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A Non-Hikers Guide to Patagonia (Or, How to Survive Bariloche in the Rain)

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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.

Discovery Channel’s Man vs. Wild Episode 2 Explores El Chaltén

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Mount Fitz Roy ArgentinaJust 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.

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About the Lake District, but Were Afraid to Ask

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El Lago Espejo in the Lake District I’m happy to report that today we rolled out a whole new destination guide, this time, to the Lake District in Patagonia. It’s a great place to get all your questions about the Lake District answered (like, what to do while you’re there?). It’s a great resource help you plan your trip. If you want to know where to stay, how to get there, and where to eat, we have you covered. Oh, and the beautiful picture is El Lago Espejo, in case you were wondering.

A Front Row Seat – Whale Watching in Argentina

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whale-breach.jpg The Southern Right Whale: beautiful, enormous, astonishing, and definitely not shy. When you travel to Peninsula Valdes you will witness just what I mean aboard one of the daily whale watching tour boats. The whales seem to appreciate the tourism just as much as we appreciate visiting them. All on board and full of emotion, our boat of tourists headed out into the Atlantic waters. Whales, as we learned from the well-informed guides, are highly vocal and rely on a variety of different sounds for underwater communication and navigation. Among the chatty sounds of the calls, clicks, buzzes, and water blowing that they produce, the sound of a boat motor is distinct. The other sounds may be used to communicate about where to find food, or when its time to change locations; but when they hear the boat motor, it can only mean one thing…it’s show time.

Looking for a Great Hostel in El Calafate?

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Hostel del Glaciar LibertadorSometimes a good hostel recommendation can go a long way. Most travelers have experienced those scary-to-sleep-in sheets, those refuse-to-be-barefoot bathrooms, and those sleepless-night beds at some point on our travels. It’s part of the life of a backpacker, but hey, if you can avoid it, you may as well. So if you are heading to El Calafate at some point in your Argentina adventures, a few nights at Hostel del Libertador are the way to go.