Argentina: Rainforests and Glaciers

Delve into the gaucho culture with a full day in the sleepy town of San Antonio de Areco, one of the oldest towns in Argentina.

Argentina’s wealth came from its farmlands producing quality cattle as well as agricultural goods. A visit to a traditional estancia provides a glimpse of life on the pampas where the gauchos still live by age-old traditions. Arrive at Estancia La Bamba de Areco, a 90-minute drive from Buenos Aires with time to swim and enjoy the gardens before lunch.

 Whether you are a great cook or just passionate about good food, we highly recommend spending lunch with the esteemed local chef, Paula. Her home-style cooking lessons at her own kitchen in San Antonio de Areco are always fun and welcoming as guests help to prepare traditional Argentine recipes. After lunch, Paula can show you around town before you head back to the estancia for a swim and a rest before driving back to town (or we can arrange for you to spend the night).

Cataratas del Iguazú is home to roaring waterfalls and colourful wildlife in the heart of the jungle. A towering mass of spray and thundering waters, “Iguazú” means “big water” in the language of the semi-nomadic Guaranís who inhabited the area before the arrival of the Spanish conquistadores in the 16th century.

Fly from Buenos Aires to Iguazu where your Awasi guide and driver will be waiting to drive you into the heart of the rainforest. We love this small boutique hotel with its private villas surrounded by leafy jungle. From here you are a 20-minute drive from the Iguazu waterfalls and moments from the hidden secrets that many visitors to this region never discover. You will have time to explore the Brazilian and Argentine sides of the waterfalls, and take kayaks along the gentle waters of the River Iguazu to crystal clear pools only accessible by boat. There are more than 400 species of birds in this corner of the Atlantic Rainforest, and mammals include puma, tapirs and Capuchin monkeys.

Northern Patagonia’s Lake District spreads from Argentina into Chile. In winter, this is a favourite destination for skiers and snow-seekers. In summer, the cobalt lakes are translucent, and the pine-scented forests brimming with birdlife. 

Fly from Iguazu to Bariloche with a short change Buenos Aires domestic airport. Our guide and driver will take you to the Villa Beluno hotel on the shores of the Nahuel Huapi Lake. You may want to rest at the hotel this evening, or we can arrange for a private sunset sail along the Huemul and the Gallina islands of the lake anchoring with a sundowner in a calm bay with stunning views of the sun setting. 

There are plenty of woodland walking trails around the lake including the Brazo Tristeza (Tristeza Arm) of the majestic Nahuel Huapi Lake with magnificent views from varying heights. The best way to explore these trails is with a local guide who knows these forests inside out. We’ll arrange beautiful picnic spots and walks based on your wishes.

El Calafate is the gateway to Southern Patagonia, where the serrated peaks of the Andes Mountains rise above glacial lakes and weather-worn farming outposts. 

Take a flight from Bariloche to El Calafate where our driver will be waiting to take you to Eolo. This 4000-hectare farm is surrounded by mountains and grassy meadows and is a perfect resting place to discover some of the highlights of Patagonia. 

 For a taste of authentic Patagonian life, we recommend a full day visit to Estancia Cristina, located in Los Glaciares National Park, at the Northwest end of Lake Argentino. Secluded within a natural paradise, it was founded by an English family in 1914 and can only be accessed by boat. From quiet afternoon walks discovering the history behind the property to more active trekking and 4WD rides, there is so much to discover and the remoteness and untouched beauty of this farm is breathtaking.

It is also worth visiting the still active Perito Moreno glacier and watching as vast chunks of ice crack and crash into the chilly waters of Lago Argentino below. The glacier is a jagged mass of crevasses and towering columns of ice. Within the national park, there are plenty of beautiful nature trails and the opportunity to put on crampons and trek on icy glaciers.