Together with its mix of climates from the glacial south, to the expansive natural rainforest, lively Latin culture and superb food Argentina has a lot to offer.

The huge country doesn’t lend herself to a two-week holiday; but select a region or two and you can delve into the arts, culture, nightlife, and nature. Explore the North-East starting in Buenos Aires, then North for a warm Christmas in Iguazu Falls followed by a straight ride to Cordoba.

Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires is a city growing by the day. A new port with high-rise city blocks demonstrates the new success of Argentina. Buenos Aires is a noisy city surrounded by roads with six lanes; lined by unkempt sidewalks, colourful walls and colonial buildings.

Walk around Palermo the social side of town, slightly upmarket with coffee shops, boutique stores and family-owned restaurants. It is also home to the Evita Museum.

Gay Buenos Aires

There are a few bars in Buenos Aires, many with entrance fees that will cover all drinks for a set time. The most popular club is Human Club, a three-roomed warehouse with a large outdoor terrace.

Iguaçu Falls

North to the border you can enjoy the awe-grabbing landscapes at the edge of the Amazon Rainforest. Puerto Iguacu, a short flight from Buenos Aires, is a small town where the main streets are ill formed and the side streets are just simple dirt tracks. Accommodation is plentiful here; Sweet Hostel is highly rated with a reasonably clean bathing pool and social area, great for the budget traveller – AR$120 per night for a double room.

Puerto de Iguaçu has a quiet yet festival atmosphere. You can enjoy excellent Argentinean food; listen to live music and drink cheap with Caipirinhas. The key attraction here is Iguacu falls, one of the widest waterfalls in the world caught between three nations. Take to the Brazilian side and you’ll have panoramic views of the gushing water and experience the power of Devil’s Throat.

On the Argentina side you can take a Grand Adventure Tour; a jeep ride across the rapids and under the falls, then explore the national park by foot. Iguaçu Falls park is built for tourists – viewing bridges take you to the centre of the river delivering a 360 water experience, especially if you experience a tropical rain shower!

Travelling – Bus

The bus system in Argentina is sophisticated. The most convenient mode of transport, bus companies run services day and night. The best and value option is the semi-cases with bed-like seats giving you a chance to sleep on one of the 10 – 12 hour journeys.

Cordoba, A bustling second city

Cordoba is the second largest city, a university town set amongst semi-rise new builds and spontaneous coffee bars alongside grandiose buildings marking Argentinean heritage. A mix of historic cultures well built around the main square – Plaza San Martin. Visit the Jesuit Crypt discovered by a telecom company in 1989 that has been restored and giving a glimpse of the country’s heritage.

For nightlife, Beep! offers a vibrant atmosphere. Welcoming locals play host and drag shows, who struggled to keep their modesty, entertained the crowds with Latin pop. Good drink specials including a lethal wine and energy drink combination makes Beep! the best queer bar in Argentina, open to 4am.

Uruguay

Uruguay is just an hour by Baquebus from Buenos Aires to Colonia del Sacramento. This quaint port town is only a couple of hundred years old, and one that is proud of its old automobiles.

There are some excellent art and craft stores for both real leather, wool artefacts as well as wood and metal designs. Oveja Negra, a local boutique sells goods across the world from this modest HQ, exporting local black sheep’s wool products.

Our final night back in Buenos Aires we stayed in the four-star Axel hotel – heterofriendly. Complete with see-through shower, queen-sized bed, mini-bar, Jacuzzi, sauna, steam room and a pool with a transparent bottom to the foyer!

Planning

There is already much more to offer in Argentina for gay travellers and with the growing LGBT Travel industry; you can explore the country in luxury or take the beaten track.

Other trips of interest for visiting Argentina is the wine country of Mendoza or the glacial south – Patagonia; two polar opposite climates.

COSTS:

Boat to Uruguay: AR$300 return
Axel Hotel: AR$454
Taxi to Airport: AR$150
Bus to Puerto Igauzu: AR$20
Sweet Hostel: AR$120 per night
Grand Adventure Tour: AR$220
Bus to Cordoba: AR$285
Entrance to Evita: AR$15
__________________________________________________________
SOURCE:
“So So Gay Travel: Argentina and Uruguay”
19 January 2012
http://sosogay.org
http://sosogay.org/2012/so-so-gay-travel-argentina-and-uruguay/

1. Argentina

This dimensionally immense country has a lot on its plate. From boat rides in the Iguazo waterfalls to wine sampling in the cellars of Mendoza, to year-round Tango shows and eclectic theatre, it has a charm, completely different from any other Latin American nation. The cost of living here is cheaper than in cities in the United States, but inflation is an issue with prices rising over the past few years. There are other equally exciting cities that are cheaper than Buenos Aires like say Cordoba, Salta, and Jujuy.

Buenos Aires, Argentina

The best time to go to Argentina would depend on where you want to go. For instance, if it is the mountainous Lake District, you can do so anytime of the year, since it enjoys neutral temperate weather though November to March would be ideal. Then if it is Southern Patagonia that you want to go to, note that May to September will be cold with most facilities shut down. The perfect time would be the summer months of March to April.

2. Egypt

If the recent political unrest does not unnerve you, Egypt could be a value destination. With tourism accounting for nearly one-third of its economy and the industry taking a major hit, there are some great bargains to be made. Travel operators and hoteliers are offering massive discounts on excursions, tours, and daily hotel rates. Also, great deals are on offer at the Great Pyramids of Giza, where room rates have slid 45 percent since 2010, and in the Red Sea resorts of Sharm El Sheikh, where prices slumped 26 percent to $104. Summer is the best time to visit (March to May and September to November) and it would be more economical to take flights that offer the option of stopovers rather than direct flights.

3. Croatia

This Adriatic country’s recession hit economy is all set to have a record breaking year in so far is tourism is concerned. Already between January and July 2011, it has had 6.2 million tourists. This former Yugoslav republic is set to join the European Union by 2013 but before that there is a lot up for grabs. On various tourist lists, it has ranked as one of the Top Ten Cheap Vacations where hostels go for about $10 per night. Some exotic sights and experiences that veteran travellers suggest include swimming in its crystal-clear water and seeing the bright orange roofs of buildings bombed during the Yugoslavian War from 1991 to 1995. While food and lodging are relatively cheap in the “Pearl of the Adriatic,” language could be an issue. So, the first thing you can do is buy a Croatian phrase book.

