Beneath the Veil of Steak and Wine: The Obscured Charms of Buenos Aires

Two years after falling in love with this chaotic, passionate and isolated metropolis as a tourist, I decided it was time to return to the United States. I throughly enjoyed my 20 month stint working in Buenos Aires and traveling throughout South America, but I couldn't be happier to return to my friends, family and all the conveniences of the US.

I miss my Argentine friends and co-workers as well as the qualities of life that visitors typically rave about: legendary steak (a.k.a. parilla) amazing wine values and unrestrained night life. However, what I find myself longing for more than these indulgences are the lesser-known qualities of BsAs that escape most passing visitors.

• Leaving your watch at home. Most restaurants stay open until 1am and clubs don't get going until closer to 2am. Suffice to say that unless you are a vampire you never need to worry about last call or having places close before you're ready to leave.
• Papi Fútbol. Canada has pond hockey, Brazil has futevolley, the UK has lawn tennis and Argentina has Papi Fútbol. Scattered throughout Buenos Aires are small indoor and outdoor soccer fields where Argentines play a 5v5 format that's similar to American indoor soccer, but smaller and without walls. I had a blast playing with two different leagues, but primarily one fortuitous mix of expats and locals called BAFA (Buenos Aires Fútbol Amigos).
• First class buses. Bus travel throughout Argentina is often the best way to travel. While companies like Greyhound in the US have a reputation for being full of sketchy characters and ex-cons, bus lines like Andesmar and FlechaBUS comfortably take tourists and locals alike to destinations throughout Argentina. The trips are often long, but the buses are modern and complete with meal service (+wine), bathrooms and big, comfy reclining seats. Omnilineas.com is the best site I found for browsing schedules of multiple lines.
• 32oz beers for less than $1 dollar and the late night delivery service called No Mames Wey that would restock your house party until 3am. Quilmes is by far the most widely available, but other mass produced Argentine beers like Schneider & Brahma tastier and just as cheap.
• Gooooool! Feeling the buildings shutter every time Argentina's national team scored a goal. It didn't happen very often (this year's team barely got the last qualification spot within South America) but when they scored you would hear a chorus of yelling reverberating from the tightly packed high rises.
• Persicco & Volta. I wish I knew exactly why Argentina's Italian-style ice cream is so inexplicably good. What I do know is that no trip is complete without a visit to Persicco and Volta. Most Porteños claim Persicco as their favorite, but few patronize any one shop exclusively. If you are a chocolate lover Volta's unique varieties will blow you away. To top it off, these and most other "heladerías" do free home delivery until about 2am.
• Choripan. Every country has their versions of sausage, but Argentina's Chorizo is the best I have ever tasted. Some restaurants serve "Choripan" but it's primarily the realm of street cart vendors. The recipe is simple: place a grilled Chorizo on a french baguette, add some chimichurri, mustard or whatever condiments you crave and POW. If you want to sound like a "Chori" pro, request yours "mariposa" or butterflied.

Argentina's wine and steak are famous for a reason. Below are some tried and true recommendations for visitors and residents alike.

Five excellent everyday Argentine wines:

• Rutini Cabernet/Malbec Reserva
• Intimo Cabernet
• Doña Paula Estate Malbec
• Catena Zapata Estiba Reservada
• Zucardi Q Malbec

My favorite steakhouses (parillas) in Buenos Aires:

• Miranda (Palermo Hollywood) Miranda was my go-to parilla because of its rare combination of high-quality meat, "real" salads, microbrews and tastefully modern design. Salad as most parillas consists of a bowl of shredded lettuce, carrots and some unripe tomatoes, but not at Miranda. They serve big, fresh salads complete with avocado, corn, grilled salmon or steak.
• La Dorita (Palermo) is an excellent traditional parilla that's a clear local's favorite. Go to the one near Parque Las Heras because it has a Persico a block away.
• La Brigada (San Telmo) This soccer-themed parilla is owned by a very friendly guy who looks like Maradona's brother. I was sold on this place on my second of 3 visits when our waiter sliced up a thick, perfectly cooked T-bone using two soup spoons! If you go brush up your knowledge of which cuts of steak to order or you might leave dissatisfied.
• Lola's (Recoleta Cemetary) The inside is exceptionally cheesy, but their steaks are arguably the best in BsAs. What sets Lola's apart are the french sauces and bastes they bake into the meat after it comes off the grill. Their outdoor garden patio is the way to go on a nice night.
• La Cabrera (Palermo SoHo) Good but not good enough to warrant the crowds and the wait. The excessive hype given by guide books in recent years has taken away from La Cabrera's old-world charm.
• Cabaña las Lilas (Puerto Madero) Excellent and overpriced, this Brazilian-owned steakhouse caters to the high-end tourist crowd and people who are eating on the company tab.

Iguazu Falls Makes Niagara Look Like a Burst Pipe

Located on the mutual borders of Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay, Iguazu Falls remains one of South America's most popular natural attractions. Iguazu's infamous "Garganta del Diablo" or Devil's Throat pictured above inspires equal parts awe and fear into park visitors. You can't help but feel some butterflies when you realize that you are just meters from an enormous watery sinkhole that could devour you in a matter of seconds. Parque Iguazu's raised wooden pathways on the Argentine side of the falls bring you right next to, and in some places just above some of the worlds biggest and most impressive falls. These glorified boat docks quickly made it on to my list of "things that would never fly in North America."

