ANDESCórdoba and Mendoza are surrounded by hilly countryside. Further north is a chain of colonial towns, such as Salta, from where you can venture up into the Andes, or cross into Chile's Atacama Desert on a scenic high altitude road.1254 I just want to say 'thank you' to all those who organised our tour and to all those who looked after us so well in Argentina. We were completely relaxed, no worries. What a holiday?the trip of a lifetime. DG, Devon63PHOTO ON PREVIOUS PAGE: AGE fotostockPatagonia Cnonnectiodavid nichols.Mendoza (Cavas Wine Lodge)Córdoba..PampasPatagoniaPatagoniaPuerto Iguazú.Mar del Plata.San Martín de los Andes(Estancia Huechahue)..Bariloche.Esquel.Trelew.Comodoro Rivadavia.Bahia Bustamante .El Chaltén/Fitz Roy(Perito Moreno glacier).Rio GallegosUshuaia..Humahuaca.Jujuy.Cachi/Molinos (Estancia Colomé)(Estancias Los Potreros and El Colibrí)..Aguapé LodgeCafayate.Puerto Madryn.VALDÉS PENINSULA.El CalafateYacutinga LodgeJosé Ignacio..Punta del Este.Carmelo..ColoniaIBERÁ WETLANDSEstancia El Rocio.BRAZILCHILEARGENTINAURUGUAYATLANTIC OCEANPACIFIC OCEANMontevideoBuenos AiresTIERRA DEL FUEGOFALKLAND ISLANDS(LAS ISLAS MALVINAS)ANDESANDESSan Pedrode Atacama..SaltaSantiago.Torres del PainePuerto Varas.PARAGUAY Iguazú FallsEstancia La Bamba.

ARGENTINACHILEBRAZIL....El CalafateBarilocheBuenos AiresUshuaiaPerito MorenoGlacierIguazú Falls151Essentials Climate Mostly temperate; sub-tropical in the far north, cold-temperate in the extreme south. Seasons are the reverse of those in the UK (higher temperatures between October and April). The lake district and Patagonia are wintry between May and September.Festivals Tango Festival Buenos Aires February/March, August. Gaucho festivals early November, Polo Open (Buenos Aires, November weekends). Travelling from UK Time difference (GMT) -3hrs Travel time 16hrsHighlights of Argentina 17 days, 14 nightsBuenos Aires 2 nights, Bariloche 3n, Calafate 3n,Ushuaia 2n, Buenos Aires 1n, Iguazú 2n, Buenos Aires 1n.Day 1 Fly from the UK to Buenos Aires. Days 2&3 At leisure. Tour of the capital and tango show with dinner. Day 4 Fly to Bariloche in the lake district (p162). Day 5 Excursion to San Martín de los Andes, via the Seven Lakes Route. This is one of Argentina's most scenic drives, with lovely views over green-tinted waters as it passes through the Patagonian forests of the Lanín and Nahuel Huapi national parks. Day 6 At leisure. Day 7 Fly to El Calafate on the shores of Lago Argentino (p158). Day 8 Full day excursion to the spectacular Perito Moreno glacier, where you can get within a stone's throw of the creaking ice walls, as they shed shards of ice the size of tower blocks. Includes boat trip. Day 9 Optional boat trip on Lago Argentino to historic Estancia Cristina, near the Upsala Glacier. Day 10 Fly to Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego (p160). Day 11 Tour of Lapataia National Park, and a cruise down the Beagle Channel by motor launch. Day 12 Fly to Buenos Aires. Day 13 Fly north to Puerto Iguazú. Excursion to the Argentine side of Iguazú Falls (p154). Day 14 Visit the Brazilian side of the Falls for panoramic views. Day 15 Fly to Buenos Aires. Day 16 Fly to the UK, arriving day 17.Prices from £2,307pp (standard); £3,189pp (superior) based on two sharing, excluding transatlantic flights. Daily departures from the UK 6SOUTHERN PATAGONIA AND TIERRA DEL FUEGOThis remote area is defined by the Fitz Roy massif's huge granite towers, the giant walls of ice of the Perito Moreno and Upsala glaciers, and the ancient temperate forests of Tierra del Fuego.5BUENOS AIRES AND THE PAMPASWander among the colourful dwellingsof La Boca, shop in Recoleta, watch tango in San Telmo and choose between some of the coolest hotels on the continent. You can relax on a ranch in the surrounding pampas or across the River Plate in Uruguay.3URUGUAYUruguay is just a short hop across the River Plate from Buenos Aires. The glamorous beaches at Punta del Este have long been popular. Luxurious properties have now opened in quieter resorts. Rural Uruguay, with its rolling terrain and estancias, is an appealing venue for a riding holiday.2NORTH-EASTERN LOWLANDSThe sub-tropical Iberá marshland is one of the country's best places for wildlife observation. The area is best known for the Iguazú Falls situated in a national park on the border with Brazil.020 8747 8315 / journeylatinamerica.co.uk bookings, consultant advice and additional information how about?» Including other highlights?Salta and the canyons of the north west (p154). » Relaxing on a wine estate near Mendoza in the Andean foothills (pp156-157), or horse-riding at the Anglo-Argentine Estancia Los Potreros near Córdoba (p152). » A few days on the beach in Uruguay.200 Miles300 KMargentina tourist boardkevin greenleavesbest of patagoniaexplora