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Celia Corbin

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After a 31-hour bus ride, a ferry, and a passport stamp from Chile, my brother and I finally arrive at Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world.

Me taking a selfie on the bus as it just drove us debatingly safe onto a large ferry transport.

We finally get a cab to take us to Cruz del Sur Hostel just after 8 pm. At the door entrance, we see a long roster of guests who obeyed the “no shoes allowed policy” with a bookshelf of boots all lined up in military style. We’re immediately asked by the receptionist to take off our shoes as well, which I didn’t mind because it kept the hostel clean from dirty mountain trekkers like me.

As we’re waiting in line for a few other backpackers to be checked in, I hear the chatter a few meters ahead where we see a small group of travelers drinking beer and socializing, all representing their country as if it were the Model U.N. It wasn’t long before we checked in and paid our $210 ARS ($21) each per night, we hear list of more rules before getting situated in our 6 room dorm and falling asleep so that we could prepare for a light warm up hike in the morning.

We did a little research about outdoor activities in the area and read about Glaciar Martial (Martial Glacier). It didn’t cost any money to hike the mountain and it was only a 2-3 hour hike to get to the glacier. We used the opportunity to sleep in a little, find the visitor center to get our passport stamped with the Ushuaia logo (in hindsight, I probably shouldn’t have wasted a portion of my passport but it seemed novelty at the time). We make one final stop at a tour company’s office to book a full-day excursion the following day to Glaciar del Albino (Albino Glacier) before they helped us get a taxi cab to the base of the mountain.

The drive from Ushuaia city to town is only a few kilometers, but I’d recommend taking a cab instead walking it – unless you’re on a super budget – which I did see a solo female backpacker doing. It’s a paved and windy road so the walk is doable if the weather is nice.

Once you reach the base of the mountain and where the trail begins, there’s a cute little ski lodge, Refugio de Montana, where you can either dine or take away. We hadn’t eaten any food all morning and ended up doing both having a light breakfast and then a sandwich for the hike.

The base of Martial Glacier trail.

The trail itself has a fairly easy ascent, but there were parts of the trail where you found yourself hiking on spongy-like and sometimes muddy terrains.

Spongy Trail Glacier Martial

There are several great viewpoints where you can see a panoramic view of the Beagle Channel and islands. With an average of 146 days of precipitation a year including 206 cloudy days, I’d say we lucked out with the March weather. A rainstorm just passed a couple of days prior leaving us with nothing but beautiful crisp skies.

Glaciar Martial Pretty View with Trail
View from about halfway.

If you’re looking to take it to next level and are an experienced rock climber, you could free climb above the glacier like my brother did.

Glaciar Martial Off the Beaten Path

It’ll be an interesting ride back down, but you’ll somehow make it down if you aren’t afraid of a few scratches. It’s not something I would try first initially, but for daredevils and those who like to explore the mountains in an extreme way I’d say go for it!

My Glaciar Martial photo opp jump!

 

 

 

If you’re a go-getter, and you have a reputation for going big or going home, then this trip is perfect for you for you. Here’s how you can hike four mountains in the Southern Patagonia region in five days starting in Ushuaia and ending in El Chaltén. This is not for the faint heart. You’ll be on long bus rides, juggling flights, followed by long hikes and unpredictable weather. But if you’re an adventure warrior, you can totally pull it off like I did. The best time to complete this is during Argentina’s Summer or early Fall (December through early March) when the weather is far less inclement and treacherous.

DAY ONE: 1/2 day hike followed by one overnight stay.

Martial Glacier

Hike #1: Glacier Martial
Highlights: a spectacular view of Andorra Valley, Vinciguerra Glacier and Mount as well as postcard pictures of the Beagle Channel, Navarino and Hoste Islands.
Mountain Range: The Andes
Region: Tierra del Fuego, Argentina
Elevation: 1,050 MASL
Distance: TBD
Approximate time to complete:
Level of Difficulty: Easy. The first slope is the steepest.
How to Get There: the best way is by taxi, but I’ve seen trekkers walking 2 km uphill from Ushuaia city.
Fun Fact: it is the most important source of fresh water in Ushuaia. It has been named after explorer Luis Fernando Martial, chief of the French expedition that reached the area by scientific purposes in 1883. Amazing Race was filmed here (airdate: March 18, 2007).

Sleep, and get rested for next hike.

