Sideways to Mendoza

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It was a 15 hour bus ride that took me overnight to the capital of Argentina’s wine producing region. Mendoza is a desert town at the foot of the Andes and within the last few years has caught the attention of wine buffs for producing some fantastic wines. Mendoza is merely a desert town which feeds its vineyards through a complex system of irrigation channels which line every street in this area. Water is funnelled down from the distant Andes to create some world class vintages. The town’s perfect year-round climate produces great wines year in, year out.

Mendoza itself is a delightful place although some ugly stories of muggings from other travellers were alarmingly common. The town has wide, tree-lined boulevards and some great restaurants. As well as the wine, Mendoza is also a great place to embark on some adventure sport activities which made it a very relaxing and thrilling place to spend a few days.

Mendoza’s main wine region is located slightly south of the main town in an area called Maipu. This whole area is filled with row after row of vineyards with plump, ripe bunches of grapes hanging low off the vines signalling that harvest season is under way. This little area is incredibly picturesque and I had a perfect day for my exploration here. The best way to explore each of the wineries is by bicycle and there are a few companies at the beginning of town that rent bikes out. With each rental a map is supplied of all of the wineries in the area along a stretch of tree-lined road 12km long.

I decided the best way to tackle the route would be to cycle to the end first, whilst sober, and then make my way back stopping at each winery on the way. I had also joined up with a group of people that were doing the same thing, which made the day much more enjoyable. The cycle in the heat, although flat, was quite tiring. The wonderful scenery made it worthwhile though as the blue sky and bright sun ignited the deep green vines which were stretched out to the mountains. The roads were all lined with trees that arced over and met in the middle, providing much needed shade. Occasionally the sun would beam through creating a wonderful sunlight haze shaft scene ahead as we cycled.

I won’t describe each winery in detail but they were all individually fantastic. They all appeared to retain a small family-orientated feel producing only small, selective amounts of wine annually. They were small boutique places with a pleasing rustic and traditional feel. Each winery spent time on a tour and described the process used to make their specific blend. Such information as how long they would age the wine, the fermentation process used, if they would age in oak, what sort of oak they would use was all incredibly well presented and very interesting. It supplemented my knowledge gleaned from my Vinopolis visit a while ago, which all came rushing back.

Argentinian wine is typically red, which means they crush the entire grape with the skin as well. For white wine, they remove the skin. The most popular wine produced in this region is the Malbec, with many differing varieties. I’m no connoisseur but generally it tasted fabulous with my preference being the heavier wines that were aged longer in French oak barrels. Unbelievably these barrels cost 900 Euros each!

I coasted from vineyard to vineyard generally getting boozier as I cycled. Each vineyard offered tasting of a few wines from their collections of differing value. The tasting cost around 15 pesos per winery, which was good because I did not feel pressured to buy any of the wines after tasting. When the tasting is free it comes with a guilt layered sales pitch and an obligation to buy something afterwards. The wine here is incredibly cheap still though - a bottle which retails for $400 in the USA costs about £15.

In between the wineries were also some great olive groves which had tasting on offer as well as a chocolate and liqueur outlet which was the final stop and a very yummy one indeed. I caught the bus back to Mendoza feeling more tired than anything before collapsing in my dorm bed for the night - at about 8pm! The combination of wine and sun proving to be a great sleep-inducing cocktail.

I woke the next morning to a mild, overcast day with no ill feeling. It was white water rafting day - the surrounding mountains, valleys and rivers providing the perfect setting for some excellent rafting. I was picked up and driven about an hour out of the city and into the mountains. I was dropped off at an activity centre situated beside a lake wearing just shorts, t-shirt and flip flops. I was freezing, everyone else turned up in fleeces and boots.

Thankfully we were provided with wet suits, splash jackets and life jackets before re-boarding a mini bus which took us to the start of the rapids. We followed the river, which snaked its way through the mountains which rose high on both sides. The river was muddy brown and was very fast flowing. The rapids looked fierce as rocks under the water thrust up stiff resistance to the strong currents which eventually threw themselves over in a violent splash.

