Mendoza and Córdoba: weekend getaways from BA!
Going on road trips along the infinite "Rutas" of Argentina might actually be the coolest and funniest way to discover this immense country.
Apart from the well-known Cataratas del Iguazú and Patagonia (Perito Moreno, El Calafate etc.) there are a bunch of places worth going to, especially if you're living here for a while.
The famous expression "All roads lead to Rome" would be suitable for Buenos Aires too, since all roads start off from the Capital Federal aka the beating heart of Argentina.
Itinerary 1: Buenos Aires - Mendoza (4 days getaway - Ruta 7)
Day 1: drive for 1100 km approximately and reach the Province of Mendoza, at the border with Chile.
↠ I suggest you stay at Windmill Hostel. They are nice and just the hosts that you need.
Day 2: take a bus from Mendoza to Maipú (30-40 minutes) to go wine tasting around the various bodegas along Calle Urquiza with a rental bike.
↠ Go to Maipu Bikes where they will treat you super well and for very cheap.
↠ Go try: LAUR (for some sweet olive oil), Bodega Familia Di Tommaso(for some wine and empanadas) and Tierra de Lobo (awesome distillery!)
Day 3: drive towards Chile and stop in Potrerillos, Los Penitentes and Puente del Inca until the entrance of the Parque Nacional Aconcagua. Eat something and then hike for a few hours until Laguna Horcones or further. [Of course it all depends on the season]
Get back to Mendoza to explore the city before dinner and go eat at restaurant La Patrona.
Day 4: drive back to Buenos Aires.
More activities: more wine tasting, rock climbing, rafting, hiking etc! Check out TripAdvisor to get some more ideas!
Itinerary 2: Buenos Aires - Rosario and Córdoba
Day 1: drive from Buenos Aires to Rosario (4 hrs approximately). Discover the city and take a walk along the river near the Monumento a la Bandera. You'll probably catch an amazing sunset.
Day 2: have breakfast in one of the parks and then head straight to Córdoba. Explore the area around Plaza San Martin and enjoy the feeling of a city different from Buenos Aires.
Day 3: drive from Córdoba to the Parque Nacional Quebrada Del Condorito (160 km total) and do one of the many available hikes. Be aware that if you're doing a day tour you need to leave the Miradores at a certain time set by the guards of the park, for security reasons.
Day 4: drive from Córdoba to La Cumbre and the area nearby such as the Mirador Cuchi Corral where if you're lucky you can also go paragliding.
Day 5: drive from Córdoba to Cuesta Blanca (near Carlos Paz) and go to "La Playa de los Hippies". Here you'll only find locals enjoying some quality time with their family and friends while surrounded by horses, dogs and beautiful mother nature.
Day 6: drive back from Córdoba to Buenos Aires.
For car rentals check out:
- http://www.rentalcars.com/
- http://www.despegar.com.ar/
*** BE AWARE ***
- Select a car with unlimited kilometers (if you're planning to use it a lot)
- Do not bother with getting a GPS system. Instead, download MAPS.ME and use it even without data to get anywhere for free!
- Be sure you have a credit card (not prepaid and with at least 1500$ on it) for the deposit
- Calculate on Ruta0.com ↠ www.ruta0.com how much you'll spend in terms of petrol and highways.
- Shoot everything with your GoPro
Last but not least, choose well your travel mates!
