Argentina Photo Gallery

Fauna and flora of the Malvinas Islands

2026-08-31T16:59:00.000-05:00

The Malvinas Islands (Falklands) host a unique ecosystem shaped by their cold, windy climate and isolation. The fauna is dominated by marine mammals and seabirds, while the flora consists mainly of grasses, shrubs, and peat bog vegetation, with no native trees.

Flora of the Malvinas Islands

Grasslands and Shrubs: The islands are largely covered by tussac grass (Festuca flabellata), which can grow up to 2 meters tall and provides shelter for birds and sea lions.
Peat Bogs: Extensive peatlands support mosses and small herbaceous plants.
Heathlands: Areas with dwarf shrubs and hardy plants adapted to poor soils and strong winds.
Endemic Plants: Species such as Malvinas Daisy (Perezia recurvata) and Malvinas Violet (Viola maculata) are unique to the islands.
Absence of Native Trees: No native arboreal vegetation exists today, though fossil records show ancient cypress and araucaria forests.

Fauna of the Malvinas Islands

Marine Mammals

Seals and Sea Lions: Southern sea lions, elephant seals, and fur seals are common along the coasts.
Cetaceans: Orcas, dolphins, and several whale species migrate through surrounding waters.

Birds

Penguins: Five species breed here: King, Gentoo, Rockhopper, Macaroni, and Magellanic penguins.
Seabirds: Albatrosses, petrels, cormorants, and skuas thrive in the nutrient-rich waters.
Land Birds: The Falkland steamer duck (flightless), upland goose, and the endemic Cobb’s wren are notable.

Invertebrates

Endemic Beetles: Several species of ground beetles and weevils are unique to the islands, such as Malvinius compressiventris.

Conservation Notes

Fragile Ecosystem: The harsh climate limits biodiversity, making species highly specialized and vulnerable.
Threats: Introduced species (rats, cats) have impacted native bird populations.
Protection Efforts: Conservation programs focus on seabird colonies and restoring tussac grass habitats.

Quick Comparison Table

Category
Key Species/Features
Notes

Flora
Tussac grass, peat bog mosses, endemic daisies
No native trees; vegetation adapted to wind/cold

Marine Mammals
Sea lions, elephant seals, dolphins, whales
Coastal and migratory presence

Birds
Penguins (5 species), albatrosses, Cobb’s wren
Major global seabird colonies

Invertebrates
Endemic beetles, weevils
High endemism despite low diversity

In short: the Malvinas Islands are a haven for seabirds and marine mammals, with vegetation dominated by tussac grass and peat bogs. Their isolation has fostered unique endemic species, but conservation is crucial to protect this fragile ecosystem.

In the northernmost city of my country: La Quiaca, more than 5000 km from Ushuaia, the southernmost one.

2026-05-25T04:59:00.000-05:00

As we headed further and further north on the map, my excitement grew. The whole area was already starting to be uncharted territory for me, so I was very curious to see what things were like in that part of my country. We were already very close to achieving our improvised goal of reaching Bolivia, but along the way we were also seeing some very curious places. One obligatory stop was La Quiaca, the northernmost city in Argentina in the province of Jujuy, where we took two nights to rest and also to sort out our paperwork before crossing the border .

After driving more than 180 km in the small Suzuki 4x4, we left Iruya in the province of Salta to head to La Quiaca, in the province of Jujuy. That would be our last stop in Argentina before heading to the neighboring country. It was impossible to go any further, because we were literally about to cross to the other side. However, despite being so close, we needed some time to be able to go to the ATM to withdraw cash so we could get a good exchange rate in Bolivia, try to get the yellow fever vaccine and be able to fill up with gas before crossing. For this we stayed two nights in a small hostel for which we paid $25 per night for two people

As for money, we were able to get a good amount from ATMs and this was the most convenient thing, since due to the high taxes Argentina imposes on using debit and credit cards abroad, the best option was to pay for everything with cash. Regarding the yellow fever vaccine, we had read that it was necessary but I went to the hospital and couldn't get it because it wasn't the day they were doing the vaccination campaign. I risked going to Bolivia anyway, hoping not to get sick from anything (spoiler: I didn't get sick from anything). Third, we were able to fill a jerry can with extra gasoline, which was what we wanted, since we were afraid of not getting it easily in Bolivia, since there was a rumor that they didn't sell it to foreigners .

All of these things took up the time we decided to stay in La Quiaca. As for the city, like any border city, it is not as touristy or elegant, but it is still full of signs that highlight what distinguishes it: being the northernmost city in Argentina. There are signs everywhere for photos, and many stickers of people who wanted to leave their mark on this place. In addition, everything was quite cheap here, just like what we saw in our previous days in other northern cities .

The city of La Quiaca in Jujuy represents the northern end of the famous journey that crosses my country from end to end along Route 40, parallel to the Andes Mountains and ending in the city of Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego province. This route covers 5,194 km and visits 11 of the 23 provinces we have in Argentina. This trip is one of the most desired by nomadic travelers, who choose to do it in different vehicles, from cars, trucks, motorcycles and motorhomes to bicycles. Being at either end of this route, whether in La Quiaca or Ushuaia, is exciting, and that is how I felt after finally getting to know this city, because I already knew Ushuaia .

I think that throughout this whole traveling phase of my life, which began almost a year and a half ago, I did a lot of great things and being in the northernmost and southernmost extremes of my country was one of them. When I decided that I wanted to travel a bit around the north of Argentina, I didn't think that I would literally get to La Quiaca, the furthest north we have. I really enjoyed getting to know this place, which despite being simple has a very special value for travelers and for all of us who love Argentina and love Route 40. Once again, I was able to get to know a new corner of the many we have here .

❤️ Hope you liked this post! Thanks for reading. ❤️

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Solo trekking to the summit of Cerro Cortez: 500 metres of elevation gain for good views of Ushuaia.

2026-04-13T11:37:00.000-05:00

When I first read that the city of Ushuaia is only 6 metres above sea level I was quite surprised. In spite of being a low place, it is possible to find mountains with interesting slopes that test your physical endurance. The highest peak of this city is Mount Olivia at only 1300 metres high, but it is only reserved for professional climbers. Instead, normal people can visit other hills to climb on foot, such as the Cerro Cortez, considered of medium difficulty. It may not be the highest of them all, but it still takes your breath away .

Cerro Cortez is one of the closest mountains to the city centre and, according to what I had read, it would only take me about 5 hours to hike to the top and back. This time was perfect for a morning plan before I had to work at the hostel, so I took an Uber to the trailhead, about 6 km from where I was. The highest point of this mountain is 750 masl, but that drive was mostly uphill, so the final elevation gain I had left to walk was only 500 metres.

One thing I like about Ushuaia is that most of the trails are well signposted. Of all the trails I've done, I've rarely had to resort to an offline map. That's why it gave me peace of mind to go trekking alone, because I knew that the chances of getting lost were low. Also, this particular mountain is very close to the city, so I never lost my internet signal. And in case of any emergency, you could call the rescue number 103, which luckily in all my long stay, I never had to do.

I never knew how to write the name of this mountain properly, as in some places it appears as ‘Cortez’ (surname) and on the trail it says ‘Cortés’ (adjective, polite). I liked it better as a surname, so I wrote it that way. What was certain was that the gradient on this mountain was interesting. Although it was a 3 kilometres one way trail, I think that all the elevation gain was concentrated in 2.5 kilometres. My legs gave it their all, but as always, a big elevation gain means good views faster.

I didn't meet anyone on the way, and that's because this mountain is not one of the most touristy in Ushuaia. I thought that maybe I would meet some locals when I was near the summit, but the only thing that was there was a terrible wind. At times I had to sit down and take shelter because I swear it was pushing me. Keeping a steady pace was difficult and I didn't want any accidents.

Despite the wind, I reached the summit and everything looked beautiful from there. The weather made the clouds circulate very fast, changing the illumination of the landscape every minute. Even this also made the moment magical. From this summit I could get a good 360° view of the whole city of Ushuaia, the Beagle Channel, Mount Olivia and even the mountain ranges inside the National Park. I like the high peaks, but the ones that are not so high also offer landscapes a bit closer to see them in detail.

I found a rock shelter where I could take some shelter and have my mountain lunch (a small, non-nutritious sandwich and an apple). I stayed as long as I could, until the humble freezing breezes of the end of the world forced me to come down before my face froze even more. The good thing is that coming down is always a bit quicker than going up, and once back in the forest, there was no trace of the gusts from up there. And on the way up, I found a good location for my new Worldmappin sticker.

I usually take a little less time than the signs say, but this time, the whole route took me the exact five hours it was estimated to take. I even imagined it would be a bit more difficult, but all that elevation gain was challenging. Anyway, the views from there were beautiful and being able to see the city of Ushuaia from a new point was very rewarding. All this without detracting from how convenient it was to get off the trail and have a signal to call an Uber back: if I could have driven to the summit, I probably would have done it .

❤️ Hope you liked this post! Thanks for reading. ❤️

❤️¡Espero que les haya gustado este post! Gracias por leer. ❤️

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Reactivating Couchsurfing meetings for trekking: this time, Bridal Veil Waterfall.