DAY TWO: Full-day hike

Laguna Esmaralda

Hike #2: Laguna Esmeralda / Ojo del Albino Summit
Region: Tierra del Fuego, Argentina
Highlights: Panoramic views of the mountains, flora and fauna, emerald lagoon, white lagoon, and hanging glacier
Mountain Range: The Andes
Region: Tierra del Fuego, Argentina
Elevation: 350 MASL / 980 MASL
Distance: 14 km round trip
Approximate time to complete: 10 hours
Level of Difficulty: Moderate difficulty in good weather
How to Get There: Start at Nunatak Shelter by shuttle bus or car.

DAY THREE: (Transporation Day / Rest Day)
Fly to El Calafaté: Fly. Check out prices on Skyscanner.
Bus from El Calafaté to El Chaltén: 3-4 hours (weather permitting)

DAY FOUR: You’ll have traveled many hours getting you into El Chaltén at an early hour. Check into your accommodation and eat (time permitting) and then head out on the trail.

Hike #3: Cerro Torre
Highlights: flora and fauna, a waterfall, Fitz Roy River, wide valleys, and views of Cerro Torre mountain and the quiet glacier lagoon
Mountain Range: The Andes
Elevation: about 250m (820ft)
Distance: 21 km round trip
Approximate time to complete: 7-8 hours round trip
Level of Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
How to Get There: Walk from El Chaltén village

Get some rest and prepare for the next day.

DAY FIVE:


Hike #4: Mount Fitz Roy
Highlights: the most sought trek in Argentina, Fitz Roy massif, an emerald lagoon, flora and fauna, and vast landscapes. This viewpoint is the closest you can get to the Peak’s walls in a non-technical hike.
Mountain Range: The Andes
Elevation: 800 meters (2,624 feet)
Distance: 20.4 km round trip
Approximate time to complete: 9-10 hours
Level of Difficulty: Moderate difficulty in good weather
How to Get There: Walkable from El Chaltén village

Sleep or take a bus to El Calafaté where you can continue your adventure.

Popularly known for its cultural heritage, stunningly beautiful beaches and islands, and rich cuisine, Thailand is considered one of the top tourist destinations in Southeast Asia. Oddly, there is a less popular way for tourists to experience Thailand at its best. And that is, to live like a local. Herewith are eight ways to guide you on your trip.

  1. Ride a Tuk-Tuk.

“Tuk-Tuk” is a public transportation in Thailand that can take you to places around the city. Locals usually ride tuk-tuks that careen through congested traffic.

  1. Buy food from a floating market.

Damnoen Saduak in Ratchaburi is the most famous of all the floating markets in the country. Situated southwest of Bangkok, this colorful market can offer you the best bargain of the country’s local produce.

  1. Eat street food.

A little detour from the well-paved roads goes a long way. Get yourself to a street stall and you surely won’t regret it. Thailand’s specialty is often found on the streets.

  1. Take a long boat ride.

Although a tad touristy, you may experience a piece of Thailand’s history through a boat ride on the Chao Phraya River. You will see lots of decaying shacks and some of their temples while on the ride.

  1. Play with elephants.

Elephants are revered animals in Thailand. Instead of riding the elephants, try swimming with them at an elephant rescue camp instead. I’d recommend Hug Elephants Sanctuary in Chiang Mai. 

  1. Shop from a night market.

Talk about booths and lights, shirts, scarves, and a variety of good finds. Chiang Mai’s Night Market has everything you want and all that you need from a market.

  1. Live at hill tribe villages.

Spend a day or a few nights with a local family to learn and experience the way of life of some local tribes. The Akha, Lisu, Hmong, and Karen tribes are the most common and they are found across the north of Thailand.

  1. Pray.

The Grand Palace, a temple complex in Bangkok is a place where most locals and tourists pray. Be sure to take off your shoes, walk in, sit, and keep the soles of your feet away from the Buddha as a sign of reverence.

Surely, there is more to Thailand than its exceptional royal palaces, ancient ruins, temples displaying figures of Buddha, and modernized cityscapes. Use this as a guide in drawing up your itinerary for your well-deserved authentic Thailand experience.

No tours, no fighting big crowds, white sandy beaches, mango shakes made fresh by the local longtail boat tenders, and blue skies. This is what you’re likely to find on your trip to Railay Beach. It’s truly a paradise and to my surprise not as populated.