Each yellow raft contains 5 people, with an experienced individual from the rafting company at the back steering and calling commands. We were taken through a safety demonstration and information on what procedures to follow if we fell out or someone else did. The explanation was meticulous, which made us all think that people fall out often. I didn't want to fall and float down the river thumping into rocks so I paid particular attention.

We then took to our raft. I didn’t realise this but, crazily, we sit on the very edge of the raft and not inside. The oar is used to counter balance your own body weight. Our raft contained 5 guys - 3 Brazilians and 2 Englishmen (myself and the guy I have been travelling with). Our experienced rafter was a South African woman who was determined to go to extreme lengths to ensure we had a thrilling ride. This meant paddling into the rapids to ensure we met with their full force.

The rivers white water grade is a 3+ - which is not crazy but pretty fierce. It started fairly slowly, the current pushing us down the river at speed as we practiced our left and right turns as well as paddling back and forwards in sync with each other. The rapids soon began and were awesome fun. The boat lurched up and over them before crashing down soaking the entire boat. Water was flung with full force into our faces as we struggled to control the raft.

The rapids grew more and more violent as the rafting wore on and in some instances whole waves consumed our boat. Then we hit a big one. The boat was thrust horizontal to the rapid and became wedged in place between the rock and the strong current, keeping us pinned in place. The current was winning and began to turn the raft on its side sending one of the Brazilians behind me sliding down and crashing into the person opposite who flew out of the boat and down the river at a fearsome pace.

I was at the front of the boat with Yusef, who at this stage was hanging onto the rope around the edge of the raft. His arse was in the water and he had a look of terror in his eyes. It took a few seconds for me to take in the crazy situation. The roaring sound of the muddy water pouring into the boat was intense as the South African woman screamed commands to get us out of the situation. I lunged forward and pulled Yusef in (thus saving his life!). We then all flung ourselves to one side of the boat before paddling like crazy to get out.

We emerged only one man down but the adrenaline rush was incredible. My heart was thumping through my chest as we had more rapids to contend with coming up thus giving us no time to compose ourselves. We were all laughing though, the whole situation was hilarious. We picked our man up further down river where it was calmer. He had been picked up by a kayaker and passed onto another boat. We transferred him back unscathed before finishing the trip and returning to the hostel. The rafting was incredible fun and I’ve certainly become addicted to it! I’ve heard of a legendary grade 5 river in Peru which will be a must on my itinerary now.

A special mention must go to Hostel Lao, where I have been staying whilst in Mendoza. It certainly combines all of the traits which make it one of the best hostels in the continent. Great staff, an excellent atmosphere and a warm welcome are an unbeatable combination that some hostels just can’t seem to manage. To top it all off free wine is available to all after 8pm on most nights, which is an incredible gesture that keeps people flooding in the door from all the great recommendations it receives.

The social events organised here are also really good and give the hostel a wonderful family feel. One of my nights there we all attended a barbeque, hosted by the owner and his family, which was a great place to meet other travellers and share best practice. Naturally, lots of wine was on offer and the night ended boozily at 6 in the morning.

After a quick 1.5 hour power nap it was time for another adrenaline kick - skydiving! I was picked up with an group of people and driven about an hour out of town again. The airfield and general setup of the place was very different to what I had expected and was a world away from the slick operation of Taupo Tandem Skydive in New Zealand that I had used a year and a half or so ago. The airfield was a dusty track with dry grass sprouting sporadically between the pot holes. The main office was derelict with a dirty cracked tiled floor, broken windows and pages from an old skydiving magazine ripped out and stuck to the walls.

The guy running the show was confident though and had completed over 8,000 jumps in many different countries. He then showed us the plane, which was tiny. So small in fact that we could only go up one at a time. The day was very overcast and we ended up waiting for an age before we could fly. After waiting for about 5 hours we went up. I suited up, experiencing the familiar butterflies feeling I felt before. Probably more so this time as the equipment being used was much older and the whole setup much less professional.

