The Best of Argentina

Day notes

Upon arrival to Buenos Aires, your &Beyond representative will meet you and escort you to your waiting vehicle for the drive to your hotel, the Algodon Mansion.

The capital city of Buenos Aires offers a pulsating and eclectic atmosphere of sophistication. It is here that local customs are infused by the proud traditions of football and the sultry tango. Buenos Aires is dotted with many fine eateries, a thriving arts and culture scene, packed nightclubs and world-class accommodation. The city is flanked by the Rio de la Plata, the world’s largest estuary, and the lowlands of the Pampas. There are various tours that cover the rich history of the city. Be sure to stop at the Plaza de Mayo and Cementerio de la Recoleta.

This afternoon we invite you on a walking tour of the Argentine capital. Buenos Aires holds a valuable and suggestive architectural heritage. Inspired by international patterns and combined with the local tendency of free reinterpretation, Buenos Aires architectural scenery results in a wide and eclectic building legacy. Buenos Aires is a sophisticated, elegant city with a distinct European flair. Tree-lined avenues adorn parts of the city, as do street cafés, and pedestrian boulevards. It is perfect for exploring on foot. The walk includes the Paris-influenced area of San Martin, one of the best examples of the belle époque as it was here that the upper class families settled and built their impressive residences at the turn of the 20th century. You can see the splendid palace of the family Paz, which today houses the Military Circle, and the Anchorena Palace, currently the home of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Continue to the impressive Retiro train station, then on to aristocratic Arroyo Street, where the French architectural influence in the city is at its most obvious. As you cross to Avenida Alvear, you will see such highlights as the Ortiz Basualdo Palace, now the French Embassy. A refreshing stop at some of the traditional cafes for a light lunch is included today to enjoy daily life in Buenos Aires. The tour winds up at the famous Recoleta cemetery, where the tomb of Evita Peron in found.

Dinner this evening will be at leisure.

Day notes

Breakfast at hotel.

This morning you will get to know two very traditional areas of the city; La Boca and San Telmo. The tour takes in monumental public buildings, old residences, colonial churches, and examples of utilitarian architecture, telling the story of a once remote village that was destined to be a colonial capital and finally became a modern metropolis. The starting point is Plaza de Mayo, the core around which the city developed. The walk continues along Montserrat and San Telmo, famous for its antique markets, the traditional residential areas until the end of the 19th century and the seat of the most important religious orders, hence the presence of the Metropolitan Cathedral, located near the Casa Rosada (Government House), and the Cabildo. Continue south on ancient streets of San Telmo’s tango epicentre, before a visit to La Boca. This tough, working class barrio is one of the major icons of the city, best known for ‘Caminito’, a colourful cobbled street, and ‘La Bombonera’, the stadium where local club Boca Juniors plays its matches. Leaving La Boca along the shoreline of Riachuelo, you will continue north to Puerto Madero. A visit to this area is key to understanding contemporary Buenos Aires and its expansion over the past 120 years. Docks, cranes, bridges, silos and parks tell a story from its origins in 1882 to the controversial recovery of the area during the 21st century as an urban space and its recent interventions. Lunch will be served at a local restaurant before the short drive back to the hotel. 

This afternoon you will enter the world of tango. It is impossible to imagine Argentina without thinking of tango, its greatest export to the world. Tango originated with a guitar and violin towards the end of the 19th century, prohibited for women and only danced by working-class men in La Boca, San Telmo, and the port area. A combination of African rhythms with the habañera and candombe, in its genesis this was not for sophisticated dance halls, moreover seedy brothels, known locally as quilombos. The waves of immigrants to the city added Italian elements to the tango and helped export the dance to Europe, where it was a huge hit in the dancehalls of Paris. It was now a key component of Argentina’s DNA, but was later propelled to new levels of popularity with the voice of Carlos Gardel and the sophisticated and complex arrangements of Astor Piazzolla, still to this day the country’s foremost exponents of the art.

In the afternoon we will have a tango lesson at Rojo Tango. The tango show with dinner at Rojo Tango offers the most exclusive tango experience in Buenos Aires. From the moment you enter Faena Hotel + Universe, you will realise that Rojo Tango is not your average dinner and show. You will be greeted with a glass of champagne before an excellent three-course meal is served, setting the scene for a sexy and intimate show.