2026-04-06T14:54:00.000-05:00

Although the trip to Chile had passed more quickly than I wanted it to, its end meant no great sorrow for me either. This was because instead of returning to my home in Buenos Aires, I had planned my return to Ushuaia, in Tierra del Fuego. Summer was approaching, the best time not to feel so cold at the end of the world, so I wanted to return to take advantage of the pleasant weather and enjoy the mountains a little more. When I got back, there still weren't that many guests in the hostel where I was volunteering, so if I wanted to socialise a bit more, I had to resort to my trusty tool Couchsurfing. Once again, it worked perfectly .

Having returned from the neighbouring country after my trip with M brought me back to the reality of what it was like to travel alone. This is no problem for me because I love socialising, but the problem is when there are no people around to do it. But thanks to knowing how Couchsurfing works, I was almost always able to find occasional friends to go out with. And as I like diverse groups, where it is possible to exchange many anecdotes, I made sure that we were at least four people per outing (incidentally, to share the taxi to the trailheads).

For those who are not familiar with Couchsurfing, this is an application for travellers whose main purpose is to obtain temporary accommodation in private homes. In this app, there are people who offer a place in their home and travellers who can request this type of stay for free. The main purpose is to share a good time with the hosts while getting to know the place you are passing through, and also to save on accommodation. But as I never need this, as I have my stay at the hostel where I volunteer, I just use another section of the app called ‘Hangouts’. This function allows you to make your profile available for a walk at that moment: it's like a ‘Tinder’ for travellers, in which if you match with another person or persons, a chat is generated so that you can chat and plan a casual walk.

Throughout my stay in Ushuaia, which lasted almost six months in total, I used Couchsurfing Hangouts dozens of times. This allowed me to meet many people from all over, with whom we shared treks, pub crawls, walks in the city and even meetings in the hostel I was staying in. The first Couchsurfing meeting I did after returning from Chile was with three guys, one from England, one from Turkey and one from Argentina. We decided to trek to the Cinco Hermanos Lagoon, where we first went to the Bridal Veil Waterfall. I knew it but the boys didn't, so we stopped there for a moment to take pictures.

The stretch to the waterfall was short but quite steep, but the four of us were experienced trekkers so it was no problem for us. What was a problem was communicating with the guys from England and Turkey, as my English is very bad. However, I gave it my best shot and I think we exchanged some good ideas in the time we shared together. They were also able to practice their Spanish with me, although their level of the opposite language was much better than mine.

The outings I organised on Couchsurfing were always fun, and in the process saved us a bit of money, as well as having a good time. A taxi to the start of this trail and back to the city cost $20, which is not much for four people. By the way, we all took away a language lesson, as well as having seen a nice place. When I told my friends that I was going to the mountains with people I'd only spoken to for a few minutes in the morning via an app, they were quite worried, but after all the time in Ushuaia doing that, they relaxed. Now I have Couchsurfing contacts all over the world: I just have to get on a plane and go visit them ❤️.

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Summit in Tierra del Fuego National Park: Guanaco Hill and its 981 metres above sea level.

2026-03-23T14:45:00.000-05:00

When I did some research on the heights of the mountains in Ushuaia, I was surprised to find that the highest mountains are barely more than 1000 metres above sea level. Ushuaia is very close to the water, but that doesn't mean that its peaks are easy to reach. If you like trekking that takes you to incredible places, and the route is a challenge in itself, you can't miss the Guanaco Hill in the Tierra del Fuego National Park. At only 981 metres high, you can be sure that all its elevation change will make its presence firmly felt ❤️.

When it comes to touring the nature surrounding the city of Ushuaia, there is only one place you have to pay to enter. This is the Tierra del Fuego National Park, which is home to a large part of the natural resources we have in this part of our country. Currently, the entrance fee for foreigners is $30 and for locals $9, although at the time of my visit it was $40 and $12 respectively, but then they lowered the price (something unthinkable in my country, Argentina).

There are several things to do within the Tierra del Fuego National Park, such as visiting the end of National Route 3 at Lapataia Bay, visiting Lake Acigami, taking the End of the World Train and a variety of trekking and hiking trails. I had already done all these touristy things on my first visit, but I had missed the Guanaco Hill, a trekking that takes you to the top of this mountain and gives you incredible views of the city and the Beagle Channel.

As soon as a guest who wanted to go to Guanaco Hill showed up at the hostel, I didn't hesitate to join him for the hike together. This trekking is considered of medium-high difficulty, so it is necessary to register your entry with the park rangers and it is advisable not to go alone. My companion that day, Bruno, had already been doing a lot of trekking the previous days, and we both felt in good physical condition to do this hike.

This trail is 6 kilometres long one way, with an estimated duration of 4.5 hours. These signs tend to be somewhat overestimated if you decide to do the hike in the snowy season, but as it was summer at the time of our visit, we completed the whole section in only 3 hours. What was not overestimated was the difficulty, as in the last two kilometres, the trail took you along a small trail of loose stones on the edge of the mountain. We were lucky that there was no snow or wind, so we climbed it without technical difficulty, although the legs were quite demanding.

As we climbed higher and higher, the views became more and more incredible. It was only on the last few metres on the way to the summit that we came across some snow, as if to decorate the landscape. What I liked about this mountain was that whichever way you looked, the scenery was amazing. I did a lot of great treks in Ushuaia, and this was one of the best ❤️.

By the time we reached the summit, we could finally see the great view of the city and the Beagle Channel. We were very lucky to have an amazing day that let us see the whole landscape clear. From there we could also see other snow-capped peaks, and the peat bog areas that Ushuaia has. We could also see several beaver trees from there, which appeared as clear patches in the forest areas.

On this mountain I was also delighted to see the design on the bare stone, which showed thousands of splinters perfectly joined together. Unlike other mountains I visited in my country, which were made of earth, in Ushuaia the mountains are made of solid rock, which explains the surface vegetation on the slopes and forests. These sharp stones at the summit were all joined together, but on the last stretch of the road we saw them loose: the moment of creation of this mountain will have been an incredible landslide.

Bruno and I had brought our packed lunch, so we stayed on the summit for a while, taking advantage of the fact that there was no wind and it wasn't too cold. It really was a day with incredible and stable weather, something that almost never happens in Ushuaia. Normally during the same day it is cloudy, sunny, raining and even with some snow, but that day the sun was high all afternoon. We couldn't have asked for more perfect conditions to climb Guanaco Hill .

There is no doubt that I like to go to mountains where the views are beautiful, but the fact that the trail is a bit tricky ends up adding an extra thrill to the adventure. Guanaco Hill lived up to that expectation, so reaching its summit felt very satisfying. I recommend this trek to those looking to spend a day among forests, peat bogs, loose rocks and great scenery: the trail has it all, but the reward of the view at the end makes it all worth it ❤️.

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Even further south than Ushuaia: Puerto Almanza, the small fishing port opposite Puerto Williams.

2026-03-16T14:42:00.000-05:00

Although Ushuaia is often referred to as the city at the end of the world, the reality is that there are other towns even further south on the map. If we stay within our Argentinean territory, we can find another town a little further down called Puerto Almanza. And if we cross the border, we also have Puerto Williams in Chile. These disputes of who deserves the title of being further south will always be ongoing, but the good thing is that if you find yourself travelling in the area, you can see at least a little of these three places ❤️.

One of the benefits included in some of the work-to-accommodation exchanges while you travel is the possibility of tours at the hosts' expense. In all this time doing the same in various hostels, I have been lucky enough to come across owners who take this into consideration and offer free rides for volunteers. When I was in Ushuaia, the owner of the hostel took me and my two other fellow volunteers on a walk to Puerto Almanza on a day with incredible weather.

Puerto Almanza is a small fishing village, consisting of a single street facing the coast of the Beagle Channel. In this place, the main tourist attraction is to come and taste the local seafood, so it is a destination to spend the day and return to Ushuaia. However, there are also some tourist accommodations, private campsites and free camping sites in case you want to extend your stay.

To get to Puerto Almanza and enjoy its coastline full of nature, seaweed and shells, it is necessary to come in your own vehicle or on a hired excursion. There is no public transport to this place and getting there by hitchhiking is also complicated. To get to this town, it is necessary to drive about 40 km north of Ushuaia on Route 3, and then take the gravel route J heading south again. There is not much to see along this road, except for some sporadic lodgings or private houses, so there is usually not much traffic.

Just opposite Puerto Almanza, you can see the town of Puerto Williams in Chile. Even there, I had no cellular signal from Argentina but my roaming with the neighbouring country worked. You can visit Puerto Williams leaving from Ushuaia on a ferry that costs about $260 round trip, but even though it is close, you can't go there for the day because there is only one service to and from Puerto Williams. I thought about the idea of visiting this place, but between the boat and having to pay for at least one night's accommodation there, the budget was quite high for so little. In the end I just settled for seeing the harbour from across the street.