As we passed over the calm green waters on our way to the main section of the Devil's Throat it was hard to believe that the mellow ripples under you feet were less than a minute from getting ruthlessly hurled into the frothy abyss below. It's not usually as stormy in Iguazu as my photos might suggest, but we just happened to visit when the area was getting hit with sporadic electrical storms. I have seen friend's photos from their time in Iguazu and the water was not only less violent and misty, but clearer and less clay-colored.

While touring around the park, I saw a wide array of reactions from visitors, from awe to fear to sheer amazement. Upon seeing Iguazu for the first time, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt supposedly exclaimed "Poor Niagra!" Like Eleanor and most other visitors to Iguazu, I had never seen anything that compared to the miles of falls that spew upwards of 350,000-400,000 gallons of water per second. While Africa's Victoria Falls are taller (108m) and higher volumes of water have been recorded flowing from Niagara Falls, neither can match Iguazu's sheer acreage and panoramic views. At one point visitors can stand on a platform and be surrounded by 260 degrees of waterfalls.

Getting there:

Iguazu is typically reached via one of the two main towns on either side of the park: Puerto Iguazú, Argentina or Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil. Both towns have domestic airports with multiple daily flights from Buenos Aires and Sao Paulo respectively. From Buenos Aires I would recommend LAN and from Sao Paulo or Rio de Janeiro I would fly GOL. If you are on a budget, the first class busses are a good alternative but keep in mind they take about 18hrs from Buenos Aires and about 16hrs from Sao Paulo. The Argentine bus lines tend to be a better value than the Brazilian ones if you have a choice.

Where to stay:

The location and overall convenience the Sheraton Iguazu Resort and Spa is impossible to beat. With the Sheraton you are paying an average nightly rate of $300 USD for the view and location rather than fancy, modern rooms or luxurious amenities. The above average but not rave reviews on Trip Advisor are consistent with what I heard from fellow travelers and friends. If you stay at the Sheraton be prepared to buy all your meals at the hotel because there are just a few cafeteria-style restaurants inside the park that serve decent but overpriced meals to tourists during park hours.

If you are OK with the 20min bus ride to and from the park there are plenty of lodging options in nearby Puerto Iguazu. I can't remember if the bus was free but if you had to pay it was very minimal (2 pesos). For backpackers and those on a budget I highly recommend the Hostel-Inn Iguazu (pictured above). After staying in a wide variety of hostels throughout South America over the past two years, I can confidently say that Hostel-Inn was my favorite. The Hostel-Inn is best described as a resort that got converted into a not-so-family-friendly club med complete with indoor and outdoor lounges, ping pong and pool tables, dance music, outdoor pool and tiki bar. We stayed in a double private room with bath that was clean, secure and completely sufficient for about $47 USD/night.

As amazing as Iguazu is, you only really need 2-3 to see both the Argentine and Brazilian sides of the park. Some must do/see activities while in Iguazu include:

1) Walk the "Paseo Garganta del Diablo" to get up close and personal with Iguazu's most impressive section

2) Go on the 20min jet boat ride for some unique views of the falls from below. Just bring a poncho and/or a change of clothes because the boat drivers make sure everyone gets soaked.

3) Take at least an hour to soak in the scenery along the raised pathways just above the Argentine falls

4) Look for critters and tropical plants along the park's network of paved nature paths below the falls

5) If you have time (and a Brazilian visa), take a bus to the Brazilian side for a different perspective of the falls and some picaña. The view of the Brazilian falls from Argentina pictured below.

South America's Most Captivating City

After years at the top of my list of must-see destinations, I finally got to experience prismatic Rio de Janeiro this past October. Of the South American cities I have visited, Rio is without a doubt the most unique and impressive. I had never seen a beach town, let alone a city with Rio's fusion of jungle-covered hills, lagoons, towering rock formations and white sand beaches. With each consecutive viewpoint, I became progressively captivated with Rio's natural beauty.

To all those who told me I would love Rio, you were right. The stunning landscape looks and feels like nowhere else on earth, the city is dripping with energy and culture, the locals are fit and beautiful and the fruit stands or "sucos" are irresistibly enticing.

If you have seen the movies City of God, Favela Rising or Elite Squad you know that Rio's allure and beauty is often overshadowed by its inherent danger. Though it can feel unsafe, visitors who are cautious and aware of their surroundings can still experience everything Rio has to offer. Towards the end of my time in Rio I recognized that one of the fundamental reasons why Rio is so incredible is the coexistence between locals as diverse as their city's landscape.

There was no better example of this enchanting diversity than in Rio's bohemian Lapa neighborhood, famous for it's live Brazilian music scene and effervescent nightlife. The main street where the bars and clubs were concentrated was teeming with a wide variety of locals mixed and the occasional tourist. We ended up going to Rio Scenarium which came highly recommended and completely surpassed any expectations I had.

The crowd was on the whole so much more laid back and seemingly at ease than Paulistas and certainly Porteños. The live Forró band had no problem keeping the dance floor full throughout the night. It was so refreshing seeing the contented crowd dancing fluently absent of the dark, loud room and 3 drink minimum that is so painfully common in North America and parts of Europe. Forró is a traditional style that's led by an accordion and accompanied by a drum and triangle. The simple yet captivating beats sounded like a sexier, more danceable version of Cajun music. Between the music, the random decorations and memorabilia hanging off the walls and the people, I remained captivated for hours just soaking it all in. Throughout the night, I marveled at how tan, fit and attractive the crowd was overall. The only logical conclusion I could draw is that Rio's unique beauty serves as a constant reminder for its residents to focus on the simple yet important elements of life; music, dance, health, friends and culture.


