Imagine a thousand kilometers of beaches and
cliffs over the ocean, mountain ranges, steep paths, waterfalls, glaciers,
transparent water lakes and rivers, an infinite number of vegetal species,
birds, mammals and sea fauna ... There is a word that can be associated to all
this: Adventure.
Argentina posseses a vast territory comprising all the climates and geographical
variations, and peerless lanscapes to enjoy being in close contact with nature.
It is the ideal land for adventure tourism. That's the reason why it offers
numberless possibilities and emotions for the lovers of this type of
practice.
Here we will list the main activities, and the regions where they can be
practised.
Trekking,
consists of a walk along uneven grounds and paths (in general mountainous
places), apt to go on foot and without the need of any special equipment.
There are varied routes with different levels of difficulty, many of which are
apt to be enjoyed by any person willing to walk and to be in contact with nature
getting pleasure from the, most of times, astounding landscapes.
Along and accross the country, there are an infinity of environments and
geographical varieties suitable for this activity, especially those places
sorrounded by a mountainous relief or escarpments.
Here we enumerate some areas and important circuits:
Salta Valle
deLos
Dinasaurios (Dinosaurs Valley) - Cachi, Calchaqui Valleys, El ReyNational
Park, Quebrada del Toro (Bull's Gorge), Valle Encantado (Enchanted Valley), Puna
and Atacama Desert, Nevada del Chañi, and all the mountain range area in
general (to be reached from Salta).
Córdoba Valley
of the Pinto river, Choracato, El Cajón and los Terrones Dykes, Los Gigantes
(The Giants), Quebrada del Condorito National Park (Little Condor Gorge),
and in all the region of sierras (to be reached from several tourist
destinations of the province).
San Luis Los Comechingones Sierra (to be reached from Merlo),
las Quijadas Sierras National Park (to be reached from San
Luis) and in all the region of sierras.
San Juan Calingasta, Valle de La Luna (The Moon Valley) and
the whole mountain range area in general
Mendoza Aconcagua Provincial Park and the
whole mountain range area in general (to be
reached from Mendoza, and also from San
Rafael).
Nequén The
whole mountain
range area in general,
especially within the Lanin National Park (to be reached from San
Martín de los Andes) and Arrayanes (to be reached from Villa
La Angostura).
Río Negro Otto
Meiling and Mount Tronador Refuge, Mount Lopez, Jacob Lake, Emilio Frey
Refuge, Neumeyer Refuge – Challhuaco Valley (Bariloche),
Cajón Azul, Lindo, Hielo Azul (El Bolsón)
and all the region of the Nahuel Huapi and Puelo lake National Parks.
Chubut Cinco
Saltos waterfalls, Cascada stream, Mount Dedal , Mount Cocinero, Mount Alto el
Petizo, Limonao Port– Krugger Lake, Palanganas of Frey river and the
whole region of Los Alerces National Park. (to be reached Esquel).
There are many options at Trevelín and at the region of the Futaleufú river
too.
Santa
Cruz Nimes Ponds, Lago Argentino (Argentine lake),
minitrekking on ice at the Perito Moreno Glacier (El
Calafate), Chorrillo del Salto, Mount Torre, Mount Fitz Roy, Piedra del
Fraile, Lago del Desierto (Desert Lake) in El Chaltén and all the region
of The Glaciers
National Park.
Rappel
or rock climbing is a sport practised on rocky walls having more than 60º
degrees of inclination and where it is necessary to use your hands to move
along.The walls may be either associated to ice or snow or not. In Argentina there are a thousand kilometres of mountainous regions: The
Andes Mountain Range, the Sierras of Córdoba, San Luis, and some others
that offer numberless sceneries for the practice of this activity.
However, we can mention
some places especially prepared to practise it:
Córdoba MacizoLos
Gigantes (The Giants Massif) (2374 m.s.n.m.), La Ola(The
Wave).
Río
Negro Frey
in Mount Catedral (Bariloche) (rock)
Mendoza
Los Arenales
(rock), Cascades
in Puente del Inca (Inca's Bridge),
Mount Rincón (ice)
Santa Cruz Fitz Roy
range (3375 m.s.n.m.) (rock and ice)
Mountaineering
is the climbing up to the top of mountains with different hights and levels of
difficulty, applying different technics. It can be combined either with
trekking, or rock or ice climbing.
The access to the top of smaller mountains, with less difficulty and without
climbing is called Ascension.
This activity needs training and a good physical condition, even though there
are low mountains without major difficulties that can be scaled by people having
no special training.
In all the montainous regions of Argentina (The Andean Mountain Range, Sierras
of Córdoba, San Luis, etc.) there are mountains that can be
climbed.
In Mendoza, Mount Aconcagua, with its 6962 m.a.s.l., is the highest peak
of America and the ultimate goal of climbers fom all over the world.
Here we list some of the most important mountains to practise mountaineering:
Salta Llullaillaco
(6739 a.s.l.m.), Socompa volcano (6031 a.s.l.m.) (to be reached from Salta).