4. San Diego

This picturesque Pacific coastline has ideal golf weather and family-friendly attractions (Sea World, San Diego Zoo, a LEGO-Land theme park). San Diego has remained as one of America’s top 10 most-visited cities for more than a decade. And unlike other more buzzing cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco, it relies on numbers to up its tourist traffic by offering attractive bargains on hotels, car rentals and golf resort bookings. If into museums, the best time to visit is February, when the San Diego Museum Month is inaugurated. Prime beach season runs from April to October, when the temperature is perfect and does not dip below 69 degrees.

5. Jamaica

Jamaica with its mosaic of African, European and Asian cultures has plenty of luxury and budget options with a bunch of things to do – from bird watching, lazing on the beach, taking cruises, indulging in adventure sports, going for long walks, taking off on bicycle tracks and just lounging around doing nothing. Thanks to the island’s new international airport, deals on 3,000 new hotel rooms, and clean beaches, it is being seen as a one of the top budget travel destinations for 2012. International airfare too has come down and there are better connections today. The only thing to avoid is the hurricane season (July and August). Winter is good to visit too with plenty of sunshine to soak in.

6. Atlantic Canada

The provinces lining Canada’s eastern seaboard tempt the outdoor loving adventure traveller–from scenic kayak rides around Prince Edward Island to whale watching in the Bay of Fundy to wilderness hikes in the glacier-specked Torngat Mountains. A big attraction this year is the 100th anniversary of the Titanic’s sinking off the coast of Newfoundland. There’s a full calendar of events in Halifax to commemorate the tragedy including a town parade, concerts and film festival. Along with two other eastern cities (Charlottetown and Fredericton), Halifax is on the Hotels.com’s list of cheapest Canadian cities in 2011, with rates averaging $145.

If wanting to go through the Titanic experience (with a happier ending) take any of the Carnival Cruise Lines’ new four- and five-day voyages from Boston to Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Saint John, New Brunswick, on the Glory, launching in June; departures from New York will follow in the fall (carnival.com, from $73 per night). Hurricane season officially spans June through November, but since September and October are the highest-risk months, you can feel safe travelling here in June, when humidity is low and temperatures peak between 65 and 77 degrees.

7. Taipei

This cosmopolitan capital city has the right blend of the modern and traditional. With an emerging culinary scene, a lot of young energy and bright and modern construction within Taipei, it also gives you the options of taking off to the countryside with lush hot springs, majestic mountains, and golden-sand beaches. The government launched Taiwan Tourist Bus Travel Service, runs cheap day trips to several island attractions. A must do is an excursion to Taiwan’s alpine Sun Moon Lake which has a cable-car ride, boat tour and electric-scooter rental. Rooms here are 11 percent cheaper than they were in 2010, with an average rate of $144 per night. May through August are Taipei’s wettest months, with rainfall averaging eight inches; summer is sweltering and humid. October and November are much more pleasant, with less than four inches of rainfall and average high temperatures in the mid-70s.

8. Poland

There is so much to see and do in Poland. Castles, churches, monuments, museums and memorials bring alive different eras in its 1000-year old history. With new airport terminals coming up from Warsaw to Gdansk, a hotel-construction boom is already pulling in names like Hilton and Westin. June 2012 will see tourists and sports buffs thronging with the UEFA Euro 2012 soccer tournament coming up. Here, five star hotels are already among the cheapest in the world (in Warsaw, they average $135 per night) and are not likely to see a major spike in tariffs

Poland’s traditional dishes include beetroot soup, cabbage rolls (cabbage leaves stuffed with meat and rice) and pierogi (dumplings stuffed with cabbage and mushrooms) are certainly a must-try. The warmest weather, with averages in the low 70s, arrives from May to October. Ideally, July to August would be good to hit the Baltic beaches. By September, the crowds and soccer tournaments disappear, leaving tranquility and low prices for your value Polish vacation.

9. Kansas City

This Midwestern city is a cultural treat for anyone interested in art, culture, theatre, music and the performing arts. In September, the $326 million Moshe Safdie-designed Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts opened to host the Kansas City Ballet, Lyric Opera and Kansas City Symphony, along with one-off performances of all stripes. The center’s arrival has bolstered the already-vibrant Crossroads Arts District–a funky enclave of 70-plus galleries in renovated warehouses liberally dotted with boutiques and restaurants around it.. Along with the cultural bonanza, it has a pocket friendly set of board and lodge options. Hotels and rental cars are cheaper today than they were say in 2010, with rooms going for about $137 per night (a 3 percent drop) and cars averaging $55 per day. September is the official tourist season with annual events like the Plaza Art Fair and the Barbecue Blaze Off drawing in large crowds. July is hot, sweaty and crowded so you can avoid it at that time.

10. Athens

Never mind Greece’s debt crisis, failing economy and woes of bankruptcy. Given its beauty, history and high tourist value, it is not going to see a let up in the number of holiday seekers. According to the 2011 Mercer Cost of Living Survey (which ranks living expenses across cities by measuring prices of staples like food, transport, and entertainment), Athens is the world’s 53rd most expensive city–down 13 spots from 2010. While hotel prices fell 4 percent across Greece from 2010 (an average room now goes for $150 per night), in Athens rates sunk 15 percent to $125. Despite the recession, the city is beefing up infrastructure with Greece’s biggest-ever subway project, an expansion of the Athens Metro (www.oasa.gr, single rides from $1.89). New subway lines and stations–some stocked with ancient artifacts excavated during construction–will make roaming the city simple, and a full-day pass only costs $5.40. April and May are the best time to visit.

11. Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic is an attractive budget travel destination for baseball fans and sun tanners alike. Santo Domingo, the capital city, was named a UNESCO World Heritage site because there are still colonial elements from Christopher Columbus’s arrival in 1492. The island comes alive during Carnaval Dominicano in February and Semana Santa in April. The Dominican Republic is home to a wide range of lodging options to fit any budget, from luxury resorts to affordable hostels. Although it’s not the cheapest country in the region, there is a good mix of sun, safety and affordability.
__________________________________
SOURCE:
“2012′s Top Value-for-Money Vacations”
Sadhana Bakshi
Dec 23, 2011
http://travel.hindustantimes.com
http://travel.hindustantimes.com/travel-stories/2012s-top-value-for-money-vacations.php

Much has changed in the 24 years since the tournament’s resurrection. The previous year Argentina had won the World Cup with a team in which more than half the starting line-up were based at home. Brazil took a squad in which the number of players with European clubs was limited to two veterans.

Since then, of course, the floodgates have opened. Club football in South America has become an export industry, with talent whisked across the Atlantic at an ever-earlier age.

Given this scenario, and bearing in mind the chasm which has opened up between club football in Europe and South America, the performances of Brazil and Argentina’s national teams have held up remarkably well. Last year’s World Cup offered powerful evidence of the continent’s strength in depth. All five of the South American teams were competitive and only Chile – who were eliminated by Brazil – failed to make the quarter-finals. Uruguay, who were South America’s fifth-best team in qualification, finished fourth in South Africa.

It would be inappropriate, however, to credit the rebirth of the Copa America for the strong showing of the continent’s national sides. Far more important in this regard has been the introduction of the marathon format of World Cup qualification, where all 10 teams play each other home and away in a giant league. With this system in place the South American national teams have, for the first time, enjoyed the type of calendar that the Europeans take for granted: regular competitive games with guaranteed income, allowing top-class coaches to be hired, giving the teams continuity and the chance to develop in terms of tactics and confidence.

This change has been directly behind the remarkable rise of Ecuador, who went from whipping boys to the world’s last 16 in under 20 years, and the equally extraordinary progress of Venezuela, who for the first time will go into the next set of World Cup qualifiers with a realistic chance of getting through.

The introduction of the marathon World Cup qualification format in 1996 inevitably had a detrimental effect on the Copa America. At the time, the tournament was being played every two years and found its relevance greatly reduced by the sheer weight of competitive fixtures. In 1997, 1999, 2001 and 2004 the Copa featured many understrength, experimental teams.

The role and timing of the tournament in the international calendar had to be re-thought and, starting with the last Copa in 2007, it would appear that the right answers have been found. Now staged every four years, the Copa America has been placed in a coherent and interesting slot.

International football turns in a four-year cycle. For South American teams the first year – the one following
a World Cup – is for appointing new coaches and making some money with lucrative friendlies. At the end of that year, the Copa America announces the return to competitive action. Coaches will then hope to emerge from the Copa with a battle-hardened team that is ready to face the gruelling challenges of the World Cup qualifiers which get under way soon afterwards.

Indeed, the coaches of nearly all the South American teams this year have been stressing that their priority is building for a place in 2014 and that the Copa is a test on the way, rather than an end in itself. Of course, once the action kicks off and the adrenalin kicks in, all involved will be dreaming of doing a lap of honour with the trophy on July 24.

But there is another point to the Copa America, beyond that of being a glorified World Cup warm-up. The Copa offers an excellent opportunity for investment in stadiums and sporting infrastructure. And, in South America, that frequently presents a chance to counteract a historic imbalance.

Investing in provinces

Many of the countries in the continent are extremely centralised – the legacy of a colonial economic past whereby raw materials were exported and manufactured products brought in. Typically, the port where this trade took place grew into a giant capital city, which lorded it over an underdeveloped hinterland.

As football is the game of the city, this domination is reflected in the way that the major teams tend to be clustered together in the capital. One of the prime aims of recent Copas has been to decentralise the football of the host country by investing in the provinces.

All of this applies strongly to Argentina, where the national title has rarely left greater Buenos Aires. Estudiantes of La Plata have established themselves as a major force, but La Plata is just an hour’s drive from the capital. Elsewhere, the pair of clubs from Rosario, Central and Newell’s Old Boys, each have a handful of titles, but that is it.

On the seven occasions that Argentina staged the Copa between 1916 and 1959, everything took place in greater Buenos Aires. The 1987 tournament was a little more ambitious – there was a group each for Rosario and Cordoba – but in 2011 the Copa America will be a genuinely national affair.

La Plata will stage more games than any other venue, a decision clearly inspired by the construction in 2003 of a new stadium which, with the recent addition of a roof, is one of the most impressive new grounds on the continent – although the condition of the pitch is a cause for concern.

Rosario misses out this time, with the city, presumably, having to be content with staging the Argentina-Brazil World Cup qualifier in 2009. Instead, nearby Santa Fe is being used, and the centre of the country is represented by Cordoba, where the stadium was built for the 1978 World Cup and now bears the name of the star of that tournament, Mario Kempes.

Another venue built for 1978 is in Mendoza, over in the wine growing region near the border with Chile. Nearby San Juan is another host city, with the only stadium constructed especially for the tournament.

And there are two venues up in the north, in the foothills of the Andes, near the frontier with Bolivia. One is Salta, whose compact stadium was built for the 2001 World Youth Cup, the other is Jujuy, a city with the nickname of “the little silver cup”.

A rather large silver trophy will be presented to the winning captain in River Plate’s Monumental stadium on July 24 in the only game taking place in Buenos Aires – and it is surely fitting that the showpiece occasion will be staged in the city where the first Copa America was contested 95 years ago.

____________________
SOURCE:
“Rebirth of the Copa: guide to Copa America 2011″
By Tim Vickery
http://www.worldsoccer.com
http://www.worldsoccer.com/featured/rebirth-of-the-copa-guide-to-copa-america-2011

Cordoba Stadium

Monumental Stadium - Buenos Aires

Salta Stadium

Mendoza Stadium

Santa Fe Stadium

Jujuy Stadium

San Juan Stadium

These cities represent a unique opportunity in both directions for the Spanish holiday industry, and Iberia is the sole airline with direct flights to all of them.

Also debuting this year are Iberia’s first transatlantic flights from Barcelona to Miami and to São Paulo. The airline also launched direct flights to Panama City at the start of the winter season.