Another thing you can do from Puerto Almanza is to visit the penguin colony located on Martillo Island. For this, it is necessary to take a special tour that leaves from Ushuaia, brings you by bus to this place and from here it goes in small boats to where the penguins are. There is only one company that offers this service and it is the only one that has the authorization to go down to the island and walk with these curious animals. The rest of the boats that visit the penguin colony directly by boat from Ushuaia only see the coast of the island from the top of the boat. If you want to walk with the penguins to get a closer look, you will have to pay a $250 tour, as opposed to the regular tour which costs about $140. Will it be worth it?

The fact that the owner of the hostel drove us to Puerto Almanza in his van was a good thing for me because it saved me the $50 that a private transfer to Puerto Almanza cost. The other girls who worked with me, he and I spent the afternoon sitting in front of the canal drinking mates and sharing our experiences of what it was like to be in Ushuaia in the high season. Unfortunately I don't like seafood or any of those sea foods, so we didn't try anything, but at least the biscuits we brought for the afternoon took our appetite away for a while .

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First of two days of 32 km trekking in Ushuaia: beavers, bridges and Caminante Lagoon.

2026-03-09T14:39:00.000-05:00

If there's one thing Ushuaia has plenty of, it's places to go trekking. Most of them can be done in the same day, but there are some others that are worth taking the trouble to bring a tent to spend at least one night. It wasn't in my plans to go camping at the end of the world where it's so cold, but one day everything worked out perfectly and I jumped at the chance. That's how I was able to visit the Caminante Lagoon, one of the best trekkings I've ever done in this place ❤️.

Si hay algo que sobra en Ushuaia, son los lugares para hacer trekking. La mayoría de ellos pueden realizarse en el mismo día, pero hay algunos otros por los cuáles vale la pena tomarse el trabajo de llevar la carpa para ir a pasar al menos una noche. No estaba en mis planes ir a acampar en el fin del mundo en donde hace tanto frío, pero un día todo se dio perfectamente para que así sea y no dudé en tomar la oportunidad. Así fue como pude ir a visitar la Laguna del Caminante, en uno de los mejores trekkings que hice en este lugar ❤️.

The trekking to the Caminante Lagoon is one of the most requested by the tourists that come to the mountains of Ushuaia. There are two ways to get to this place, since it is located within a circular route: you can choose to do half of the way and retrace your steps, or go all the way around. In total, there are 32 kilometres of trekking with a high level of difficulty, and even though there are people who do it all in the same day, the best thing to do is to camp to rest a little and appreciate the place better.

El trekking hasta la Laguna del Caminante es uno de los más solicitados por los turistas que llegan hasta las montañas de Ushuaia. Hay dos formas de llegar hasta este lugar ya que se encuentra dentro de una ruta circular: podés optar por hacer la mitad del camino y volver sobre tus pasos, o dar toda la vuelta completa. En total, son 32 kilómetros de caminata con una exigencia alta, y a pesar de que hay gente que lo hace todo en el mismo día, lo más recomendable es acampar para descansar un poco y apreciar mejor el lugar.

It was an ordinary day and I had already finished my morning reception shift at the hostel, so I had the whole day off and the next day my schedule was in the evening. That's when I heard that a group of guests was organising to go to this lagoon, with camping included, as the idea was to go all the way around. It was the owner of the hostel who suggested me to go with them, taking advantage of the fact that they were a big group, and that I should not worry about the tent as he would lend me his. It didn't take me ten minutes to accept the proposal and I already had all my stuff ready to go to sleep in the mountain.

The issue then was that this ‘big group’ that had proposed the walk was not well organised, because some had to do things earlier or were taking too long to leave. So one of the hostel guests and I decided to go alone, with the idea that we would meet at the lagoon and walk at our own pace. The big spoiler was that this never happened: we never crossed paths with any of the other guests so we did the whole walk just the two of us.

Actually, this is not exactly a circular route, but makes a ‘U’ shape, starting at one end of the city and ending at the other. You can start the walk on either side as the lagoon is almost in the middle, so my companion and I decided to take the easier option. This was to start in the Andorra Valley, where we would go through the forest on the first day and on the second day, when we were rested, we would climb up to a big mountain pass to finish our descent to the city. The walk through the forest was relatively easy because it did not have many climbs, we only had to cross several bridges over the river, built with great ingenuity which made them very picturesque.

The second interesting thing that we saw in the forest was a beaver tree at close quarters. In Ushuaia there is currently a plague of artificially introduced beavers in these ecosystems, which have been responsible for modifying the watercourses and destroying the trees around their burrows. Having no natural predator, these animals have spread freely throughout the island, forming these spaces that are always seen as shady. We did not have the opportunity to see a beaver live that day, but the marks of its presence were clear.

Two hours and 7 kilometres into our hike, we finally emerged from the forest and came across some signs indicating that to the right was the lagoon and to the left was the road to the city. Taking the right path, a big climb awaited us, which we could see from there. It had been almost a year since the last time I had hiked with a heavy backpack, but it was the first time I had also carried a tent, so my physical condition gave everything to successfully complete this climb.

Although the day had started out sunny and beautiful, by the time we reached the Caminante Lagoon there was no longer any trace of that weather. However, the beautiful colour of this lagoon is independent of the sun, as you can see in the pictures. The sky had turned grey, but the emerald green colour of the lagoon was intact, contrasting nicely with its mountainous surroundings. It was indeed a very beautiful place ❤️.

Before starting the hike, we had investigated that just 900 metres further on there was another lagoon. This was the Caminante Superior Lagoon, for which we had to cross a river barefoot to get there. This lagoon was nice too, but not as nice as the first one we had seen. We had considered camping there, but as we had nowhere to shelter from the wind, we went back to our main idea of camping with everyone else back there.

By the time we returned, we were still hoping to see some of the other guests at the hostel, but this was not to be. We stood for a long time at the viewpoint of the lagoon waiting for them, but no one showed up. We didn't complain about this because the view was beautiful, but after a while, the cold and the wind forced us to go down to the shore of the lagoon where we camped. In total, it took us 4 hours to get to this place, and after having walked 16 kilometres with our backpacks on our backs, I was grateful for the decision to spend the night there.

Going to Caminante Lagoon and camping there is completely free, so we only had to pay $8 for a taxi, split between two people. The truth is that enjoying the mountains of Ushuaia is very cheap, which makes up for the fact that getting to this place on the map can be expensive. I was delighted to have seen the lagoon and to have someone to go there with: we may not have been as large a group as I had hoped, but at least we had a good day of trekking .

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Visiting four lagoons in the same day: 30 km trekking in Bird Passage, Ushuaia.

2026-03-02T12:01:00.000-06:00

Every time I write about a trek I did when I was in Ushuaia and I look back at the photos I took, I sometimes find it hard to believe that I was in those beautiful places. In the end, having done all the traditional treks had its advantages, because as the days went by I was able to find others that were not so well known but much more incredible than the ones I had seen so far. One of them was recommended to me by an Uber driver on one of the many times I used the service. After telling him everything I had walked, he recommended me not to miss the Bird Passage, and his suggestion was more than right ❤️.

When I wanted to research this trek, I couldn't find that much information online. As you want to do trekking outside of the usual Ushuaia treks, it becomes more difficult to find accurate data about the state of the trails. What I did find was the trail to Laguna Halcón, with a 28 kilometre round trip. But the Uber driver had mentioned to me that there were three more lagoons to see nearby, and when I saw the map with the satellite I confirmed it.

_{Location of the four lagoons in the Bird Passage
Ubicación de las cuatro lagunas en el Paso de las Aves.}

With the information I had, I knew that I would surely get to Laguna Halcón without any problems, but once there I would investigate how to get to the others. This trekking was very long and luckily I didn't have to do it alone, as Fernando, my Spanish companion with whom we went together to Laguna Submarino a few days before, was still staying at the hostel. I needed a reliable companion to do 28 kilometres of trekking in the same day, and I trusted him completely to do it.

I had estimated that this whole hike would take us about 12 hours, so although my idea was to be at the trailhead at 8 AM, of course I didn't keep my word and we ended up starting the hike at 11 AM. This was really late, but since it was summer in Ushuaia, I knew we would have natural light until at least 10 PM. We still agreed to go at a brisk pace so as not to play so much with the clock.

This trail starts about 8 kilometres from the city of Ushuaia and we arrived on it by Uber. The trail is the same as the one that takes you to the Cascada de Los Amigos waterfall, but instead of turning left to see the waterfall, you follow the path upstream. At the beginning everything was very well signposted with yellow poles, but the further you went, the more you had to use your intuition or use the offline map to guide you. We must have gone off the main path a few times, but finally we reached the first lagoon: the Laguna Halcón.

It took us about four hours to get to Laguna Halcón, and between lunch and some rest, it was almost 4 PM. At this point my companion suggested that we wouldn't have time to visit the other lagoons because we didn't even know how far away they would be, but I wanted to try anyway. At the lagoon itself there was no signposting to show where to go, but looking at the layout of the lagoons on the satellite we decided to go around the lagoon to the right and start climbing a bit.

This decision was a wise one on our part because a few minutes after starting the hike, we saw several stones piled up in the shape of small towers. These signs are handmade by walkers who have been there, and are useful for marking the path when it is not officially signposted We were a little hesitant on this stretch, but after a climb of only 20 minutes but intense, we arrived at the second lagoon: the Laguna Condor.

