Weekend Trips in Northern Argentina

Northern Argentina has many diverse areas and popular tourist destinations.cataratas de iguazu image by ana61 from Fotolia.com

Northern Argentina, which is basically north of Buenos Aires, contains most of the country's cities, population and tourist areas. Geographically diverse, the north contains the richest agricultural area in the country. It is also the most mountainous, possessing the highest peak in South America at 22,835 feet, as well as the driest and wettest areas and the country's wine region. Distances between cities in Argentina are long and most people travel between them in buses. It's not uncommon to take 18 to 20 hour bus rides. While the buses are luxurious, very comfortable and serve food and wine, if you only have a short time, it is better to fly.

Iguazu Falls

Iguazu Falls, tucked away in the northeastern corner of Argentina, is about 800 miles, or one and a half hours by plane, north of Buenos Aires. There are actually 2 sides to the falls, the Argentinian and Brazilian. Visiting the Argentinian side allows an up-close view of the falls; in-fact, you can stand over the falls or take a boat ride to within a few feet of them. The Brazilian side allows for a sweeping panorama of the entire falls. Iguazu, meaning "big water," is made up of 275 separate falls divided by islands, is almost 2 miles wide, and is taller than Niagara Falls. Surrounded by national parks on both sides, the falls lie within a pristine tropical forest with 66 mammal, 436 bird, 18 reptile and 2,000 plant species. No wonder it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Mendoza, about 600 miles west of Buenos Aires, or 2 hours by air, is Argentina's main wine producing region. A great way to see some of the local wineries in Mendoza is by bike. Take a local bus to Maipú, which is about 30 minutes from Mendoza, and tell the driver you want to get off at "camino de vino," or "the wine road." Along this road, there are many places to rent bikes. "Mr. Hugo's" is a popular choice, as he is very friendly, knows the area well, supplies maps and lots of free wine after the tour. Rentals cost about $6 or $7 for the day. Go early, as there many wineries to visit.

Salta is in the northeastern corner of Argentina, 900 miles, or a 2 hour and 15 minute flight from Buenos Aires. Salta is a great place from which to explore the region that was once part of the Incan and Spanish Empires. The traces left by both are still evident in this region; the only one in Argentina still inhabited by indigenous people. About 115 miles north of Salta is Argentina's second wine producing area, Cafayate. Tour local wineries and enjoy the panoramic mountain views. About 120 miles east of Salta is the tropical El Rey national park, where you can see birds, fish and local mammals, including jaguars, if you're lucky. About 130 miles north is the Humahuaca canyon, where you can ride horses through the canyon and visit local villages.