I spent some time walking around our hotel in Copacabana (Rio Guesthouse) and quickly realized how drastically things change from one block to another. Where some cities transform from safe to sketchy within neighborhoods, Rio morphs within hundreds of meters. Just blocks above the most touristy sections of Rio (Copacabana, Botafogo, Ipanema, Leblon) lies the fringe of some of Rio's most notorious favelas or slums.

While walking off a huge Picaña feast along Ipanema beach, we saw a Police car screech up to a group of shirtless guys already scattering towards the beach. As we approached we saw 8 guys laying flat on their stomachs with two armed cops, one in plain clothes and one in uniform standing above them with a huge machine gun. This was an all-too-real reminder that although Leblon and Ipanema feel safe, it's impossible to escape the realities of life next to the Favelas.

The fact that I felt unsafe at times will certainly not prevent me from returning to Rio many times throughout my life. Tourists who stick to the safer parts of the city, stay as inconspicuous as possible and exercise caution are able to experience the aspects that make Rio so unique. The beach front esplanades, shopping areas as well as most of the Leblon and Ipanema neighborhoods felt very safe to me and were vigilantly monitored by Rio's tourist police who seemed to deter most shady activity.

In four days I feel like I barely scratched the surface of Rio and would return for another week without thinking twice. Aside from checking out a wider variety of Rio's neighborhoods I really wanted to go hang-gliding over the city but the wind conditions while I was there grounded any hopes of that. Now that the 2016 Summer Olympics coming to Rio I have another excuse to return for a bird's eye view of my favorite South American city.

The Best of Rio (a local's perspective)

My Carioca co-workers are all very proud of their city, and for rightfully so. When I sent an inter-office email asking for tips I got a bunch of great suggestions for things to see, places to eat and hot spots to check out. While I can't vouch for each and every recommendation, we were really happy with the ones we did try. The handful of times we got cocky and tried a restaurant or bar off this list we thoroughly regretted it.

I made some slight revisions to the below to improve readability and added in the most relevant links I could find. Huge thanks goes out to Rodrigo & Julia for putting together their suggestions. Just try to hide that smug grin while you dodge the packs of tourists on their Lonely Planet pilgrimage;)


View Best of Rio de Janeiro in a larger map

Tourist Favorites:

• Corcovado (statue of Christ the Redeemer)
• Pao de Açucar (Sugar Loaf - cable car brings you to the top)
• Ipanema Beach (anytime of day, but especially during sunset)
• Copacabana Beach (more touristy, but beautiful as well)
• Jardim Botanico (Botanical Garden)

Local Flavor:

• Centro Cultural Carioca - a place to see old school samba, chorinho, etc, I recommend saturday night when "Sururu na Roda" plays there. Great atmosphere, great people, great music. Tip: take a cab to and from, it's easy to get one there to go back to the hotel.
• Pedra da Gavea (if you want to do some hang-gliding)
• Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas, by night. Go eat / drink at any of the kiosks. Sunset over there is usually very nice too.
• Cobal do Humaitá - It's a market during the day but at night it gets crowded with young people, due to its many nice bars. I'd recommend Pizza Park or Espirito do Chopp.
• Escalada Selaron in lapa is another interesting place that has been in some hip hop videos
• Horto Neighborhood - there is a mountain just behind that with some waterfalls. You can walk up there to swim, and enjoy the sunset from Pedra Chinesa (Chinese Rock)
• Juice bars/stands (a.k.a. Sucos) are very popular in Rio and a great way to try different varieties of tropical fruit juices, as well as eating Açaí (rich, dark fruit typical of the amazon that's usually sweet because it’s mixed with Guaraná syrup). Be sure to try Cacao, Acerola (less sweet) & Cupuaçu too. The best spots in town are Bibi Sucos (Leblon), Poli Sucos (Nossa Senhora da Paz Square, Ipanema), and BB Lanches (R. Ataulfo de Paiva, in the cornner of Aristides Espínola at the beginning of the street)
  

Places to Eat:

• Celeiro for salads and natural food (Leblon)
• Ten Kai for japanese (Ipanema)
• Zuka for nice food and atmosphere (Leblon)
• Devassa - chope and appetizers (Leblon)
• Marius Crustaceos for Seafood. It's a bit expensive but hey, it's for tourists and the food is great! (Leme beach)
• Porcão Leblon - Great churrascaria, very famous chain of rodizio (all you can eat). You have a big salad buffet and vegetarian options as well, but the different kinds of meat are the main attraction. Second location called Porcão Rio's – Aterro do Flamengo.
• Capricciosa - Best pizza place in Rio, even if a little posh. It’s in Vinicius de Moraes, near Barão da torre st.
• Gula Gula - Inexpensive and healthy food, great salads, grilled fish and meat. Very cute and laid back atmosphere (R. Anibal de Mendonça, corner with Barão da torre st.)
• Nik Sushi - Great all you can eat Japanese restaurant for sushi lovers. Kind of Pop (R. Garcia D’Ávilla, between Visconde de Pirajá and Prudente de Morais st.)