Finding the second lagoon with its beautiful colour just like the first one left us ecstatic, so we wanted to go and see the other two without fail. Luckily, we found more little stone towers to show us the way. It also helped a lot that as it was summer, there was no snow on the road and everything was clear enough to pass without any problems. With just another 20 minutes walk to the left of this lagoon, we reached the third one: the Laguna Chimango.

By then, it was already past 5 PM and I was the one who started to worry about the time to get back before nightfall. But it was Fernando who told me that we should try to get to the fourth and last lagoon because it should not be far. If after half an hour's walk we didn't find the lagoon, we would go back. But this was not necessary, because we only had to walk 10 minutes to find the last and most beautiful lagoon of all: the Laguna Matamico.

I was glad that Fernando insisted on going to see the last lagoon because it was so incredible that it left me speechless. This lagoon had a blue colour that contrasted so much with the surrounding landscape that it seemed out of place. None of the photos we took of it did justice to its true colour. Getting to this last lagoon was completely worth it, and I was more than grateful to that Uber driver who recommended me not to miss this place.

We both loved this lagoon, and I personally didn't want to leave because I was mesmerised by its colour. I really couldn't stop looking at it: it was beautiful. We stayed for a while having a picnic with our last provisions, and being almost 6 PM we started to go down at full speed. The good thing was that up there we were able to descend by a different route to the one we had taken at the start, and this allowed us to see a bit of the Vinciguerra Glacier from an unconventional angle. An extra treat from this great trek .

At first I didn't know why this place was called Birds Passage, but when I saw the names of the lagoons I understood why. Halcón, cóndor, chimango and matamico were the birds names given by some creative person to these remote lagoons, not visited as often as others closer to the city. Undoubtedly, this trek along with the Cerro Guanaco and the Ojo del Albino Glacier were my favourites in Ushuaia: one more incredible than the other .

I really enjoyed sharing these treks with Fernando because I think we made a great trekking duo. Our previous experience in the mountains allowed us to return to the city safe and sound, although we reached the end of the trail after 10 PM when it was almost completely dark. In total, our step counter showed that we walked more than 30 kilometres in the mountains. This was the most I walked in Ushuaia in the same day, and needless to say it was completely worth it ❤️.

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Gothic style in the Catedral de Nuestra Señora del Rosario in the city of Azul, Buenos Aires.

2026-02-26T12:45:00.000-06:00

After our visit to the Azul municipal cemetery , we ran to find a place to eat. It was Saturday at 2PM, we assumed that there must be several places open to eat but this was not the case. We took a couple of laps into the city center and there seemed to be no restaurant, which was very strange. Instead we ended up eating some fast food in the downtown square, in front of the cathedral .

The plaza in the center of the city of Azul was very similar to those in the center of the city of Buenos Aires (as if both were not in the same province). My aunts are fans of photos, they like to show that they were in that place, so I have photos of them everywhere . In addition, the day was beautiful so the sun allowed to take beautiful photos.

What I like about churches is their architecture. I am not a religious person, but I love to admire the constructions and all the work that is behind each church or cathedral. They really are an icon of history and it is good that they keep them as such through the years.

This cathedral dates from 1906. It is really very old but both inside and outside it is preserved in the best way. Perhaps it has to do with that Azul is a somewhat small city and they like to keep their tourist spots well organized.

The inside was really beautiful. These kinds of churches make you want to get married just to walk around in a beautiful dress. Ok, very romantic isn't it? The truth is that there was peace in there with soft music, no wedding at that time.

The furniture also matches the architecture of the place: heavy chairs everywhere. I doubt that in this last time of pandemic they have all been complete. Perhaps in a wedding if they have been (I continue with the idea of the dream wedding).

Fortunately, my friend and I are able to do these trips thanks to our beloved Hive platform. That's why while we enjoy ourselves, we don't forget to create content for our blogs ❤️. Currently my phone has hundreds of photos from this trip. I have yet to review and share them with you .

Visiting the inside of the cathedral was an unexpected walk since, due to Covid issues, I thought it would not be open to the public. It made me happy that my aunts are happy about that in the religious sense since they took the opportunity to say some prayers ❤️.

Finally, we ended up staying in Azul town until after 3 PM. Then it was time to leave for our main destination: Sierra de la Ventana. By then we still had quite a stretch ahead of us, so it was good to stretch our legs a bit and recharge by eating something and getting to know a great place ❤️.

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A casual stroll along the coast to the shopping mall turned into a visit to Ushuaia's beach.

2026-02-23T11:57:00.000-06:00

If there is one thing I am grateful for about my visit to Ushuaia, it is that I took advantage of every free moment I had to go for a walk and take in the beautiful scenery. After staying in the city for so long, I felt like I already knew almost every corner, but there was always something new to see. One of those things I had yet to see was the city's shopping mall, so one morning I set out determined to go there. But finally I got distracted just before I got there, and I ended up going back home without seeing it, but having spent a nice afternoon enjoying the sun .

Ushuaia's waterfront is not that long and it is possible to walk from end to end if you take the time to do so. On my regular trips, when I left the hostel, I always turned to the left side of the city, as that is where the Bahía Encerrada (Enclosed Bay) is located, an option for a nature walk near the city. But to go to the shopping centre you had to go to the north side, so that's where I went.

_{Route from the coastal promenade to the Paseo del Fuego Shopping Center
Ruta del paseo costero hasta el Shopping Paseo del Fuego}

According to the map it would take about 45 minutes to walk from the hostel to the shopping centre, so it seemed like a good plan before I started my volunteer shift. In this part of the city's waterfront is Ushuaia's commercial port, so most of the boats and boats for tours are located here. And of course, a lot of tourists in the surrounding area.

But walking a few more blocks along the coast, the tourist area ends and the place becomes quieter. On this part of the road are the facilities of the Argentinean Navy, and there are also boats, but they are now part of the official forces. Not many people come walking along this part because there is also public transport that takes you around this area, but my idea was to stretch my legs.

On this tour you can see what I always remark about Ushuaia and its changing weather in a matter of minutes. In the short time it took me to cross the area of the Navy building, the sky changed from cloudy to clear, so much so that it seemed like different times. That's how the whole walk went, with intervals of sun, clouds, wind and even a little drizzle. Typical weather at the End of the World.

By the time I reached the shopping area, after walking along the side of the road, I found a descent to the beach, the first one I could see after 4 kilometres of walking. All this part of the coast is occupied by something and there is no drop-off to the beach, so I was surprised that there was one right next to the shopping centre. By then, the weather was nice and I decided to go and sit there for a while. This was one of those moments when I couldn't believe that a casual stroll on a random day could lead me to such a beautiful place. I was grateful for my present, and sat there for a while enjoying the atmosphere ❤️.

In the end, I found it more interesting to stay there on the beach than to go shopping. The day was looking good, and unbelievably it wasn't that cold. The big spoiler of all this is that I ended up leaving Ushuaia after almost six months of my stay and I never went into that shopping centre. Everyone told me that it's small and that I didn't miss much, so I have no regrets: shopping malls I can visit near my home in Buenos Aires, but seeing landscapes like that, only there .

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Massive trekking with a Couchsurfing group: 10 people made it to the Celeste Lagoon.

2026-02-16T11:54:00.000-06:00

Since I understood how Couchsurfing worked for casual rides, I used it until my last day in Ushuaia. So far, I had always organised trips with up to three people from the app, but then I saw that there is a section to organise outings further in advance. There, people suggest different types of activities to do as a group, such as going for walks around the city or going out at night. But on one occasion, I saw that someone had suggested a trek to a lagoon that I hadn't visited, and it seemed like a good opportunity to go and see it with someone else .

This trek was about the one to Laguna Celeste. This hike was indicated as being of medium difficulty, with an estimated duration of 8 hours and 12 km round trip. In this part of the application you can confirm your attendance to a walk, and for this weekend outing, there were 11 people confirmed. We had agreed to meet at noon in the city to go in different cars of the participants and luckily, almost everyone was on time.

We split up between the different vehicles and drove to the start of the trail, about 25 km from the city of Ushuaia. We were relaxed about the timetable because there was plenty of daylight in the summer in Ushuaia, so we started the hike at a leisurely but safe pace so that the whole group would be united. We were a very diverse group with different levels of mountain training, but we wanted everyone to make it to the end.

The trek to Laguna Celeste has wonderful views because all the time it passes through incredible corners of the mountains. It also passes through different panoramic points where you can see the whole valley and also the effects of the beaver forests in the landscape of Ushuaia. As soon as the hike started, the trail had quite a steep positive slope, but as there was no snow at that time of the year, the difficulty was not so high.

Of course, the idea of keeping the group together didn't last that long. As the walk progressed, some fell further behind us, while others quickly overtook us. I decided to form a group with two other girls and it was with them that I walked the whole way. One of the girls even walked only a kilometre and decided to turn back when she saw that the climb was so steep. Those are the risks of big groups, but it was still fun.