Day notes

Breakfast at hotel.

Private transfer to domestic airport to take a flight to Bariloche, one of the most incredible places in Argentina. The northern gateway to Argentina’s Patagonia, this is a mesmerizing land of lakes, streams, rivers, and mountains.

Upon arrival to Bariloche you will be greeted by your &Beyond representative who will escort you to your waiting vehicle for the short drive to your hotel, the legendary Llao Llao Hotel & Resort.

Surrounded by the Cerro Lopez and Tronador mountain peaks and the Moreno and Nahuel Huapi lakes. The hotel has a 15-hectare park, including the 18-hole golf course, the marina, beach, solarium, heated indoor and outdoor infinity swimming pools, spa and health club with sauna, fitness centre and other leisure activities. Handcrafted boards of solid cypress and pine-hemlock wood were used for the floorings. The hotel has two wings, with rooms and suites overlooking the lake. It also has five restaurants where guests can enjoy a wide variety of dishes, from international cuisine to top-level traditional food, such as the popular "Llao Llao Tea" which is served overlooking the spectacular view of the hotel gardens and the breathtaking Nahuel Huapi Lake. Lunch and dinner today is on your own to enjoy the excellent choice of restaurants offered by the hotel.

Day notes

The next two days will be spent exploring this wonderful part of Patagonia.

On the first day, after a leisurely breakfast, you will be met by your local guide at 10:30 am whom will take you on short ride to Bahia Lopez where a gentle 30-min walk will take you deep into the woodland and to the natural balconies at the Brazo Tristeza of Nahuel Huapi Lake. The journey itself will provide magnificent views over the nearby mountains and ravishing lake. Accessing to another wonderful balcony after a short ascent to enjoy the majesty of Cerro Tronador and its seven glaciers view. For those brave enough an opportunity of a 40 meters rappel descend will be available. At the base of the mountain wall you will enjoy a special mountain lunch specially prepared for you including Patagonian delicacies and wines. After lunch return to the starting point and you will be presented with the opportunity to board a double adventure kayak and paddle through one of the lakes in the area or go straight back to the hotel. 

The second day on Isla Victoria. Your guide will meet you at the hotel 10.00 am for the private transfer to the pier (30 minutes from downtown / 5 minutes from Llao Llao Resort & Spa), where we will board the vessel to cross the fresh and cold waters of Nahuel Huapi Lake, reaching the millenary island and its universe of natural attractions in around 45 minutes. Centennial cypress and coihue trees surround you as you step into the woodland through inner trails, observe its varied flora and fauna, and learn its history. The trails we will follow for about two hours pose no technical challenge, there are no significant slopes. With a stroke of luck, you might spot deer or pheasant along the way. Lunch will be a surprisingly elaborate affair considering the location, as you sit back and soak in the stunning natural surroundings. After lunch, another part of the island remains to be discovered and that’s precisely what we’ll do on the way to Puerto Pampa, before embarking for the 30-minute navigation that will take us back to Puerto Pañuelo.

Day notes

After breakfast at hotel, transfer to Bariloche Airport for the flight to Buenos Aires, where you will connect for the next flight to Puerto Iguazu.

Located in Argentina’s Northeast, Iguazu Falls is the most awe-inspiring set of falls in South America if not the world. The falls create a border with Brazil and Paraguay, forming over 275 cascades, most being on the Argentine side, and are completely surrounded by dense tropical forest, housing small indigenous mammals and hundreds of different species of birds. Iguazu is truly one of nature’s greatest wonders.

Upon arrival to Puerto Iguazu, your &Beyond representative will meet you and escort you to your waiting vehicle for the drive to the Loi Suites Iguazu Hotel.

Day notes

Breakfast at hotel.

Even by Argentina standards - a country full of natural wonders - the Iguazú Falls, are an extraordinary sight. It is said that Eleanor Roosevelt exclaimed ‘Poor Niagara!’ when she saw the broad, tranquil river tumbling into the immense chasm of the Devil's Gorge (Garganta del Diablo), surrounded by the emerald colors of the subtropical rain forest below, where butterflies dance and birds flit and dive.

