Iwayini engapheliyo eMendoza

After a detour to Easter Island and another short stay in Santiago de Chile, we crossed the border into Argentina again. This time our destination was the wine paradise of Mendoza, which is just under 8 hours by bus. The drive through the Andes was very beautiful, and for once the border formalities were also done quickly.

From Mendoza, you can start treks in the Andes or book other sports activities such as rafting, etc. Most people - including us - come here because of the fine wines.

We spent two days in the vineyards. On the first day, we took a tour organized by our hostel to two larger wineries (Dante Robino and Vistandes) and took a short tour and a tasting there. We also visited an olive oil production and made a brief stop at a church at the end. The tour was okay, but of course it was more of a classic tourist mass production.

Our highlight in Mendoza is clearly the self-organized tour, including a 5-course tasting and tasting at Finca Decero. Thanks to Seraina's cousins, who run the Gaucho restaurant in Zurich and import meat and wines from Argentina, we got in touch with them and even received a special price.

The winery - by the way, owned by Swiss people - is simply stunningly beautiful. The Finca has a breathtaking view of the Andes, and in the beautiful weather, we were able to indulge in a sensational 5-course menu - or a special version of it due to various intolerances - on the balcony after the tour of the production facilities and taste six different red wines. They were all fine - but the two of us were able to choose a favorite. Of course, we had to arrange our own transportation to and from here with Uber / Remise, and the day was certainly more expensive than yesterday's tourist tour, but it was also a completely different level.

We were able to end the absolutely successful day with a delicious (and rather inexpensive) Asado at the hostel. There we always meet other funny travelers - local and international.

Next and probably final destination in Argentina, we are heading to Salta in the north and will try to explore the area there.