Five new destinations, five new opportunities

On February 1st, Iberia launches direct flights from Madrid to Recife and Fortaleza, two of the hottest new tourist destinations in Brazil’s northeast, whose tropical climate means great holidays at any time of the year. Iberia is the sole company to offer direct flights to this region, opening up an opportunity for tourists and investors alike.

These flights strengthen Brazil’s status as Iberia’s most important destination in Latin America (with up to three daily flights to São Paulo and Rio), and also as the market that will grow the most in 2011. Iberia forecasts a total of some 80,000 passengers on the new route in the first year of operation.

At the kickoff of the summer season in March, the company will launch direct flights from Madrid to Los Angeles. Iberia thus becomes the first airline to link Spain to one of the richest in regions California and the second-largest city in the United States by population

This is Iberia’s first new route under the terms of the Joint Business Agreement with American Airlines and British Airways, covering services across the North Atlantic, and which are added to the British Airways’ new London-San Diego flight, Iberia’s new Barcelona-Miami service, and American Airline’s new Helsinki-Chicago and New York-Budapest routes.

These new destinations follow in the wake of the new Iberia services launched in late 2010 to link Spain and the rest of Europe with Cordoba in Argentina, and San Salvador, becoming the first European airline to offer direct flights from Europe to these two destinations.

The opening of the route to the central Argentine city of Cordoba is expected to help stimulate European investment in this vast inland province of which it is the capital. The new service will also facilitate tourism and family visits by Argentines resident in Europe. Iberia will also be in a position to carry exports from the Cordoba region to all European destinations.

Forecasts point to as many as 70,000 passengers in the first year of operation, and indeed, seat occupancy rates exceeded 76% in the first few months. This new connection strengthens Iberia’s leadership in Argentina where it expects to increase its current Europe-Argentina market share to 30% from the current 26%.

With the launch of services to San Salvador, in combination with those to Guatemala City, Iberia is making the Salvadoran capital its distribution hub in the region for passengers en route to or from Managua, San Pedro Sula, or Tegucigalpa.

San Salvador, Iberia’s fourth Central American destination, is one of the region’s least known countries, although it is one of the most enchanting in all the Americas, thanks particularly to its untouched natural beauty spots. These flights expand Iberia’s presence in Central America, and strengthen its market leadership. Some 40,000 passengers will be carried in the first year, and seat occupancy of 80% is expected.

Another new development in Central America is the launch of direct flights between Spain and Panama, implying a 55% increase in seat supply to Panama City, that cultural meeting point that straddles the fabled Panama Canal. Iberia expects a passenger load factor of more than 82% on this route.

These direct flights are further testimony to Iberia’s commitment to Central America, where it also operates a daily flight to San José, Costa Rica, and another four weekly flights to Guatemala City.

Transatlantic Flights from Barcelona

Iberia’s transatlantic services from Barcelona will open with the new Barcelona-Miami route on March 29th, with flights on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. From Miami passengers can connect to the rest of the United States via American Airlines. This new route will also be a part of the Joint Business Agreement with American Airlines and British Airways.

This year will also bring the launch of new Iberia flights between Barcelona and São Paulo, with three frequencies per week. From São Paulo, passengers can continue to another 13 domestic destinations in Brazil with other partner airlines.

Two Milestones: the Merger and the Joint Business Agreement

The year 2010 witnessed the culmination of the merger process between Iberia and British Airways and the signing of the Joint Business Agreement by Iberia, British Airways and American Airlines.

Iberia and BA are creating a new giant of the air, with flights to more than 200 destinations around the world and more than 400 aircraft. Together they carry more than 60 million passengers per year, with joint annual sales of some 15,000 million euros.

In addition, Iberia’s leadership in Latin America and BA’s strength in North America make the group the leader in flights between the Old and the New Worlds.

Furthermore, thanks to the Joint Business Agreement signed by Iberia, British Airways, and American Airlines to cover North Atlantic routes, Iberia customers have more destinations, better connections, a wider choice of fares, and more Iberia Plus points.
________________________________________
SOURCE:
“Iberia unveils its new 2011 destinations at Fitur”
Friday 21, January 2011
http://www.travelio.net
http://www.travelio.net/iberia-unveils-its-new-2011-destinations-at-fitur.html

It’s well worth leaving the urban charms of Buenos Aires for the remoter parts of the country to sample the range of sporty delights on offer. It can be several hours by plane or an overnight bus ride across the Pampas to the wilder extremes of the country, where you can ride stocky criollo horses through the mountains or white-water raft down rivers.

Heading north from the capital, the scenery doesn’t start properly to impress until you reach the stunning Iguazú Falls, 1,400km to the north, where walkways give views of the falls themselves, and there are short trails into the jungle: a chance to see monkeys, birds and butterflies. There are also relatively unheralded opportunities for kayaking and fishing in the broad lazy rivers of Mesopotamia, a verdant area of north-east Argentina.

In the far south, the coastal marine mammals of Patagonia’s Atlantic coast are the main draw from September to November. Kayaking around the Valdés Peninsula, close to southern right whales, elephant seals and sea lions, can be arranged through firms such as Patagonia Explorers (00 54 9 2965 1534 0618; patagoniaexplorers.com).

Mountain biking is popular nationwide, with bikes for rent in many towns. In the main Alpine resort of Bariloche, Andescross (00 54 9 2944 633581; andescross.com) offer a good choice of MTB outings. For the most part you’ll be riding on existing tracks and dirt roads, rather than in purpose-built bike parks. Cycling is a great way of exploring anywhere in the country – for instance, in San Ignacio Miní, in the far north-east, you can hire a bike for around 50 pesos (£8) per day from the tourist info office at Sarmiento and Rivadavia (00 54 3752 470 707) to explore the Jesuit missions, detouring to a longhouse that’s home to two dozen indigenous Guaraní.