Central
Sierras Champaquí
(2790 a.s.l.m.) (to be reached from Merlo and Villa
General Belgrano), Los Gigantes Massif (2374 a.s.l.m.) (to be reached from Mina
Clavero)
Mendoza Aconcagua
(6962 a.s.l.m.)
(the highest peak in América, to be reached from Mendoza),
Tupungato (6800 a.s.l.m.).
The mountain bike allows you to explore steep grounds, just as trekking does,
but at higher speed.
The possibility of exercising your legs, together with the pleasure of being in
contact with nature enjoying wonderful lanscapes is a combination hard to reject
for the bike lovers.
In our country, in all the mountainous regions, there exists numberless tracks,
paths, and grounds in which this activity can be practised.
The
geography of our country offers a varid range of sceneries to go around on
horseback. It is quite usual to find especial excursions called mountain
crossings in which you go on horse for several days visiting exeptionally
beautiful wild landscapes. The whole Andean region is ideal to go around on
horse (where the mountain crossings are organised to go up to Chile ) and in the
northern part of the country they are organised on mule.
The 4 x4 safaris are unconventional excursions
carried out in four-wheel drive vehicles, that allow you to get into
interesting and exclusive places hard to be reached by the public due to the
roughness of its grounds.
These safaris are recommended in forest and mountainous regions.
Northeast The
Iguazu National Park is the most appropriate place to carry out this activity,
for it can be combined with flora and fauna watching and/or photographic
safaris.
Northwest There are programmed tours
that combine different kinds of activities in all-terrain vehicles. In
this excursions you will have the possibility to know
deserts, salt mines, forests, gorges, thermal waters, geysers, historic ruins,
rupestrian paintings, etc.
Cuyo and Andean Patagonia Organised
excursions combined with trekking, photographic safaris and/or flora and fauna
watching.
Central
Sierras There
are organised excursions with four-wheel drive vehicles in the whole region of
the Sierras of Cordoba and San Luis.
Just as we said at
the beginning of this page, Argentina comprises a diverse variety of landscapes,
flora and fauna to satisfy all the expectation of the photography lovers
Mountain ranges, waterfalls, glaciers, rivers, lakes, woods, salt mines, dunas,
beaches, cliffs, terrestrial flora and fauna, sea fauna watching, picturesque
villages and populated cities with varied arquitecture, are just some examples
to capture with a camera.
The varied National Parks which our country
owns, show different landscapes, ranging from forests to deserts.
All the regions that make up our country can be exploited to make photographic
safaris and combine them, in many cases, with flora and fauna
watching.
Due
to the variety of climates and geographical areas, our country posseses many
zones to carry out flora and fauna watching. In the Atlantic Patagonia, you can
enjoy the sea fauna.
There are several National Parks with plenty of
flora and fauna to watch.
Here we list some interesting zones. Salta In El Rey and Baritu National Parks, there is plenty of flora
and fauna to see. Organised visits from Salta.
Misiones There are several
possibilities to see flora and fauna at the region of the Iguazu National Park
(close to Puerto Iguazú), for the forestal
environment lodges 2000 vegetal species, 400 bird species, varieties of mammals
and an immeasurable world of insects. All this species turn this ecosystem into
one of the richest natural environments in the world.
Buenos
Aires Ernesto
Tornquist National Park (La Ventana Sierras),
Sierra of El Tigre
Natural Reservation
(Tandil).
Córdoba Watching of Tabaquillos
and mountain ferns, variety of birds, condors at the Quebrada del Condorito (to
be reached from Mina Clavero), mammals such as
pumas and deers.
San
Luis At las
Quijadas Sierras National Park (to be reached from San
Luis): flora, fauna and dinosaurs fossils AtlanticPatagonia At Valdés Peninsula, Port Pirámides, Punta Tombo and Punta
Loma, watching of a great variety of sea fauna : sea woolves and elephants,
penguins, orcas and whales (points close to Puerto
Madryn and Las Grutas).
Andean
Patagonia At Lanín, Nahuel Huapi, Los Arrayanes, Los Alerces, Puelo Lake
and The Glaciers National Parks and Tierra del Fuego: varieties of flora (the
only larch and myrtle woods existing in the world) and fauna.
Rafting
consists of moving down the current of a river within a rubber raft, with a
group of people rowing together.
This unique experience combines the emotion of speed with the pleasure of seeing
the virgin nature and wonderful landscapes, turning this practice into an
unforgettable sensation.
Even though this activity comprises several levels of difficulty, many times it
can be practised by unexperienced people of almost all ages, for, this
excursions are always organised with the presence of professional guides and
appropriate equipment.
Here we mention some zones where it is practised:
The
sailing in rivers, lakes, ponds and dams by means of canoes and kayaks, is a
sport that gathers many adepts and can be practised both in quiet warers (lakes,
ponds, dams), and quick waters (rivers), where the kayak is mostly used.
There are numberless water courses and mirrors in Argentina where this activity
can be practised. In some places kayaks and canoes can be rented
Nevertheless we can say that the mountain range region is the most appropriate
zone.
