ANDEAN PATAGONIA
The Andean Cordillera border of Patagonia stands out for its great number of mountains, hills, volcanoes and lakes, offering landscapes of unparalleled beauty and tourist potentials, some of them with a lower level of development as regards tourist facilities and access possibilities, which only seem to improve as from Lake Viedma.
Within this sector, the southernmost area in the continent, two worldwide known elements stand out: Mt Fitz Roy, near El Chalten, a true challenge for mountain climbers and Perito Moreno Glacier, near El Calafate, which together with other 47 glaciers in the Los Glaciares National Park is one of the most outstanding attractions in Argentina.
In winter, the central and northern areas offer various premium ski runs and a wide range of tourist services strategically located near the cities of Caviahue, San Martín de los Andes, Villa La Angostura, San Carlos de Bariloche and Esquel.
During the rest of the year, this area is ideal for all kind of eco-tourist sport and adventure activities (mountain-climbing, trekking, mountain-biking, rafting, canoeing, horse-riding, sailing, trout-fishing) as well as for more traditional tourism (relaxing stays, excursions) and for health-care / anti-stress tourism, for example in the hot-springs resorts.
There are numerous national parks which protect their fauna and landscape beauty, such as Lanín, Nahuel Huapi, Los Arrayanes, Los Alerces, Lago Puelo, Los Glaciares and Tierra del Fuego National Parks.
Among the most popular attractions we can mention Perito Moreno Glacier, one of the most beautiful and accessible glaciers in the world where you can go trekking over its everlasting icy slopes.
Also, you can visit other glaciers of different size and features, either by means of lake excursions or trekking.
The wonderful "Seven Lakes Route", between San Martín de los Andes and Villa La Angostura, takes you to seven different lakes of singular beauty.
You can visit the many attractions in Bariloche, appreciate its beauty, join in some of the varied excursions available and enjoy the night life in this important southern city.
Within Los Alerces National Park, near Esquel, you can visit a millenary larch forest, with larches of enormous trunks and outstanding heights.
On Quetrihué Peninsula, within Arrayanes National Park, there is a wonderful cinnamon colored "arrayanes" forest.
Also, the impressive Traful Vantage Point with its breathtaking view of Lake Traful.
If trekking is the thing for you, nothing like Patagonia and its countless possibilities.
The most popular attractions for climbers are Mt Lanin (3776 m ) in Neuquén, which looks like a replica of the well-known Fujiyama in Japan, Mt Tronador (3554 m) in Rio Negro; Mt Fitz Roy (3440 m) in Santa Cruz, the most difficult mountain to climb in the world.
Skiing fans will find several winter-sports centers, such as Caviahue (Neuquén), Chapelco and Cerro Bayo (Neuquén), Cerro Catedral (Río Negro), La Hoya (Chubut) and Cerro Castor (Tierra del Fuego).
Sport-fishing of different salmon varieties can be practiced in different places of great relevance, some of them internationally famous.
And make sure you do not miss the great Patagonian cuisine: the traditional Welsh tea with cakes and pies in Gaiman (near Trelew and Puerto Madryn, in Chubut), smoked and canned deer and boar; exquisite chocolates, natural strawberry, raspberry and "rosa mosqueta" preserves, European-style cakes and pies, and dishes with Fueguian crab, lobster and squid mainly in Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego.
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