Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Rock Climbing
Patagonia's Parque Nacional Los Glaciares, home to Cerro Torre and Cerro Fitz Roy, is
one of the world's most important rock-climbing destinations. Cerro Torre is considered
one of the five toughest climbs on the planet. The nearby town of El Chaltén is a
climber's haven, and several shops offer lessons and rent equipment. If you don't have
the time or talent for climbs of the Cerro Torre magnitude, there are plenty of other op-
tions.
Los Gigantes, in the Central Sierras, is fast becoming the country's de facto rock-
climbing capital and has lots of high-quality granite. There's also climbing around Caro-
lina.
In Mendoza province, Los Molles is a small, friendly hub for rock climbing, and
there's more nearby at Chigüido (near Malargüe). Around Mendoza city are the draws of
Los Arenales and El Salto.
Cerro Catedral, in Parque Nacional Nahuel Huapi, has popular climbing routes. There
are also good routes in Torres del Paine, Chile. Finally, in the Pampas, there's some
climbing in Tandil and Mar del Plata.
LAND SAILING
In San Juan province's Parque Nacional El Leoncito, the lake bed of Pampa El Leon-
cito has become the epicenter of carrovelismo(land sailing). Here, people zip
across the dry lake bed beneath Andean peaks in so-called sail cars. If you're inter-
ested, head straight to Barreal.
Fishing
Together, Patagonia and the Lake District constitute one of the world's premier fly-fish-
ing destinations, where introduced trout species (brown, brook, lake and rainbow) and
landlocked Atlantic salmon reach massive sizes in cold rivers surrounded by spectacular
scenery. It's an angler's paradise.
In the Lake District, Junín de los Andes is the self-proclaimed trout capital of Argen-
tina, and lining up a guide to take you to Parque Nacional Lanín's superb trout streams is
easy. Nearby Aluminé sits on the banks of Río Aluminé, one of the country's most highly
regarded trout streams. Bariloche and Villa la Angostura are other excellent bases.
