Tilcara, Humhuca and to the Bolivian border

Arrived in a hot dusty cactus town only two hours from Jujuy but a different world. After a few false starts and a couple of hours find a nice byt expensive hotel. Cook dinner and eat in lounge looking out over big red mountains.

Tilcara, Argentina

Meet Henry our South African mate from Uspallatta and share beer and wine in his hostel garden. After we went to bed he had dinner and found a party bar until 8am the next morning. When Henry went to bed we went to see the local ruins an old town on a hilltop. Red hot as walked around but great views.

Humhuaca, Argentina

Bus to Humhuaca next town in old colonial style. Hostel run by Carlos very pleasant. He was born there and it was his grandparents family home. Youngmi asked about the old spanish treasure chest in our room. Nice old town but all restaurants were quiet when we looked for dinner. Bad restaurant choice. No water with our bottle of wine, Youngmi had a dried up little steak-a disgrace to Argentina, my llama hamburger had no bun I had to pay extra for that and the best when I asked if the music could be turned down-we were the only customers - I was referred to the back page of the menu which said the volume could not be adjusted. Next morning 8.30am to La Quica and the Bolivian border.

Shoe repair and hair cut in Jujuy

Jujuy bus station and surrounding market pretty rough. Walk around the twon to find a reasonable hostel up the hill in a better part of town. Grand old buildings around the plaza. Dakar rally coming through in two days. After leaving bags in the hostel, we set off to find a shoe repair. Daves boots started falling off, maybe too much walking. We go into a very old shop selling things for shoes and horse seddles, ets. A man at the shop shows us a can of bond and explains how to repair the boots. Too advanced spanish to understand, but a young uni student volunteers to help. We say we want to get them repaired and we will pay. The shop man says they dont do that here. Walking out the shop with the bond, Youngmi scratches her hair wondering how to repair them in the hostel. The shop man stops us and puts bond around the ripped parts and instructs us to press the area after 20 minutes. We try to pay extra for his work, but he refuses to receive money. A good enough walk back to hostel to press the boots. After that, a dinner at Los Chinos old mans pool hall with a great waiter and pizza and beer.

Jujuy, Argentina

Next morning youngmi becomes brave to walk into a rather old fasioned hair dresser. A sign on the window says only 45 pesos (approx 8 dollars) for a model like hair cut. Dave chats with the hair dresser and an old lady customer in Spanish. Youngmi gets impressed about Dave's Spanish. Later Dave says he didnt know what they were talking. After only about ten minutes playing with scissors, hair cut is done, and eveyone is happy with the result. We then check out huge cathedral and church.

A bus to Tilcara through big forested hills then desert.

Anno neuvo or new year in Cafayate

Bus through thick forrest up mountain side to Tafi then gassy hills to 3000mts. Descending it is dry with lots of cacti. Cafayate nice town but we book into El Balcon hostel. The music in the street will stop at 11pm says the manager and it does. It is replaced by a disco around the corner which booms all night and building works in the hostel and mosquitos nightmare.

Cafayate, Argentina

Move to Hotel Amacen next day. Same price and perfect. We are well looked after by Jorge and friends the next three nights and are so happy.
Walk to 4 wineries almost in Cafayate. We see the Don David winery but it is  closed. Others great. Buy a bottle of local speciality Torrentes.

One very hot day catch local packed bus to near Qulimes ruins. Walk last 5kms up hot dirt track through cacti. About 20 young argentines also walking up to appreciate their history. Ruins not too dramatic. Get a lift back down track then walk on road hitching without success for an hour. The bus the rescues us and two argentine students for new years in Cafyate.

After a roasting day it pours down with thunders. Most restaurants shut. Run to buy a roast chicken in the street and have this with bread and Don David for new years eve. A few people in square at 12 and kids setting off fireworks.

New years day all shut. Walk to cascades through more cacti and wineries.indian people living in area. See rock paintings. Last night at hotel enjoying all comforts.

A bus to salta through huge gorge to cafayate then on to Jujuy.

Tucuman with the cuckoos.

Where to next? Chile or Mendoza? Mendoza is easier, so we got back on the bus. Wave to Gabriel as we pass Uspallatta.

Tucuman, Argentina

Beer and a hot dog on Mendoza bus station then two hour ride to San Juan. Best bus ever with Cata.  Great seats snacks and unlimited tea and coffee from a machine near us on the top deck.

