We approached Ushuaia around midnight. It looked like a brightly lit island since it is surrounded by high mountains and the sea. There was still a streak of light in the skies. So it felt less odd that we still had no place to stay. We trekked the empty streets passing busy restaurants uphill to try our luck at Hotel Rio Ona, although our reservation was not until two days later. And luck we had. Continue Reading →
Tag Archives | Argentina
Back In Argentina – Traveling To Ushuaia
After 16 days in Chile we are back in Argentina, in Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world, as it likes to pride itself. Obviously it has marketed itself much better than Puerto Williams, in Chile, on the other side of the Beagle Channel. This is the TRUE southernmost settlement in the world, but not more than a couple of houses. Being almost at the 55th parallel south, it is further south than any other city on any other continent.So Ushuaia mercilessly sells its unique location claiming the title: “El ciudad en el fin del mundo”, attracting more and more tourists every year. So we considered it as the best place to meet Gilles’ family for Christmas! Continue Reading →
Argentina: South America Or Europe?
Argentina is the fifth country we are visiting in South America. As already mentioned in previous reports, even though these countries are on the same continent, they are worlds apart! But after 7 weeks in Bolivia, arriving in Argentina was a shock to us in many respects. Continue Reading →
Gaiman & Dolavon
These two places found their way into a traveler’s itinerary because of their incredible history. In 1885, a group of Welsh settlers, frustrated by English domination, arrived near Golfo Nuevo, today Puerto Pirámides. Looking for a place to retain their language and cultural identity, they asked the Argentine government for land and eventually were allotted the lower valley of Rio Chubut. These “Gales” had learned about this area through the reports of Captain Robert Fitz Roy, who had explored the region in 1833. Continue Reading →
Punta Tombo
The Biggest Penguin Colony Outside Of Antarctica
About 120 km south of Trelew is the other main attraction of this region: the biggest penguin colony outside of Antarctica. An estimated 175.000 couples (some say 200.000 couples) of Magellanic Penguins arrive here in August / September to build nests and lay eggs. Continue Reading →
Península Valdéz
Home of sea lions and sea elephants
On the second day, starting from Puerto Piramides, we drove around and across Peninsula Valdéz, a very long drive of about 220 kilometers on gravel roads. There are mainly three places to go. Continue Reading →
Puerto Madryn
Gateway To Peninsula Valdéz
At the airport in Trelew, we rented a car and went straight north to Puerto Madryn, the small town at the entrance of the Peninsula, a 65 kilometers ride on a perfectly straight road crossing northern Patagonia. Here we got a first taste of what the landscape in this area of Patagonia is like: flat like a pancake with low growing bushes, extremely monotonous no matter which direction you go. Well, nobody comes here for the flora but for the whales, guanacos, sea lions, sea elephants, penguins and lots of other wildlife! Continue Reading →
A Very Long Trip To Argentina!
What a trip! Going from Potosí / Bolivia to our next destination, Trelew (pronounce it “Tre-le-o”) in northern Patagonia, was a long journey of almost 4.000 kilometer. It took us no less than 5 days! Continue Reading →