Travel writer Jonathan Polakoff delivers us a tale from the depths of the Neuquen province. Complete with empanadas, volcanoes and headlights, this one shows the true pioneer spirit of Patagonia.

Argentina is a land of astounding beauty and open land. There are wild experiences to be had and amazing views to be seen in the second largest country in South America. But how does a person see as much as possible without missing the smell of the roses, the taste of the wines or the hidden trail heads that lead to natural wonders? A rental car is a helpful tool in seeing and experiencing everything that Argentina has to offer.

This is the first of a three series guide about amazing travel circuits in Argentina. For this segment we are focusing on the Patagonia region. Our first adventure includes a great five day loop that crosses the Andes twice. It includes four national parks, several volcanoes, hot springs, many lakes and a trip to the ocean. It also ventures into Chile, which makes up 1/3 of Patagonia.

The wind, which kept us awake for most of the night, is shaking the windows so badly that we expect they will explode inwards at any moment. The rain, which has been falling steadily, would no doubt follow. But at 8:30 am, we rush out the door and run to catch the municipal bus to Cerro Cathedral, some 20km west of the city. It’s normally a full bus in the mornings, with throngs of Brazilians, Argentines and Americans making the daily trip to ski, but on this morning the weather has most people staying in bed. Thankfully, they are not blessed with insider knowledge that says if it’s raining and less than 5 degrees in the city, it’s snowing hard on the mountain.

Photo by Ricardo Carreon

I must admit: I have never been much of a hiker. My usual trek entails 40 minutes of prep time (both mental and logistical), 45 minutes of walking, and then a strong desire (often expressed verbally) to descend to base camp and seek out the nearest place to get a foot massage and a cider. So, I actually surprised myself when I agreed to go to Bariloche, the land of mountains and hiking, with my sister in mid-May. Little did we know that the fall weather would produce rain for an entire week, and all my mental and logistical preparations would be rendered unnecessary.

Just before Christmas, Man vs. Wild’s star Bear Grylls left us in suspense as he took us on one of his great adventures through Argentina. He traveled through the desolate lands of Patagonia, crawled out of one of the deep crevasses of the Perito Moreno glacier, rode horse-back along side a gaucho, and climbed 250 feet up a vertical rock face without a rope. So you could say we left you with a major cliff hanger as he prepared for episode 2.

Bear Grylls, the British host, author, and star of Discovery Channel’s Man vs. Wild spends his time traveling the world in search of beautiful locations, new adventures, and extreme experiences in nature that will challenge his renowned survival techniques. For two weeks in a row he took us to Patagonia and gave us a taste of the true ruggedness that is manifested throughout the southern Argentine lands. Both the beauty, and ruggedness is anything but understated in his Patagonian adventures.