Clubs & Bars:

• Belmonte - leblon or jardim botancio are the best choices – please make reservations.
• Rio Scenarium in downtown Rio/Lapa, very good place to hear chorinho (samba jazz). Not very safe neighborhood, please arrange transportation. (We went here and LOVED it)
  
• Clube dos Democráticos - Very popular dance place, with good traditional music and samba. In Lapa, check transportation and security measures, somebody to escort because it’s not such a safe neighborhood.
• Melt - night club, sometimes have live music. More American like, pop, rock and Brazilian music. (We also went here and liked it. Relatively typical club atmosphere)
  
• Bombar - More American like, pop, rock and Brazilian music.
• Botequim Informal - nice bar, good food, lovely cod and the people are pretty chill too (Praça Nossa Senhora da Paz, Ipanema)
• Garota de Ipanema (Rua Prudente de Moraes com Rua Vinicius de Moraes, Ipanema)
• Carioca da Gema - best root samba live, for ~$10. Friday is the best day to be there (Lapa)
• Baixo Gávea - the main point to meet people, with lots of bars and all. This is in the south, between Leblon and the Botanical Garden

Other:

• Best shopping malls are Rio Sul (in Botafogo), Shopping da Gavea (in Gavea), Shopping Leblon (in Leblon) and Barra Shopping (in Barra).
• Adventure tours and sky diving
• Alternative adventure tours and excursions
  
• For Art, I would take the tube to Cinelandia and walk to MAM (Museum of Modern Art)
• Favela Tours

Safety Tips:

• Careful when you use your photo or video cameras. Don’t walk around with expensive equipments in your hands or disclosed place. Be aware of pick pockets at all times.
• Don’t carry much money, passports, tickets or important documents around. It’s a good idea to use your hotel safe for your valuables.
• Don't bring a laptop but if you do, carry it in a backpack and leave it with the hotel. If you need to carry it around for work, use a backpack and try to get transport set up to and from where you are going.
• Better to walk around the city in a group, or al least in pairs. More attention is required at night, when you should avoid empty streets. If you are leaving late at night from some club or restaurant, ask inside to the hostess for a cab. They can call one.
• Always ask to cab driver to use the meter, as well as try to get taxi from the hotel or regular stops, rather than getting one in the street
• Best neighbourhoods to stay are: Ipanema, Leblon & Gavea. Urca, Copacabana and Botafogo should be fine too if you're on a budget, but not ideal.

piCHILEmu

With over half of South America's Pacific Coastline spanning almost 4,000 miles, it's strange that travelers most often associate Chile with the Andes and wineries rather than beaches. Even though Brazil, Venezuela and Ecuador have more beach-oriented cultures and warmer weather, the Chilean coast is far too scenic and diverse to be overlooked. Chile is California's less-crowded, less-hyped mirror image in the southern hemisphere. Ever since my visit to Viña del Mar in August 2008, I had been anxious to check out more of the Chilean coast.

About 4hrs southwest of Santiago by car there's a mellow but bustling surf town called Pichilemu (pronounced Pee-chee-may-lu). Pichilemu is well known for it's big waves within the circle of well-traveled surfers, but otherwise is pretty much off the map. I first heard about Pichilemu in a LAN airlines travel article and later read some positive reviews in Lonely Planet Chile and on an about.com travel page featuring Chile's best beaches. A group of expats living in Buenos Aires and I were looking for a fun, relaxed beach town to spend a long weekend. Most of the options sounded fun so we just crossed our fingers and choose what sounded like the most appealing costal spot within 3-4hrs of Santiago. We knew we made a good decision when at the end of the weekend the 7 of us were competing to come up with the best excuse for missing the next few days of work. (Below: mellow rollers at low tide breaking off the point in Pichilemu)
When we arrived, everyone assumed we came for "la ola grande" - a.k.a. the Quicksilver big wave tournament just down the coast on Punta Lobos. We had no idea it was going on. Some locals we met told us that huge swells hit the central Chilean coast around May, creating a Mavericks-like beast that cracks so loud it can be heard from town (15km away). According to Surfline, March brings Pichilemu's best waves, but there's consistently good, if not great surf year-round. Pichilemu's water temperature and coastline are a lot like Santa Cruz. You won't last long without a 4/3 wetsuit in addition to booties+gloves in the fall/winter.

There are not a ton of lodging options in Pichilemu, but more than enough to accommodate the swell of surfers who arrive from Santiago and neighboring cities during holidays and weekends. Most of the hostels or "pensiones" we saw in town looked like they would do the trick, but were not exactly places I could get excited about spending more than a weekend. By sheer luck, we chose one of the coolest and most unique hostals I have ever stayed in. The Pichilemu Surf Hostal and the restaurant/bar across the street called Puente Holandes are owned by a really nice windsurfing-obsessed Dutch expat named Marcel. With above average food and a comfortable, well-stocked bar echoing Reggae and Electronica, Puente Holandes became our living room for the weekend. They even brought in a DJ on Saturday night which morphed into a beach bonfire rager lasting late into the night.
At about $50/night for a double including breakfast, the Pichilemu Surf Hostal was an outstanding value. They even provide complimentary hot salt water baths overlooking the beach (pictured above). There are definitely cheaper places in town if you are looking to stay and surf for a couple weeks, but for a few nights the Pichimelu Surf Hostal would be tough to beat.



Even with the extra GPS unit from the car rental company, getting to Pichilemu took a few hours longer than we expected. It's a little too far from Santiago to be a legitimate weekend trip, so if I had it to do over again I would have taken a few extra days off in order to fully settle into Pichilemu's relaxed, unhurried rhythm.

