Argentina

Buenos Aires (BA) city center

Buenos Aires

March 7 - March 10, 2024
I landed in Buenos Aires after a grueling 40-hour journey spanning three flights from Sydney (Australia). This marked the final leg of my year-long global adventure around the world. Despite the fatigue, the city welcomed me with an energy that I hadn't anticipated, especially on Saturday evening. From the bustling streets at 1am, I savored the tasty empanadas and walked around the lively atmosphere (Sunday, everything was quiet and closed!). As I explored the city on Friday and Saturday, I came upon local scenes (people dancing tango) and vibrant street animations. On Friday March 8, I joined a march towards the Congreso for Women's International Day.

Ushuaia (Tierra Del Fuego)

March 10 - March 14, 2024
My primary goal upon arriving in Argentina was to head south before the beginning of fall and the arrival of chilly temperatures on March 21. Boarding a flight from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia on March 10th, I was surprised to see that most of the journey traversed vast expanse of the Atlantic ocean. However, the final ten minutes before landing offered an amazing scenery as the plane descended through incredible mountains, leaving me with goosebumps of excitement. Tierra Del Fuego! El Fin Del Mundo (the end of the world!).
Having spent the past eight months in temperatures near or above 30 degrees Celsius, I was greeted by a chilly Antarctic wind and temperatures just above freezing!

During my days in Ushuaia, I hiked to Glaciar Martial and went on a coastal hike within Tierra Del Fuego National Park, where the rugged, deserted beauty of the landscape was just like images I have seen in National Geographic documentaries! Additionally, I did a superb cruise through the Beagle Channel where I observed fascinating wildlife, including humpback whales, penguins, sea lions, imperial cormorants, and albatrosses!

I crossed over to Chile to complete an 8-day camping hike in Torres Del Paine National Park.

Tierra Del Fuego

City of Ushuaia

Tierra Del Fuego

Hiking Tierra Del Fuego Ntl. Park

Tierra Del Fuego

Imperial Cormorans in Beagle channel

El Calafate & El Chaltén (Patagonia)

March 27 to April 7, 2024
After completing my 8-day hike through the rugged landscapes of Chile, my trip led me to the amzing beauty of the Perito Moreno Glacier in El Calafate. While the expenses for transportation and park admission totaled almost $100, the experience was unforgettable.I saw numerous glaciers during my travels, including those in Canada and Iceland, but none have compared to Perito Moreno (you are only a few hundred meters from the falling glacier). Witnessing colossal ice blocks falling into the blue waters of the lake was a real spectacle.

I took a scenic 3-hour bus ride north of El Calafate (to El Chaltén), known as the "national hiking capital." Here, I spent a week exploring of the different trails . With its high granite peaks, notably Fitz Roy standing at over 3000 meters, El Chaltén offered incredible views. I could see, feel and smell the autumn season: daytime temperatures were just above freezing point, but the landscapes was beautiful with red-orange-yellow foliage.

El Chaltén, Patagonia

Fitz Roy Range

El Chaltén, Patagonia

Mirador Los Condores

El Calafate, Patagonia

Perito Moreno Iceberg

Bariloche (Patagonia)

April 7 - April 14, 2024
From El Calafate, I took a scenic 1-hour and 15-minute flight to Bariloche, covering 1100 kilometers of unspoiled landscapes of Patagonia (all viewed from my window!). In Bariloche, I spent a week exploring its surroundings. While still in Patagonia, the mountains had a different panorama than in Southern El Chaltén: their rugged summits were characterized by a more arid climate, with less snowy peaks.

One of my best day-trip involved ascending Cerro Catedral via a cable car, than followed by a hike toward Refugio Frey within El Parque Nacional Nahuel Huapi. The day was beautiful with a perfect blue sky with crazy mountain views all around me.
The following day I went on a mountain biking escapade along the "circuito chico" (a 30-kilometer loop with serene lakes, clean streams, and -again- breathtaking mountain vistas). The weather was perfect: almost no wind, lots of sunshine, and temperatures around a pleasant 17 degrees Celsius. By the day's end, after climbing approximately 1000 meters of elevation gain in the Patagonian mountains, I was exhausted and drank an excellent draft beer at km 24.7, where the brewery (cerveceria) Patagonia is located.
Concluding my exploration around Bariloche, I rented a car for my final two days, and drove a scenic 180 km along the iconic RN 40, driving the Seven Lakes Route to San Martin de Los Andes and Villa La Angostura.