Walking Holidays in Argentina
With hills and valleys galore the Argentines love the outdoors...
Probably one of Europe’s most popular activities for a holiday, the walking in Argentina may not be as famous as it is in some of the other countries of South America such as Peru or Chile, but it can certainly hold its head up. Due in part to the variety of the landscape and the range of altitudes and terrain, the walking in Argentina can be hard or easy, long or short.
There is interesting walking that can be done in around the Ibera wetlands or the Iguazu falls that we don’t feature in this section as they are not serious walks, but they are varied and will suit many who are not looking to do anything quite as active as some of the itineraries featured here.
The main region that people tend to gravitate towards, for walking in Argentina, is the southern Patagonian area around El Calafate, El Chalten and, in Chile, the Torres del Paine. Here the walking is stunning, through the indigenous Lenga forests and up the sides of majestic rock formations, where condors nest and soar. On top of this, for the more adventurous walkers, there are quite a few high peaks that will challenge even the most intrepid. Probably the most famous of these is the mighty Aconcagua, the western hemisphere’s highest peak, and located just outside Mendoza.
On the whole, as much of the walking in Argentina is high or in areas that are relatively sparse, it is important to consider the best times of year to head out and do some walking. In our experience the periods between the main busy seasons, such as February and March and August and September are really great times to walk as there are fewer people, the temperatures are more manageable and the winds (especially in the Patagonian regions) will have died down.
If you are looking to arrange a specialist climb then there are periods of acclimatization that are recommended. For example, to attempt Aconcagua, it is recommended that the entire itinerary take around 12-16 days.