This trail has several interesting things to see: the Celeste Lagoon where we were going, the Alvear Glacier, above the Celeste Lagoon, and on the other side, the Alvear Lagoon. The trail to Laguna Alvear is a detour from the road to Laguna Celeste, which if I had been alone or with less people, I would have taken the trouble to go and see, taking advantage of the fact that I was there. But as this outing was more for Couchsurfing recreation and not so much for the mountaineering ego, we only went as far as the lagoon we agreed on.

After a little more than three hours of walking, we finally reached the Celeste Lagoon. My small subgroup of three was in the middle of the group and once there, we expected to see four other girls who had gone ahead of us, but they were not there. There were other people who had arrived before us, but no one we knew. This seemed strange to us, but we knew they would show up sooner or later.

About half an hour must have passed, when these four girls appeared behind us. It turned out that they had got lost, because they hadn't correctly followed the small stone turrets on the road. Luckily, they realised that they had taken the wrong path before they went too far. About fifteen minutes after them, the missing group of three appeared. Finally, we all arrived safely at the lagoon.

Once we were all together, we took the opportunity to have our lunch and rest for a while. This lagoon was very beautiful, with a very contrasting light blue colour to the surrounding mountains. It was also accompanied by the glacier behind it, which added a little more charm. In addition, you could see a lot of small waterfalls coming down the mountain, and even a perfectly cubic shaped rock. That was very rare.

As all the snow had melted and the pass was clear, it was possible to walk around the lagoon without any problems. We were able to get up to a high point, where we had a good view of the whole lagoon. We also saw another small lagoon on the side, which is probably part of the main lagoon. I always like to find a high point to get a better view of the landscape, and this place was perfect for that.

After that crowded Couchsurfing trip, several of us continued to see each other on subsequent trips. In fact, we all already knew each other but separately, as we had used the app before. Of all these people, there were some travellers and some locals, so we were able to exchange with them their experiences of what it's like to live in Ushuaia on a permanent basis. I loved this outing and the trekking experience as a whole, and above all, I'm glad that we all (or almost all), managed to complete it ❤️.

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Walking 6 kilometres to Susana Beach in Ushuaia because I didn't dare to hitchhike.

2026-02-09T11:54:00.000-06:00

No matter how many times I had heard great anecdotes of people hitchhiking in Ushuaia: this had not become commonplace for me. Even the owner of the hostel, a lifelong local, recommended me to go for a walk doing that, but I couldn't bring myself to do it on my own. Luckily, I am a person who likes to walk, so not getting a free car to go to a certain place was not a problem. And that's what kept me in shape throughout my stay .

It had been more than four months since I had been a quasi-resident in Ushuaia, but the places to visit never seemed to end. I had already prepared a mental list of all the places I wanted to see before I left. One of them was Playa Susana, south of Ushuaia but bordering the entire coast of the Beagle Channel. I had been told that this place was beautiful and not to miss it, so on one of my free mornings I went to see it.

The point was that this beach was 10 kilometres from the hostel, and in an area where perhaps not so many tourists go. That day I didn't have any companions to share the walk, and a taxi to get there cost about $15 (which I didn't want to pay to spend only half a day before having to go back to the hostel to do my volunteer shift). Another option was to take a public bus and walk the remaining 6 kilometres to the beach or hitchhike. But you know how I get on with it.

Finally, I took the bus as far out of town as it would take me, but it was still a long way from the beach. I don't know why I couldn't bring myself to hitchhike, but I couldn't do it despite the occasional car passing by. I guess what I don't like is having to beg for a ride and even more so when I'm alone, so I preferred to save all that and started walking.

The good thing about this section is that, being along the canal, the views were beautiful. This whole neighbourhood is a rather expensive area within the city of Ushuaia. This place is called Costa Susana and has some pretty fancy houses, all overlooking the beautiful canal and mountains. This development is relatively new, so during my walk I came across several houses under construction.

It finally took me a little over an hour to get to the beach. At the entrance, there was a car park with some cars, which probably would have been no problem to bring me there, but I didn't dare to ask for them. Anyway, I had achieved my goal of getting to the beach and seeing it with my own eyes. It was nice and quiet, I quite liked it ❤️.

I had read that another trek to the so-called Cucharita Bay started at Playa Susana. At first I was interested in doing it, but after checking my offline map, I saw that it was about 8 kilometres round trip. I was not tired and could have continued walking without any problems, but at 7 PM I was supposed to be back at the hostel and it was almost 5 o'clock, so I would not have enough time. Instead, I sat on the water's edge for a while and even took a little nap. A good solitary plan to pass the time.

When it was time to go back, I confess that I was a bit lazy about having to go all the way back. However, I had no choice but to do it in order to get to my tour on time. But can you believe that while I was walking, a lady stopped her car next to me without my asking, and offered to drive me back to the city centre. She lived in one of those beautiful houses in the neighbourhood and was going in that direction to do some shopping. The lady looked very nice and so it was friends that the journey that took me an hour to make took only 5 minutes by car. I wish I had had that initiative from a stranger to the idea, but at least I had it on the way back and was able to get to the hostel just in time (and not so tired, which was what I was most grateful for) .

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Two hours of walking to reach the top of Ullum: trail to Cerro Tres Marías.

2026-02-02T14:22:00.000-06:00

If there is something that characterized this last trip I took, it was all the walking I did: I walked and walked as if there was no tomorrow. Trekking and hiking are one of the things I like to do most when I'm traveling, and this time when I had a little more time available to do these activities I made the most of it. The Ullum Dam area in the province of San Juan is ideal for those who want to get started in this activity, since it has trails of all difficulties. The most famous of them is the one that takes you up the mountain to Cerro Tres Marías, located at 1050 meters above sea level .

The good thing about deciding to go to that hill is that since it is a short walk, half an afternoon would be enough to complete it. Unlike the previous time I had gone to the Ullum area, this time I was well prepared with my trekking shoes and my wind jacket, since even though this province is quite hot, the wind in the peaks It is quite cold and full of clay .

The trails leading up to the peaks in the Ullum area are quite marked and it is almost impossible to get lost. This landscape is characterized by being quite dusty and orange. It also has some interesting landforms along the way, such as this one. Could you tell me what shape this stone has at the beginning of the path?

Leaving aside the strange occurrences of nature, the most common thing for visitors to this area is to reach the first cross where you can sit and spend the day. The terrain in this area is quite trodden so it is not even necessary to have special footwear to reach it, although it is certain that your shoes will come in a very particular color .

From there you can easily see the path you have to follow to get to the top. What I liked about this path is that it is quite intuitive and from time to time you can meet other visitors. What I didn't like is that the signage is quite neglected and a renovation wouldn't hurt .

For this second part of the path it is necessary to have good footwear because the terrain is loose stone. This part was one of the steepest climbs we found, but from it you could see incredible views of the dam .

This dam is one of the most important water reserves in the province of San Juan. In this place, the climate is generally dry and it almost never rains, so having a reserve of water for human consumption is more than important. In the almost two months that I was there, it did not rain a single day: good for outdoor activities, bad for the crops .

The higher we went over the mountain, the colors progressively changed from orange to dark brown. Something we learned when we went to the San Juan history museum is that this area is one of the few in Argentina that has stone mountains, since the majority are made of dirt .

What they recommended to us before climbing these mountains is to check the wind forecast. Climbing up this mountain was not difficult, until some of the gusts that were forecast for the afternoon began to arrive. Although they were not strong, they had told us to be careful: as always, we must respect the mountains .

In addition to how special this trip was for me, I was also amazed because I had never seen a landscape with these colors. The contrast that the blue of the dam made with the oranges and browns of the mountains was incredible. Along the way I don't know how many times I was grateful for the opportunity to be there, and I continue to do so until now ❤️.

One of the reasons these trails are so perfectly marked is because many people use them for trail running. During our walk we came across many people running along the trails and that seemed incredible to me, since with the slope of the mountain they were going down at great speed. At some point in life it would be nice to do that, but for the moment I prefer to keep my legs healthy .

The second stop on this trail is the paragliding slope. With its winds and drop to the valley, this area of the province of San Juan is ideal for this activity. I barely got close to the edge and I was surprised at how there are people who dare to jump over such a precipice. Quite brave indeed .

Arriving at the paragliding slope meant we were halfway there. We took the opportunity to rest a little and admire the landscape, but we soon continued on the path because it was almost 6 in the afternoon and the sun was slowly going down. Although I don't exercise regularly at home, I felt quite energetic, or maybe it was the adrenaline of wanting to continue walking through those beautiful mountains ❤️.

Almost reaching two hours of walking, we began to see what we hoped would be the summit we were looking for. This formation is a large mountain range, so during the walk we went up and down several peaks, until we finally reached what was the highest in that area, Tres Marías hill. Luckily, it was marked with a very blurry sign .

At the summit of this mountain we could see the river that feeds the dam in front of us and we also found a small grotto with offerings. In most of the mountains I visited during this trip there were crosses and caves, so I suppose it is a San Juan tradition .

And speaking of crosses, when we looked to the side of the street, we saw another small summit with another cross. We had already walked quite a bit, but there is always a desire for a little more so we approached it. I must say that the path to get to this cross was not easy in the last section because we had to use our hands to get to it, but the views from there were great so it was worth risking our lives .

