Stay at a Farm in the Andean Mountain Chain

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Stay at a Farm in the Andean Mountain Chain

March 31st, 2009 | Argentina - Places to Stay | No Comments »

It doesn’t sound that glorious… staying at a farm tucked into one of the valleys of the Andes Mountain Range, but at the Finca Arco Iris you get to truly experience the beauty of the Mendoza region.

The Finca Arco Iris (The Rainbow Farm, in English) is located about two hours away from Mendoza City. While the city is fun, and the tours of the area are great, it is at the farm where one can finally relax and just enjoy the magnificent scenery, as well as the simplicity of live in Mendoza.

There are 3 comfortable bedrooms at the lodge with queen size beds, and one room with two double beds. Each bedroom has it’s own bathroom. There is Read more

Drive the Mendoza Circle

March 30th, 2009 | Argentina - Must See or Do, Argentina - Travel Tips | No Comments »

If you are feeling a bit adventurous while in Mendoza, and have a car available to you, then why not try this driving route, a circle around Mendoza, recommended to me by a friend who is a Mendoza fanatic/expert.

Starting off in Mendoza, it is best to drive north through Las Heras and then up on to Villavicencio, which is where the thermal pools are located. Next, head westwards along the gravel road that takes you high up into the Precordillera. The trek is amazing. You will pass along a number of abandoned towns and a large gorge. This road peaks at about 3200 m, and the view of the mountain range from there is breathtaking.

From there head back down Read more

Shopping in Mendoza

March 27th, 2009 | Argentina - Best Shopping | No Comments »

There is quite a bit of shopping to be done in Mendoza, and the local markets are often the biggest draw for tourists, but if you want to find up scale shopping, tax-free, check out the Mendoza Plaza and the Palmares Open Mall on Ruta Panamerica.

If you check out the Mendoza Plaza web-site you can learn about the tax-free shopping at the Plaza. The mall isn’t the best place to get your typical Argentine souvenirs, or handmade crafts or anything like that. (You will find them, but they will cost a fortune, and in the mall, unlike the market, you can’t barter the prices down.)

The shopping at Mendoza Plaza is good if you are in need of Read more

The Gringo Shares His Little Black Book…

March 23rd, 2009 | Argentina - Relocation, Argentina - Travel Tips, The Best of Argentina | No Comments »

Okay guys, here’s the deal. I am constantly getting e-mails from our readers asking for information about moving to and living in Argentina. I have always been more than happy to respond and provide assistance to the best of my ability, but lately, things have been busier and I feel that I have not been giving our readers the attention they deserve.

So, I came up with a solution. I have set up an automatic system that puts you directly in touch with my contacts in Argentina. (This is something all of the Gringo site writers - see our blogroll for affiliate sites – are going to be doing.)

How it works is this. You click on this link to sign Read more

GPS Maps of Argentina

March 20th, 2009 | Argentina - Travel Tips | No Comments »

There are actually a couple of options for GPS maps of Argentina.

One is Proyecto Mapear, and it offers GPS maps for Garmin GPS devices. The maps at Proyecto Mapear are completely free; all you need to do is sign up on their web-site. They are also trying to get more points in Argentina mapped out, so if you feel like contribuiting you can send your tracks and waypoints to mapear@gmail.com. It is a nice free option to get a GPS map of Argentina, even though it may not be the most comprehensive of GPS maps.

Geosistemas also produces maps for Garmin GPS devices, and it maps local, county, residential roads, and interstates for all 23 provinces. Read more

Hike to Cristo el Redentor

March 19th, 2009 | Argentina - Must See or Do | No Comments »

Christ the Redeemer is waiting for you high up in the Andes.

Not that I think he is here to listen to you confess your sins…

The Cristo el Redentor statue was placed here in the Andes mountains in the year 1904 as a symbol of peace between Argentina and Chile. The views that this statue of Jesus has are incredible, and well worth the trip.

The trip can be made the easy way, or the hard way. The easy way is single lane dirt road that leads right to the statue of Christ at 12,572 feet above sea level. The drive affords incredible views, but not so much so as hiking it. The road is also there for the Read more

Hikking and Trekking in Mendoza

March 15th, 2009 | Argentina - Adventure, Argentina - Family Friendly, Argentina - Must See or Do | No Comments »

Mendoza is most famous for its wine, but the region is also great for trekking. Mountains surround all of Mendoza and the scenery in the area is completely distinct from other parts of Argentina. Large, bold faced mountains sit on the horizon of dry land.

Head out from Mendoza along the one lane highway to the Chilean border and you will be headed straight for Cerro Aconcagua, the highest mountain in the Argentina, and it the western hemisphere. It takes a week to ascend to the top of the mountain, allowing the body to adjust to the altitude is very important; the peak is 6,962 meters.

The climb is not incredibly technical, but it is physically demanding in terms of Read more

Fine Dining and Gifts in Maipú

March 13th, 2009 | Argentina - Places to Eat | No Comments »

The Almacen del Sur Delicatessen and Restaurant in Maipú is a large house transformed into a restaurant on the mountainside in the Mendoza region. It is one of the best places to taste locally grown foods in Mendoza and buy local products.

During a day of exploring the Mendoza wine region a stop at the Almacen del Sur Delicatessen and Restaurant can be the best place to take your lunch. For about 35 pesos you can get a three course meal that will for sure serve up a delicious salad, a decent Argentine steak, and a scrumptious dessert.

Aside from the delicious meal, the scenery is incredible! It makes for a nice romantic lunch, especially if you are taking a Read more

Boutique Hotel in Mendoza – Quiet and Comfortable

March 11th, 2009 | Argentina - Places to Stay | 2 Comments »

As far as places to stay in Mendoza goes, the Bohemia Hotel Boutique gets a lot of praise, and its easy to see why. The Bohemia is actually an old house that has been converted into a full service bed and breakfast/hotel.

Located in a quiet little neighborhood, just a short walk from the center of town, the Bohemia is perfect if you are looking for a quiet, cozy place to stay. There are only 9 rooms, and so everything is close together, and has more of a ‘staying with the best family ever’ feel. The rooms are nicely sized and very comfortably decorated.

The staff is excellent, very kind and very helpful when it comes to getting around Read more

Travel Deal on Affordable Luxury Cruises

March 10th, 2009 | Argentina - Travel Tips | 1 Comment »

I got this from my buddy over at the Panama Gringo. Some of the cruises leave from Argentina, check it out:

More Travel deals from the New York Times!

I have spread this one to all the other sites on the Gringo Network as well, since it is such a good deal, I think the whole base of readers should know about it! (See the Gringo’s affiliates on our blogroll)

I love cruises, especially nice ones, and now, thanks to Silversea Cruises, there a few more affordable cruise options out there., if what you are looking at is the best in ultra-luxury cruises.

Silversea is offering 50% savings on all suite categories for 39 different world itineraries, including Read more