The Circuit - Torres del Paine, Chile

Torres del Paine has become world famous for its dynamic scenery, knife-like granite towers, turcoise lakes and mammoth glaciers. Over the last decade it has become a popular destination for climbers, trekkers, photographers and anyone touring the Southern Patagonia. With this popularity came park infrastructure and a growing tourism industry. There are just about as many ways to get to the park as there are activities to choose from once you arrive. However, as we eventually figured out, there are fewer options from the Argentine side of the border (details and logistics at the end of this post).
The bag checks and customs formalities at the Chilean border seemed to take an eternity. Groggy from the half sleep of the bus ride, we got dropped off at the eastern entrance to Torres del Paine at Laguna Amarga. The clear, sunny weather provided a humbling introduction to the mosaic of mountains, lakes, plains that make up the park. From the Laguna Amarga entrance most visitors interested in trekking take a short transfer to Hosteria Los Torres or the Paine Grande Lodge depending on whether they plan to do the popular "W" route or the full circuit. It's also possible to skip the transfer and start the 6-7 day park circuit known simply as "el circuito" directly from the park entrance.
Day 1 (Laguna Amarga to Camping Seron): The longer dotted line on the map to the left shows the alternative start from Laguna Amarga and the shorter dotted line shows the transfer route. All in all, the transfer only saves you a mile or so we decided it was not worth the hassle and cost (~$15 USD/person). The route to the first campsite was mostly flat and in retrospect was the easiest of the 6 days. Getting there took ~8hrs and was only challenging because we were not quite used to the weight of our packs. Seron is a simple site with a small building that serves food, drinks and has a bathroom/shower available.

Day 2 (Camping Seron to Refugio Dickson): The second day was ironically my second favorite of the circuit. Traversing the northern edge of the park through rolling hills, two enormous lakes and peaks in every direction. Day two's highlight was undoubtedly the moment we spotted Refugio Dickson in the distance, surrounded by a combination of mountains, lakes and glaciers that looked improbably fake. Refugio Dickson was an unusual, but certainly memorable spot to spend New Years eve.
Day 3 (Refugio Dickson to Camping Los Perros): Anticipating a slow start on New Years Day, we planned a short 4hr section, the mellowest of our circuit. The next campsite after Los Perros sits just below the far side of the highest pass on the loop, which is often covered in patches of snow and disposed to sudden, inclement weather. In order to skip Los Perros and do the pass all in one day, we would have needed 9hrs of daylight which would have meant an early departure from Refugio Dixon. We heard that many groups get stuck at Los Perros or Refugio Dixon for days waiting for the weather to clear up enough to safely cross the pass, so we figured starting out first thing in the morning would give us the best shot at making it. Los Perros is a simple campsite tucked into a grove of trees with a common drying hut and ranger station that sells the essentials and has bathrooms and running water. They charge somewhere around $10 per tent for use of the facilities.
Day 4 (Los Perros to Refugio Grey): Our fourth day was definitely the most grueling of the circuit. We more than made up for our previous "rest day" by covering in one day what most groups do in two. From Los Perros we headed up a long and gradual but relatively steep moraine field, through patches of light snow to the saddle-like pass. At 1192m, paso John Gardner is hardly high by Andean standards, but since the majority of the park is right around sea level it provides some absolutely spectacular views of the park and especially the gargantuan Glacier Grey (photo above). The snow, exposure and 100+ mph winds at the top of the pass made this pass seem much higher than 4,000ft.
We descended the pass and met up with at trail that hugs the ridge above Glacier Grey, weaving through a forest gnarled by the harsh climate. I found myself stopping every so often to admire the magnificent scale of Glacier Grey. After we passed Campamento Paso, the Glacier's blue ripples we saw from the pass began to take on dimension, becoming accordion-like masses of ice towers and crevices. The magnitude of Glacier Grey was memorizing and unlike anything I have ever seen. Aching and exhausted after 10hrs of hiking, we were blown away by Refugio Grey's lakefront location with the towering backdrop of Cumbre Norte and Cumbre Principal. The site reminded me of a summer camp for adults with its picnic tables, hot showers, general store, not to mention the guide company that organizes kayak trips, ice climbing and glacier hikes in the park. Refugio Grey would be an ideal base camp for a an extended stay but also great for a short visit.

Day 5 (Refugio Grey to Paine Grande Lodge): I was really sad to leave Refugio Grey because it was such an ideal and picturesque spot, but we had beds and hot showers waiting for us at Paine Grande Lodge. Day 5 was one of the longer days from a mileage perspective, but the flat terrain makes it easy to cover a lot of ground.
Up until this point, we had been pretty lucky with weather. A storm came through a few hours into the day, bringing rain from all directions along with powerful gusts of wind that almost succeeded in blowing me over a dozen times. It was hard to enjoy the scenery when you are being blasted with sideways rain, but on the way to Paine Grande you pass a variety of really scenic lakes. Cold and soaked we arrived at the lodge, ate a huge buffet dinner, took a hot shower and melted into the bar with it's impressive panoramic view. Sitting in the warm bar with a cold bottle of Austral, looking out on the lake and the storm shrouded cuernos, I felt bad for all the hikers trying to set up camp in the driving rain. Of all the nights we spent in Torres del Paine, this was the one I didn't want to spend in a tent.
Paine Grande lodge has somewhat of a sterile, institutional feel to it. Unlike the more remote refugios and campsites full of backpackers and active, adventurous travelers, Paine Grande was full the type of guests you would expect at a Holiday Inn - frumpy American families, packs of European retirees, Brazilian couples dressed in leather and fur and tour groups of soggy, ill-prepared hikers. We were cracking up at the series of guest requests for thing like fresh towels, extra blankets, laundry and clothes drying services. What do these people expect? We were at a hostel (not a hotel) in the middle of a huge national park that's only accessible by boat or a 3-5 day hike. It's amazing they even have electricity, let alone hot showers, a full blown cafeteria, a bar and a general store. I came to resent the increased level of accessibility that the tourist ferries brought to this unique spot.

