- Argentina - Portal público de noticias de la República Argentina.
Adventure Tourism
We can enjoy an astounding variety of adventure excursions all across Argentina. The district of El Chalten -located in Santa Cruz Province-, has been declared the National Capital of Trekking, due to its variety of treks ranging from simple walks along the mountains up to complex expeditions such as Vuelta al hielo continental (Continental Ice field traverse), a genuine “6-day Trip to glaciations” in which voyagers can sleep camping on the largest ice field in the continent. All the country’s provinces offer a varied range of scenery for horseback-riding—like trekking—. A very famous horseback riding excursion is available in Quebrada de Humahuaca -province of Jujuy- a five-day trip connecting the gorge’s landscape with the nuboselva (forest) of Las Yungas, where mountains rise above the clouds level.
Descents in kayaks or rubber rafts through the river rapids can be practiced in almost all the Patagonian region and in the provinces of Salta, Mendoza and San Juan. As for mountaineering, highly qualified climbers can embrace the outmost challenge of climbing up to the 6962 meters of Mount Aconcagua in Mendoza and the Torre hill in El Chalten.
In a country that is lengthwise crossed by the Andean mountain range, hang gliding flights are quite usual practices. The major centers are the viewpoint Cuchicorral in the province of Córdoba and Loma Bola, near the city of Tucumán.
Lastly, there are off road circuits and excursions along gravel driveways for 4-wheel-trucks countrywide. Some of the most spectacular circuits are the ones that end at Laguna Brava in the province of La Rioja, another one crossing to Chile by the Paso de Agua Negra in the province of San Juan, and the Camino del Monte Zeballos in the northern part of Santa Cruz.
Fishing In Argentina
The vast Patagonian rivers and lakes network is regarded as one the world “meccas” for trout fly fishing. Every year, some 20.000 fishers visit Patagonia specially to catch browns, rainbows and fontinalis brook trout, which can weigh up to 10 Kg. There are countless fishing places in Patagonia featuring ideal conditions such as tranquility, minimum contamination and very few other fishers in the area. Fishing in Patagonia can be from the seashore or embarked, both in National Parks and in fishing lodges generally located in a Patagonic estancia (ranch). Some typical fishing places in Patagonia are: Strobel lake in Santa Cruz, Aluminé and Chimeuín in Neuquen, Ewans and Grande rivers in Tierra del Fuego, Santa Cruz river in that same province, Nahuel Huapi lake in Río Negro.
Corrientes is the second destination chosen by fishermen worldwide, who travel specifically for fishing activities. In the surroundings of the Wetland known as Esteros del Iberá (Estuaries of Iberá) and in the Paraná river fishers can catch combating dorados that can weigh up to 20 Kg. In addition, gigantic surubies-weighing up to 27 Kg exceptionally- may be caught, always applying the fly fishing technique.
In Argentina there are nine large sky resorts hosting millions of local and foreign skiers every winter. Most of the resorts are nestled in Patagonia, except for one –Las Leñas--, located in the province of Mendoza. The southernmost is located in Tierra del Fuego, and it is called Castor Mount. The province of Chubut features a skiing resort called La Hoya, and near the city of Bariloche lies the largest resort of South America, the Catedral Mount. The province of Neuquen has the largest number of skiing resorts: Chapelco, Bayo Mount Batea Mahuida and Caviahue.
Fauna Sightseeing
One of the matchless charms visitors will find in Argentina is the possibility to observe native fauna in its natural habitats. Argentine fauna includes hundreds of species of birds, gigantic cetaceans such as the Southern Right Whale and Orcas from Puerto Madrin, or the exotic Rockhopper penguin, a funny tumbling Lilliputian that, all along the American continent, can only be found in the small colony of the Isla Pinguino (Penguin Island) near Puerto Deseado (Santa Cruz.). But if travelers want to sight millions of Magellanic penguins devoted to looking after their chicks, there are several colonies along the Patagonian coast. The most prominent one is Punta Tombo, in the province of Chubut, reaching its climax in early November, when baby penguins are born and the colony population can increase up to one million penguins. When approaching Punta Tombo colony, visitors can hear the deafening “trumpeting” calls of these tiny tailcoat dressed dwarves penguins, spawned from some 600 thousand “craters” in the earth. In each crater there are a couple of penguins, and a close look may unfold the singularities of the marital life of these birds that cannot fly but can dive up to 80 meters and build up monogamous bonds for life.
The Esteros del Iberá (Iberá Estuaries) located in the northern center of the country –in the province of Corrientes-, are the other touristic area visited for fauna watching, framed within the second largest wetland of the continent, behind the Brazilian marshland. This large 13.000 square kilometer ecosystem— encompassing a framework of rivers, creeks, lagoons, and almost uncharted estuaries--, hosts 44 mammal species, 345 varieties of birds, 40 of amphibious species, 59 reptile species and at least 130 fish species. Thus, Esteros del Iberá (Iberá Estuaries) are considered to have the largest biodiversity in the continent. Visitors are usually most astounded by the presence of the Yacaré, a type of caiman that can be two meters long. Some can be spotted submerged as ambushed killers, and are found a meter away from the boat with their eyes just resurfacing. Yet, hundreds of them can easily be seen sunbathing along the shores.
Patagonic Ranches Circuit
One of the best ways to travel around Patagonia is by means of its touristic ranches circuits –many of which lie adjacent to the mythical route 40 --, so that visitors can immerse themselves in the current everyday life of the Patagonic gaucho, sheep breeding and enjoy the delight of watching the immensity of the steppe through the window, literally in the middle of nowhere.
Playing Golf In Argentina
The variety of Argentina climates and landscapes make up an added value for its golf courses, where golf lovers can enjoy this relaxing sport in a woodland scenery, by the sea, in the middle of the forest, at the foot of the Andean mountain range or by the Río de la Plata in Buenos Aires.
Every year, millions of congresses, events and conventions take place in the major cities of Argentina. Among the most relevant we can find the International Book Fair, the Buenos Aires Tango Festival and the Tango world championship. For these events there are huge fair estates and all types of hotels and ranches provided with modern confort and technology.
