Tierra del Fuego got its name from the campfires tended by one of its early settlers, the Yamana tribesmen, which was visible to the ships passing by. Hard to reach and isolated, it is no wonder that early explorers such as Ferdinand Magellan and Charles Darwin refer to it as the end of the world. Magellan was actually the one who first used the name Tierra del Fuego, thinking that the fires meant that the Indians where waiting to ambush his armada. Exploration into this archipelago continues up to this day with adventure seeking travelers. Tierra del Fuego can offer many activities for its adventurous visitors.

This triangular archipelago is richly blessed with a multitude of natural attractions. One can go sailing and sightseeing amongst glaciers, trek along the forests, hike its mountains and go fly-fishing in its waters. Skiing is also a popular outdoor activity here. Though for centuries, this windswept place has been home to many shipwrecks. This is the place to get the best seafood in Argentina. Sea Run Brown trout is found in abundance in the waters of the Rio Grance, San Pablo, and in the Lago Fagnano.

The largest city in Tierra del Fuego is Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world. Although the subpolar climate in the area is inhospitable, Ushuaia is a very busy hub of activity mainly due to the increasing number of Antractica-bound ships that make a stop in its port. Aside from tourists, this former penal colony has steadily been attracting people to resettle here due to the relatively high wages.

Los Glaciares National Park is the second largest national park in Argentina. Declared a national park in 1937, it’s also been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981. Its name is derived from the giant ice cap in the Andes mountain range. This ice cap is the largest in the world excluding the ones found in Antarctica and Greenland. There are two lakes situated in the park – Lake Argentino and Lake Viedma. These lakes feed into the Santa Cruz River, which in turn flow into the Puerto Santa Cruz on the Atlantic.

The northern part of Los Glaciares is entered through El Chalten. People visit this side of the Los Glaciares mainly for the trekking and hiking. The mountains of Cerro Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre are the most popular among climbers. The gateway to the southern part is El Calafate on Lago Argentino. On this side of the park, visitors can ride boats and go sight-seeing among the glaciers of Perito Moreno, Upsala, Spegazinni, and Onelli. While Perito Moreno can also be accessed by land, the last three can only be reached through motorboats.

Travel between the northern and southern parts is also an adventure. Hardy tourists can soak in the scenery while roughing it out on a four-hour drive over gravel and dirt roads. There are several tour operators who offer rides to make this trip but more adventurous travelers can opt to rent a vehicle and drive themselves. It is important to have sufficient gas, experience in driving on all-weather roads, and knowledge of vehicle maintenance if you wish to take this trip. There is only one stop between El Chalten and El Calafate, so proper preparations must be made. The best time to visit the park is from October to March.

The Lake District of Argentina stretches from the town of Junin de los Andes in the north to Cholila in the south. As the name suggests, this region has around twenty lakes where the largest is Nahuel Huapi on the shores of Bariloche.

Almost all nature-oriented activities are offered in the towns located in the Lake District. Visitors can go trekking, skiing, kayaking, rock climbing, and fishing. Fishing is especially popular among tourists who go there to for the ultimate Patagonia fishing experience. This is one of Argentina’s most popular tourist destinations with thousands of visitors coming every year.

The towns scattered around the Lake District provide travelers with many options for accommodations and adventures in addition to arranging expeditions for fishing and hiking in the mountains. The largest town is Neuquen. It acts as a hub for transportation in and out of the region. At the town’s outskirts are paleontological sites and wineries. For those who are into outdoor activities, it is best to set up camp in Bariloche. It is also the starting point for those who wish to go further to southern Patagonia and Chile. Backpackers often flock to El Bolson. Nature lovers will feel right at home here as vegetarian foods, sweets, and jams are made from local produce. The lakeside villages of Villa Traful and San Martin de los Andes are also worthy of a quick visit. The northern part of Chos Malal offers visitors the chance to explore volcanoes, lagoons, and hot springs.

Locals visit the Lake District in July and August for skiing holidays, while January is the top month for aquatic activities in the lakes and hiking in the mountains.

