What to do in Argentina

Explore the planet’s southernmost region on an expedition cruise from Punta Arenas to Ushuaia. While there’s no casino or water park onboard, the landscapes, shore excursions, and wildlife are the stars of the show. The voyage connects Torres del Paine National Park and Tierra del Fuego, bringing guests through the Magellan Straits and the Beagle Channel, discovering animal-rich Ainsworth Bay, the vast Pia Glacier, and Glacier Alley with the chance to embark on a short hike to take in a magnificent view of the surrounding glaciers. You’ll see iconic Cape Horn, disembarking to explore if conditions allow, and visit penguin colonies too. Just before arriving at Ushuaia, the “end of the world” anchor in historic Wulaia Bay, described by Charles Darwin and sketched by Captain FitzRoy during their 1830s voyages. Not only is it picturesque, but it’s an archaeological site with remains from the early settlement of the Yaghan peoples.

To truly get to the heart of Argentine culture, you need to do it one bite (and sip) at a time. While the food scene is increasingly dynamic, particularly in larger cities like the capital of Buenos Aires, for many, it’s the more carnivorous pleasures that shine. Reputed to have the world’s best beef, Argentineans take their meat seriously, with the annual average beef consumption at about 120 pounds per capita. Satisfying a craving for a juicy steak isn’t hard to do in a land where the people have perfected grilling flavorful sides of beef. There are steakhouses, known as parrillas here, on practically every corner that will serve up a myriad of cuts from flank steak (vacio) to sirloin (bife de chorizo). It’s all typically washed down with a generous glass of the local Malbec. Mendoza is South America’s capital of wine production with over a thousand wineries nestled in the Andes foothills.

In this land of alpine lakes ranging from emerald green to brilliant azure with a backdrop of soaring snow-dusted peaks, the Lake District is prime for walking. Regardless of your experience, there’s a hike that is sure to fit the bill, from easy lakeside trails to steep and challenging slopes that will bring you to what feels like the top of the world. There are hidden beaches to discover with teal and mauve stones alongside the region’s largest lake, Nahuel Huapi, and you can watch for its version of a lake monster, Nahuelito. For a multiple-day hike, Nahuel Huapi extends as far south as Lago Mascardi and provides access to Mount Tronador with some of the region’s best trekking. Circuito Chico in Llao Llao Municipal Park has many interconnected trails, while Cerrito Llao Llao brings a spectacular view of the Chilean Andes, Cerro Capilla, and Brazo Blest requiring just a gentle, one-hour climb.

There are over 300 glaciers on Argentina’s southwestern side, some in Parque Nacional Los Glaciares. The UNESCO-listed Los Glaciares has 47 major glaciers, two lakes, and ice fields that cover about 40 percent of the surface. Perito Merino, a nearly 19-mile-long glacier, is one of the glaciers that feed the lakes in the park, including the country’s largest Lago Argentina. It’s the most famous glacier in the world, primarily because of its dynamic changes that produce a cyclic phenomenon of forward and backward movement with magnificent icefalls from the front walls. It’s also the only glacier on Earth that’s still growing as the snow here accumulates faster than it melts. The distinct blue color comes from the oxygen trapped in the snow. A tour taken between November and early March provides a true perspective of its massive size and the chance to see it calve, breaking off in massive pieces as it melts.

Argentina is home to the largest Magellanic penguin colony in the world. Located in Puerto Madryn, the Punta Tombo Nature Reserve is home to over a half-million of the adorable tuxedo-wearing birds. Visitors follow an approximately 1.9-mile trail to a beach where the penguins are found. Viewing them all together is a spectacle you won’t soon forget – you’ll be able to stroll right among them, watching them waddle around, play, feed, take care of the babies, and swim. It’s open between mid-September and mid-April which is “penguin season” in Argentina with the reserve closed the rest of the year. If you visit from November to mid-April you might even witness babies being born. On an expedition cruise between Punta Arenas and Ushuaia, one can see a Magellanic colony in the Tucker Islets and it’s also possible to view a colony of King penguins recently established in Tierra del Fuego.

A thriving range of habitats are contained in Argentina, a diverse, vast country that’s not only home to the soaring Andes Mountains and epic stretches of coastline, but a subtropical jungle. One of the top things to do is see some of the Argentine wildlife in their natural habitats and capture Instagram-worthy photos. Iguazu National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is best-known for Iguazu Falls, but the world’s largest waterfall system is also surrounded by rainforest that hosts an impressive array of wildlife. There are some rare animals here like the endangered giant otter and the giant anteater along with jaguars, howler monkeys, South American tapir, yacare caiman, and jaguarundi. Just 50 miles east of the falls is the Yacutinga Private Nature Reserve, known for its remarkable diversity of bird species with more than 320 different types observed here. That includes toucans and parrots like the red-capped and scaly heady parrots.