EXPERIENCES

La Trochita or Old Patagonian Express is a historic tourist train -with small trail, from which comes its name and founded in 1945- that allows you to make a journey into the past. Starting from the Esquel railway station, we travel 18 km to the Nahuel Pan station, the place of residence of an important Mapuche Tehuelche community. There, while the train makes the maneuvers for the return, you can visit the Nahuel Pan Museum that preserves the heritage of the original peoples and the House of Crafts, where pieces of silver, wood and textiles are exhibited all made by the population rural area that make a direct sale on this site.

Early departure towards the town of Jesús María along National Route Nº 9 which nowadays coincides with the ancient route of the ‘Camino Real al Alto Perú’, visiting: Jesus Maria’s National Jesuit Museum, ranch purchased by the Jesuits in 1618. Anfiteatro de Doma y Folklore: the place where every January the ‘Festival Nacional de Doma y Folklore’ is held. Colonia Caroya: Town of Italian immigrants, famous for the production of sausages, canned food and confectionary. Caroya House: The place where the first factory of weapons (knives) in the country was established in 1815 and hosted guests as Gral. Belgrano and Gral. San Martín. Currently, it hosts a museum of handicrafts and colonization objects. Then, the Church and Jesuit Ranch Santa Catalina are visited. 15 kms to the South there is the town of Ascochinga, slightly undulating area with excessive vegetation. Visit to Sagrado Corazón de Jesús Chapel, heading the south we get to the ‘Granja’ where many German style villas can be found. 7 kms to the south we get to Agua de Oro, where a road takes us to the famous Candonga Chapel. It belonged to the Jesuits and dates back to 1730. The ‘Virgen Del Rosario’ is worshiped in its altar and it was decorated by the indigenous, it is a National Historic Monument. Finally, the tourist towns of Manzano, Salsipuedes and Río Ceballos will be visited from where you will return to Córdoba city.

Departure from a downtown office in Ushuaia (very close to the port), towards the glacial valleys near the city. A few kilometers from Ushuaia, the Tierra Mayor Valley and the primitive forest begin to open up to welcome us for a walk to reach one of the gems in Tierra del Fuego. We begin a walk through the primitive forest, which for at least 7000 years made life possible for the first inhabitants in these latitudes. Leaving the forest, surrounded by mountains, we find ourselves in a dreamlike landscape: an imposing valley surrounded by snow-capped peaks. The glacial water of the Esmeralda River encounters the engineering feats of the beavers, which found some sort of a paradise here: Surrounded by plenty of food, and despite of the absence of predators, they still apply themselves to their favorite entertainment: the construction of dams. Then we start the ascent towards the Esmeralda lagoon (due to the peat -spongy mass of wet organic material- we suggest the use of rubber boots or perhaps bring spare shoes). The walk to Emerald Lagoon does not present much of a challenge to exercise-loving travelers: with the appropriate clothing, this walk is quite easy and very panoramic. After crossing the valley, we leave behind the lenga forest and begin a sustained ascent along a slightly steep slope. Emerald Lagoon is located at the foot of the Ojo de Albino glacier, between Cerro Bonete and Cordón Toribio in an area of wonderful chromatic amplitude. This is one of the most impressive landscapes in this region! The way back becomes shorter, in a little steep descent, with new panoramic views. We reach the refuge to enjoy dinner (with drinks included, before returning Ushuaia. Attractives: Tierra Mayor Valley, Emerald Lagoon.