The Best Outdoor Adventures

 
• Best Park Walks: The Palermo Park system, in Buenos Aires, is one of the world's most beautiful, running along Avenida Libertador. You could spend more than a day here, wandering this tree- and monument-lined part of the city, and still not see it all. Within the system are numerous small parks such as the Rose Garden and the Japanese Gardens, as well as museums such as the Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires and the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes. In the Argentine spring, from late September to early October, the weather is at its best; the jacaranda trees here are in their purple-bloomed glory, making this the best time for a stroll. In summer months, locals who can't escape the city come to jog, suntan, and while away the day in this area.

• Discovering Iguazu Falls by Raft: A number of tour companies operate rafts that speed toward the falls, soaking their awestruck passengers along the way. This is the best way to experience the sound and fury of Iguazu's magnificent cataratas.

• Traveling beyond the Falls into the Iguazu Jungle: This is a place where birds such as the great dusky swift and brilliant morpho butterflies spread color through the thick forest canopy. You can easily arrange an outing into the forest once you arrive in Iguazu.

• Paragliding in La Cumbre. Jumping off a 300m (984-ft.) cliff and flying with condors is what attracts world-champion paragliders to this laidback valley in the Cordoba sierra.

• Raging down the Mendoza River: Mendoza offers the best white-water rafting in Argentina. During the summer months, when the snow melts in the Andes and fills the Mendoza River, rafters take on Class IV and V rapids here. Rafting is possible year-round, but the river is colder and calmer in winter months.

• Skiing Las Leñas: One of South America's top ski destinations, Las Leñas boasts more slopes than any single resort in the Americas, with 40 miles of runs, excellent snow, and typically small crowds. Las Leñas also hosts an active nightlife in winter.

• Climbing Aconcagua: At 6,960m (22,829 ft.), Cerro Aconcagua is the highest peak in the Western Hemisphere. Those hoping to reach the top must buy a 20-day permit, which costs $200 (#110), including emergency medical insurance. The climb is not technically difficult, but it demands strength and endurance.

• Skiing Cerro Catedral: With a huge investment in new lifts, new development at the base, and consecutive years of heavy snowfall, Bariloche's Catedral can't be beat. The apres-ski scene includes chocolate shops, live music, and happening slope-side lounges. And the views take in the Andes and the beautiful Nahuel Huapi Lake. Catedral is the best ski resort in Argentina.

• Rafting the Rio Manso: There are two sections to this gorgeous emerald river south of Bariloche. The Inferior makes for a great family outing, with bird-watching and fun paddling. The Frontera section takes you through an adrenaline-heavy set of 10 rapids towards the border with Chile, followed with a barbecue lunch. Either way, it's a trip through a beautiful undiscovered mountain valley.

• Hiking to Laguna Torre: One of the world's finest day hikes takes you from the door of your inn in El Chalten to the base of the needle-shaped granite spire of Cerro Torre, a legendary challenge for mountaineers and rock climbers. The hike's pinnacle is on the shores of the blustery Laguna Torre, where the wind feels like it just may blow you over. Back in the shelter of the FitzRoy River valley, you'll head back to town refreshed and exhilarated.

• Big Ice Hiking in Perito Moreno Glacier: Tour operators have been offering guided walks on the Perito Moreno Glacier for years, and guests from around the world strap on some crampons and head out for an hour or so. Those with a good level of fitness can now head much deeper into the glacier with a full-day hike. Peer into deep ice canyons, navigate your way along a frozen ridge, and try to grasp the sheer grandeur of this UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Published by The New York Times
November, 2006