San Juan was nothing special and hostels were worse so we book night bus to Tucuman. We had a dinner at bus station with a bottle of wine. Youngmi went to toilet in the cafe and shocked to find a big dog sleeping next to the toilet seat. Called a waiter to remove the dog, he made a face asking what's wrong sharing the toilet with a dog. The dog had to be called out, but Dave found him again later in the male toilet.

After a reasonable sleep on the bus, we had a breakfast at Tucuman bus station. Attracted by wifi logo on the window that didnt work. We managed to find a hostel in great part of town that must have been grand once. Tucuman was a very active and busy town. The hostel we stayed was also very interesting. Some people appeared being living there quite a while. We met an Irish bloke who traveled all around the world, then lived in Tucuman for 7 years. He said he sold his apartment last year and put away his stuffs in a storage room with a hope to travel again. But he seemed to be stuck in the hostel for long. He said there are some cuckcoos in the hostel, he is one of them. Later in the evening, he said he found a bat in his bathroom. It was a very old building. If we lived there longer, we probably could see some bats.

More about Cerro Penitentes

Cerro Penitentes 4380m about 1800m above the hostel. After a bad nights sleep as Aconcagua people and xmas eve partiers came and went all night we set off at 7.30am.

Bridge over the river then along old rail track for a couple of miles. Climbed steep path to a gorge through the mountains Quebrada de Vargas. Los Penitentes pinnacles look like a Lord of the Rings scence. Pass a little tent sheltering behind a big rock and shortly after reach the refuge. Luckily we have been told it is little bigger than a telephone box so we are not disappointed that it is a tiny stone shelter.

The three guys from the tent are coming up the valley so weset off up a steep grassy hillside. Lose the path and scramble through some rocks before emerging on a rocky wide ridge. From there it is ever upwards usually with a zig zag path through scree. Very clear and we can see lots of mountains including Aconcagua. Sometimes very windy and exposed we are glad there are three other people below. Reach a flattish rocky area with snow pinnacles and feel on top of the world. Another 20mins and we are at the top about 2pm what a relief. Meet the three check guys on way down. One is called Wenceslas perfect for christmas. Wish each other happy christmas then they struggle up as we scree run down.

At refuge I have a bath in the river then continue back through the gorge. I must be tired as I stumble on path cutting my hand. Walk back on rail track is endless and I am good for nothing back at hostel. Martin congrats us.

Los Penitentes Aconcagua Christmas

Two hour bus ride through more magnificent scenery to 2600m and Los Penitentes ski village. Sun shine and mountains so big. Little hostel like a mountain hut.

Los Penitentes, Argentina

Martin looking after us and advising on walks. Sunny and very windy much of the time.
Next morning tried to get a lift to Aconcagua and soon got a lift beyond there to Los Cueavas at 3000m. Walked up to a statue on the border with Chile at 3900m  Some snow but very clear.

Las Cuevas Statue, Argentina

Ran down scree so that coming down took 40mins compared with 3 hours going up.
Lift in the back of am open truck great views and driver stopped at entrance to Aconcagua park. Went in for a couple of hours for wonberful views of Aconcagua. Two more lifts and back to hostel.

Mt Aconcagua

Day two and lift back to Puente del Inca with Reiner and Ole the sane couple who picked us up before. Walked up old railway through avalanche tunnels with rattling panels and owls. Walked as dar as we could in Aconcagua park on $2 fee. Again superb views. Beware of wind and mules said the sign and it was right.

Martin hostel manager welcomes us back

Expecting a quiet xmas eve at the hostel but it filled with about 20 people back from Aconcagua. Only 6 has made the summit. Others stopped by strong winds or altitude sickness.

Cerro Penitentes

Uspallatta Dec 20th

We have had little or no internet connection for a while so I will try to catch up now.

Our last night in Bariloche was superb with a steak dinner with four friends. Francois and Satcha two lovely swiss guys bought two kilos of the best argentine beef and cooked it to perfectio. We Amie and Marisca provided potatoes salad and red wine and heaven.

Mendoza

On a very cold day we boarded the bus for Mendoza. We should have gone first class with the lads as they has champagne and beds on the bus.16 hours later Mendoza and so hot. Checked loads of no good hostels and after two nights moved to Uspallatta.

Fantastic 1700m hostel first building after lots of gorges. Gabriel made us welcome to his most relaxed place. Cycled into mountains which were like a furnace in colour and temp. A great rafting trip and then horse riding before another steak dinner with our mates. Stan in training for Mt Aconcagua waked 6kms to town and carried 27kgs of food and drink back. The 5ltr bottles of Malbec for $10 were a bonus. Big bonfire to finish off.

