Thousands of people visit South America every day without incident, yet some are not so lucky. The question we are often asked, ‘Is South America safe for travellers?’ We examine this from two sides: personal and health. For us, we followed the tips listed below and had almost no South America safety issues. Statistics don’t …
Argentina
Our South America Itinerary: Highlights of Argentina, Chile and Uruguay
We spent nine weeks travelling around South America, visiting five of the southern countries. A whirlwind of new aromas, sites, landscapes, and culture, our South America itinerary provided an ever-changing environment. Below are the highlights of Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay. Our South America itinerary map Highlights of Argentina We visited five regions of …
Quebrada de las Conchas: Best of Salta to Cafayate
Deep red jagged rock formations with golden highlights compete for our attention as we drive from Salta to Cafayate in Argentina. Over a million years in the making, the highlight of this road trip is the 80 km section called Quebrada de las Conchas (Shell Ravine). Here, we find northwestern Argentina’s most stunning drive, a …
16 Unique Things to Do in Cordoba Argentina
Cordoba caught me by surprise. Frequently off the tourist track, Cordoba is one of Argentina’s oldest cities. It’s a university city with an eclectic mix of mostly Jesuit historic sites and modern enthusiasm. We discovered more than enough things to do in Cordoba Argentina and had to make some tough choices for our limited time. …
24 Unique Things to Do in Buenos Aires Argentina
Elegant yet energetic, Buenos Aires has it all. The cosmopolitan capital of Argentina offers an eclectic mix of modern and European colonial styles. Filled with Argentine traditions, it’s the unique things to do in Buenos Aires that drew me here. A city pulsing to a tango beat, it has a few surprises. Unique Things to …
Guide to Visiting Iguazu Falls in Argentina and Brazil
Iguazu Falls are hundreds of cascades tumbling along a 2.7-kilometre stretch of the Iguazu River. Comprising the world’s largest waterfall system, they are on the border between Argentina and Brazil. The official count is 275 falls, but that figure changes based on rains. The numbers are almost incomprehensible, and standing in front of any portion …
Recoleta Cemetery in Buenos Aires: Artistic or Eerie?
Surrounded by huge and dramatically carved mausoleums, we strolled through the Recoleta Cemetery in wonderment. It’s neither the oldest nor the largest cemetery in Argentina, but it certainly is the most famous. Intriguing rather than depressing, the intricately decorated, mostly art nouveau above-ground tombs draw you into the Buenos Aires’ Recoleta Cemetery. Its vaults hold …
Cruce Andino: Andean Crossing from Bariloche to Puerto Varas
Cruse Andino’s Andean crossing is an ever-changing example of nature at its finest. Turning a day of transit into a spectacular adventure, Cruce Andino transported us over the Andes mountains, from San Carlos de Bariloche to Puerto Varas. As we travelled from Argentina to Chile we sailed across three lakes, drove through a rainforest, viewed …
Sarah’s Snapshots – 13 Photos of Argentinian Sweets
Argentinian sweets are a staple in South America and one of the highlights of every meal. As I have previously written, I love Bon o bons, but there were plenty more Argentinian sweets that I tried during my yearlong AFS student exchange. My favourite desserts contained chocolate, dulce de leche, or, to my surprise, quince jam. Dulce de …
Sarah’s Snapshots – Photos of Buenos Aires
Argentina’s capital, Buenos Aires, is a bustling city with new, interesting things to do at every turn. It has about 3 million people, while the province contains over 60% of Argentina’s population. I was able to visit Buenos Aires for a few days as part of a trip for my AFS student exchange, and it …
Sarah’s Snapshots: The Santa Fe Riverside
Santa Fe City is situated between two rivers, one being a branch of the most important river in Argentina called Río Parana. The river actually comes all the way down from Brazil and Paraguay (under a few different names) and empties out into the Atlantic Ocean. The Santa Fe riverside (or as they say in …
Sarah’s Snapshots – Soy Bean Farm in Rosario Argentina
Recently, while visiting another exchange student in Rosario City, I was taken to see her host family’s soy bean farm outside of the city. We got to see one of the fields, or el campo in Spanish, where the beans were in the process of being harvested. After they are harvested, they are exported to …
Sarah’s Snapshots – Traditional Argentinian Food
A large aspect of Argentinian culture revolves around food. Typically family or friend gatherings revolve around a meal, and I have yet to go to an event without at least biscuits or mate (mah-te) being there. In fact, there are so many different types of Argentinian food that I can’t write about it all in …
Sarah’s Snapshots – La Redonda in Santa Fe Argentina
My host sister here in Argentina works at a local community centre that I’ve visited multiple times. An old converted train station, La Redonda is now an art and public centre that’s open on the weekends and during holidays. It’s great for kids, with plenty of arts and crafts activities located along the walls, and also …
Sarah’s Snapshots – My School in Argentina
I was homeschooled in New Zealand, so going to school is a new concept for me. School in Argentina occurs in two segments – in the morning, or in the afternoon. Some students have to go to both segments, but this doesn’t occur in my school. For my school, the students in 3rd, 4th, and …