Day 6 (Paine Grande to Hosteria Los Torres): Our 6th and final day was nothing short of a marathon. We did the last 1/3 of the loop in one day, covering 24km in about 10hrs. At this point we were feeling quite strong, our packs were the lightest they had been and we were well rested so we decided to see if we could push all the way through to the end.
After 4hrs we stopped for a much needed long lunch breat at Albergue los Cuernos which is usually the second to last campsite on the circuit. From there the rest of the day consisted of a rolling ridge traverse that skirted the shore above Lago Nordenskjold. By the time we reached Hosteria Los Torres it was almost 10pm and we were exhausted and deliriously hungry. Hosteria Los Torres is relatively new and was a really good value. Most of the guests were using it as the starting point for the popular sunrise hike to the Torres lookout.

Aside from the amazing diversity of scenery, the thing I liked the most about the circuit was the flexibility it offers. You can stay in refugios the whole time and never pitch a tent or you can camp every night. You can be aggressive and finish it in 4-6 days or opt for a more leisurely 7-9 day pace. Food, water and drinks are available for purchase at a number of different points along the route which saves simplifies meal planning and dramatically lightens your pack. This removes much of the stress and uncertainty from planning and hiking the circuit.

5 "Must Have" items for trekking in Torres del Paine:
1) A windproof, waterproof rain shell. The wind in Torres is extremely strong and easily cuts through soft shells and insulating layers. I brought along a softshell but I ended up wearing my Arcteryx Sidewinder for the majority of the trek to stay warm and dry. Pack something more burley than a rain jacket, but less bulky than an insulated ski jacket.
2) Lightweight waterproof pants. I usually consider rain pants a "nice to have" when backpacking, but with the fast-moving, unpredictable weather in Torres del Paine, they were a must. I busted mine out at least once a day.
3) Two beanies - one thick and thin. While hiking I was loving my thin Icebreaker wool beanie, but once we stopped to set up camp, I wished I brought something thicker and warmer. A windstopper fleece cap would be another more packable alternative to thick wool.
4) Waterproof pack cover. A strong gust of wind stole mine below paso John Gardner and I had to Macgyver a black garbage bag for the rest of the trek. Not having a pack cover in this kind of climate is a great way to guarantee a bag full of wet gear. Some of the lodges have garbage bags they will sell you, but it's a poor substitute for a good pack cover.
5) Wool insulation layers. I recommend Icebreaker or Smartwool base layers because they are versatile, packable and smell way better than synthetics after a week of hiking. Replacing synthetic baselayers with half as many wool layers is a great way to cut weight and bulk.


View Southern Patagonia Trip in a larger map

Travel logistics: If you plan to travel from El Calafate to Torres del Paine, keep in mind that the border crossing takes a couple hours because the Chilean customs agents search every bag and backpack that comes through. We later found out that the majority of people get to Torres through Puerto Natales on the Chilean side where there are cheaper transport options and no border crossing hassles. If you plan to visit both Torres and El Chalten, you will eventually have to deal with crossing the border no matter whether you fly into Puerto Natales or El Calafate. Whichever city you fly/bus into, you will find ample opportunities to buy any last minute gear in addition to food and fuel.

At the bus station in El Calafate we learned that the closest any public bus could get us to the park entrance was an unpopulated border crossing ~40 miles from the start of the circuit. We couldn't afford to waste an extra day if we wanted to complete the 6 day circuit of Torres del Paine, have a day in El Calafate to rest, check out the Perrito Moreno glacier and then head north to explore the area around Fitz Roy. Reluctantly, we sucked it up and payed for the private transfer. Always Glaciers, the only tour company in town that offers a direct lift from Calafate to Torres, has realized they are the only game in town and consequently charge $450 pesos ($120 USD) per person for the 4hr bus ride. I have no complaints about the service or the buses, but for that price I feel like I should have gotten dropped off in a helicopter. To provide some context, $450 pesos buys a round trip bus ticket from Buenos Aires to Bariloche that takes ~20hrs.

El Chalten & the Towering Fitz Roy Range

When people ask me what my favorite part of Argentina is, I can now say without hesitation that it’s El Chalten and the Fitz Roy range. Just hours from the town of El Chalten, the northern part of Parque Nacional los Glacieres is the total package. The terrain is extremely dynamic and unlike any park I have ever visited. Once inside the park you are surrounded by visually stunning features. Turquoise, glacier fed alpine lakes, rivers, hanging glaciers and huge granite rock formation dominate the scenery. The section of the park near El Chalten is also relatively untouched and undeveloped compared to Torres del Paine, and the parks surrounding Lago Argentino. While one of the park's biggest charms is its lack of development, the downside is that there surprisingly few trails to choose from considering its size.
The thing that blows my mind about the Fitz Roy range is its level of accessibility. In just under 3hrs from the El Calafate airport, you can be in El Chalten at the foot of one of the most spectacular mountain ranges in the world. The main trail head begins on the way out of tiny El Chalten, and after only 2hrs of hiking you get to an impressive, panoramic viewpoint. This was hands down the best day hike I have ever done. The only ones that even come close are Half Dome and Cathedral Peak in Yosemite. The photo below was taken just over 1hr from town.
With just 3 days and no shortage of options, we decided to hike from El Chalten to Poincenot, a popular (and free) first come, first serve campsite situated in a grove of trees in the valley below Fitz Roy. There is another free camp site 10min upstream from Poincenot called Rio Blanco, but it's only available to climbers with permits. From Poincenot we set up camp and headed to Laguna de los Tres with day packs to check out the surreal view (opening photo in this post). Laguna de los Tres is one of the park's most popular routes, but there are also plenty of other day hike options in the area.