The Iguazu Falls (in Spanish: Cataratas del Iguazú) are located on the border between Brazil and Argentina. UNESCO in 1984 and a Natural Wonder of the World declared them a Natural Heritage Site in 2011. It is not strictly speaking a fall, but a series of 275 waterfalls forming natural rocky wall of about 2.5 km. (1 mile).

Accompanied by your private English-speaking guide, today you will visit the Argentine side. Walking on easy trails and walkways, you will experience direct contact with the falls and the lush vegetation that surrounds them. These walkways are elevated from the ground in order not to disturb the animals.

The upper trails give you a glimpse of the river above the falls and spectacular panoramic views.

After a healthy picnic lunch, the adventure will continue on a 4x4 vehicle for your jungle experience to learn about the tropical dense forest and its rich flora and fauna, ending with what is known as the Great Adventure, as not only combines the essence of the Iguassu National Park with its jungle and waterfalls, but also the adventure of going upriver the lower Iguazu towards the waterfall area and enjoying many of the river rapids, having the opportunity to see the falls of both Argentinean and Brazilian side without actually crossing the border. The most exciting point of the excursions and the wettest will be when facing the San Martin waterfall the second largest fall in the area. Continue afterwards to your hotel to freshen up, dry and relax with a good glass of champagne or better yet a Malbec!

Dinner is on your own tonight, as you might enjoy a relaxing time at the hotel or exploring some of the local restaurants in town.

Day notes

After breakfast at the hotel you are free until the transfer to Puerto Iguazu airport for the flight to Buenos Aires.  

An optional activity is a visit to the Brazilian falls and a helicopter flight. The vast majority of the falls lie on the Argentina side, with the Brazilian side being more of a jungle experience. Therefore, a trip to the falls is generally best if you take in both sides and experience getting up close and personal (and soaked) from Argentina, and to stand back and admire from Brazil. (Please check visa requirements to enter in Brazil prior signing for this trip)

Upon arrival to Buenos Aires, your &Beyond representative will meet you and escort you to your waiting vehicle for the drive to your hotel, the Algodon Mansion.

This evening, enjoy the Argentine Culinary Experience. This highly innovative dining experience blends exquisite food and wine, local culture, and socializing. Here you will find solo travellers, couples, families, and groups from all over the world, all set around the same table. At the head of each 14-person banquet table is a host who will walk you through each step of the experience, which is designed to provide an introduction to the best of Argentine cuisine and culture. This is not a cooking class per se, but more an informal and fun opportunity to meet and dine with people from all over the world, to make your own empanadas and alfajores, enjoy a great steak, and taste some superb Malbec wines. There’s even a dash of history thrown in, as well as the social etiquette involved in drinking Argentina’s national tea, mate.

Day notes

Breakfast at hotel.

Today you will enjoy a full day Estancia visit and Gaucho experience. The tour begins heading towards the outskirts of the city. Along the way, the urban landscape transforms into one of seemingly endless Pampa, as your guide tells you all about the Gaucho way of life. The experience at the Estancia is focussed as much on culture as it is nature.

Estancia La Bamba dates back to 1830 when this colonial style town was an outpost on the Camino Real which joined Buenos Aires with the North of the country. It has been declared a place of historic significance by the Municipality of San Antonio de Areco, a town steeped in gaucho tradition.

Return to hotel.

Dinner at leisure.

Day notes

Morning departure from your hotel to the airport for the flight to Mendoza. Upon arrival to Mendoza, your &Beyond representative will meet you and escort you to your waiting vehicle for the drive to your hotel, The Vines Resort & Spa.

Arrive this afternoon in Mendoza, centre of Argentina’s wine making, where you will be greeted by your local host. Private road transportation will then be provided to The Vines Resort & Spa, located in the heart of Uco Valley. The Vines of Mendoza is an extraordinary place, rooted in the pleasures of making, drinking and sharing wine, while immersing its guests in the delights of Argentine culture, rustic natural beauty and warm-hearted hospitality. 

Dinner at the lodge, experience “7 Fuegos” where the Internationally acclaimed chef Francis Mallmann creates inspired regional dishes, showcasing Argentina's famous beef.

Day notes

The prime winery area in Mendoza, Agrelo, is where many of the best known export oriented Argentine wineries are located, and your destination for today. If there is a “Napa Valley” in Mendoza, this is it. There are no shopping malls here, only some of the biggest names in Argentine wine.

