Roughly a third of Argentinians live in or around Buenos Aires. But, much like in Australia, the Argentinian identity is romanticised outside of its big cities, in wild and rugged places where traditions from bygone eras live on. This picture of Argentina is to be found in the rural heartland of the country, the home of the gauchos. These are the lands of towering mountains, sweeping plains, and adobe villages where malbec is poured while folk singers recount classic tales of old. It is the wild west you've seen in movies, but the Spanish version.
What better way to explore this beautiful part of the world than on a road-trip? We drove north from vibrant Salta to tiny Humahuaca, famed for its mountain of fourteen colours (less impressive than the similar one in Cusco). This was a picturesque drive through the mountains on precarious roads, and the constant threat of a burst tire added extra excitement (fortunately avoided!). Here we also had a first taste of the area's famed folk culture, enjoying a delicious Andino meal, a carafe of local wine, and sitting back to marvel at the talents of a duo performing traditional songs. A perfect evening.
Heading south, the drive was much easier (as the road was paved), but no less spectacular. Passing through the Quebrada de las Conchas (The Gorge of the Shells) and hugging the river, the route was marked with a series of lookouts and trails to observe unique (and delightfully named) geological wonders.
Fortuitously, this is also wine country, home to the oldest vines on the continent, and some of the highest in the world (up to 3100m elevation). The altitude lends an intensity to the wines produced here, and I quickly realised this was to my liking (look out for torrontés from Cafayate). The pick of the wineries was run by two brothers, one of whom showed us around the vineyard while the other cooked a delicious lunch for us, best enjoyed with a bottle of rose. A perfect afternoon.
Looping back up north, we called in to see the James Turrell Museum, which exhibits some incredible art installations that felt very out of place in the middle of the desert, and then followed the Tin Tin Straight (originally an Incan road through the mountains) through fields of cacti back to Salta.
Because we hadn't had enough wine, we flew on to Mendoza, the home of wine. Here, we tried as much malbec as we could on a day riding bikes through the vineyards. Other adventures included a trip to observe the tallest peak in the Americas (6961m) and a day of relaxation at some stunning thermal springs. But the highlight was a stay with a family on a ranch in the hills. We had two nights outside Mendoza in the Uco Valley where we were welcomed to a magnificent old homestead nestled next to a creek in the foothills of the Andes. In-between, we woke to a beautiful breakfast in the sunshine, followed by a morning riding horses in the mountains and an afternoon of feasting on asado and drinking red wine. An absolutely perfect day, and week, and month, and even half-year.
This looks incredible!! You guys are just living the dream 🥰🥰