On our second day we decided to head to Piedra del Fraile and get as far up Cerro Electrico as we could. To get there you can take a taxi 16km from town to to the Rio Electrico bridge or hike 2-3hrs from Poincenot campground. We got a late start and had to turn around at Refugio Los Troncos (pictured below) near the base of Cerro Electrico. From Poincenot to Piedra del Fraile ended up taking 8-9hrs out and back. In order to climb Cerro Electrico we would have needed 5-6 additional hours of daylight which would have required leaving Poincenot at the crack of dawn or staying the night at Refugio Los Troncos. We were told by a couple locals that the views of Fitz Roy from the top of Cerro Electrico are spectacular and well-worth the extra effort.
The maps they gave out at the main park office in town were sufficient for day hikes, but if you plan on going doing any multi-day hiking, I would recommend getting Lonely Planet's Trekking in the Patagonian Andes or Trekking in El Chalten & Lago del Desierto. By now there are just a few places in Argentina I have yet to explore, and I would be shocked if any of them end up replacing the Fitz Roy range as my favorite part of Argentina.

View Southern Patagonia Trip in a larger map

Vallecitos - Gateway to Cordon del Plata

Before attempting to climb Aconcagua, many mountaineers head to a small, local ski resort ~1.5hrs outside Mendoza called Valles del Plata (a.k.a. Vallecitos). In the summer the lifts at Vallecitos stop and climbers replace skiers thanks to its proximity to dozens peaks (some over 6,000m) and high camps. Good ‘ole Lonely Planet mentioned that they the Centro de Ski at Vallecitos sells maps and they have guides that can provide directions. Additionally, for just under $20 USD they sell a great guide book for the area called Montañas de Luz by Alejandro Geras. This comprehensive guidebook details routes for each of the area's 12+ peaks, varying from short day hikes to week long expeditions to El Plata (6,050m) which is said to be more difficult and technical than Aconcagua. If your route planning can't wait until you arrive, I would recommend checking out this page on SummitPost.
“Pol”, one of the mountain guides at the lodge was nice enough to explain the which routes we could hike within the 6 hours of remaining daylight. We ended up choosing a 3 peak traverse from Andresito to Arenales to Lomas Blancas (3650m). Before setting out on the 7-10 day ascent of Aconcagua, Vallecitos seems like the perfect place to test our gear and comfort level with heavy physical exertion at such high altitude.
The above image was taken from the Vallecitos ski area site and shows just how expansive and varied this resort really is! Seriously, I think I would be bored to tears if I came back in the winter to ski groomers there. However, the slopes on either side of the valley where the lifts have definite backcountry skiing/riding potential. Their lifts would not help out much in terms of access, but given my experience at other Argentine ski resorts, you would be the only one not following a cat track.

Trekking in Parque Provincial Aconcagua

Noun: Aconcagua
Definition: mountain in W Argentina, in the Andes: the highest peak in the Western Hemisphere. 22,834 ft. (6960 m). Also known as "the stone sentinel."
Synonyms: Herculean*, Moby, blimp, brobdingnagian*, colossal, cyclopean, elephantine, enormous, gargantuan, giant, gross*, huge, immense, jumbo*, mammoth, massive, monster, monstrous, prodigious, stupendous, super-colossal, titan, tremendous, vast, whopping*
Antonyms: dwarfed, little, miniature, miniscule, small, teeny, tiny

Aconcagua turned from an interest into a fascination during a flight from Santiago to Calama, Chile last August. Calama is the air travel gateway to the Atacama desert in the north. To get there, you trace Chile’s Andean spine from the glacier-covered monsters outside Santiago to the ominous red volcanic cones of the Atacama. Slack jawed and staring out the window, I noticed one peak that stood way above its surroundings and thought to myself “that must be Aconcagua”. Topping out at 6,962m (22,841ft), Aconcagua is the tallest peak in the Americas as well as the southern or western hemispheres. Higher peaks only exist in the Himalaya. A few minutes after I saw what I thought was Aconcagua, a bigger mountain appeared in the distance, surrounded by a horse shoe of similarly daunting peaks. As we passed it, I felt as if our plane was coasting at the same height as the gigantic, beast of a mountain. August in South America is the dead of winter, so at the time, Aconcagua was blanketed in thick layers of snow and ice, making it even more imposing. All I could think was “how the hell does anyone climb that thing?”
As the highest peak in the southern and western hemispheres, Aconcagua is a very popular climbing destination with plenty resources covering the dozen or more routes mostly traveled in the summer months (December to April). According to some mountaineering books and SummitPost articles we have read, there are 3-4 routes that require little-to-no technical climbing skills – just endurance and acclimatization. Pleasantly surprised with our discovery that climbing Aconcagua was within the realm of possibility, we thought we would take a closer look during a long weekend in Mendoza. Below is a map of our route.