Uspallata Hostel, Argentina

Rafting in Uspallata, Argentina

BBQ at Uspallata Hostel, Argentina

Horse riding at Uspallata

Cerro 7 colors bike ride, Uspallata

Bariloche, Argentina

El Bolson, Argentina

Bariloche, Argentina

Penthouse 1004, Bariloche

After Esquel, we moved to Bariloche. On the way, we stopped in El Bolson for a day. We were expecting an exotic hippy town in El Bolson, but it didnt look much like a hippy place. There was a tango festival, and we went for a free tango lesson, but it was cancelled when we went there.

Bariloche is a lovely place. Being on the edge of Patagonia, it becomes very windy and cold. We had unusual warm and sunny days after we arrived, so we went trekking to Cerro Catedral and Cerro Otto. It was a tough walk, but it was very much worth watching amazing scenery.

We are staying at Penthouse 1004 in Bariloche the most beautiful place ever. We are on the 10th floor of an apartment block looking down the lake. The view can be seen from the lounge dining room and kitchen.

Decorations are lovely including a xmas tree now. There is background music from my days Vangelis, REM,ABBA, Simon and Garfunkel. About 40 guests who chat eat and drink wine and it is quiet at night so we sleep well. No football teams here.Everything perfect. Four days of good weather have changed to a big storm which looks amazing from here. This place is so good

Walks in Bariloche

Cerro Catedral Walk, Bariloche - Lynch to Frey

Another Cerro Catedral Walk - Frey to Lynch

Refugio Lopaz, Bariloche

The cathedral walk was superb. A bus to the ski resort at 1000m then 2.5hours climbing under the chair lifts in hot hot sun to 2000m.

A little higher we could see the Bates Motel from Psycho on the sky line but luckily we climbed to a col for a huge very clear view of mountains glaciers lakes and the next deep forested valley over 1000m below.

A well marked path continued across scree with a huge drop. Then it was climbing over boulders and outcrops for a hour with one visit from a Condor. At the end of this amazing high level walk we turned to Refugio Frey and more scrambing and snow crossing. The scenary made us feel so good unlike the 3 hour walk back from the refugio through the forest to the ski resort and bus home. A great walk matched by the best hostel ever.

Dave went back to Catedral for the third time. Someone in the hostel said Dave might be addicted to walking or a little bit psychotic.

Esquel, Argentina

Esquel, Argentina

click here for more photos


After 6 wonderful days in El Chalten including three 25km walks to Mt Fitzroy it was time to move on.
Our last day was forecast to be rain and I had visions of sitting in the Albergue Patagonia watching the rain hammer down but it was sun again so we had more great views. On the day we left it was raining but Manchester drizzle not a storm. After 2 hours on the bus the road north was unsealed and very slippy. The bus slid around and made slow progress but after another five hours got back to a proper surface.Most of the way was flat as far as the eye could see. Was El Chalten a dream?
We will be at the overnight stop stop by 7.30pm said one driver just before there was crunching ,lots of black smoke and the bus stopped. As we had not seen another vehicle for 2 hours this was interesting. The road and landscape was similar to Australia in being very empty. After an hour the bus started moving at 5kms an hour . As we had 180kms to go this was not too promising. Eventually we were back to normal speed. Found an outback pub, had a drink and reached Perito Moreno at 10pm 13 hours after we started.

Youngmi was not impressed by the smelly hotel but any port in a storm. Next day another bus to Esquel and a lovely journey on a sealed road with good scenary and a great English speaking drivers mate so we new what was happening.
Esquel back in mountains some with snow but the biggest place we have seen for ages. Lots of shops, great hostel ,old steam train, the Patagonian Express and a lovely American couple who made delicious soup for the whole hostel. No hot water in our great hostel so we tried another YH around the corner and moved in.
Today I was excited as we were going to Trevellyn a Patagonian welsh town. We caught the local bus and found the town which may be the worst place we have been. Most was closed and the one open Welsh tea room refused to serve us as they wanted to close from 12 noon to 3.30pm. The door said they would close at 12.30 so maybe they were taking no chances. One couple in there had cycled from Peru and said they were also told the couldn't have anything. We visited the hostel in town and were told it was closed forever
A bit like Little Britain -Trevellyn says no. THe good thing was there was a regular bus service back so we could escape. Booked bus tickets for El Bolson tomorrow so we move on again.
Five weeks since we set off and we have been lucky so far with good places, weather and lovely people. Trevellyn reminded us how good things are in general.
Argentina to date more expensive than expected but there is always a plce down the road that people say will be cheaper-like looking for El Dorado