Of course this path continued much further, but for the moment we had already gotten as far as we wanted and as far as the sunlight allowed us that afternoon. The great thing about having gone at that time is that we went down with the sun on our backs, so the entire landscape became golden and illuminated, very beautiful ❤️.

If I start thinking about my fears before embarking on this great journey, I can tell you that one of them was feeling alone or not being able to make friends. Luckily this was not like that at all and instead I met some wonderful people with a great adventurous spirit. I think I could have done this trek alone, but sharing it with my hostel companions was much better and more fun ❤️.

Cerro Tres Marías became one of the treks that I most recommended to people who came to the hostel. Located just 20 km from the city center of San Juan, the Ullum Dam and surrounding areas have all kinds of activities to spend the day. If you like kayaking, you can do it. If you like to drink mates in front of the water, you can do it. And if you like adventure and doing a little exercise, you can do it too. A very complete place and of course it became one of my favorites ❤️.Hope you liked this post! Thanks for reading. ❤️❤️¡Espero que les haya gustado este post! Gracias por leer. ❤️

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Cave trail to the Cabeza del Indio monument and good views of the Zonda ravine.

2026-01-26T14:17:00.000-06:00

If your idea of having a good day is to go relax or do activities in the mountains of San Juan, going to the Zonda ravine is one of the most recommended options. These dry, orange mountains have options of all types and difficulties, from demanding trekking to a camping base with a pool to cool off a little. If you ask me, what I like most is to be on the move, so as soon as I could, I dedicated myself to exploring which trails I could walk on and that's how I found the one that in my opinion was the easiest of all: the one that led to the famous "Indian's Head" .

The Zonda ravine is a mountainous landscape that extends for about four kilometers, so you can easily reach one of its ends, next to which a greenish valley extends. Many people come to this place with the idea of seeing the beginning of the mountain range and there you can find a small trekking with an ascent to have more beautiful views of the entire area. The good thing is that this trail is prepared for tourists and even has stairs for easier access ❤️.

Despite the stairs and the shortness of this path, you still had to take your time so as not to lose your breath. As we climbed, the sunlit mountains decorated our landscape. I also liked that it is an easy and well-prepared trail so that many visitors can reach it ❤️.

When we first started the climb, we saw a sign indicating that this trail was called "Seven Paths", but we didn't understand why until we were a little higher. Apparently, this path was originally some kind of level paths that went through some caves from one side to the other. Unfortunately, these trails had non-allowable signs, forcing you to climb the stairs until you reach the top .

At the end of this route you could find a large white cross, a paved beach and a beautiful view of the Zonda valley. Everything was very photographable from up there and most people just stayed here enjoying the landscape. But we were not one of those and since we still had a lot of energy, we walked a little more .

If you like to walk a little further, you can continue the path to your right along a fairly easy path but which may take a little time. The sign indicated that almost in the middle of the ravine was the Cabeza del Indio monument, so we went there .

The reality is that the whole hard part was just climbing the stairs up there, because the rest of the way was mostly flat. As we went along the ravine, we could see more and more caves appearing in the landscape. These caves were like small anthills in the immensity of the mountain, and each one was on a different path .

From there I could deduce that surely each of the seven paths that we had seen at the beginning would correspond to a different level of path with caves. As we climbed to the top of everything, we were traveling along the upper path. In reality, this was the only one that was apparently enabled, safe due to the constant risk of collapse in this area with constant seismic activity .

After a little more than 45 minutes of walking looking at the route below us, we began to approach what would be the famous monument. Something funny that happened to us is that on the billboard at the beginning there was no photo of the monument, so we expected to see a mountain shaped like an Indian. We clearly realized that this was not the case when we saw a white block appear in the middle of the orange landscape .

I must say that that day I did not find the shape of an Indian head on the monument, but in my subsequent visits to the Zonda ravine and seeing the monument from another angle, I knew that I did not take the photos correctly. So at that moment I thought "what imagination do you have to have to see the shape", but at least I was satisfied with the views from up there .

We thought we would get to the monument and that would be it, but to our surprise the path continued and continued. We, curious as always, continued until we were able to find a viewpoint with a good view of the abandoned racetrack. This racetrack has not been used for several years due to various accidents that occurred there, in addition to the fact that another larger and better racetrack was built in the province of San Juan. For now, only its nostalgic memory remains adorning the landscape .

Of course we continued and continued walking, but little by little we realized that the path did not seem to go down the mountain at any time. We had two options: retrace our steps to civilly descend the stairs, or descend "wildly" along an improvised path. I will leave it to your discretion which option my friends and I chose, considering that the sun was already setting and that it was very close to our return bus arriving .

I really liked having arrived in the province of San Juan and discovering in-situ all the things it has to do. I feel that this province does not have as much tourist promotion as others, but that it deserves it because it is beautiful. If you like trekking and hiking, here you can find endless routes of which you could never get bored. It was great to have spent our day there and with each place we visited, we fell more and more in love with this ravine ❤️.

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Walk through the Garden of Poets: a green space in the middle of the arid landscape.

2026-01-19T14:12:00.000-06:00

If there is one thing I'm grateful for choosing a slightly longer trip to the province of San Juan, it is that I had enough time to go explore a lot of beautiful landscapes. This province has landscapes for all tastes, and with just a short trip on public transportation you can get close to them and enjoy them. One of the most recommended places to go for a walk and see the mountains more closely is the Quebrada de Zonda, where you can climb a little, go trekking or even sit down for a while and rest. If you like this last option, the Garden of Poets is the perfect setting to spend the day relaxing in a unique green space in this area .

By just moving about 20 km from the city center you can reach the Quebrada de Zonda, even on a regular bus line. The walk there is also interesting, because you head directly towards the mountains until you get as close to them as possible and after turning left, you can travel through the entire ravine. But right at the entrance, before turning and at the foot of the mountains, is this green garden where you can have picnics in the shade of the trees ❣️.

This garden is called "poets' garden" because it has a route with sculptures of famous poets. Although some of them were deteriorated, most were in good condition as was the garden. Everything looked quite neat and green, so you could tell that they take care of watering it and keeping it in good condition. The province of San Juan is mainly dry and hot, so maintaining a place in these conditions must take constant work .

The garden also had a space with perfectly arranged bushes with cubic shapes. This part was also pretty and decorated the garden very well. All around there was a path to turn around and also to take a walk among the trees. Very picturesque and photographable ❣️.

Just in front of the garden is the path to a viewing point that looks directly into the garden. Since my friends and I like to be on the move, we decided to go up to see what views we had from there. The entrance to the trail started with stairs, and that was most of the way. Although they were a little deteriorated in parts, they fulfilled their function of taking you uphill well ❣️.

One might think that climbing a mountain with stairs is comfortable, but the truth is that it can be more tiring than if it didn't have them. In any case, the views we had from up there were very nice and worth it. That day was the first time we saw the Zonda Autodrome up close because we had it right next to the garden .

This racetrack is a mega construction located in the middle of the ravine, but unfortunately it is currently disused. Its history says that there were several accidents due to lack of organization, which led to distrust of this place. Later, another bigger and better racetrack was built just a few km from this place, so it ended up being completely abandoned. It is a real shame that this was their destination, but they also say that some curious people also come to do the circuit on a motorcycle or bicycle .

Finishing climbing to the viewpoint only took us about twenty minutes and from there we were able to have a complete view of the garden and everything we had been seeing below. From that height the contrast of colors of the garden and the ravine could be seen much better. You could also see, a little further in the background, one of the largest cement factories in this region, which extracts minerals from these mountains. What I liked most of all is the tranquility and silence it felt like to be up there, in addition to the great view ❣️.

Visiting the Los Peotas Garden was a good choice to spend an afternoon walking and also doing some exercise in the mountains. It is a good option to get a great look at the Zonda ravine and some of the things around it. And if you're wondering what was in the viewpoint, well, there was supposed to be the sculpture of the poet that guards the entire garden, but instead there was only a stone and no trace of the mysterious author. At least it served so we could go up there and sit down and take some good photographs .

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Walk along the shores of the salty beach: Lake Epecuén in the south of Buenos Aires.

2026-01-12T14:52:00.000-06:00

On the penultimate day of our trip to the south of Buenos Aires we took a walk that was not in our initial plans. One of my aunts suggested that we were near an interesting town, and as soon as we googled what it was about, we didn't hesitate to go there. We all arranged our commitments to have another day off and it was really worth it when we went to that peculiar place ❤️.

From Sierra de La Ventana we go to this place called Epecuén. It took us a little more than two hours to arrive: our idea was to go and stay in that town for the last night and then return the next day in the early hours of the morning. I was very excited because this trip was being much more than I imagined in the first place ❤️.

_{Screenshot from Google Maps}

After leaving our belongings in the hotel we rented, we left for the shores of Lake Epecuén. I had no idea what was in this place, as always I was surprised and waited to be there to see what was there. And my surprise was great when the first thing we began to see was a forest that seemed to be on fire.

But in reality what we were seeing were not burned trees but dehydrated trees. When we got to the shores of the lake, what we saw was totally new to me: a beach full of salt that destroyed everything around it.

