Argentina has endured a tumultuous recent history, surviving a series of violent political, cultural and economic upheavals in the past few decades. With the recent collapse of the economy and the inevitable sense of panic and chaos that ensued, you may think it a strange time to visit.
However, my trepidation was far outweighed by my curiosity about this enormous territory. Its vast expanse is home to a scant 33 million people although its fertile land is able to support more than 10 times that number. I have to admit that my reasons were also economic - Argentina has long been the most expensive South American nation to visit, but right now there is the opportunity to see it for a fraction of the former cost.
I decided to focus on one area, making an exploratory circuit of Patagonia's famous lake district. Set on the border of Chile, this highly volcanic area consists of a system of lakes set among the gothic peaks of the cordillera, the evocatively named "ribs" of the Andes.
A good way to start an exploration of this area is in San Carlos de Bariloche, a town easily reached by a two-hour flight from Buenos Aires. I had been warned about San Carlos de Bariloche. The biggest and most tourist-saturated town in the area, it had been described as an ugly scar on the otherwise magnificent lake district. But on arrival, I was pleasantly surprised; faux-Alpine cabins in light wood were densely arranged along the shore of Lago Nahuel Huapi. Above reared a panoply of jagged dark mountains topped with bright snowy white peaks, almost Himalayan in their scale.
There are a variety of ways of getting around the lake district. Many visitors hitchhike, relying on the kindness of strangers. My choice was an offroad vehicle, and it stood me in good stead - I would occasionally marvel as I saw old Starsky and Hutch-style lowriders struggling up mountain passes that even my 4x4 was having difficulty with.
A darker side of cheerful San Carlos de Bariloche is the cultural and economic alienation of the native Mapuche people, part of the legacy of the European occupation of this area. Fiercely resisting Western domination, the Mapuche were finally subjugated by the genocidal Conquista del Desierto campaign in the late 19th century. The brainchild of Argentina's then minister of war, General Julio Roca, this campaign was the brutal response to indian raids on European settlements, in turn precipitated by the southern expansion of European settlers as well as by the depletion of free-roaming wild herds.
Eager to leave the bustle of town life for more remote prospects, I travelled north along the breathtakingly scenic lakeside route, the road bordered by the ubiquitous wild flowers, a cacophony of pink, lavender and blazing orange. Small prehistoric-style wooden dwellings - traditional Mapuche homes - clung to the steep roadside mountain slopes.
Villa la Angostura, a small but prosperous town complete with a few excellent restaurants and even a deli, is one hour's drive away. Outside the town centre, a number of self-catering chalets are hidden away down little tracks that wind into the heavily forested lakeside. The views from these hidden beaches, perfect for languid afternoons of reading and tanning, were magnificent. The clear air and enormous open spaces made the perspective of the distant sunbathed snowy peaks seem surreal, as though you could reach out and touch them. The whole landscape was saturated in a kind of Technicolor.
The walking trails of nearby Parque Nacional Arrayanes allow the chance to see the unusual cinnamon-coloured arrayanes trees, now a protected species. Another option is to take a guided tour of Nahuel Huapi Lake. When I questioned our guide, Luis, about the state of tourism since the economic crash, he simply shrugged, explaining, "Now we have fewer tourists from overseas, and more from Chile. I'm as busy as I ever was."
About an hour further north is the one-horse town of Junin de los Andes. The landscape here changes rapidly from the gentle green undulations further south and becomes starker. Winding rivers thread their way through the valleys, fertile ribbons in this otherwise barren landscape. Lying on the black volcanic sand of the nearby Lago Huechulafquen, the awesome peak of the Volcan Lanin rises up into a clear sky, immense and pyramidal. Junin's streets are dusty and all but abandoned. The street signs are in the shape of trout, a clue that this is one of the major international fly-fishing destinations. There are many more Mapuche faces here, and they are more integrated with the rest of the community.
Worth a look is the kitsch cultural monument that is the town church, a bizarre blend of Catholic and Mapuche iconography housed in a light pine and blue-corrugated-plastic structure. Mapuche weavings are incorporated into the walls, and one of the extraordinary stained glass windows portrays a party of nuns merrily spreading the Word to a semi-clad Mapuche woman and her more suspicious companion who brandishes a spear. Although the town is a fascinating insight into Argentinian culture, it is no more than a scenic stop-off on the way further north.
A four-hour drive up into the Andes from Junin brings you to the remote town of Villa Pehuenia. Wild horses milled around in groups, and the occasional gaucho could be seen ambling along on his sleek steed. The town has only one simple restaurant and some basic stores. The local roads are all but abandoned save for the occasional Mapuche walking undaunted by the fierce heat of the sun.
Villa Pehuenia is an undiscovered jewel of the Andes. Lago Alumine, on which it is situated, provides the perfect swimming environment - you can find a new beach every day, most of them totally deserted. Some of these coves nestle in pine forests, and the sound of cicadas and birdcall are the only accompaniment to the perfect views. There are plenty of outdoors activities on offer in Pehuenia - I found the horse-riding trip through the monkey-puzzle trees, atmospherically draped in Spanish moss, an unforgettable experience. Various options are available, from three-hour to five-day horse treks, all incredibly good value.
Also deserted was the surprisingly accessible local volcanic pool that affords a panoramic view of the area. Locals will guide you with a bewildering number of hastily scrawled maps, but it is well worth persevering with the search. A short drive brings you above the snow line to a large sky blue pool, the plug of an inactive volcano. The sun on the white snow is almost blinding, and a swim in the ionised water of the pool is said to have healing benefits. An easy walk up the lip of the volcano reveals a staggering 360-degree vista that includes four volcanoes, one of which was smoking when I visited.
I completed my brief circuit of the lakes with a stopover in San Martin de los Andes, to break the journey to Chapelco airport, outside Junin, from where we would catch a flight back to Buenos Aires. Although San Martin is a popular tourist destination, and the local beaches are busy, boats are easily and cheaply available for afternoon tours of the lake. Food and drinks are provided and you are free to stop at abandoned beaches, inaccessible from inland. Enormous birds called jotes, related to the condor, can be spotted in their dramatic cliff-side eyries, surveying their fiefdom.
Way to go
Getting there: British Airways (0845 7733377, ba.com) flies London-Buenos Aires from £676.
Getting around: 4x4 hire (+54 2944 426420, rentacarbariloche.com).
Where to Stay: In Barliloche, El Ciervo Rojo (+29 4443 5241) £10pp. In Villa la Angostura, Cabanas Lihuen (+ 29 4449 4564) £19pp, recommended. In Junin de los Andes, Hosteria Chimehuin (+29 7249 1132) £10pp. In Villa Pehuenia, Cabanas Bahia Radal (+29 4249 8057, bahiaradal@hotmail.com) £25pp, recommended. In San Martin, Hosteria del Chapelco (+29 7242 7610) £13pp.
Activities: Jose Marie Codero horse treks in Villa Pehuenia (02942421681, arroverde28@hotmail.com).
Further Information:
Argentine Tourism (020-7318 1300, turismo.gov.ar).
Country code: 00 54.
Time difference: -3hrs.
Flight time: 13hrs.
£1 = 5.02 pesos.
