1. Introduction - Contents

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CONTENTS CONTENTS

Volunteering / Swap offerings Responsible travel / Trekkings tips ARGENTINA MAP Buenos Aires CENTRE MAP La Plata Mar del Plata Córdoba La Cumbre LITORAL MAP Rosario Puerto Iguazú CUYO MAP Mendoza San Rafael Malargüe San Juan NORTH MAP San Miguel de Tucumán Tafí del Valle Amaicha del Valle Cafayate Salta S.S.de Jujuy & Purmamarca Tilcara Humahuaca & Iruya La Quiaca & Yavi PATAGONIA MAP San Martín de los Andes San Carlos de Bariloche

88 - El Bolsón 90 - Esquel 92 - Las Grutas 94 - Puerto Pirámides 95 - Puerto Madryn 99 - El Chaltén 101 - El Calafate 107 - Puerto San Julián 108 - Ushuaia 114 - CHILE MAP 118 - Arica 120 - Iquique 123 - San Pedro de Atacama 127 - Pisco Elqui 129 - Valparaíso 132 - Santiago 137 - Pichilemu 138 - Villarrica 139 - Pucón 142 - Osorno 143 - Puerto Varas 146 - Puerto Montt 147 - Chiloe Island - Ancud 149 - Chiloe Island - Castro 151 - Carretera Austral 152 - Puerto Natales 153 - Punta Arenas 155 - URUGUAY MAP 158 - Spanish / English dictionary 159 - Glossary

How to use this guidebook • Spanish words marked with an * have definitions in our Glossary on page 159.

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JOIN our Facebook group! :: By plane: Airlines tend to fly to and from capital cities, with connections to most major cities and tourist centres. Check out www.aerolineas.com, www.lan.com, www.lade.com, www.skyairline.cl or www.flypluna.com for details!

Getting Around

:: By bus: You can get virtually everywhere in South America by bus. Take a bus for a more cost-effective and culturally thrilling experience. Overnight trips are quite comfortable, often including meals, films, and attendant services. :: By car: For a personalized adventure through the countryside, you can always travel by car. Rental companies generally operate in most towns and cities and you can save some bucks if you are travelling in a group. :: By taxi or remis: Cheap and reliable, taxis and remises (private taxis) provide quick transportation within city limits. Simply flag them down with an outstretched arm, or call them in advance. :: By local bus: Sometimes very efficient, but unless you know the city very well, it can be a bit confusing. In Argentina they are called “colectivos”, but in Chile this word means “shared taxi”. Local buses in Chile are called “micros”.

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** Volunteering ** Interested in making a societal impact? South America offers a number of charitable organizations that need YOUR help!

A few hours a week can enrich your experience abroad and can make a world of difference!

Here are only a few of many organizations operating: ARGENTINA

• Fundación Argentina de Etoecología (www.etoecologia.org.ar) raises environmental awareness through direct action such as forestation, ground improvement, and water purification.

• Hogar Amparo Maternal (amparomaternal@fibertal.com.ar) works with young mothers and their children to create a place to stay and organize their daily tasks.

• Banco de Alimentos (www.bancodealimentos.org.ar) fights hunger and malnutrition by providing soup kitchens and raising awareness.

• South American Explorers (www.saexplorers.org) has a sizeable database of volunteering opportunities for eager travellers.

• Voluntario Global (www.voluntarioglobal.com.ar) predominantly runs educational projects for children and adults in the shantytowns in and around Buenos Aires.

CHILE

• Voluntarios de la Esperanza (www.ve-global.org) works to provide shelters, schools and orphanages in Santiago.

• Agrupacion Medio Ambiental Torres del Paine (www.amatorresdelpaine.org) builds and maintains the trails in the Torres del Paine National Park, as well as the administration inside.

URUGUAY

• Karumbe (www.karumbe.org) is a highly recommended volunteer project that monitors and conserves sea turtles in 3 coastal locations in Uruguay.

** Swap Of ferings **

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Travelling on a budget? Check out our website!

There you’ll find a number of businesses promoting exchange programs at their establishments.

Read through our Swap Offerings section to find out which locations are participating.

Save while you travel!!!

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** Responsible Travel** Travelling is a conscientious act of discovery and liberation. Still, simple steps can (and should) be taken in order to be a responsible traveller and to avoid undesirable incidents.

How to be a responsible traveller...

• Read about the social, cultural, political, economic, and environmental climate of your destination.

• Seek out locally owned businesses (accommodation, restaurants, etc).

• Travel in small groups and mingle with locals.

• Attempt to learn the local language.

• Be respectful of culture and customs: dress accordingly, ask to take photographs of people, etc.

• Volunteer with local organizations.

• Travel to enjoy, not to destroy.

• Buy crafts from local artisans to assist local economic development.

• Don’t be stingy with tips, especially when visiting developing areas.

• Limit your environmental impact - don’t litter!

The key is to travel with an open mind; a desire to connect with the people and culture you’re entering will go a long way towards creating an unforgettable journey.

** Trekking Tips ** :: Avoid trekking alone. :: Pre-plan your itinerary, informing others of your route and making sure you leave yourself plenty of daylight time. :: Always remain on marked trails. :: Make sure to read and obey all park signs. :: Make sure to wear and carry the appropriate gear. UV sunglasses, a waterproof jacket, sunscreen and warm clothing are just a few to mention… if in doubt make sure to ask a local guide. They will know best!! :: Don’t bother the wildlife, pick up your waste and bring back only memories. :: Never ever light a fire under any circumstances. :: If someone has left a mess before you, do the right thing and pick it up.

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** Don’t leave without trying this ** Argentina, Chile and Uruguay have some national dishes and drinks that you shouldn’t miss. Almost all of them appear in each country and beyond being tasty, they are a key part of the culture. Try them all !!

Asado/Parrilla

Is in essence a grilled barbecue, consisting of various cuts of meat. A typical asado* may have an assortment of various cuts of steak, chicken, morcilla (blood sausage/black pudding), chorizo (sausage), mollejas (sweetbreads), riñones (kidneys), and chinchulines (intestines).

Chivito

This Uruguayan sandwich consists primarily of a thin slice of steak, with mayonnaise, black or green olives, cheese, tomatoes and sometimes also bacon, fried or hardboiled eggs and ham.

Normally served in a bun with a huge stack of French Fries! The Chilean version is barros luco and in Argentina, the lomito.

Empanada

Is a tasty stuffed pastry that can have a wide range of fillings, such as meat, chicken, seafood, vegetables, ham and cheese, sweet corn, onion, boiled egg, olives, raisins and more. It can be baked or fried.

Mate

Is a popular traditional infusion made with the leaves of the yerba plant. Once dry and processed, the leaves are put into a gourd called mate (made of wood or other materials) and hot water is poured over it. The infusion is sipped through a bombilla (a filtered metal straw).

Wine

Argentinean wines are gaining fame worldwide for their quality and value. The main wineries are spread around Mendoza, San Juan and Salta. You are sure to have heard of the famous Argentinean Malbec, but Torrontes, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and Bonarda are pretty good here too.

Chile has a wide selection of international varieties planted, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay and others. Chile’s signature grape, Carmenère, is a rarely planted variety of Bordeaux.

Uruguay’s top grape is Tannat which, like Malbec, also originally came from France.

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