The particularity of this lake is that it has a very high salinity level, almost as high as the Dead Sea. That is why everything on its coast is salt and creates a landscape that looks like a dream (in my opinion ).

The ones that didn't have a great time were my slippers: walking on that floor was like stepping on pure coarse salt. I have to admit that all of this scared me a little because in parts it looked like quicksand as you stepped on and sank.

Anyway, I dared to approach the shore to touch the water. It was not as cold as I came to think, and of course I did taste a bit to see if it was really salty. Well, I didn't want to be left with that question .

By way of decoration, in the lake there was a large log dehydrated by salt. It was amazing to see this naturally produced almost ash effect. I wonder how long it took him to be completely consumed.

There was also a nice poster to take a picture and have your friends believe you were there. Everyone believed that we were in a place with snow because of our coat, hardly anyone knew about this place on our social networks. Okay, we went south, but not far enough to get to the snow .

It made me very happy to go to that place: I felt like a little girl discovering something totally new because I didn't even know that in our province we had a place as great as this. They say that in the summer people go swimming here: that would be a wonderful experience, hopefully one day I can go back and get in the water. I can't imagine how hard my hair would get due to the large amount of salt in the water, but I wouldn't hesitate to take a dip anyway .

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And after the mountain... visit to the beach of Monte Hermoso, Buenos Aires.

2026-01-05T14:49:00.000-06:00

Personally, I consider myself a person who prefers the mountains a thousand times over the beach. Going to visit mountainous places is magical: no place is the same as the other, there are a variety of shapes and colors, depending on the vegetation of the place, each landscape changes color throughout the year ... Wonderful simplicity. But this does not prevent you from enjoying a good day at the beach, listening to the sea and eating food with sand . Something that was completely outside of our initial plan within the trip to Sierra de la Ventana was to finish on the beach, but that's how it was ❤️.

With this trip we literally finished crossing the entire province of Buenos Aires from end to end. Whenever I am traveling I like to check the map to see my location and at that time I did not believe that I was so far from home but still being in my own province._{Screenshot from Google maps}

The decision to go to the beach was unanimous. It was already Monday, the third day of our car trip. By then we had already toured several interesting places but we still wanted to see more. We left early from Sierra de La Ventana and after two hours we reached the beach of Monte Hermoso. The day was gray and somewhat cold at the time, it was not very pleasant to tell the truth.

We take the opportunity to take a short walk along the shore. There weren't many people then, it was around 1 PM and with the day like this, who would want to be in that place apart from us tourists who were more than 500 km from home .

Of course after a while we started to get very hungry. We went for a walk around the center of Monte Hermoso but to our surprise all the businesses were closed. Perhaps as the season was low, nobody wanted to open their business due to the lack of people. The good thing was that when we returned to the beach after a long time looking for something to eat, the sun had come out ❤️.

The only thing we found open was a local empanadas so that's what we had for lunch . I'm not complaining, they were delicious despite the sand that flew over them .

This Monte Hermoso beach is a great tourist destination in the summer. I didn't know her, but when I came here she reminded me a lot of Mar del Plata, the most important coastal city in Buenos Aires. It has a lot of accommodation facing the sea and the beach is really wide, for sure in hot weather this place is extremely crowded.

On the other hand, I have proposed to myself that I would get my feet wet in any place I visit that has a body of water (my immune system does not like this). Let's review, it was August, it was cold, the sun was shining but barely warmed up ... all that resulted in frozen water that made my bones ache but at least I had the experience of getting into the sea in Monte Hermoso (even significantly ) .

Whenever we go to the beach with my aunt Olga (the one with the hat) we take a picture with the name of the place written in the sand. Surely we must have many photos like these, it is already a classic for us. This time, my aunt Alicia has joined the postcard ❤️.

And once again, I am happy to have arrived with my friend Sofía in a new place ❤️ (I would not have been there if we had traveled alone ).

The funny thing is that before going to Sierra I had several trips in mind and one of them was to go to the beach. Thanks to the twists and turns of life (and my cousin Gastón, the driver) we ended up visiting the mountain and the beach in the same walk. I was really happy in those days, I was receiving much more than I had imagined and that is something that I will always be grateful for ❤️.

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Hi Matsuri - Fire Festival in the Japanese Garden of Buenos Aires.

2025-12-27T10:20:00.000-06:00

As an habitant of the city of Buenos Aires, sometimes I forget that there are beautiful places to go for a walk and interesting activities to be part of. This is in such a way that I was not able to know the Japanese Garden until 2018, when, attracted by an advertisement, I found out that this "Fire Festival" would take place there.

Getting there took us two hours by public transport: train, subway and a bus. A bit long trip but it was worth it because the garden was beautiful. Admission cost us 120 ARS, although there are specific days you can enter for free. Since a special activity was taking place that day, there were many more people than usual.

Through informational brochures they explained to us that this festival aims to burn the bad things of the past to give way to new and better things. That is why each entrant was given a small piece of wood like this one on which we had to write down the bad things we wanted the fire to destroy.

At the end of the afternoon, all the small woods were deposited in a boat and burned in the middle of the lake. It was a very exciting moment for everyone .

In the garden there was a museum where you could see elements of Japanese culture. At the entrance of the museum there were trees where you could hang a small card with all the good wishes you had. I really loved this whole thing about bringing in the good energy and getting rid of the bad .

I always liked these lucky kittens and that day I learned that they are called Manekineko .

Undoubtedly, this walk was very enriching, besides that it was a very pleasant day to be outdoors. I would like to return to this garden one day when there are not so many people as it can be a great place to go to rest and relax admiring how beautiful it is ❤.

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Sunrise on the coast

2025-12-20T10:19:00.000-06:00

I'm sharing some photos of the sunrise on the beaches of the seaside resort of Santa Teresita, the place chosen this year to enjoy a well-deserved summer vacation.

That day was very cloudy, so the sun couldn't be appreciated in all its splendor. It was 5:30 a.m., and I was amazed at the number of people already on the beach waiting for sunrise. Since it's summer in Argentina, the sun rises very early.

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The Castle of Flores

2025-12-13T10:15:00.001-06:00

In the heart of the Flores neighborhood of Buenos Aires, stands a majestic castle that has witnessed more than a century of history. Built 110 years ago, this castle was originally the residence of a wealthy family who came to the city in search of new opportunities. Over time, the family moved, and the castle passed through several hands, until it was finally acquired by the local government and transformed into a public school.

The rebirth of the castle

The castle, with its imposing towers and stone walls, had always been a symbol of mystery and grandeur in the neighborhood. When it was announced that it would become a school, the community was filled with curiosity and anticipation. Architects and workers worked hard to preserve the original structure while adapting the interior for modern educational needs.

A place of learning and dreams

Today, the castle is known as Public School No. 110 "Castillo de Flores." Children attending the school not only receive a quality education but also have the opportunity to learn in a unique setting steeped in history. Classrooms are decorated with murals telling the story of the castle and the neighborhood, and teachers use the building as an educational tool, teaching students about architecture and local history.

Intertwined stories

Among the students is a girl named Sofia who has always felt a special connection to the castle. Her great-grandfather had worked as a gardener at the original residence, and she grew up hearing his stories about the castle's glory days. Inspired by these stories, Sofia dreams of becoming an architect to restore and preserve historic buildings.

The legacy of the castle

The castle in the Flores neighborhood is not only a place of learning, but also a symbol of the community's resilience and evolution. It has transformed from a private residence into a public space that enriches the lives of the neighborhood's children and families. Every day, as students run through the hallways and play in the gardens, the castle continues to write new stories, interweaving the past with the present and the future.

Thus, Flores Castle remains a beacon of knowledge and hope, reminding everyone that, over time, places and people can transform and find new purposes.

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The building that refuses to be destroyed

2025-12-06T10:13:00.000-06:00

In the heart of Buenos Aires, on San Martín Street, stands the majestic Central Bank of the Argentine Republic (BCRA). Built between 1872 and 1876 by architects Henry Hunt and Hans Schroeder, this building has witnessed countless historic events.

On a summer night, as the city slept, the building seemed to come alive. The columns and pilasters that surround its two floors whispered stories of its past, from its time as the headquarters of the Mortgage Bank of the Province of Buenos Aires to its transformation into the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation in 1888. In 1912, it became the headquarters of the Conversion Fund, the precursor to the BCRA.

However, the building now faced an unusual threat. Javier Milei, the charismatic and controversial president, had promised during his campaign to "blow up" the Central Bank, a metaphor for his desire to close the institution and radically reform the country's economy.² This promise had generated both fear and hope among citizens.

One night, as Milei walked through the deserted streets of Buenos Aires, he stopped in front of the imposing building. The city lights reflected off the bank's windows, creating an almost mystical aura. Milei, with his signature tousled hair and intense gaze, stared up at the structure. In his mind, the building represented everything he considered obsolete and corrupt in the Argentine financial system.

But the building, with its recently restored façade, seemed to challenge him. Stories from its past echoed in the air, reminding Milei that it wasn't just a building, but a symbol of the country's history and resilience.¹ At that moment, Milei realized that his fight wasn't against the building itself, but against the invisible structures of power and corruption that had taken root in society.

