Suggested itinerariesCoast to Coast from Chile to ArgentinaStarting in the quirky port town of Valparaíso on the Pacific and ending in the vibrant capital of Buenos Aires on the Atlantic, this trip takes you on an incredible journey across the Andes via the heart of the wine-producing areas of both countries.Day 1Fly from the UK to Chile.Day 2Arrive in Santiago, transfer toValparaíso. Afternoon at leisure.Day 3Explore the historic and bohemianport town.Day 4Return to Santiago, and an afternoontour of the city.Day 5A full day's journey across the Andesto Mendoza in Argentina, past SouthAmerica's highest peak, Aconcagua.Day 6A full day's exploration of the localvineyards, including lunch and tastings.Day 7Free time in and around Mendoza.Day 8Fly to Argentina's magnificent capitalof Buenos Aires.Day 9A full day tour of the city.Day 10At leisure to further explore thebarrios of Buenos Aires.Day 11Begin your journey home.Day 12Arrive in the UK.Stay longerIt is easy to add the stunning waterfalls of Iguazú to this itinerary by flying there at the end of yourtime in Buenos Aires. A couple of days can bespent exploring the waterfalls, set amongst lushtropical rainforest.Northwest ArgentinaExploredA lesser-visited area of Argentina, the northwestregion is a fascinating mix of desert scenery,colonial architecture, Andean culture and some ofthe highest altitude wineries in the world. This tripexplores by road, either on a guided trip, or as anindependent self-drive. Finish by spending sometime in the unmissable city of Buenos Aires.Day 1Fly from the UK to Argentina.Day 2Arrive in Argentina and connect witha flight to Salta. Afternoon at leisure.Day 3A tour of the city of Salta, known in Argentina as 'Salta La Linda' (Salta the Beautiful').Day 4Travel by road or train throughstunning Andean scenery to the townof Purmamarca.Day 5Visit the Humahuaca gorge andreturn by road to Salta.Day 6Head southwest of Salta by road,through scenery that ranges fromdeep valleys, jungle and open desertsavannah, to the tiny town of Cachi.Day 7Continue along the famous Ruta 40 road into the northern reaches of the wine-producing area around Cafayate.Day 8A leisurely road trip back to Salta.Day 9Fly to Argentina's magnificent capitalof Buenos Aires.Day 10A full day tour of the city, and anevening tango show.Day 11Begin your journey home.Day 12Arrive in the UK.Stay longerIf you have an interest in wildlife, then a day's drive east from the dramatic scenery of thenorthwest of the country takes you to the Iberáwetlands, where you can stay in a charmingestancia or posada and explore the creeks andlagoons in search of wildlife such as caimen,capybara and anacondas.www.audleytravel.com/argentina ?01993 838 630 ?Argentina97Cities and Waterfalls This short trip shows you the vibrant sights of two of Latin America's greatest cities, with thebonus of a visit to the thundering Iguazú Falls inbetween. Experience the wine, steak and tango ofArgentina's capital before moving to the waterfalls,then end your trip in Brazil's exciting Rio deJaneiro, visiting the statue of Christ the Redeemerand relaxing on its golden beaches.Day 1Fly from the UK to Buenos Aires.Day 2Arrive in Buenos Aires, and transferto your hotel.Day 3Explore the city's diverseneighbourhoods, dine out in Palermoand enjoy some tango in La Boca.Day 4More time to get to know BuenosAires. It's a cultural city with a wealthof museums and galleries.Day 5Transfer to the airport for your flightto Iguazú.Day 6Time exploring the mighty waterfalls.Day 7Fly to the exciting city of Rio de Janeiro.Day 8Enjoy a guided tour of Rio.Day 9More time to explore Rio's beaches,its galleries and museums and trysome of its great restaurants.Day 10Transfer to the airport for your flight home.Day 11Arrive in the UK.Stay longerTake a more active approach to your trip withtango lessons in Buenos Aires or head out to oneof the country's famous estancias close to thecapital. In Rio, explore the city with your guide bybike or climb to the top of Sugar Loaf Mountain to take in the views. Extend your trip with somebeach time in Brazil by exploring the nearby Green Coast.URUGUAYBRAZILPARAGUAYARGENTINARio de JaneiroIguazúBuenos AiresLago ArgentinoBuenos AiresCafayateSaltaCachiBuenos AiresARGENTINASantiagoValparaisoMendozaARGENTINA

Landscapes vary significantly between Chile andArgentina; whereas northerly Chilean Patagoniais densely forested and, receiving a large amountof rainfall, feels green and wild, ArgentinePatagonia comprises plains of barren semi-aridsteppe. This area is in fact a cold winter desert;protected as it is by the 'rainshadow' effect ofthe Andean mountain range. Nearer to the verysouth of the continent both sides become morejagged and desolate. Vast swathes of thesePatagonian landscapes have been given nationalpark status, and UNESCO has declared twoareas to be World Heritage sites: Los GlaciaresNational Park and the Valdés Peninsula, both on the Argentinian side.People and historyLegend has it that Patagonia's name came fromFerdinand Magellan, the Portuguese explorerwho landed on the shores of Patagonia in 1520.Reported to have been astonished by the heightof the tribes people he encountered, he namedthe Tehuelche 'Patagons', using the word 'pata',meaning feet, to label these 'giants'. It is believedthe Tehuelche people were one of a number ofindigenous tribes that had inhabited the regionsince 9000 BC. Descendants of another tribe,the Mapuche, still live in Chilean Patagonia today.Up until the late 1800s, before the constructionof the Panama Canal, southern Chile andArgentina were important stopping-off pointsfor ships navigating around the continent ofSouth America. Thus the social history of this'land's end' outpost is a rich tapestry of traders,mariners, explorers and conquistadors, with itsvery remoteness attracting dreamers andfugitives. Patagonia has inspired many a literaryfigure too, from the scientific analyses ofDarwin's crew in the 1830s and Lady FlorenceDixie's 'Across Patagonia' in 1880 to morerecent travelogues such as Bruce Chatwin's 'In Patagonia' and Paul Theroux's 'The OldPatagonian Express'.Today, Patagonia has a population of aroundtwo million (a meagre number considering itssize), much of this population still reflects thecolonising influence of the European explorers,and includes significant settlements of Welshand German inhabitants, among others. As wellas the flourishing travel industry, principaleconomic activities in Patagonia include oil,mining and agriculture, sheep farming and theresulting wool production.WildlifeDespite the harsh emptiness of much of thePatagonian landscape, most visitors will spotseveral hardy species of animal and bird. Onland one of the most frequent sights is thepretty guanaco, the wild cousin of the llama,The word 'Patagonia' conjures up images ofisolated, windswept lands that have intriguedand inspired explorers, pioneers, writers andtravellers for centuries.GeographyPatagonia accounts for around a third of thelandmass of Chile and Argentina. Stretchingacross both countries, this vast cone of territoryis the funnel through which the last vestiges ofthe continent taper to its tip, and to the ends of the earth. Appropriate, then, that this regionencompasses some of the globe's most dramatic landscapes. Beginning with therelatively gentle scenery of the Lake District,where snow-capped volcanoes overlook crystal-clear waters, and ending with icy fjords,granite peaks and creaking glaciers, Patagoniacovers over 400,000 square kilometres.Patagonia98Los Glaciares National Park, near El Chaltén, ArgentinaGuanaco, Torres del Paine, Chile