The Andes are known to offer good fishing, mainly for various species of trout, and as you move south towards Tierra del Fuego these reach record-breaking sizes, with luxury lodges catering to international anglers. Juní* de los Andes, in northern Patagonia, is a traditional fly-fishing centre for rainbow, brook and brown trout and landlocked salmon, as well as native perch and pejerrey. Around Bariloche, in the Lake District, there’s fly-fishing, spinning and trawling for trout. The Hotel Tronador, on Lago Mascardi, 60km from Bariloche (00 54 2944 441062; hoteltronador.com), offers double rooms from 800 pesos (£130), full board, and the Asociació* de Guías Profesionales de Pesca de Parque Nacional Nahuel Huapi y Patagonia Norte (guiaspatagonicos. com.ar) will find you a guide. Licences cost 100 pesos per day (£16), 300 pesos per week (£48), or 420 pesos (£67) for the season, which runs from November to March.

Tim Burford is co-author of the ‘Bradt Travel Guide To Argentina’ (£16.99), the second edition of which is out this summer.

Mountain high

The highpoint of the Andean cordillera, running the length of the country’s western border, is Aconcagua, which at 6,962m is the highest peak outside the Himalayas. It also offers a non-technical climb that can be achieved by non-specialists. However, it is no easy task, largely due to the weather. Winds can reach 240km/h and temperatures can plummet to –35C. The best time to climb is in the period from December to February, when the climate is at its most stable. There’s no water above the base camp, so you’ll also need to carry an adequate supply.

Outfitters in Mendoza – which lies around 1,000km due west from Buenos Aires, and is easily reached from Santiago in Chile – can organise mules to carry everything required by climbers and trekkers. They’ll also set up hiking or horse-riding trips in the same area, or rafting from Uspallata on the chocolate-brown Río Mendoza. The longest established operator is Fernando Grajales Aconcagua Expediciones (00 54 261 428 3157; grajales.net). Argentina Mountain Expeditions (00 54 261 431 8356; argentinamountain.com) and Inka Expediciones (00 54 261 425 0871; inka.com.ar) also do an excellent job, charging around £2,000 for a 20-day expedition.

The most appropriate place to stay in Mendoza is the Campo Base Hostel (00 54 261 429 0707; hostelcampobase.com.ar), which is also the base for another operator: Cerro Aconcagua.com (00 54 261 425 5511; cerroaconcagua.com). A double room here costs from 150 pesos (£25), including breakfast.

Take to the air

The mirador of Cuchi Corral, 8km west of La Cumbre, offers perhaps the best paragliding in Argentina. Its ideal climate attracts professional paragliders from around the world. You can take a vuelo de bautismo (literally “baptism flight” with an instructor (300 pesos/£48 for 20-30 minutes), or learn to do it for yourself. The best contact is through RentaBike in La Cumbre (00 54 3548 451575; rentabike@hotmail.com), which – as the name suggests – also hires out bicycles. Or try Aero Club La Cumbre (00 54 3548 452 544; parapentefechu@yahoo.com.ar) or former world champion Andy Hediger (00 54 3548 452544; aeroatelier.com).

Walking tall

Some of the best places to hike in accessible wilderness are in the chain of national parks along the Chilean border in the Andes. These boast marked trails but few other facilities.

The easiest access is from Bariloche, a large resort in the Lake District, where remarkably rugged alpine peaks rise above a chain of dramatic lakes. There are some cosy huts here in the Nahuel Huapi National Park, and as it is close to major ski resorts there’s easy access with cable-cars and chairlifts.

The Villa Catedral ski village (1,030m) is reached by hourly buses; from here chairlifts and a cable-car lift you 800m to a ridge along which you can hike south towards Cerro Catedral and the Frey, Piedritas and San Martín huts. Continuing down the Casalata valley from the Refugio San Martín brings you to Lago Mascardi beneath the icecapped volcanic peaks of El Tronador (3,554m).

There’s more good hiking just south, around El Bolsón, where operators such as Grado 42 (00 54 2944 493124; grado42.com) and PatagoniaAdventures (00 54 2944 492513) offer guided hiking and rafting.

Another option is Los Alerces national park. From the Villa Futalaufquen visitor centre trails lead up a couple of peaks, rather lower than those near Bariloche and overlooking small lakes. There’s accommodation nearby in Trevelin and Esquel, small towns that trade on their Welsh heritage with cute tea shops.

Much further south, between the semi-arid Patagonian steppes and the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, the town of El Calafate is the overpriced base for the Los Glaciares national park, where some boat tours to the amazing Perito Moreno glacier include ice trekking as an option.

It’s far better, though, to take a full day or more to get right up on to the ice field. From the village of El Chaltén trails leads through the stunning FitzRoy massif, the granite pinnacles of which offer some of the world’s toughest climbing, and from there on to the icecap. Operators such as FitzRoy Expediciones (fitzroyexpediciones.com.ar) will take you onto the ice, fully kitted out for around 390 pesos (£63) plus 50 pesos (£8) transfer from El Chaltén.

Four legs good

Argentines see themselves as a nation of horse-riders. One of the most interesting locations is Tafí del Valle, midway between Tucumán and Cafayate in north-western Argentina, where you can ride in the Andean foothills and visit the archaeological remains of the country’s earliest settled cultures.

The affable Pablo Huerta of Montañas Tucumanas (00 54 381 467 1860; montanastucumanas.com) runs a range of trips from an eight-hour day’s riding that takes you up to 3,000m and costs 500 pesos (£80) including guiding and food, to three-day camping trips for 1,450 pesos (£230) including tents and food. Cabra Horco Expediciones (00 54 9381 1567 88399; cabrahorco.com.ar) is based in Raco, 50km from the provincial capital of San Miguel de Tucumán. The company’s trips follow mule paths to over 2,000m, visiting indigenous villages on the way.

In La Cumbre, 100km from Córdoba, Estancia PuestoViejo (00 54 3548 423809; estanciapuestoviejo.com) is a working ranch that has a hostel and a country-house hotel – guests can ride with the gauchos to help round up the cattle. Dorm rooms costs from 40 pesos (£6.50) person; doubles in the hostel costs 150 pesos (£24), room only.

Polo is one of Argentina’s trademark sports, but it’s very much associated with the upper crust – traditionally gauchos play pato, in which a leather bag (formerly containing a live duck) is thrown from horseback into a goal, but this is fast dying out. The so-called Ruta del Polo leads south from the capital to swanky estancias where polo lessons are available at a substantial cost, notably at Estancia La Candelaria (00 54 2227 424 404; estanciacandelaria.com), on the outskirts of Eva Perón’s birthplace, Lobos. Here lessons cost 500 pesos (£80) per person per day, with four meals included.

