Wine, Trekking and High Mountains

Mendoza welcomes us with its Andean beauty, the Aconcagua keeping watch like a powerful and silent giant that´s been on its feet for thousands of years. This is the land that adopted the Malbec grape as its own and saw it grow till it became the emblematic vine of our country. With plenty of dazzling views it offer to us a Wine, Trekking and High Mountains programme,travelling through unforgettable places.

wine-trekking-and-high-mountains-3

Placed among the main wine-growing capitals,this is one of the most important destinations in Argentina, attracting both local and forign tourists that love its wines and its culture and who come here expectantly to experience the adventure and the adrenaline through its diverse mountain activities.

wine-trekking-and-high-mountains-6During this 4 days programme we´ll get on a Mountain Truck taht is a Dakar 4×4 Mercedez Benz Atego 1725 style truck,brand-new and equipped with 25 seats especially designed to be used in the “much less known Mendoza”, a new experience in a new destination, that led us make the High Mountain trip by Villavicencio,a well-known hotel that belongs to the most important Mineral Water Bottling Company, which is now about to be reopened. At this place we´ll visit the beautiful gardens and the sorrounding area situated in  a Biological Reserve by the same name. During this trip we´ll see impressive rock formations,beautiful landscapes and the Aconcagua Mountain in all its glory.

wine-trekking-and-high-mountains-1

Something new that we could experience was a visit to Alta Vista Boutique Winery on Eco-motorbikes. These are vehicles that don´t use any kind of fossils fuels nor any kind of oil. As a result we get “neither contaminating gas emissions nor noises that have a negative effect on the environment”. We rode the beautiful paths among the vineyards, tasted first quality wines, home-made liquors and olive oil. We also enjoyed a very good natural lunch at the Mercadito on the way back to the hotel.

wine-trekking-and-high-mountains-5 

As a farewell we´ll do some trekking in the “del 55 Ravine”. It starts 20kms from Villa Potrerillos along National Route 07, and is an excellent choice for beginners. It takes about 3 hours to complete this trip that begins when we enter the Ravine after which this walk is named. Our walk starts as soon as we enter a narrow ravine “del 50 Ravine” through which the “Arroyo de las Cortaderas” flow. For more than an hour you´ll be able to appreciate the indigenous flora such as: jarrilla, ajenjo(wormwood,used to get the Absinth), thyme, different kind of cacti, the cortaderas(or Pampa´s grass), the colourful muscat rose and the wild arugula. We´ll also catch sight of Condores flying high above. The Andes condor is considered to be one of the biggest and one of the heaviest birds in the world, that can fly more than 4000mts high.

wine-trekking-and-high-mountains-7The terkking goes on following the paths of a stream that will lead us on our trip,enjoying the lush vegetation and the eroded mountain terrain, crossing at one time or another to each side of this strip of water that is born in the Andes´ higher peaks and then turns into a spectacular water-fall, 20mts high. This is a nice and refreshing surprise in the summertime. A gift from Nature to be fully enjoyed.

Well-trained guides will assist us during the different activities in the programme that we´ll treasure for ever. Our main goal is that every guest takes with him or her a little piece of Mendoza in their hearts after having passed through Argentina.