Some places we can indicate are::
Salta Cabra Corral Dyke (close to the city of Salta)
(equipment can be rented) and some other
places with organised visits
Entre Ríos Paraná and Uruguay rivers
Mendoza,
Córdoba, San Juan and San Luis Dams and rivers of the region.
Neuquén Lácar lake (San Martín de los Andes)
(equipment can be
rented), and the whole lacustrine area of the Lanín National Park.
Río Negro Nahuel
Huapi lake (Bariloche) (equipment
can be
rented ) and some other lakes and rivers of this zone (organised excursions). Chubut The
whole lacustrine area of Los Alerces National Park and Futaleufú river (Esquel).
This
activity can be practised in the Azul river, close to El
Bolsón, in the province of Río Negro. It consists of going down beautiful
deep canyons protected by a neoprene suit, a life jacket and
a helmet and where rapids, waterfalls, pools and stone slides alternate with
quiet water pools sorrounded by high granite walls.
Experienced guides offer the tourist the necessary security so that they can
feel the adrenaline with the minimun risk.
Flying down from
mountains and cliffs in parachutes or hang gliders is a sensation hard to
describe. There are several mountains and cliffs over oceanic beaches where this
activity can be practised.
Here we list some appropriate areas
Sierras
del Centro Carpintería
(in
San Luis, to be reached from Merlo), Cuchi
Corral (to be reached from La Cumbre) and some
other zones of the western sierras.
Andean
Patagonia Mount
Otto or Mount Cathedral (Bariloche), Mount
Piltriquitrón (El
Bolsón)
Patagonia
Atlántica Cliffs
and beaches (Las Grutas)
In
Argentina there are two ways of practising scuba diving: either in waters of the
Atlantic ocean, or in natural or artificial (dam) lacustrine areas.
Oceanic Coasts The Atlantic Patagonia is the most appropriate region for the
practice of this activity due to its transparent waters and the great quantity
of sea fauna. Puerto
Madryn is the most important national centre for scuba diving of the
country, although there other points such as Las
Grutas in Río Negro.
There are numberless species to be seen such as: sargos, sea bass, oysters,
crabs, octopus, starfish, sea horses and quite big salmons; appart from seaweeds
and crustaceous. sea woolves, grey back dolphins, orcas, tuna and whales
watching.
Lacustrine Areas There are thousands of lakes, ponds and dams with appropriate waters
for immersion. We can mention among them: the pond of la Niña Encantada (The
Enchanted Girl) in Mendoza (to be reached from Las
Leñas), several dams in Córdoba and San Luis, Traful lake in Neuquén
(with a submerged wood), and Nahuel Huapi lake in Bariloche,
Río Negro.
Without the need to use oxygen tubes and just with a basic underwater swimming
set (neoprene jacket, diving mask
and flippers) it is quite possible to discover an interesting underwater life.
Chubut Punta
Este, Kaiser, Mount Avanzado and Punta Cuevas (Puerto
Madryn).
This
activity (quite similar to snowboard but practised on the sand) can be carried
out in sand dunes having the necessary inclination.
In the region of beaches in the province of Buenos Aires (Pinamar,
Cariló and Villa
Gesell), and in the Andean Patagonia (Puerto
Madryn) there are suitable sand dunes to practise this exciting
activity.
The
speleology is the science that studies the nature, fauna and flora of the
underground caves. However, appart from scientist, there are many enthusiasts
who enjoy getting into the world of the underground caves and abandoned mines to
look for new adventures.
We show you some places where this fascinating activity can be carried out.
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Trekking,
consists of a walk along uneven grounds and paths (in general mountainous
places), apt to go on foot and without the need of any special equipment.
Mountaineering
is the climbing up to the top of mountains with different hights and levels of
difficulty, applying different technics. It can be combined either with
trekking, or rock or ice climbing. 
Just as we said at
the beginning of this page, Argentina comprises a diverse variety of landscapes,
flora and fauna to satisfy all the expectation of the photography lovers 
Due
to the variety of climates and geographical areas, our country posseses many
zones to carry out flora and fauna watching. In the Atlantic Patagonia, you can
enjoy the sea fauna.
Rafting
consists of moving down the current of a river within a rubber raft, with a
group of people rowing together. 
The
sailing in rivers, lakes, ponds and dams by means of canoes and kayaks, is a
sport that gathers many adepts and can be practised both in quiet warers (lakes,
ponds, dams), and quick waters (rivers), where the kayak is mostly used.
Flying down from
mountains and cliffs in parachutes or hang gliders is a sensation hard to
describe. There are several mountains and cliffs over oceanic beaches where this
activity can be practised.
In
Argentina there are two ways of practising scuba diving: either in waters of the
Atlantic ocean, or in natural or artificial (dam) lacustrine areas. 
Without the need to use oxygen tubes and just with a basic underwater swimming
set 
This
activity (quite similar to snowboard but practised on the sand) can be carried
out in sand dunes having the necessary inclination. 