Attracted by the vibrant colors of South America, I massaged my travel funds and ventured last month with a travel aficionado into Argentina, a destination rich in contrasts in landscapes, weather and culture and covered three different destinations, Iguazu, Buenos Aires and El Calafate, each place every different from another.

From the abundance of wild life, flora and water at the Iguazú Falls and Jungle in the Northeast, to the vibrant feel of Buenos Aires as a city and breathtaking views of the Glaciers and marine life of Patagonia, Argentina thrills visitors of all temperaments.

We enjoyed the exuberance of tango in Buenos Aires and indulged for a few hours in Argentina’s capital city. We visited the glamorous neighborhoods of Recoleta, its most famous cemetery, Palermo, May Square, the Pink House, the Metropolitan Cathedral, Puerto Madero Area and many other emblematic buildings and palaces of unique architectural, historical and cultural value.

After enjoying the sights of the first settlements of the city of Buenos Aires, the picturesque neighborhood of San Telmo, we had some retail therapy in a local mall and the renowned antiques market.

If you’re looking for an authentic Tango cultural experience in the splendour of a decadent yet refined ambience, look no further than Tango Rojo at the cabaret of the Faena Hotel. This Tango show is the best you’ll find in the city and we enjoyed the white tuxedoed musicians, sultry vocalists and exquisitely skilled dancers in beautiful period costumes.

After Buenos Aires, we flew to Iguazu Falls and spent the night in Mercure Iguazu surrounded by nature. The next day we spent the day at the Iguazu National Park which is a total of 55,500 hectares. Surrounded by a lush subtropical rainforest, we enjoyed the majestic Iguazú Waterfalls, the most important and spectacular waterfalls in the world.

Via different footbridges, we visited the heart of the waterfalls, appreciating them from different angles and refreshed ourselves with the waterfall drizzle at the bottom. On the upper circuit, we enjoyed the different viewpoints until we reached the balcony at Garganta del Diablo (Devil”s Throat). Without doubt, this is the most amazing of all falls where water falls down from 80 meters.

We then flew to El Calafate via Buenos Aires for the best two days of navigation on Marpatang’s ‘Sprit of the Glaciers’ enjoying the sight of the Upsala, Mayo, and Spegazzini glaciers, and of course, the Perito Moreno.

We stayed on board a double cabin with private bathrooms and outdoor view. On the following day, after breakfast, we disembarked in the area of Puesto de Vacas for a short walk. Later, we continued towards the Spegazzini Glacier and saw it in all its splendor, the sun shining bright over its tall ice walls.

After a sumptuous lunch the ship set sail towards the massive Upsala Glacier. This glacier is one of the greatest and biggest ones in the National Park rising to a height of 7 km (4.35 mi). Afterwards, the vessel cruised along the Seno Mayo, where we had dinner and overnight in Toro Bay.

We then headed to Buenos Aires for an indulgent stay at the Alvear Palace, fit for royalty. The hotel, in the heart of Buenos Aires is elegant and a delight to be in.

No visit to Argentina is complete without a visit to a polo ranch and academy so on the way to the airport, we had the most enjoyable and memorable day at the lovely Estancia Villa Maria ranch with the most lovely summer lunch and a dose of polo.

Argentina clearly has something for everyone and you need more than ten days to really appreciate what the different places have to offer. We were able to travel on the best itinerary prepared by Condor Travel in Dubai that gave us a taste of all the best parts of Argentina in a week. You can call Condor Travel on 04 2827274/  0507641835 or condorgcc@gmail.com.