It sits isolated with dramatic limestone cliffs towering from behind creating signature picturesque tropical views.

railay beach

If you’re not staying on one of the resorts, it’s about a twenty-minute water taxi ride from more populous Aonang Beach on Krabi Island. There’s not much to do but sunbathe, help yourself to some of their freshly made fruit shakes sold on one of the boats sitting on the sandy shore, or my favorite kayaking.

kayaking railay w mom

A kayak can be rented for $5 per hour, and you can solo tour with your mum, mate, or partner through and around the Andaman Sea. It’s quiet here with minimal resources, but there is a resort where you can find wild monkeys stealing bananas from your hand if you get too close. This was one of my favorite activities around the area due to its photogenic topography.

Is Puerto Madryn Patagonia’s steppe-child? The answer is yes. Read more about what makes it a steppe-child and four reasons we should show this little town some love.

It’s no doubt that when you think of Patagonia you think of the Argentina’s many alluring national parks stapled with towering glaciers against distinctly shaped mountains. But what about the Patagonia steppe that rests along the East Atlantic Ocean in Puerto Madryn, and why is nobody talking about it?

argentina-map

I can best describe Puerto Madryn and the steppe as an ecoregion that (in my opinion) got the short end of the stick. It’s full of grassland planes but no trees and scrubby vegetation. It’s too dry to support a forest and yet too dry to be called a desert and violent windstorms are no stranger to the steppe either.

Puerto Madryn Patagonia steppe

Why should we visit this tiny town then?

Here are 4 Reasons to Visit Puerto Madryn:

  1. The Whales and Orcas: If you ever wanted to know it felt like to step into a National Geographic documentary come visit Puerto’s Madryn. You’ll see mama whales and their calves swim so close to the bay you could swim with them, literally, like 20 feet away from the shore. It’s also free! We love free things. 🙂
  2. Other Wildlife: sea elephants, sea lions, penguins, dolphins, exotic birds, guanacos… you name it. There’s no shortage out here to get up close to the sea lions who will literally park themselves on a staircase connected to Puerto Madryn’s only pier, the penguins that swim between beaches so close that you might even have one pop up close next to you when you’re taking a dip at sea. Or just a couple of hours south in Punto Tombo, there’s a large colony of Magellanic penguins you can walk next to; it’s also the largest such colony in South America.
  3. Camping: if you’re a backpacker or just love the idea of camping, you can beach camp here for free along an entire coast of protected waters. Many of the beaches feel as though it were privately your own.
  4. The People: I spent three weeks volunteering and drinking maté with the Puerto Madryn park rangers and they were some of the nicest, intelligent, and relaxed group I’ve met on my travels. I also spent time learning to make empanadas and make lavender products on a family lavender farm. It was a great way for me to practice my Spanish, exchange cultural differences, and even learn how to party like a local Argentine being invited to a birthday party!

The best time to visit is June through September during Argentina’s summer with the peak season being in October.

In the southern region of South America lies Argentina, a country that prides itself with the gift of nature’s beauty. Argentina boasts of a chock-full of must-visit and adventure-filled attractions. With so many places to visit and so many things to do, here is a round-up of the best places for the most exciting journey you’ll ever take.

Explore its Beauty
Take time to visit the world’s largest waterfall, Cataratas del Iguazú. Stretching between the borders of Argentina and Brazil, this waterfall promises a jaw-dropping, visceral experience either lit up by the sun at day or the moon at night.

Go on an Adventure
Embark on a 24-kilometer-long journey at the Loma del Pliegue Tumbado trail located at El Chaltén. In a place renowned as Argentina’s trekking capital, tourists can look forward to the best panorama in the area, including breathtaking views of the Fitz Roy, Lago Viedma, and Laguna Toro that will be enjoyed to the fullest on a clear day.

Drive Down Memory Lane
Explore Argentina’s history, culture, and national character as you drive down Ruta Nacional 40 (RN 40) usually referred to as “La Ruta Cuarenta.” It offers an epic journey that will give you a keen sense of what it’s like to live as an Argentinean native.

March with Penguins
Península Valdés is home to the world’s largest penguin colony. It’s stretched three kilometers long and covered with sand and gravel. Penguins breed and build their nests under bushes or in small burrows every year between September and March. Be sure to time your trip between these months.

Run with Tamed Horses
At Estancia Los Potreros, tourists can be thrilled in equestrian adventures on the back of exceptionally bred horses. Guests can expect to go riding for stretches of about four to six hours. At the end of the day, guests go back to the estancia for a taste of life with the locals. Guests get to eat local meals, share in the chores, and play traditional gaucho games. Among the most popular among these games is La Corrida de Sortija.

Tango the Night Away
Channel your inner Latin-American at Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina. Be sure to check out a milonga (Tango dance party) while touring the city that gave birth to one of the world’s most sophisticated dances, the Tango.