The country’s gaucho capital is San Antonio de Areco, 113km west of Buenos Aires, where estancias such as La Porteña (00 54 911 5626 7347; laporteniadeareco.com), El Rosario de Areco (00 54 2326 451000; rosariodeareco.com.ar) and El Ombú de Areco (00 54 2326 492080; estanciaelombu.com), also offer polo lessons for 300 pesos (£50) a day. They also provide a more accessible día del campo (“day in the country”) for 140-210 pesos (£22-33) for families to enjoy safe horseback excursions with costumed gauchos. The day finishes with a barbecue.

One of the most authentic places to be a gaucho for a day is in Corrientes province, in the north-east. José Martin of Iberá Expediciones at Yaguarete and Pindo, Colonia Carlos Pellegrini (00 54 3773 15401405; iberaexpediciones.com) comes from a genuine gaucho family. Spend a day learning the ropes and finish it all off with a slap-up gaucho-style meal for 400 pesos (£64) for two.

Make a splash

The north-west of Argentina is a high and beautiful area centred on the lovely colonial city of Salta. Just 10km away, San Lorenzo is the base for rafting on the Río Juramento (100-180 pesos/£16-£29 for two hours plus lunch) through Turismo San Lorenzo (00 54387 4921757; turismosanlorenzo.com.ar). There’s also great rafting on the Río Hua-Hum, near San Martín de los Andes; on the Río Manso, from near Bariloche into Chile; the Río Azul, near El Bolsón; and through the Atuel gorge near San Rafael in Mendoza province.

Alternatively, the Esterosdel Iberá are a sort of waterlogged Argentine Serengeti. Covering a huge swathe of Corrientes province, near the BrazilianandParaguay borders, it’s a vast expanse of reedbeds and floating grasses, with a few stretches of openwater and about 370 species of birds, as well as otters, monkeys, anteaters, caimans and anacondas. There are plenty of motor boat tours, but the ideal way to get up close with the world’s largest rodent, the capybara, and other wildlife is bycanoe.

Hotels and hostels in Colonia Carlos Pellegrini, the only accessible village, have canoes and kayaks available. Try the Posada dela Laguna (00 54 3773 499413; posadadelalaguna.com), which is right by Laguna Iberá. The campsite rents kayaks for 30 pesos (£5) per hour. In the larger town of Mercedes, 110km south of Pellegrini, the Delicias del Iberá Hostel (00 54 3773 422 508; deliciasdelibera.com) arranges excellent tours.
_____________________________________
SOURCE:
“Traveller’s Guide: Active Argentina”
Saturday, 8 January 2011
http://www.independent.co.uk
http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/americas/travellers-guide-active-argentina-2178928.html

The South American airline currently uses the two Buenos Aires airports Ezeiza and Aeroparque as hubs.

It now plans to start more flights between Cordoba airport, in central Argentina, and regional destinations, starting with four new routes.

From this summer (Argentine winter) Aerolineas will fly from Cordoba to Buenos Aires Ezeiza daily, and to Iguazu, Salta and Bariloche four-times weekly.

According to Max Campos, Aerolineas’ head of sales and marketing for the UK and Ireland, further expansion at Cordoba is likely.

Developing its routes from Cordoba recognises “the importance of this Provincial Capital, as the second largest city in Argentina”, said Campos.

“As part of our new Business Plan, we want to contribute to the social and economical development of Argentina.”

He told ABTN there was a strong possibility the airline would also add more flights to Brazil from Cordoba.

“Brazil is quite important in Latin America,” he said, “and is becoming more important worldwide. We are already flying to more destinations in Brazil from Buenos Aires.”

The new routes will be made possible by the delivery of new aircraft to the airline.

Aerolineas has received nine new Brazilian-made Embraer-190 aircraft, for domestic flights, with a further 11 to be delivered by the end of the year.

For medium- and long-haul flights, the airline already has 13 Boeing 737 aircraft, and plans to introduce more by the end of 2011.

Aerolineas, which is set to join the airline alliance Skyteam in 2012, will also start flights to Quito in Ecuador and New York this year, with Paris or London also a possibility.

More info at:

www.aerolineas.com.ar
www.skyteam.com
_____________________________________
SOURCE:
“Argentine airline plans new South American hub”
13 January, 2011
by Sara Turner
http://www.abtn.co.uk
http://www.abtn.co.uk/news/1315227-argentine-airline-plans-new-south-american-hub

The 48-year-old overtook race legend Stephane Peterhansel for overall victories as he claimed his sixth in the 33rd edition of the endurance event, but he trails Volkswagen teammate Nasser Al-Attiyah by more than an hour ahead of the final leg going into Buenos Aires.

Sainz’s challenge came unstuck on Thursday when he suffered a broken suspension in the 11th leg between Chilecito and San Juan in Argentina, allowing teammate Ginier De Villiers to move up into second overall.

The South African was second in Friday’s penultimate stage ahead of Al-Attiyah, but is almost 50 minutes behind the Qatari — who is almost assured his maiden victory at the event after finishing runner-up last year.

“It really was the hardest stage of my life, because I had to keep concentrated and not make any mistakes,” the 40-year-old Al-Attiyah told the race’s website.

“Sometimes I was going fast, sometimes slow, because I needed to keep my concentration and keep the same pace, but it was okay. We finished the stage without any problems and I’m really quite happy.”

Spain’s Marc Coma is similarly in pole position to clinch a third title in the motorbike category after winning his fourth stage this year by 37 seconds from defending champion Cyril Depres.

Coma has an overall advantage of more than 16 minutes from the Frenchman, who is also riding for the KTM team.

“Today was complicated due to all the rain that fell last night. As a result, it was a very technical stage, like in endurance racing. But it went fine,” Coma told the race’s website.

“There is still a 190-kilometer stage left to race tomorrow. Normally, there shouldn’t be any complications, but we still need to race them, it’s there to be done.”