Determined to transform the country, Milei realized that destruction was not the answer. Instead of blowing up the building, he decided to turn it into a symbol of change and renewal. He announced a plan to transform the Central Bank into a center of financial innovation, where new economic policies would be developed and transparency and efficiency would be fostered.

The Central Bank building, with its rich history and new mission, became a beacon of hope for the Argentine people. And so, instead of being destroyed, the building was reinvented, reflecting the indomitable spirit of a country that always finds a way to revive itself.

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An emblematic corner

2025-11-29T10:11:00.000-06:00

In a picturesque corner of the city, a 140-year-old building stood like a guardian of the past. Its white brick walls and wood-framed windows told stories of a time when life was slower and families spent afternoons on their balconies, watching the world go by.

The building, known to everyone as "The Corner," had an elegance that stood the test of time. However, the city had grown around it, and modern glass and steel towers were beginning to encircle it, threatening to replace its historic presence with something more contemporary.

One day, news broke that developers were planning to demolish La Esquina to build a skyscraper. Upon hearing this, the community erupted in protest. Neighbors recalled how their grandparents would tell them about the social gatherings in the building's lobby, the rooftop parties, and the times when La Esquina had been the epicenter of the neighborhood's social life.

Led by María, a young historian who lived in the building, residents organized petitions, marches, and meetings to save their beloved building. María compiled stories, photos, and testimonies from those who had lived in La Esquina over the years, creating a dossier showcasing its historical and cultural value.

On the day of the public hearing, the hall was packed. María stood, dossier in hand, and spoke passionately about the importance of preserving the neighborhood's memory, of maintaining a tangible connection with the past. Her words resonated in the hearts of everyone present.

In the end, the commission ruled in favor of the residents. La Esquina was not only saved, but also declared a cultural heritage site, ensuring its preservation for future generations. The developers agreed to restore the building, respecting its original architecture, and convert the upper floors into modern housing without altering its historic essence.

La Esquina remained the neighborhood's soul, now with a new lease on life that combined the old and the new, symbolizing the resilience and tenacity of a community that understood that progress doesn't always mean forgetting the past.

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The twin towers of Puerto Madero

2025-11-22T10:09:00.000-06:00

In the heart of Puerto Madero, Buenos Aires, stood the majestic Twin Towers, two imposing buildings that had become a symbol of modernity and progress. These towers, with their glass and steel facades, reflected the sky and the river, creating a visual spectacle that attracted both locals and tourists.

The Twin Towers were not only an architectural landmark, but also a center of activity and life. Their first floors housed elegant shops, haute cuisine restaurants, and cozy cafes. The upper floors housed offices of major companies and luxury apartments with panoramic views of the city and the Río de la Plata.

One of the most fascinating stories related to the Twin Towers was that of Ana and Martín, two young architects who had worked on the design and construction of the buildings. From the first day they met at university, they shared a common vision: to create spaces that were not only functional but also inspiring.

When the opportunity to work on the Twin Towers project presented itself, Ana and Martín didn't hesitate. They poured all their effort and creativity into every detail, from the structure to the interior spaces. Their goal was for the towers to be not only a place of work and residence, but also a meeting place and a community.

As the towers took shape, Ana and Martín realized that their professional collaboration had evolved into a deep friendship. They spent long hours working together, discussing ideas and overcoming challenges. Their shared passion for architecture and design united them in a special way.

On the day of the inauguration of the Twin Towers, Ana and Martín stood together in the central plaza, proudly observing their creation. The towers sparkled in the sun, and the plaza was filled with people admiring the beauty and grandeur of the buildings. At that moment, Ana and Martín realized they had achieved their dream: they had created a space that was not only impressive but also had the power to connect people.

Over time, the Twin Towers became a symbol of Ana and Martín's vision and dedication. Their story inspired many other young architects to follow their dreams and believe in the transformative power of design. The towers, with their imposing presence, continued to be a beacon of modernity and hope in the Buenos Aires cityscape.

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The Flores merry-go-round

2025-11-15T10:08:00.000-06:00

In the heart of the Flores neighborhood of Buenos Aires, there is a square that has witnessed countless stories and special moments. In the center of this square is a merry-go-round, one of the few that still retains the charm and magic of the old days. For children and their families, the merry-go-round in Flores Square is not just a game, but a place full of memories and joy.

The merry-go-round, with its colorful roof and hand-painted wooden horses, attracts children of all ages. Its owner, Don Ernesto, an elderly man with a white beard and a perpetual smile, has been caring for the merry-go-round for over thirty years. For him, keeping it running is a passion and a responsibility he embraces with love.

Every evening, Don Ernesto turns on the lights on the merry-go-round and plays cheerful music that accompanies the steady roll of the horses and wagons. The children, their eyes shining with excitement, line up, waiting for their turn to ride. Their parents, meanwhile, watch with tenderness and nostalgia, remembering the days when they themselves rode on that same merry-go-round.

One day, a little girl named Sofia arrived at the plaza with her grandfather. It was her first time visiting the merry-go-round, and her excitement was palpable. Sofia chose a white horse with a golden mane, and her grandfather helped her onto it. As the merry-go-round began to spin, Sofia felt the wind on her face and the melody filling the air, creating a magical moment she would never forget.

Don Ernesto, seeing Sofía's joy, remembered how his own grandfather used to take him on that same merry-go-round as a child. It was a tradition passed down from generation to generation, and every laugh and smile was a testament to the happiness the merry-go-round brought to so many people.

Over the years, the merry-go-round in Flores Square became a neighborhood symbol, a place where birthdays were celebrated, new friendships were made, and lasting memories were created. The community deeply appreciated Don Ernesto's dedication and the effort he put into keeping the magic of the merry-go-round alive.

On a special occasion, the neighbors organized a party to celebrate the merry-go-round's 50th anniversary. They decorated the square with garlands and balloons and brought food and sweets to share. Don Ernesto, moved by the surprise, thanked everyone and spoke a few words about the importance of keeping traditions and community spirit alive.

That afternoon, the merry-go-round spun more than ever, packed with children and adults reminiscing about their own childhoods. Flores Square resounded with laughter and music, and the sky lit up with fireworks, marking an unforgettable evening.

And so, the merry-go-round in Flores Square continued to turn, day after day, carrying with it the magic of childhood dreams and the love of a community that embraced it like a priceless treasure. Don Ernesto continued to care for it with devotion, knowing that each turn brought with it a new story and a new moment of happiness.

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La Chinita in CABA

2025-11-08T09:58:00.000-06:00

In the vibrant Caballito neighborhood of Buenos Aires, the Caacupé Church was a place of gathering and devotion for many. However, there was one group of parishioners who shared a special and unique passion: their devotion to the Virgin of Chiquinquirá, affectionately known as "La Chinita," from the state of Zulia in Venezuela.

This devotion had begun years earlier, when a small group of Venezuelan immigrants settled in the neighborhood. They brought their traditions with them, and with them, their deep faith in La Chinita. Initially, meetings were held in private homes, where they prayed and shared stories of miracles attributed to the Virgin. Over time, this small community grew and decided to bring their devotion to the Caacupé church, making it the spiritual heart of their faith in Buenos Aires.

Every year, on November 18th, the community celebrated the festival of La Chinita with great fervor, coinciding with the celebration in Zulia. The Caacupé church was transformed into a sea of color, with Venezuelan flags and floral arrangements in shades of yellow, blue, and red, reminiscent of their homeland. The statue of the Virgin of Chiquinquirá, a gift brought from Maracaibo, was placed on a special altar, adorned with flowers and candles.

The celebrations began early in the morning with a solemn Mass. The parish priest, moved by the community's devotion, always dedicated special words to La Chinita and the immigrants who had found a new home in Buenos Aires. The voices of the parishioners joined in songs and prayers, filling the atmosphere with a unique spiritual energy.

After Mass, the celebration continued in the church courtyard. There were food stands where you could taste arepas, empanadas, hallacas, and other typical Venezuelan dishes, lovingly prepared by the families of the community. Music filled the air, with Zulia gaitas and other rhythms reminiscent of the beloved distant land.

The children, dressed in traditional costumes, danced and played, learning the traditions of their parents and grandparents. For many of them, these celebrations were a way to connect with their roots and understand the importance of La Chinita in their lives.

During the evening procession, the statue of the Virgin of Chiquinquirá was carried on a platform through the streets of the neighborhood, accompanied by a multitude of devotees. People of different cultures and nationalities joined along the way, drawn by the faith and joy radiating from the community. Songs and prayers echoed from every corner, and the neighborhood was filled with a spirit of unity and hope.

Devotion to the Virgin of Chiquinquirá at the Caacupé church not only strengthened the faith of Venezuelans in the neighborhood but also created bonds of brotherhood with fellow parishioners. The story of this devotion became a testament to resilience and the ability of human beings to find solace and community, even far from home.

Thus, the Caacupé church in Caballito became a beacon of faith and love, where the Virgin of Chiquinquirá found her second home and where the devotion of her community remained alive and vibrant, illuminating the hearts of all who venerated her.

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