FACT SHEET

TIPS: At the moment of booking one of the trails excursions, some tips are necessary no matter how hard the trail we follow.
RIGHT OUTFIT: Foot-wear must be comfortable and have a good adherent sole. Warm clothing is important depending on the season of the year. A rain-proof or wind-breaker jacket is always  advisable to face the sudden climate changes, especially in mountain areas. Do not forget a cap or a hat, sunglasses, sunblock, bug-spray and a small first-aid kit. We recommend to wear long trousers  to avoid bites  or scratches.
BASIC  ACCESSORIES: A back-pack, whose size will depend  on the excursion  difficulty degree. On the other hand a swiss-knife, a long piece of string, a flash-light and a whistle are necessary elements  that will get us through should we encounter any difficulty. From cutting up food  to helping someone injured  or asking for help.
Walking-sticks, although not everybody carries them, are useful to lessen the efforts, balance our weight or use it as support on the walks to avoid slipping or falling down.
HYDRATION: Last but not least, always bring the necessary water(2 lts per person minimum) and some food or some snacks such as fruits or dried fruits that will provide us  with liquids and energy.
The place: Potrerillos- del 50 Ravine
  • Difficulty degree: easy, made for beginners  in mountain-climbing
  • Minimum age: 14 accompanied by an adult
  • Length: 3 hours approximately
  • Pick-up: 08AM
  • Return: 02PM
  • Included in the fare: transfers  to and fro. Mountain  guide services.
  • Personal life insurance
The program includes:
* Services mentioned in the program
* 3 Nights accommodation at NH Cordillera Hotel

The southern face of the Perito Moreno Glacier

Designed for those with an adventurous spirit, who seek adrenaline without much effort and enjoying the natural environment we have for you the “Adventure by the southern face of  the Perito Moreno Glacier”.

the-southern-face-of-the-perito-moreno-glacier-4

The trip starts in Calafate. At 09:30AM our tour guide will come and pick us up to begin with the excursion. We´ll drive about 50kms along the Estancias route till we get to Lago Roca(Lake Roca). Along the way we´ll see some characteristic Estancias such as: Nibepo Aike,and Santa Anita. Once we get to the Lago Roca entrance at Los Glaciares National Park we´ll go into the camping area where we´ll rest in the Domo while enjoying of a privileged view. We set off on the right foot,as soon as we arrive we´ll have some welcome drinks and some local cold-cuts and cheeses dishes. This is a good time to relax,enjoy the views and get to know each other.

the-southern-face-of-the-perito-moreno-glacier-2

We would like to tell you a little bit about the backstage of this trip. In the domo after 20 minutes of having arrived the cooks begin to roast the beefs on a furrow-wheel as well as the grilled veggies such us: succhini,eggplants,red peppers,onions and carrots. The furrow-wheel became a tradition in the countryside for the grilling of beef and vegetables. When everything is ready we´ll go back in the domo where the tables are already set. Everything looks really good. Having lunch in such a beautiful place and sharing time with other people makes of it a unique experience.

the-southern-face-of-the-perito-moreno-glacier-3

As the local saying goes “when the stomach is full, the heart feels happy”. We leave the domo behind us and we drive for 5kms until we get to the pier.Right here we embark towards Playa de las Monedas on the Brazo Rico River where we´ll disembark and go for a 20 minutes walk in the Lengas Forest until we get to a vantage point from where we´ll have a view of the southern face of the Perito Moreno Glacier.

We then go back and embark again always sailing along the southern face of the glacier.Before the end of the trip the crew “fishes” a floe to have a “whiskey or a vodka on the rocks”. The happy hour on board is at 03:30PM approximate.

On the way back we´ll disembark at the Bajo de las Sombras where a vehicle will be waiting for us to go to the glacier´s boardwalks where we´ll arrive around 04PM. Once here we´ll be able to appreciate the spectacular views of the Perito Moreno Glacier. We´ll stay there until 06:30PM and then go back to Calafate along a traditional road.

An important fact to bear in mind: once we get to the boardwalks around 90% of the visitors that came from Calafate will be gone, so our visit will be a quite one.

FACT SHEET

  • The tours have a capacity up to fifteen passengers
  • Minimun pax requirements: 4
  • Attended by a working group that includes Spanish / English guides.
  • Pick up 09:00 am. Drop Off near 19 hours. The lunch, served in a special area of the Roca Lake Camp, consist on a disk steak served with grilled vegetables and salads, with typical dessert, drinks and wine.
  • To make the tour it is important to bring the adequate clothing. Basically comfortable clothes, for walking in the mountain. Enough coat to withstand temperatures of 0 ° C and intense rains. Also glasses and sunscreen lotion.
  • Tickets to the National Park are not included (USD 35.-)