Defending truck champion Vladimir Chagin is on course for his seventh title after claiming his sixth stage win, leaving him more than 31 minutes ahead of fellow Russian and Kamaz-Master teammate Firdaus Kabirov.

In the quad bikes, last year’s runner-up Alejandro Patronelli is poised for his maiden triumph as he holds an even bigger lead ahead over fellow Argentine Sebastian Halpern, one of his Yamaha teammates.

Halpern was second on Friday, while Patronelli was back in fourth eight minutes adrift.

_______________________________
SOURCE:
“Sainz sets record as Dakar Rally prepares for new car champion”
January 14, 2011
http://edition.cnn.com
http://edition.cnn.com/2011/SPORT/motorsport/01/14/dakar.rally.attiyah.sainz/

In 2010, he left the Dakar with a feeling of full accomplishment after helping Cyril Despres win the race and winning the very last special stage on the road to Buenos Aires. A little less than a year later, Ruben Faria is still racing with the same wingman mission and he took on the task zealously and efficiently. Intent on sticking as closely as possible to his leader in the rankings, the Portuguese who had started in the 11th position today managed to tease four contenders on the way and crossed the finish line with the best time. The duet seems pretty close to perfection as Cyril Despres ends the day with the second fastest clock and finishes 28’’ behind Faria.

However, the competition is pretty close as their “best enemy” Marc Coma – in charge of opening the road this morning – is only 1’15’’ behind Faria, and 46’’ behind Despres. The Catalan can also be proud of his new wingman and ally, as Juan Pedrero – promoted this year to the position of single support to Coma – finishes 4th of the day’s special stage. Hence, as of tomorrow morning, the man will also be able to position himself as close as possible to his leader, to intervene in case of trouble. The hierarchy now established between Victoria and Cordoba also provides some indication about the KTM wizardry that has allowed the team to find the operating recipe for its brand new 450cc. Indeed, the Austrian firm has achieved the four first places in the day’s rankings. The contending bikes – which are a good minute behind them – are the BMW, Yamaha and Aprilia, respectively driven by Gonçalves (5th), Street (6th) and Lopez (7th).

For the top quad artists, the day was pretty eventful. It started pretty badly for title holder Marcos Patronelli who had already lost more than two hours before his start time on the special stage! The Argentine – who was exceptionally authorized to enter the special stage that late – might receive some pretty serious penalties for the late start but all his hopes of victory had already vanished in training when he injured himself about a month ago. He will most certainly let his brother Alejandro (5th) battle against Josef Machacek, who was the fastest today. As for Rafal Sonik, he will not have the opportunity to partake in the fight: after falling, the Pole had to withdraw with a hand injury.

Carlos Sainz was not really scared when he started on this Dakar behind the wheel of his Race Touareg III. Since he won the last edition of the rally raid, the Spaniard also added a victory on the Silk Way to his track record. He is starting his Latin American journey with a bar set pretty high. Starting first, Sainz was never caught by Peterhansel. Despite wiper problems that prevented him from racing at full speed through a stage troubled by some rain storms, he gets the best time of the day, 1’31’’ ahead of the X-Raid Team leader. Nasser Al Attiyah stays close to the lead duet with a 2’16’’ delay, a margin almost identical to the one that separated the two men at the end of the rally-raid last year (2’12’’).

Their contenders were not spared by this first warming-up stage. If Miller (VW), De Villiers (VW) and Holowczyc (BMW X-Raid) did defend their odds pretty well, Robby Gordon lost – in one stage – what he expected to lose before entering Chile, i.e. a good ten minutes. And the loss is even more painful for Joan “Nani” Roma. A faulty demisting system in his Nissan pick-up was a serious handicap for him. Roma finished with a delay of more than 17 minutes. Chances of him finishing on the podium are now pretty far for former Dakar winner in the bike category. The debuts of the Mini Countryman of Guerlain Chicherit have also been troubled. If the mountain man already feared the trouble linked to the cooling system, he did not expect trouble to show so early and so badly. After stopping several times on this special stage, he has already lost almost one hour against Sainz and will have a particularly stressful Dakar if mechanical problems keep popping up.

The damage done is even worse for day one in the truck category, especially for the Dutch. Wulfert Van Ginkel, who somersaulted on the motorway, could not even start the rally raid. And, more importantly, Gerard De Rooy, for his return to the competition after his injury on the Silk Way Rally in 2009, paid – once again – a high price for precipitation. At km 72 his truck lifted off the ground and the impact of the landing immediately resurrected terrible back pain that led De Rooy to withdrawal. So Ales Loprais will be the only capable of playing trouble-maker against the Kamaz team that has already put two of its trucks and drivers at the top of the rankings: Vladimir Chagin and Firdaus Kabirov. This is the 57th stage victory for the “Czar” on a Dakar.

STAGE 2

Already delighted with the performance of Ruben Faria during the afternoon, Cyril Despres learned yesterday evening that in fact he had picked up victory on stage 1, after a one minute penalty was handed out to his team-mate for breaking the speed limit. As a result, the title holder tackled the second day of the race as leader, with the responsibility of opening the road. Even the day’s task was not the most demanding in terms of navigation, Despres succeeded in achieving the hardest trick in rally-raid racing: staying out in front from start to finish, as well as opening up the gap a little on his closest rivals. On completion of the 300-km special, the Frenchman boasted the best time, winning the 25th stage in his career on the Dakar. It is only the third time that he has triumphed when opening the road.

Whilst it is premature to make predictions, a traditional duel is starting to be outlined with Marc Coma, who finished 1’49 behind on the stage, trailing 2’35” in the general standings. Ruben Faria, in 3rd place, is already 6’13” behind. Furthermore, the day held revelations about the capacity of David Casteu. The Sherco rider, after a discrete first stage, was the quickest pursuer of the KTM bikes on the route to Tucuman. Trailing the leading duo by 3’46”, he climbed up to 6th position in the general standings, but remains behind Francisco “Chaleco” Lopez and Paulo Gonçalves. The battle between Aprilia, BMW and Sherco is underway and might not just be a battle for the crumbs left by KTM. However, Pal-Anders Ullevalseter, runner-up last year, will have difficulty getting involved, in light of the trouble he is having adapting to his new machine: “I miss my 690cc,” joked the Norwegian, 29th in the general standings after only two stages!

