Argentina - Itinerary

January 30th, Monday - Arrive Buenos Aires and rest up!

1. Hotels http://www.parkplazahotels.com/chateau_ingles/chateau-habitaciones.htm
2. http://www.hotelcallao.com.ar/
3. http://www.hhispano.com.ar/
4. goyahotel@infovia.com.ar
5. www.dazzlersuites.com - Mom and Dad are booked here for the 30th and 31st of January

January 31st, Tuesday - Buenos Aires tours

1. Cementario Recoleto - afternoon
2. Florida ped malls - nearby hotel
3. San Antonio de Areco - day trip

February 1st, Wednesday - Fly to Puerto Iguazu

1. www.aerolineas.com.ar
2. "Over 275 distinct cascades tumble through lush subtropical forest. One of the most awe-inspiring sights in South America. The falls straddle the border between Argentina and Brazil.
3. Hotel - consultas@ellibertadoriguazu.com.ar US$45 w/breakfast + air con
4. Hotel - Residencial Paquita 420434 US$25 + US$3 for air con
5. Visit the Parque Nacional Iguazu http://www.iguazuargentina.com/ US$9 admission
6. 20km NE of Puerto Iguazu by paved highway
7. Buses leave hourly for the Parque US$2 - 30 minutes
8. Boat tour with http://www.iguazujunglexplorer.com/ingles_home.htm US$30

February 2nd, Thursday - Parque Nacional Iguazu

1. Plan hikes before or after the mid-morning influx of tour buses
2. Signs point the way to two circuits - a) Paseo Superior, entirely level and b) Paseo Inferior, descends to the river
3. Free launch across to Isla Grand San Martin
4. Take a bus or taxi upstream to Puerto Canoas to see Garganta del Diablo, a free launch to the catwalk over-looking the cataract
5. Brazil side yields more panoramic views - One extreme close-up from a catwalk at the bottom of the falls that is not to be missed. Board double-decker buses that leave every 15 min. Get off at Hotel Tropical and walk 1.5km down a paved trail. Elevator up to Porto Canoas. To get there, take a bus from Puerto Iguazu to Foz do Iguacu and catch the Parque Nacional bus - to get off at Av das Cataratas, just beyond immigration and flag down the Parque Nacional bus there. For day trippers, board formalities are minimal. Check with tourist info to see if a visa is required.
   http://www.cuencadelplata.com/Eng/index.htm

February 3rd, Friday - Return to Buenos Aires and fly to El Calafate

February 4th, Saturday - Perito Moreno Glaciar

February 5th, Sunday - Return to Buenos Aires

1. Meet up with Wade and Rena
2. See hotels in Day 1 previous
3. Catch a polo match http://www.aapolo.com/
4. Take a Tango lesson http://www.taconeando.com/ingles/MENU_e.html http://www.querandi.com.ar/home.htm

February 6th, Monday - Buenos Aires

1. Tour the city http://www.privatetours.com.ar/ing/default.htm http://www.allaboutar.com/tours.htm

February 7th, Tuesday - Fly to Salta

1. Hotel - http://www.hoteldelvirrey.com.ar/index-en.php
2. Hotel - Regidor 4311305 US$60 near Plaza 9 de Julio
3. Hotel - Residencial Elena 4211529 US$24
4. Hotel - Italia 4214050 US$27
5. City tour? US$20 Chicoana Turismo
6. Salta the Beautiful, where we'll find wonderful old cathedrals, churches and museums to wander into today. There are shops full of local artisans' works, a delicious food market and ancient city squares to discover. You can get a superb view of the city by taking the cable car to the top of Cerro San Bernardo.

February 8th, Wednesday - Salta and Valles Calchaquies

1. Tours of the area http://www.movitrack.com.ar/
2. Rent a car? dollarsalta@arnet.com.ar
3. Most appealing off-the-beaten track areas - striking landscapes, unique cultural areas
4. Cachi is the most accessible - cobbled streets, 18th century church
5. Estimated time to drive 4 1/4 hrs - possibly an afternoon trip, returning to Salta
6. Or stay in Cachi? - www.adventure-life.com for possible hikes in the area
7. Ramble through beautiful farmland passing by old homesteads, and along trails leading to ancient Indian shrines. The Andean mountains make a perfect backdrop and accentuate the serenity and grandeur of the scenery. As we explore the narrow valley during our Argentina travels, we'll visit old Indian houses, small cheese industries, and cross paths with shepards tending their flocks. Towering nearby is the 6300-meter mountain often used as a training ground for those preparing to climb Mount Aconcagua, the highest peak in the Americas.
8. Hotel in Cachi - http://www.disfrutandoelcortijo.com/index.asp

February 9th, Thursday - Salta/Cachi to Cafayate

1. Drive paved RN68 through Quebrada de Cafayate - summer rainfalls have carved deep canyons (quebradas)
2. Explore the impressive box canyon of Garganta del Diablo - hiking in the area
3. Estimated 4 hr drive from Salta to Cafayate
4. Part of Parque Nacional Los Cardones - free to enter and no visitor services
5. Three wineries near Cafayate - Bodega Etchart, Bodega La Banda and Bodega La Rosa
6. Hotel - Hosteria Ruinas de Quilmes
7. Hotel - Confort 421091 US$20 w/ breakfast
8. Hotel - Asembal 421065 US$24

February 10th, Friday - XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Quilmes - dating from about AD 1000, a complex urban settlement that occupied about 30 hectares and housed as many as 5,000 people

1. Give yourself 1/2 day to explore
2. Travel on to Tafi del Valle, RN 38 to RP 307 - through the narrow gorge Rio de los Sosa
3. Precipitous mountain road - a spectacular trip worth staying awake for
4. Esimated 5 1/2 hrs drive from Cafayate to Tucuman
5. Drop car rental in Tucuman
6. Hotel - Impala 4310371 US$30 w/ bath

February 12th, Monday - Fly/Bus to Cordoba/Mendoza?

February 13th, Tuesday -