Off the Beaten Path: Argentina

Argentina is a vast country but surprisingly easy to get around. The two best ways of traveling around this country are by plane and bus. We would recommend the latter for comfort, price and a way of seeing the countryside. The bus service in Argentina is exceptional.  Long distance buses are luxurious, with many having seats the size of first-class airline seats, offering free drinks and snacks. Also, the majority of long distance buses run during the night, which is ideal for a backpacker,  to save money on accommodation.

If you want to learn how a local Argentine lives their usual, daily lives, experience it first hand by heading a little further away from the metropolis and into the numerous, sprawling ranches owned by local farmer families. Backpackers and tourists who love a twist in their journey stay a day or two as guests of an estancia owner. This is total Argentine immersion, rural living. Walk on foot or on horseback with a gaucho amidst majestic scenery which paints a surreal picture of the countryside.

In the eyes of a tourist, Patagonia is the place of the massive river of ice- Perito Moreno Glacier. But on the side of a Paleontologist, the rocky,Three Towers Patagonia wild, and exotic badlands of Patagonia hides the remnants of dinosaurs. In fact, it was in this place where the fossil of the greatest meat-eating reptile, the Giganotosaurus, was dug up in July 1993 by Rubén Darío Carolini. The giant reptile was even larger than the T-Rex and weighed 9,500 kg when it roamed the Earth. Argentine Patagonia not only offers an opportunity to capture photos of a very diverse ecosystem, but also enchants the kids at heart who love dinosaurs.

Known best for its wine, Mendoza is a bustling city to the east of Mount Aconcagua, the highest peak in the Western Hemisphere. Although it draws its share of adventure travelers, lured by the climbing, skiing, hiking and rafting opportunities within an easy drive of downtown, the area’s more than 1,000 vineyards bring oenophiles in even greater numbers. But also nature rules in this city that serves as a starting point for all kinds of adventure activities and high country sports, such as mountaineering, climbing and ski, as well as river rafting, which is practiced in the Mendoza River, with some very difficult stretches highly praised by the best sportsmen in the world. 

If you want to see subtropical wildlife without the crowds, Esteros del Ibera is the place to go. No single subtropical wetland can surpass this sea of aquatic grasslands, floating islands, and gallery forests with wildlife so tame that photographers feel like they're shooting in a taxidermist's shop. Because of its remote location in the province of Corrientes, the handful of visitors who view its caimans, monkeys, otters, capybaras, marsh deer, and some 300 species of birds comprise only a small fraction of the numbers who swarm the Pantanal. It's also affordable, with rustically stylish accommodations in the village of Colonia Pellegrini, one and a half hours from the city of Mercedes and reasonably priced guides. This makes a good combination with the more conventional destination of Cataratas del Iguazu, but true wildlife enthusiasts will find plenty to keep themselves occupied for several days at Ibera.

Looking for that uniquely different vacation destination. Call Rawhide Travel and Tours today 602-843-5100 or visit our website rawhidetravel.com. We can help!

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Rawhide Travel and Tours Inc
6008 West Bell Rd # F105
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