The plane took off shakily and made its way up into the clouds. We rose higher and higher. At 10,000 feet I clipped myself to the tandem. We moved over to the door but I could not see anything. We were in the clouds flying up and down looking for a clear spot which didn’t seem to exist. After a few more minutes we gave up and turned back to land. It was disappointing not to jump, especially as I had mentally got myself ready for it. All in all, it was a wasted day of waiting and watching but it finished well as we stopped back off in Maipu on the way back with some others that I met and ended up doing some more wine tasting into the evening. Not a complete waste then.

After a few days enjoying the wineries, wide tree-lined boulevards and pavement cafes of Mendoza I caught a bus south to Bariloche. The bus ride was the longest yet - weighing in at about 18 hours. Again, the bus was overnight so I slept most of the way before waking up to be dazzled by the scenery in the morning. Bariloche is located in an area of Argentina called the Lake District and is set amid green hills, snow-caked mountains and deep blue calm lakes.

The ride began with barren desert scenery though - of endless rolling hills with dry brown dirt and yellow patches of grass sprouting sporadically. The desert soon began to bloom though as the grass became greener and the trees taller. Before long we were passing wonderfully clear, enormous lakes which reflected the surrounding hills in their still waters. Rivers snaked between the lakes and looked impossibly clear. We rushed past beautiful meadow scenes before approaching Bariloche which is situated next to Lake Nugal Muwapi. The town is nestled between some towering mountains, thick with snow and the large body of water that looked perfectly still and serene against the dazzling blue sky.

Bariloche emanates a fantastic feel and the centre area is comprised of elegant log-and-stone constructions that wouldn’t look out of place in a Swiss ski resort. The area has a wonderful feel with chocolate shops nestled beside outlets selling ray-bans and trekking gear. The beautiful surrounding wilderness combined with the elegant charms of the town provide the main activities in the town, which I began exploring the following day after checking into my hostel.

My hostel had an amazing view. It was located on the penthouse floor of the tallest building in town, which was actually a very ugly structure. I was also told by other travellers that the building shook quite violently after the Chile earthquake. Nonetheless the view was outstanding and the top floor balcony looked out onto the still lake with an excellent view of the mountains. It was a great way to wake up in the mornings, looking out onto the lake and mountains whilst eating my cereal. The sunsets from this vantage point were also superb as the sun slid behind the mountains throwing its final orange rays onto the lake which looked dazzling.

The first activity that I embarked on was kayaking. I caught the bus to the other side of town, to the shore of another lake called Lago Gutiérrez. Lago Gutiérrez was beautiful. High hills rose on each side of the lake and the water was crystal clear. Calm waves lapped against the pebbled shore revealing in absolute clarity what laid on the lake bed. The sun was warm and bright against a brilliant blue sky which made the entire scene mesmerising. I hired the kayak with my travelling friend and we began paddling out onto the still lake.

The feeling of isolation on the lake was wonderful and the bottom was clearly visible despite the depth at which we were paddling. The water was also ice cold which was a refreshing way to cool down after some energetic paddling. On the way back we paddled past the shore where many families were enjoying the weekend sunshine with their own barbeques. The smouldering flames harboured a wonderful smell which inspired us to have lunch by the lake side and take in the beautiful view it provided.

Before catching the bus back into town I spotted a cluster of horses whilst walking near the lake. An Argentinian family were offering horse riding in the surrounding area. I was given a horse and mounted him sitting on a bundle of blankets on his back. My guide was a 14 year old boy who was the spitting image of Chunk from the Goonies. The ride began and I was treated to wonderful vistas of lush rolling hills, mountains and more beautiful countryside.