Pulsating with breathtaking sceneries, abundant wildlife jungles, rich history, and vibrant culture, it is no wonder that Argentina is one of the most popular travel destinations in the world. Are you talking about destinations to see before you die? Argentina should rank near, if not on top of your list.

Buenos Aires is one of the most interesting cities in the world. It is cheaper than most tourist destinations and it has a rich culture. If you love tango and Latin American culture, this city is the best place to experience them. But there are a few basic things you should know before you go to Buenos Aires.

From the Airport

Buenos Aires has two major airports — the Aeroparque Jorge Newbery  (AEP) which is located at the heart of the city and the Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE) which is located 22 kilometers outside the city.

If you’re coming from Ezeiza, it’s best to take the HI travel shuttle service which costs around $11. This service has many drop-off points within the city proper of Buenos Aires. To ensure that your trip is hassle-free, it is best to reserve a shuttle space online (www.hostelshuttle.com.ar).

You can also try the personal car service called Service Star Car, but this one’s a bit expensive, since it uses top-notch cars such as the Lincoln Town Car, Citroen C4, and Citroen C6 Sedan. If you’re coming from the Aeroparque airport, you’ll have to pay $92. If you’re from Ezeia, you’ll have to pay $132.

There are a lot of scammers in Buenos Aires so it is best to avoid taxis. You can instead try the minibus SRI service which costs around $21. The bus schedule is from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. from Monday to Friday and a bus leaves every 15 minutes.

SIM Cards

There are three major telecommunication carriers in Argentina — Movistar, Claro, and Personal. You can get a SIM card of any of these telco networks at the airport for around $30.

Storage Lockers

The AEP has a luggage service that charges $18 every 12 hours. EZE unfortunately doesn’t have an on-site luggage storage facility.

Money Exchange

The currency in Buenos Aires is the Argentine Peso. You can do currency exchange in Banco de Nation located in both EZE and AEP.

Getting Around Buenos Aires

The Subte or the Buenos Aires metro is the cheapest way to get around the city. The flat fare is only 1.10 pesos or 8 cents (in US dollars). If you want to get around the city more easily, it’s best to take the taxi. A taxi ride around the city can cost around $3 to $10 depending on the destination.

You can take the bus as well. There are about 140 bus lines that operate around the city 24 hours a day. If you love walking, you can travel by foot, too, as Buenos Aires is a pedestrian-friendly city. You can also rent a car or a bicycle.

Culture

Argentina is located in Latin America but it has a strong Italian and Spanish cultural influence. Argentines are mostly of European descent. This separates them from other Latin Americans. The city is filled with European-style architecture.

Argentinians have strong family values and Roman Catholicism is the official state religion. Argentines are blunt, frank, and direct but they can also be diplomatic and tactful. It is important to maintain eye contact when talking to locals as this indicates interest.

Spots for Adventure Seekers and Foodies

If you love food, you should join the numerous food tours around Buenos Aires. Fuudis allows you to book mobile dinner tours in assorted Buenos Aires nabes (neighborhoods). The dinner tour will take you to three restaurants — one for appetizer, another one for the entree, and the last one for dessert. If you like to try something different, you can walk around the bohemian San Telmo quarter. You can also go to Palermo to find the best Buenos Aires staples such as gelato, chorizo sandwich, and empanadas.

Buenos Aires is fascinating and incredibly cheap. It definitely deserves a spot in your travel bucket list.

In the southern region of South America lies Argentina, a country that prides itself with the gift of nature’s beauty. Argentina boasts of a chock-full of must-visit and adventure-filled attractions. With so many places to visit and so many things to do, here is a round-up of the best places for the most exciting journey you’ll ever take.

VISIT ONE OF THE GREAT WONDERS OF THE WORLD

Take time to visit the world’s largest waterfall, Cataratas del Iguazú. Stretching between the borders of Argentina and Brazil, this waterfall promises a jaw-dropping, visceral experience either lit up by the sun at day or the moon at night.

ADVENTURE TREK

Embark on a 24-kilometer-long journey at the Lomo del Pliegue Tumbado trail located at El Chaltén. In this place that’s touted as Argentina’s trekking capital, tourists can look forward to the best panorama in the area, including breathtaking views of the Fitz Roy, Lago Viedma, and Laguna Toro that can be enjoyed to the fullest on a clear day.

