Combining relax, cuisine and good wine is an experience an is not something easy to perform, however, Club Tapiz in Mendoza was very successful in doing so.

As lovers of tourism and fine cuisine we cannot miss the opportunity of telling you about this product Kallpa-like.

Club Tapiz proposal offers us is specially devised for lovers of the fine cuisine, the good wine and throughout a true personal experience by the active participation in activities in the vineyard, the wine tasting and cooking lessons.

We have stayed in Club Tapiz. It is located in a residence built in 1890, surrounded by 10-hectare vineyard. We highlight that the house was restored respecting the original structure and its architects were in charge of keeping the identity which is unique together with the surroundings and the magnificent view of the Andes mountain range. This house was declared Historical, Architecture and Touristic Heritage of the District of Maipú at the City of Mendoza.

 

When visiting the Hotel we could appreciate that attached to the Club there is an old wine cellar where wine was produced until 2002. We walk along aisles flanked by large oak barrels, we reach ‘Pour le Galerie’ room which has a beautiful mural of 22 x 4 meters painted by Sergio Roggerone, an artist from Mendoza, the room has got a 200-person capacity, it has got an own winetasting room, a wine cellar and a sparkling wine racks. It is that Pour Le Galerie was created out of love for art and it may be used for cultural events and social gatherings.

 

The Club has got a restaurant open the whole year where you can taste delicious meals prepares with local products and from the own organic vegetable garden.

 

We also enjoyed of the spa with sauna, Scottish shower, jacuzzis and massage rooms with different therapies that after a day of walks and degustation are definitely rewarding. Activities proposed by the Hotel are interactive. We had the possibility of trimming, harvesting and performing all of the vineyrad tasks and observing at the time of harvest the production of olive oil also produced at Club Tapiz.

 

We also rode horses; hiked and wandered around under the trees of the Andes. These are activities to be done in Mendoza during the day; and then to return to the Hotel to relax.

Nights were dedicated to sharing experiences in wine tasting or to enjoying a cuisine lesson.

Club Tapiz has got 11 rooms classically decorated, with wooden classic floors. Each room has got air conditioning, free wi-fi and cable tv, in addition to one of the most impressive views of the mountain range of the Andes.

Find below the Fact Sheet with more details about the Hotel. And as you already know, should you need further information about this activity proposed you may contact your Kallpa Personal Account’s Officer.

 

A Day in the Countryside at Nibepo Aike allows you to immerse in the life and activities of the Patagonian ranch houses. This experience is recommended for those travelers who do not have the possibility of staying at the lodge for two or more nights.

Adventure starts from El Calafate where we take the gravel road Nr. 15, also known as ‘Camino de las Estancias’ (Walk of the Ranch Houses). This is a trip with the ‘Cerro Frías’ [mountain] as the leading protagonist, where it is frequent to come across foxes, hares and to even see condors. It is interesting to observe how, after crossing the Rico River, the landscape of steppe changes abruptly into an Andean landscape.

After traveling along this remarkable road and entering into the Los Glaciares National Park we contact the Roca Lake in its more eastern point and we reached the ranch house where we find the southern arm of Lago Argentino [Argentinian Lake]. The host guide welcomes us and takes us to the Quincho [rustic dining room], where we are welcomed with a hot beverage (tea, coffee or ‘mate’) and home-made pastries. There is no better welcome in a region where the cold seems to find its residence.

We start the walk to visit Nibepo Aike’s facilities, an Estancia that in the past used to breed sheep and nowadays has become the most prestigious cattle ranch of Hereford, a type of cattle characteristic of these latitudes and that maintains a sheep shed.

There are several options on how to enjoy the day therefore we split in different groups according to our preferences, for example we chose a horse ride. From the horse stable, we get on the horses and we leave so as to explore the surrounding area, a ‘baqueano’ [local guide] comes with us. Baqueanos are expert people who know native places very well, where they generally live or develop themselves.

Another group decided to make a walk surrounded by the impressive views of the Southern arm of Lago Argentino where you can observe several rock outcrops eroded by glaciers and changes in the lake levels. Earth crust folding is clearly observed differentiated among them by the variety of sediments that originated them. Along the walk it is also possible to observe the woodland of lengas and ñires, inhabited by caranchos [vultures], cachañas [small parrots], hares, woodpeckers, eagles and an abundant variety of flora and fauna characteristic of this region.

After hiking and riding the groups meet at the door of the shearing shed. From the shearing process up to the preparation of the wool bundle -the way how the wool is stored and transported- was explained in a relaxed and interesting demonstration. It struck our attention that they continue using a manual pair of scissors, as it used to be in the past in every estancia up to the appearance of a mechanical handle with a cutting comb -which is the system that is currently used. This demonstration allowed us to experience a trip to the past.