Today’s adventure-filled tour will include a private visit and tasting at the Benegas Winery. Benegas is focused on quality and celebrating its Finca Libertad terroir. They believe in the judicious use of oak, maintaining it as a background component in the wine, while tannins should be balanced and the finish long. Their total annual production is a mere 30,000 cases. From here you will continue to Bodega Catena Zapata to enjoy a superb Catena Alta Tasting. The family winery of revolutionary Argentine vintner Nicolas Catena, Bodega Catena Zapata is widely recognized as the flagbearers for Argentina’s wine industry on the international stage, highlighting the unique qualities of the Mendoza terroir. International Wine Guru Robert Parker named Bodega Catena Zapata as the only South American winery in his latest book, The World’s Greatest Wine Estates. Your private guided tasting will include the Catena Alta Malbec (awarded 93 points from The Wine Advocate in August 2009), Catena Alta Chardonnay (awarded 93 points by Wine Spectator in August 2009), and the Catena Alta Cabernet (awarded 91 points by The Wine Advocate in August 2009). Next you will visit the Finca Decero Winery, where a gourmet lunch will be served. Once a bare patch of dirt in the foothills of the Andes, Finca de Cero is now a one-of-a-kind vineyard, where each vine is nurtured by hand and the winemaking is without compromise. Free from restraint and tradition, the creators of the winery developed an ‘amano' or ‘by hand' approach that is human, sustainable and sensitive to natural differences. Lunch at the winery will of course be paired with Finca Decero wines.

Day notes

Today’s activities have a distinct adventure theme. Choose from three superb options, each one highlighting different facets of the area.

• Andes Hike: This tour will take you on a private transfer from the hotel to the heart of the majestic Andes. A winding, two-hour drive allows you to enjoy the breath taking scenery and natural wonders of this unique mountain range. Your first stop will be Puente del Inca, a natural rock formation that forms a bridge across the high altitude Mendoza River. Continue to the Aconcagua National Park and visit the Laguna de Los Horcones, complete with a breathtaking view of the mighty Aconcagua, which at 6 900 meters above sea level is the highest mountain in the Americas. At Laguna Horcones you will start the slow ascent through the Quebrada del Durazno. After approximately one hour you will stop to have a light lunch and admire the striking beauty of the Andes, and in particular Aconcagua.
• Wine, Food and Adventure in the Uco Valley: Valle de Uco contains several micro terroirs. Located on the South West of the valley and on the foothills of the omnipresent Andes, this is still a relatively undiscovered area where things are really starting to happen. A young generation of winegrowers has rejuvenated the region with their creativity, passion, and technical knowledge, getting the maximum expression from the local grape varieties. Building boutique wineries and experimenting with original and bold ways of planting vines and producing limited editions of very particular wines, winemakers are settling here to achieve their dreams.
• Cooking Class & Horseback Ride at the Gimenez Rilli Winery: This is a family-run winery located in the south west of Valle de Uco. With a stunning view to the snowy Andes, this quaint winery will make you feel at home immediately upon arrival. The family has been involved in winemaking for over a century and it is now the turn of the five siblings, a third generation of winemakers, to be in charge of the winery and vineyards. With estates in different terroirs of Mendoza, Gimenez Rilli produces lush, fleshy wines that blend different altitudes and highlight the virtues of each vineyard. Learn the secrets of Argentine cuisine by the hand of the winery chef during a cooking class. Enjoy an unforgettable experience as you prepare your own empanadas, learn about the different cuts of world famous Argentine beef and even try your hand at managing a traditional mud oven. Be a chef for a day, and then enjoy your own creations as you look out across to the Andes. After lunch, enjoy a magnificent horseback adventure in the mountains, led by local gauchos.

Day notes

This morning we wander through the historic sites and elegant parks of Mendoza. Highlights of the city include Parque General San Martin, an impressive 420-hectare (5.023.158 sq.yd.) park, and the Mercado Central, which is where locals go hunting for cheap (and very good) pizza, empanadas (savoury, stuffed pastries) and sandwiches. It is a must for foodies. After a good look around town, transfer to the airport to board the flight to Buenos Aires.

Upon arrival to Buenos Aires you will be greeted by your &Beyond guide, who will provide assistance with your outbound flight connection.