La Boca is one of Buenos Aires’s 48 barrios or neighborhoods. It is located at the southeastern part of the city, near the old port in the mouth (boca in Spanish) of the Rio de la Plata. Nearby barrios are Barracas in the west, and San Telmo and Puerto Madero to the north. Many of the district’s residents are of European descent. This is because the old port was where the Italian, Spanish, Basque, French, and German immigrants arrived.

Inside La Boca, one will feel as if they had stepped back in time as the neighborhood still retains its Genoese look with traditional colorful wooden houses. While some inhabitants still spoke the Genoese dialect in the late 20th century, use of the dialect has been in recent decline. Presently, La Boca is part artist colony and part working class neighborhood.

Tourists visiting Buenos Aires always make a point to visit La Boca. The colorful houses, pedestrian-friendly walkways, little shops and restaurants make for a pleasant day of sightseeing and shopping. The street of Caminito is the center of tourist activity in the barrio, and of particular interest for people who are into the dancing the tango. Here, tango artists perform in the many tango clubs found on the street. Tango-related memorabilia is sold in most shops.

Aside from tango, La Boca is also the home of the Boca Juniors, one of Argentina’s biggest soccer teams. To experience the unique flavor of an Argentine soccer match, grab a ticket and watch the games at the La Boca soccer stadium, La Bombonera.

For those who are more into art than sports, there is the Fine Arts Museum of La Boca. It is also called the Museo de Bellas Artes Quinquela Martin as it used to be the residence and studio of the artist.

The statue of Christ the Redeemer of the Andes is a monument erected to celebrate the peaceful resolution of a border dispute between Argentina and Chile. It is located at the La Cumbre pass, which is the highest point on the road between Santiago de Chile and Mendoza in Argentina. La Cumbre pass is also called Iglesia Pass on the Chilean side while in Argentina it is referred to as Bermejo Pass.

At the beginning of the 20th century, Argentina and Chile were close to war with each other over the location of the border. As a reminder to both nations of Christ’s message of peace, the bishop of Cuyo promised to erect a statue of Christ the Redeemer at the disputed area. The sculptor Mateo Alonso was commissioned to build the seven-meter high bronze statue. It was unveiled to the public on the 13th of March in the year 1904. In 2004, the statue’s centenary was celebrated by the reaffirmation of the friendship between Argentina and Chile, with Argentina declaring the statue as a National Historic Monument.

The best time to visit the statue is during the summer as winter temperatures can drop to as low as thirty degrees below zero. Ít’s much safer since the sinuous road is not safe when there is snow.

Visitors can stay in the town of Uspallata when planning a trip to the statue. This little town is popular as a base for skiers in Los Penitentes. Horseback riding, fishing expeditions in the countryside, and treks in the surrounding mountains are other popular activities offered by this town. Check with the town’s tourist office for maps and detailed information on the sights and activities.

Devil’s Throat at Iguazu Falls in Argentina
Photo by: Luca Galuzzi, Creative Commons

Iguazu Falls, also known as Iguassu or Iguaçu Falls. These waterfalls are situated on the border of Argentina and Brazil. It touches the Parana region in Brazil and the Misione region from Argentina. It is the fall that separates the river into upper and lower Iguassu. The first person who discovered the place was a Spanish guy called conquistador Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca in the year 1541. The fall was once again rediscovered by Boselie during the end of the 19th century.

The Iguassu Falls have a total of 275 falls and is 2.7 kilometers long where it finally combines with the Iguassu River. Some of the falls have a common height of 269 feet. However, the best of all is the Devil’s Throat, which is a u-shaped, 82 meters high, 150 meters wide and 700 meters long fall. The view of this fall is breathtaking. Out of all, more than two thirds of the falls lie in the Argentine Province.

It is said that almost ten days of vacation time must be allotted to cover all the falls and do justice to the place. Since the falls are not evenly divided between the countries, enough time must be given to both the countries. No words or pictures can describe the real beauty of the falls. It has to be seen in person to fall in love with it. The tourists can reach the falls from either the Brazil Province or the Argentine Province. The national park of Brazil and Argentine are now a part of the UNESCO, world heritage site.

View of Iguazu Falls in Brazil
Photo by: Martin St-Amant, Creative Commons