Afterwards we enjoyed of ‘horse-reining’ by horsemen. According to the daily rural activities you may perform some farm work in the barnyard close to the main house. If you like the countryside life and want to extend the experience, it is possible, among the daily activities, to participate in the morning of cow milking and sheep herding in the afternoon, concluding in this way with a typical working day in the Estancia. These activities are not always performed since they depend on the weather conditions and activities developed in the Estancia.

Finally, the barbecue cook who is waiting for us with a spit roasted lamb is eagerly applauded, while our mouth waters, local stories and anecdotes from the first settlers come up.

When again at El Calafate, after having experienced the typical life of a Patagonian Estancia this gives us a wide perspective and a greater sense to the immense Patagonian landscapes characterized by their infiniteness and remoteness.

Travelling and visiting Buenos Aires does not involve only attending a Tango show or going on a City Tour around the city. Our city has got a lot of attractions in its surroundings which deserve to be visited. Here we would like to propose you a different way of discovering it by sailing in the Delta Premium Navigation to Tigre and Delta.

To start this journey we go to the maritime terminal at Puerto Madero. This is a small shipping port for arrival and departure that is near the Buquebus terminal.

After checking in, we wait for a couple of minutes to climb the catamaran that is going to take us along the Río de la Plata coast to our final destination at Tigre in the Province of Buenos Aires.

On board of the modern catamaran our trip starts. As we get away from the port the contrasts between modernity of Puerto Madero and its skyscrapers and the historical buildings which give character to our City of Buenos Aires can be appreciated.

During the journey from a distance the neighborhoods of Recoleta, Palermo, Botánico, Aeroparque [small airport], the coastal area, Ciudad Universitaria [campus university] and then the main neighborhoods of the Northern Area of the Province of Buenos Aires such as Vicente López, Olivos, San Isidro among others can be observed.

For outdoor activities lovers, travelling on the stern of the boat in the open air and from where you can take interesting pictures is available. For those who prefer the quietness, inside the catamaran there are comfortable armchairs and a snack is served during the trip that takes 1 hour 50 minutes. The catamaran leaves at 10 am from the North Dock (‘Dársena Norte’, Puerto Madero) and returns to Buenos Aires at 4 pm from the river station of Tigre.

This drive can also be combined with the excursion to Tigre where you have the possibility of returning by land visiting the neighborhoods of the northern suburbs of Buenos Aires, entering the Cathedral of San Isidro or the other way around initiating this land trip and returning from Tigre to Puerto Madero on the catamaran.

Below we detail some of the technical data of the excursion and remember should you need more information about this product contact your Kallpa personal officer or leave a message in our contact form.

Peninsula Valdés is a paradise where nature reigns and where you may experience a special and unique kind of peace. This region’s fauna is diverse, from penguins and sea lions up to whales and orcas are some of the attractions that we can observe there.

But our adventure has just started. Let’s explore the “Golfo San José” [Gulf of San José]. We are close to the starting point and we begin to feel what is going to come. We climb on the kayaks prepared by our expert guides and we start rowing towards our most expected target… the whales.

 

Many questions cross our minds before starting this adventure: Are we going to get very close to the whales? Are we going to be able to see them? Is it going to be dangerous? Is it going to be safe? Soon each of our questions will be answered by this adventure unique in its style.

The itinerary starts by entering the waters of the Gulf of San José. The kayaks we sail on are very silent, and do not interfere with the environmental harmony in any way. A whale tail appears not very far from where we are. Then we see them surface, an unbelievable experience. These experiences help us better understand the size and life of such unique and peaceful specimens. After having the privilege of watching the Right Southern Whale, we will see a small colony of sea lions and several sea birds.

Later we reach a small bay where we prepare ourselves to enjoy an assorted lunch and to trek to a cliff-like area surrounded by spectacular views of the Gulf. This excursion, including the hike, involves a 10km for 6 hours of duration.

The service includes snack, box lunch. The recommendation is to take this hiking excursion between June and December months when you can go whale-watching the Right Southern Whale.

Another option for more demanding travelers is to explore the “Golfo Nuevo” [New Gulf]. Throughout this journey you leave from Puerto Pirámides on kayak to Bahía Pardelas, one of the Gulf’s most spectacular beaches due to its transparent water.

During the sailing we can observe whales, different species of sea birds and we visit a cave and high cliff area.

After having lunch at Pardelas’ beach we start our return trip to Pirámides, this may be sailing on kayak or by hiking along the cliffs and through sand dunes, witnessing an amazing dusk.

As in the case of the excursion to the Gulf of San José, the service includes snacks, box lunch. The recommendation is to take this excursion between June and December months when you can go whale-watching the Right Southern Whale.

Transfers to Puerto Pirámides, the starting point on both experiences, are not included. Travelers can go there by themselves by car or rent private transportation.

---