ROUTE 40
The trip begins in the extreme South of Patagonia in the town of "El Calafate", here we'll live the "Perito Moreno" glacier experience. Not only we will visit it from the observation platforms of the Nat Park, but also we'll navigate its base and do a trekking over the glacier, thus discovering the wonders of colors that this paradise reserved for us.   The Glaciers National Park will open its doors to us with a navigation through the iceberg channel revealing us the majestic Upsala, Onelli & Spegazzini glaciars, amongst others. This Park was declared World Heritage by the UNESCO in 1981.
Our road will lead us to the recently discovered petrified forest of "La Leona".
Trekking lovers will find their Meca while visiting the location of "El Chalten" where we will ascend up to the first mountain shelter to have a closer view of the "Chalten" mountain and its Chilean mate the very well known "Torre".		 Back in our route 40 traces, we will admired the famous cave paintings of "Cueva de las Manos, Río Pinturas" (Cave of the Hands of the River Pinturas - UNESCO World heritage 1999) which origin is still a mystery. The cave paintings were executed between 13,000 and 9,500 years ago by one of the earliest human societies in South America.
Entering the Andean section of the province of "Chubut" in the city of "Esquel", we will visit the "Alerces National Park", which is famous for having giant trees reaching 70m (210ft) high and trunks of 4m (12 ft) of diameter, aging almost 2000 years old. There we will navigate the unpolluted waters of the "Menéndez" lake and do a trekking through the dense forest
. 		The trip continues to "El Bolsón", making a brief stop just to look at the landscape and the artesian marketplace, arriving afterwards to the city of "San Carlos de Bariloche" located on the margins of the giant lake "Nahuel Huapi". There we will make some scenic road tours like the so called "short circuit", Swiss Colony, Lake Mascardi and the huge mountain "Tronador" taking a close view of its glacier.
In the Swiss-like town of "Villa La Angostura" we will board a boat so as to enjoy a hike in the "Arrayanes National Park". Unique place in the world where you can find these trees in its natural habitat, and that served as inspiration to Walt Disney in the development of the Bambi film.

Following the "Seven Lakes Route" we will stop by enchanting places such as "Lake Traful" and "Hidden Lake" thus arriving to the charming city of "San Martín de Los Andes" where we'll do a floating on the "Hua-Hum" river crossing to the neighbor country of Chile. Here we will also visit the "Lanín National Park" famous for its 3800 m (11000ft) extinct volcano.
Heading north of the province of "Neuquen", we'll visit "Caviahue", where, while making a trekking, we will discover millenary old Araucarias trees, reminding us a Jurassic landscape. Afterwards at the base of the only active volcano of Argentina, we'll take some thermal baths in the sulphurous waters of "Copahue".

 Entering the "Cuyo" zone in the Mendoza province, we'll be witness of one of the most important volcanoes eruption in the Earth history. A stop by in the road will lead us into the earth visiting the "Witches' cave" in a complete and adventurous speleologic tour.
Once in "Malargüe", the so call Capital of the Argentine adventure tourism, we will visit the valley of "Las Leñas" an incredible winter complex, the "Pozo de las Animas" an old crater just at ground level and the "Niña Encantada" lagoon. Nature will be ready to surprise us with the "River Atuel" canyon and it's incredible rock formations. Our trip continues through the "Argentine wine route" crossing San Rafael and the city of Mendoza, which will be used as a base to visit the America's highest mountain named "Aconcagua" (6960 m / 21000 ft). Unforgettable is the word that describes perfectly well the rafting of the river Mendoza which reaches 4/5 levels of rapid difficulty according to the season.
More surprising will be our visit to "Ischigualasto Park" better known as "Moon Valley" paleontological site in the province of San Juan. Of course the tour will not be complete without visiting the "Talampaya National Park" famous archeological surrounded by the beautiful river-carved canyon. These two parks, contain the world's most complete fossil record from the Triassic Period (250M years ago) declared World Heritage by UNESCO on 2000.

 After spending the night in "La Rioja", we'll take a step road through the rainforest heading towards "Tafí del Valle", a place famous for it's menhirs' park dating from 3000 years BC and which origin is still unknown.
Leaving the archeological site of "La Bolsa" behind (3000BC), we'll follow to "Amaicha del Valle", there we'll make a brief but exciting visit to the "Pachamama's " (mother earth) museum. The road finally leads us to the limit of "Salta" province where the Quilmes ruins are located. These constructions belonged to an antique civilization of Inca's origin (800 AC). Driving through the desert we'll see 3m (10ft) tall cactus called "cardones" which will give us the welcome to "Cafayate" (Salta), being this place very well known for the vineyards, cellars and of course the excellent wines. It's well worthy to make few stops in the road so as to do some wine tasting in the own cellars.
Strange rock and mountain formations caused by erosion, will be observed during our way to "Salta" city, some of them carrying cute names such as "the toad" and "the obelisk", others a little more impressive just like the "devil's throat".
The classic "Salta" city tour will lead us to "San Lorenzo", a charming little town located in the transition to the subtropical rainforest.

 We will notice the landscape contrast while riding through the "Obispo" slope and the "Cardones" national park and thus arriving to "Cachi" a beautiful colonial town located at 2300m (6.900 ft) above sea level.
Our trip will lead us to our next adventure. When arriving to "San Antonio de Los Cobres" we'll loose all contact with civilization and then dare to cross a deserted plateau located at 3.500m (10.500ft) a.s.l, thus in the GPS hands we'll find the road to "Salinas Grandes" visiting the salt works. Now, being inside the province of Jujuy and after driving on one of the world's highest paved road (4800 m / 14.400ft) we will delight ourselves with the seven colored mountain of "Purmamarca". Our surprise will reach no limits when we discover the "Quebrada de Humahuaca" valley and it's neighboring side-road towns like "Tilcara" where the ruins of an aborigine fortress (well known as the Pucará) are found. The valley has been used over the past 10,000 years as a crucial passage for the transport of people and ideas from the high Andean lands to the plains, thus being declared World Heritage on 1993 by the UNESCO. Its distinctive pre-Hispanic and pre-Incan settlements, together with the magnificent landscape are simply outstanding.
The closing of the trip will be left in the hands of "Iruya" a town located tight fitting the mountains, where time has eventually stop for centuries.