View Mendoza Weekend in a larger map

A simple and relatively cheap flight from Buenos Aires’ Aeroparque, Mendoza is an ideal weekend destination. It’s most famous for it’s wineries and amazing food. Many foreigners refer to Mendoza as the Napa Valley of South America. Aside from the world class wine, gourmet food, and laid-back atmosphere of the city, there’s a lot to see and do just 2-3hrs out of town. We went straight from the Mendoza airport to Uspallata – a sleepy, green oasis of a town fed by glacial runoff from the high Andes (pic below). After a heavy, steak laden lunch we rented a pair of wobbly mountain bikes for 5 pesos/hr (< $2 USD) to tour around town. There are miles and miles of relatively flat dirt roads branching out from the center of Uspallata. We only rode around for 3hrs or so, but you could definitely spend a full day riding if you were so inclined. From Ushpallata we headed further west to a little ski resort just outside el Parque Provincial Aconcagua called Los Penitentes. April is the start of fall, so most of the hotels and restaurants in Los Penitentes were closed. Fortunately we came across a refugio a few hundred yards up from the closed hotels that was more than happy to fill their half-empty lodge up. A bunk bed and breakfast in low season cost us each $35 pesos/night. The woman who ran the refugio was extremely friendly and accommodating, which made up for the limp mattresses.
We arrived at the entrance to Parque Provincial Aconcagua (aka Horcones) before any of the park rangers were there and after 2hrs of waiting we proceeded up the trail without the required permit. Given it was fall, we had no daylight to spare and were not sure if any park officials were even going to show up on this holiday weekend. The trail is really straightforward because it’s tracked by thousands of feet and hoofs every year.
The only way to get to Confluencia (first of the base camps pictured above) is by following the Horcones river. From there you can fork NW to Plaza de Mulas or North to Plaza Francia. Plaza de Mulas leads climbers to the west side of Aconcagua’s which is one of the less technical and therefore most popular options. Plaza Francia is located in the cradle of the glacial amphitheater that makes up Aconcagua’s south face. From here a select, bad ass few attempt one of the seemingly vertical routes up this stunning but imposing face.
Setting out from the parking lot, we planned to pass Confluencia and get as close to Plaza Francia as daylight and our legs would allow. Plaza Francia is about 20k from the parking lot so we knew that getting there would be a stretch. Leading up to Plaza Francia, we passed some really cool layered rock formations and a winding glacier that was cloaked in soil and rocks…all with the backdrop of Aconcagua’s south face. We ended up turning around just after the mirador (viewpoint), which is about an hour from “bad ass base camp.” In total, we were out for about 10hrs and covered 35k. I like to look back at this hike as a big, grueling warm-up for what I hope one day will be an amazing sequel. January 2010 at 22,841ft:)

El Calafate & the Perito Moreno Glacier

Getting to El Calafate was far simpler than I imagined. There are at least 3 flights per day from Buenos Aires Aeroparque to El Calafate as it's a popular tourist destination for both Argentines and foreigners. Given that El Calafate is situated in between Torres del Paine and El Chalten, we decided it would be a good home base for the 2 weeks of touring we had planned. The lodging options in El Calafate vary from camping to 5 star hotels like the famous Estancia Cristina. We ended up choosing Hostal del Glacier and we liked it so much that we came back for a few nights before heading back to Buenos Aires. Hostels del Glacier actually runs 2 places in El Calafate - the older and slightly cheaper Pioneros lodge and the more recently built Libertador location where we stayed.
In between our trips to Torres del Paine and El Chalten, we took a day and a half to rest, wander around town and take an afternoon to tour the Perito Moreno glacier. Because of it's proximity to an airport and overall tourist accessibility, Perito Moreno is by far the most well known and most frequently visited in the southern cone. Of all the glaciers I saw in our 2 week tour of the Southern Patagonia, I wouldn't say Perito Moreno was the most impressive, but it's certainly worth the half day trip. From the viewing platforms you can clearly see and hear the truck-sized blocks of ice cracking off the wall and into Lago Argentino.

For me, one of the most entertaining parts of visiting Perito Moreno was witnessing the hundreds of tourists, young and old, from all parts of the world, watching and waiting in silence for the ice to fall. All of a sudden everyone's heads would turn in the direction of a thundering boom, hands frantically trying to capture the fleeting moment on film and groups of tourists commenting in a spectrum of languages. As the small islands of glacial ice bobbed the water, the Argentine tourists would lead the crowd in a refined applause as if they just witnessed a birdie at a golf tournament.
Visiting Perito Moreno: Hostels del Glacier organizes an "alternative glacier tour" that includes a back road route to the glacier with some excellent photo ops, a short hike to a panoramic view point, a few hours at the viewing deck and a 1hr boat ride that traverses Perito Moreno's crystal blue face. This tour was smaller, cheaper and more laid back than some of the more traditional companies that bring hundreds of leather jacket and jewelry-clad tourists to the glacier every day. In terms of boat tours on Lago Argentino, Fernandez Campbell seemed to be the main outfit in the area. They must have a "mutually beneficial" relationship with the local government. There are some smaller companies that organize private, high-end cruises based on demand, but if you just want to get up close to the glaciers for a better view, Fernandez Campbell's 1hr ride is a great value.