One Week in Argentina: The Ultimate Itinerary

Day 4: Rock Climbing in Cerro Otto

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Bariloche is as much famed for its hiking as it is for its rock climbing. Book a tour with a local AAGM certified guide to lead you on beginner routes at Cerro Otto. Take the free shuttle bus in town to the Cerro Otto Teleférico (cable car) station. Before you alight, cross the road to the cluster of restaurants to get coffee and breakfast at Café Delirante, a local specialty coffee chain serving warm paninis, baked goods, and flat whites.

 

Meet your guide and ride the cable car 6,890 feet up the mountain. You’ll see Leones Mountain and part of the Patagonian steppe. After a 45-minute hike, you'll come to the area’s most famous granite crags: Piedras Blancas. Your guide will then instruct you in basic rock-climbing technique before you try your first route. Once you reach the top, enjoy the unique view only climbers can get, then repel down. After a few hours climbing, hike back to the station to visit its art gallery housing replicas of three of Michelangelo’s sculptures. On your way back into town, stop for dinner at La Salamandra Pulpería for more Argentine steak, mushroom dishes, and a vintage wine selection.

Day 5: El Calafate and Perito Moreno Glacier

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Fly to El Calafate. Make a reservation prior at the Eolo Hotel, and arrange for their complimentary airport pick up service to meet you. Check in, admire the panoramic views from your room, and eat lunch at the in-house restaurant, featuring regional flavors and a chef with past experience in Michelin-starred restaurants. Finish your meal with a glass of wine, and go to Los Glaciares National Park.

 

The Perito Moreno Glacier, the park’s most famous glacier, is one of the world’s few growing glaciers. View it via the boardwalk trail from the visitor center. You might even be able to see part of the glacier fall, sending an unforgettable echo through the region as it plunges into the water.

 

If you want to take a boat or glacial walk, book a tour in advance. The boat tour will take you to the front of the glacier, where you can float on Lake Argentino while basking in the majesty of the ice wall towering 240 feet above you. For the glacial walk, you’ll clip on crampons and explore the crevices and tunnels of the glacier, seeing otherworldly blues of ever-shifting ice. Regardless of what you choose, wear adequate cold weather clothes. Bring a hearty sack lunch, and an empty water bottle to fill with fresh, icy glacial water.

 

The drive back to the hotel will take nearly an hour. Eat dinner at the hotel, and then relax in the sauna before turning in early.