We began the trip on a slow walk but were soon galloping at great speeds down dust tracks dodging low branches and leaves. I have only ever been at a slow trot on a horse before so this was a very new experience. Chunk was very obliging when I asked him if we can pick up some speed. He passed me a thin leafy branch he pulled from a tree and told me to hit my horse on the rear. I did this and he reacted immediately - launching off at great speed leaving me clutching the saddle as I thumped up and down repeatedly on the blankets. The power of these majestic beasts is incredible and the speed is exhilarating

One particularly enjoyable part of the trip was when we rode through a lake splashing up water on all sides of us. The scenery continued to impress as I kept urging my horse to go faster. The exhilaration was incredible as the wind rushed over my face and hair to the rhythmic clocks of the horse’s shoes. The scenery rushed past and we soon were soon back where we started after an hour of riding. I said my thanks to Chunk before heading back into town for the night.

Bariloche's mountains and lakes provide some beautiful cycling and hiking trips in the surrounding wilderness with countless vantage points to be enjoyed. I opted to experience these quite lazily by hiring out a scooter for the day. I have never ridden one before and so I'm sure the guy who I rented it from wondered if I'd get it back to him in one piece when I stuttered off at speed, dragging my flip-flops on the ground whilst only just managing to stay on the scooter.

I soon got the hang of it though and started off on the road which took me along the lake front and out of Bariloche. The road runs into the national park before looping round through the mountains and back into Bariloche. I had another day of amazing weather to do this and the ride was soon impressing as I rode out of town. The views over Lake Nahuel Huapi were incredible. There was hardly any wind at all and so the water was very still - the surface looked incredible sleek and reflected the surrounding mountains which rose mightily on each side.

The ride was littered with many wonderful sweeping views of lush forestation, snow-caked mountains and serene blue lakes. Each turn I took I was greeted with stunning vistas which ensured I stopped regularly to take pictures. The ride continued to impress with secluded bays and beautiful beaches. On aspect of the ride that amazed me particularly was the clarity of the water which looked so incredibly crisp and refreshing from every vantage point. The highest point of the ride was an immense sweeping view of the area of hills, mountains and several lakes nestled between thick forests which were all framed against a blue sky. This area is certainly called the Lake District for good reason

I ended the ride by scootering up to Mount Catedral which, in season anyway, is a busy hive of activity with skiers and snowboarders carving up fresh snow on the slopes. When I arrived there was no snow but mountain bikers take over the slopes with daring runs down the steep gradients. After this I returned the bike after re-filling the petrol tank. I couldn't believe that I had biked around all day, covering about 60km in total and it cost only 8 pesos to fill up - less than £2.

I finished my time in Bariloche by enjoying the exquisite chocolate that the town is famous for. I bought a bag from Mamuska's - which is supposed to be the best in town. I spent the night stuffing my face with creamy delicious chocolate whilst watching the sun set over town for the final time and contemplating my next bus journey which will be the most mammoth of all. Thirty hours over gravel to El Chalten - which should be interesting to say the least.

PS - Well done to those of you who spotted the wine reference in the blog title.

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Photos

Di Tomasso Vintage
Maipu Winery

Rafting Team
Rafting near Mendoza

Lake Nahuel Huapi
Bariloche

Kayaking on Lago Gutiérrez
Bariloche

Sunset from Hostel
Bariloche

Galloping Away!
Horse riding in Bariloche

Scooter Scenery
Bariloche

Secluded Bay
On Lake Nahuel Huapi

Comments

[Mum Dad and boys]

Lazy and active wine days
Wow, Mike, what a lot of activities you have done since reaching Mendoza. White water rafting, drinking wine, kayaking, more wine tasting, attempted skydive and more wine... That wine would have been nice to send home or even the creamy chocolate!!! not a box of used travel books etc. Some of the pictures are stunning especially the one of Bariloche Centre which does amazingly remind me of Switzerland. Very clean looking. You must be a fully seasoned bus traveller now considering the length of all your journeys. The horse riding sounded fantastic - now that is the way to do it, unlike France!! Chunk sounds interesting. Speak to you soon. Love Mum xxx