Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES AND
SPECIALIZED HOLIDAYS
Argentina's dazzling range of landscapes and
good tourist facilities make the country ideal
for almost every kind of adventure holiday,
from mountaineering and trekking to polo
and paragliding. Thanks to the extensive
coastline, beautiful lakes, and complex
network of rivers and wetlands, visitors have
many water-based outdoor options. Come
winter, skiing, snowboarding, and ice climbing
are offered by tour companies along the
Andes from Mendoza to Ushuaia. The
country's open landscapes across its interior
are ideal for sprawling golf courses. Driving,
whether down the lonely roads or through
well-developed resorts, can also be fun. For a
relaxed holiday, spas, wine tours, and estancias
are extremely inviting. The best organizers are
local operators who offer subsidized deals.
Golf
There are more than 240 golf
courses in Argentina recognized
by
Asociación Argentina de
Golf
, ranging from
Lagos de
Palermo Municipal Club
in
Buenos Aires to the most
southerly golf course in the
world, the 9-hole
Ushuaia Golf
Club
close to Parque Nacional
Tierra del Fuego.
The provinces of Neuquén
and Río Negro, with their well-
forested lakelands at the foot of
the Andes, have proved popular
with golfers. Just south of
Bariloche, the
Llao Llao Hotel
and Resort
boasts undulating
fairways and challenging holes,
while the
Arelauquen Lodge
,
also near Bariloche at Lago
Gutierrez, organizes golf and
polo excursions. The hotel has
its own 18-hole course. The Jack
Nicklaus-designed
Chapelco
Golf and Resort
is a first-class
par-72 course near San Martín
de los Andes. Argentinian tour
companies
Covitour
and
Secontur
create golfing itinera-
ries across the country. In the
southern provinces,
Patagonia
Golf
can add on fly-fishing trips.
Driving Holidays
Ruta Nacional 40 is legendary
(see p247)
but there are many
paved highways and other
trunk roads that are also fun
to explore.
Off-road driving experiences
can be exciting, from bumpy
excursions in the Andean high
plains to rough drives across
salt lakes and down gravel and
mud roads.
Movitrak
in Salta
offers adventurous off-road
driving experiences. Patagonia
has also boomed as a driving
destination. The Seven Lakes
drive between Villa La
Angostura and San Martín de
los Andes is a great excursion
on excellent roads.
Argentina
Vision
, in Puerto Madryn, can
arrange vehicles for tours. In
Córdoba, the
Caravana Club
Cycling along a trail through Parque
Nacional Los Arrayanes
Cycling and
Mountain Biking
Argentina's terrain in the
Andean regions, ranging from
gravel tracks and rocky inclines
to undulating foothills and
shady copses, has made
mountain biking popular.
However, only cyclists who
can handle gusty winds should
cross the Patagonian steppe by
bike. Popular with road and
mountain bikers are the Lake
District and sierras of Córdoba,
de la Ventana, and Tandil.
Northwest hubs such as
Tucumán and Salta have tour
agencies that hire out bikes.
Local firms such as adventure
specialist
Andestrack
in San
Martín de los Andes and
Montañas Tucumanas
in
San Miguel de Tucumán offer
guided and self-guided moun-
tain biking tours. Not many opt
to bike down Buenos Aires
avenues, but there are highways
and long-distance roads for
those using racing bicycles.
A lonely road heading westwards across Patagonia to Perito Moreno