Alejandro Patronelli regained some prestige for the brotherhood of Argentinean quad riders by winning the stage after a very tough struggle with Josef Machacek. The Czech leader lost by only 24” but holds onto command of the general standings with a lead of 5’01” over the older of the Patronelli brothers. Marcos Patronelli finished the day’s special in 6th, 10 minutes behind, and shows that he has not given up after the 6 hour penalty inflicted by the race officials yesterday for his failure to arrive at the special stage start point at the scheduled time.

It was via Carlos Sainz that Spain equalised in the ‘match’ underway with France. Just like the day before, “El Matador” was the first to start the special. Similarly, he again had to slalom through the showers which fell on the region. And just for tradition’s sake, he finished this 324-km festival with the best time, giving him the 19th stage victory of his career on the Dakar. Naturally, on a route whose type was very similar to a traditional rally, his skills as two times world champions made for a sparkling performance when he hit the tracks. However, Nasser Al Attiyah, also an expert in this field in spite of a smaller roll of honour, showed that he can give the Spaniard food for thought. The Qatari finished 1’03” behind his team-mate today, but Stéphane Peterhansel is still the most threatening rival for Sainz, 3’05” behind.

In the rest of the field, it was someone else’s turn to have problems since Guerlain Chicherit, who lost almost an hour on stage one, regained a standing which better suits his expectations for his Mini Countryman: he grabbed the 7th best time, after having overtaken a dozen cars on his way. However, Mark Miller, following a crash after 45 km, finished the stage in slow motion, since he was forced to stop on several occasions. In total, he took almost 50 minutes more than his team-mate Carlos Sainz to finish his day’s work. In the confrontation between the Race Touaregs and the X3, there is some sort of balance. With De Villiers (VW, 4th), Terranova (BMW X3, 5th) and Holowczyc (BMW X3, 6th), there are 3 models of each car in the first 6 of the day’s places.

In the truck race, it was the turn of Firdaus Kabirov to win his first special stage this year. In the absence of Gerard De Rooy, who withdrew during yesterday’s stage following an accident that aggravated an old back injury, Ales Loprais has fully taken on the role of thorn in the side of the Kamaz drivers. Like the day before, he finished the special in second position, this time beating Vladimir Chagin into third. In the general standings, Kabirov is in front with a slim lead of 9 seconds over the Czech driver.

_______________________________
SOURCE:
http://www.dakar.com
http://www.dakar.com/dakar/2011/us/stage-1/stage-report.html
http://www.dakar.com/dakar/2011/us/stage-2/stage-report.html

In North America, such an event would be unexceptional. But in Argentina, every one of these gatherings represents an important step forward in the maturation of a more diverse, robust and self-sufficient economy that the entrepreneurs and their allies in academia and the global NGO community are striving toward.

Argentina is one of the best-resourced countries in Latin America. The capital, Buenos Aires, physically and culturally resembles the great cities of Europe. The literacy rate is close to 100%, and the country is proud of its history of technological innovation dating back to the early years of the 20th century, when the U.S. and Argentina were roughly comparable in per-capita GDP and industrial capabilities.

Despite all that, organizations like the Endeavor Foundation and Young Americas Business Trust are necessary in Argentina and other promising emerging economies because entrepreneurship requires an ecosystem and social support–and that is only slowly developing in a culture haunted by a legacy of economic and political instability.

“Some people here still have a negative opinion of business in general,” said Martín Migoya, CEO of Globant, one of the most successful Endeavor-backed enterprises. “They think that if someone is getting ahead, then they must be cheating or doing something wrong.” In addition, families of young people with the talent and aptitude for entrepreneurship are rarely encouraging, preferring that their kids take the safer path of stable employment.

Endeavor is trying to reverse that dynamic by promoting companies who combine economic success with a commitment to broader social prosperity. “We are looking for high-impact entrepreneurs with the potential to become global leaders in their industry and inspire the next generation with their story,” said Alejandro Mashad, Executive Director of Endeavor Argentina, when we spoke at his office in Buenos Aires last week. The Endeavor program is designed to nurture promising businesses and connect them to the resources they need to move quickly through the “valley of death”–that crucial stage of scaling up from 50 to more than 250 employees.

Those that survive the arduous selection process to be named Endeavor Entrepreneurs benefit from mentoring, networking, and the vast resources of a global organization invested in their success. “We build bridges and open doors to connect our entrepreneurs with people, know-how and the world” added Mashad.

Entrepreneurship is gaining traction among traditional educators as well. Professor Silvia S. de Torres Carbonell runs the Center for Entrepreneurship at the IAE Business School, one of the most prestigious programs in Latin America. Her graduate seminar in entrepreneurship teaches an international group of students the basics of planning, managing, marketing and growing a new business. The day I visited her class, the students were presenting their business plans in industries ranging from retail to fashion design to e-business.

“There is incredible interest in this program,” said Carbonnell. “Young people are increasingly interested in entrepreneurship as a career, and they are looking for the skills and discipline they need to succeed.”

Few people had kind words to say about the government, but did admit that the administration was making the right kinds of public statements and tentative steps toward promoting entrepreneurship. Still, concerns about inflation, political interference, and the “inevitable” next financial crisis keep optimism in check. Bona fide venture capital is starting to appear, but it is not a game for the faint of heart, because institutional safeguards and transparency are still weak relative to other markets.

In the meantime, events like the Endeavor Conference serve an important function. These events are repeated every year in different cities of the country. They provide the social glue and esprit-de-corps that unites a community of potential business leaders still struggling to find their voice. They also provide a great way for those who have succeeded to reinvest their knowledge and resources to make the ecosystem stronger, perpetuating a cycle that they hope will continue to lift all of them higher in the global economy.
_____________________________
SOURCE:
“Imagining an Entrepreneurial Argentina”
BY FC Expert Blogger Rob Salkowitz
Fast Company
http://www.fastcompany.com
http://www.fastcompany.com/1689626/imagining-an-entrepreneurial-argentina