DRIVE DOWN MEMORY LANE

Explore Argentina’s history, culture, and national character as you drive down Ruta Nacional 40 (RN 40) usually referred to as “La Ruta Cuarenta.” It offers an epic journey that will give you a keen sense of what it’s like to live as an Argentinean native.

MARCH WITH PENGUINS

Península Valdés is home to the world’s largest penguin colony. It stretches three kilometers long and is covered with sand and gravel. Penguins breed and build their nests under bushes or in small burrows every year between September and March. Be sure to time your trip between these months.

RUN WITH TAMED HORSES

At Estancia Los Potreros, tourists can be thrilled in equestrian adventures on the back of exceptionally bred horses. Guests can expect to go riding for stretches of about four to six hours. At the end of the day, guests go back to the estancia for a taste of life with the locals. Guests get to eat local meals, share in the chores, and play traditional gaucho games. Among the most popular among these games is La Corrida de Sortija.

TANGO THE NIGHT AWAY

Channel your inner Latin-American at Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina.  Be sure to check out a milonga (Tango dance party) while touring the city that gave birth to one of the world’s most sophisticated dances, the Tango.

Pulsating with breathtaking sceneries, wildlife abundant jungles, rich history, and vibrant culture, it is no wonder that Argentina is one of the most popular travel destinations in the world. Talking about destinations to see before you die? Argentina should rank near, if not on top of your list.

The Southern Patagonia region is filled with some of the most extraordinary things your eyes will ever witness. Nearly 800,000 km are covered in lakes, mountains, forests, and glaciers. Los Glaciares National Park is no exception so this makes the attraction naturally a bucket list item for many adventure lovers. It’s filled with some of the most powerfully seductive glaciers that will deeply move you in ways you could not have imagined if it doesn’t first take your breath away.

Glaciers

But if that’s not sublime enough for you and you’re someone who craves for next-level experiences in areas where people aren’t generally stampeding on each other, I’d recommend kayaking through the Upsala channel in Lago Argentino (Argentino Lake). You’ll find yourself traversing through icebergs so close you could taste it. The temperature is so refreshingly invigorating that your entire body feels like a pack of Altoids have absorbed into your veins. You’re also the only one besides about 15 others who are there.

Photo credit: Viva Patagonia

The first part of our journey begins with getting up in the wee hours of the morning just before the butt crack of dawn. My eyelids are partial to opening all the way and I have my hoodie sweatshirt propped over my head as I lean against the cold window for support. We are about halfway to our catamaran as I see the mysterious sunrise making its way into Thursday.

Magical Sunrise El Calafate
Magical sunrise in the first stage of its performance.

It was brilliant in every way as if it mother nature wanted to gift us with a spectacular show illustrating every rich and romantically warm watercolor it could pull from the paint box. So brilliant, in fact, that I wanted to clap once we reached our destination.

Sunrise Before Kayaking to Glaciers

It’s time. We are moments away from making our way through Lago Argentino (Lake Argentino), the largest freshwater lake in this region covering over 1,400 km of surface and average depths of 150 meters. Can I get a hell yes?

On our way in these milky blue waters!

Over the next 3 hours, I’m seeing these mystical gigantic masses of ice drift at a glacial pace. If these glaciers could tell stories I wonder what would they be? Maybe the icebergs could at least give me the tip of what it’s like to be one of our eternal witnesses of time.

Icebergs

Our three guides give us instruction and we change into our waterproof dry suits as we slowly approach an isolated beach with not a human in sight but the ones who are on this water vessel.

Warm-up exercise! Photo credit: Viva Patagonia

We carry our own kayaks out and make our way into the waters with two hours of unimaginable bliss. The guides were also pretty entertaining with a few kayaking tricks.

Guide showing off. 🙂

We did experience some light drizzling on our way back to shore, but I welcomed it to gently kiss my face.

After we successfully dragged our kayaks out of subzero temperatures and back onto the sandy cove, our guides all asked us to jump into the water. If body language could speak seeing the reactions of the other 12 kayakers, it would easily say, “Are you insane?”. The guides laughed and told us to get in a second time. Nobody wants to be the salmon so we all convincingly jumped in. No hypothermia. Only one good laugh for a group photo.

Group photo in subzero temperatures. Photo Credit: Viva Patagonia

While the trip itself was a little pricey at 2.700,00 pesos (over $300 USD), it was an experience of a lifetime. And if my story didn’t convince you that kayaking to glaciers is possibly one of the coolest things (literally) you can do in your life then I’ll just have to go again with you.

“We came and we conquered.” Photo Credit: Viva Patagonia

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