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Are you ready to Get South?The gems of South America have been discovered, and they are here waiting for you! The landscapes are awe-inspiring, the cities unique and the culture full of passion. Think you’re ready for a fiery football match, going mad for mate and consuming copious amounts of scrumptious meat and wine? Want to soak up some rays on cool beaches, dive in the Pacific or Atlantic Oceans or ski on unblemished slopes?

Well, it’s all here! Argentina, Chile and Uruguay. These three countries lie side by side, each completely unique but together they form one of the most exhilarating, enticing and unforgettable places to travel in the world! The possibilities are endless… Draw yourself into the shadows of the majestic and omnipotent snow capped Andes, hang out with a million penguins, or be mesmerized by giant glaciers shedding chunks of ice in a sea of rugged frozen fields.

In this vast land, you’ll also find top-notch rafting, trekking, mountain climbing, diving, fishing, paragliding, horseback riding, mountain biking, skiing and our personal favourite: having a good time.

Now go on... Get South!

Hello! Thank you for picking up a copy of Get South, we hope it becomes your new best friend on the road.

This year we are celebrating our 5th anniversary so this new edition is very special to us as it marks a significant milestone in our journey. We are a small team of independent travellers and are committed to offering travel advice to people just like us. Every place you see in Get South has been personally visited or recommended, so we have all the insider tips and most recent information that sometimes is difficult to find by yourself.

Over the years we have had help from different travel fanatics, including travel writer Amanda Barnes who has been writing for Get South since 2010 and our Buenos Aires man Alejandro Damico who’s been helping with the guide since 2011.

On this special anniversary I would like to thank family and friends for all their help, love and patience throughout.

I would also like to thank our loyal advertisers without whose support this guidebook couldn’t exist. Please continue to support our advertisers because without them we couldn’t bring you this guide. Remember to mention Get South so they know we helped you find them.

We love to hear from our readers, so please drop us an email if you have any feedback, suggestions or just want to say hi!

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter and keep in touch for more Get South news. We hope to see you on the road one day!

** 5th Year Anniversary! **

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5th Year Anniversary!How to use this guidebook Getting Around Health & Safety Tips/Visa InformationVolunteeringResponsible Travel/Trekking TipsPopular Festivales Don’t leave without trying theseWines Tasting GuideBackpacker Etiquette/Swap OfferingsBucket ListMeet the localsARGENTINA Useful Information/Distance chart Buenos Aires TigreCENTRE REGIONLa PlataMar del PlataCórdoba LITORAL REGIONRosario ParanáEsteros del IberáPosadasSan IgnacioPuerto Iguazú Asunción - ParaguayCUYO REGIONMendozaPotrerillosSan RafaelMalargüe San JuanNORTH REGIONTafí del ValleAmaicha del ValleCafayateSaltaSan Salvador de JujuyPurmamarca

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Tilcara HumahuacaIruyaLa QuiacaPATAGONIA REGIONNeuquénSan Carlos de BarilocheEl Bolsón EsquelLas GrutasPuerto MadrynPuerto PirámidesEl ChalténEl CalafatePuerto San JuliánUshuaiaCHILE Useful Information/Distance chart AricaIquiqueSan Pedro de AtacamaLa SerenaPisco ElquiViña del MarValparaíso Santiago PichilemuPucónValdiviaPuerto VarasPuerto MonttChiloe Island - AncudChiloe Island - CastroCarretera AustralPuerto NatalesPunta ArenasPuerto WilliamsURUGUAY GlossarySpanish / English dictionaryAcknowledgements

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* CONTENTS *

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** How to use this guidebook **

You can get a free copy at most tourist info centres and bus stations (of destinations featured) or throughout all the

companies displayed in the guidebook. For detailed information check out the

“Find Get South“ section in our website!

Download Get South free of charge from our website, or receive it by mail anywhere

in the world, just by paying postage!!

** Where to find Get South **

Get the most out of your Get South, see our handy tips below:

Get South promotional offers are ONLY valid when the guidebook is shown on arrival or at check-in, and when the reservation is made and payment received by the company providing the service. Offers cannot be combined with any other discounts or special promotions. Promotions are only valid with direct bookings, not through third party service providers. When bookings are made through Hostel World, Hostel Bookers or any other booking engine, Get South promotions are NOT valid. Using your HI, Ho.La or any other card membership also makes Get South promotions invalid.

Thanks for your understanding, Get South is here to help you, and enjoy the discounts and freebies!

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** How to use this guidebook **

Spanish words marked with a * have definitions in our Glosarry on page 150.

Below are the symbols and terms repeated throughout Get South:

Accommodation

Restaurant Activity* Travel Agency

Spanish SchoolRent a Car

Bar *Horseback riding, paragliding, skydiving, trekking, rappelling, mountain biking, rafting.

Refers to any discount or special promotion for Get South users

Hostel associated with Hostelling International

Places a bit more expensive that offer better facilities and service

Hostels offering 10% off with Ho.La membership

The establishment accepts:

Breakfast

Internet

Wi-Fi

Parking

Free services offered by advertisers:

Social networks:

- Facebook

- Twitter

- Google Plus

- Skype

When making a booking, please be careful of different terms:Double room: 1 double bed. In Chile called double matrimonial Twin room: 2 separate single beds. In Chile called double twin Dorms: shared room with multiple bedsEn-suite: bathroom inside the room

Icon guide for type of company:

Credit Cards US Dollars Euros

Remember to show Get South wherever you go so that you can get the

discounts and benefits offered in the guidebook!

Please help us spread the word about Get South to your fellow travellers,

accommodation owners, tour guides, operators and travel agencies. Thanks for supporting us!

HOLA AMIGOS!!

www.getsouth.com

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:: By plane: Airlines tend to fly to and from capital cities, with connections to most major cities and tourist centres. Check out www.aerolineas.com, www.lan.com, www.lade.com, www.skyairline.cl or www.flypluna.com for details!

:: By bus: You can get virtually everywhere in South America by bus. Take a bus for a more cost-effective and culturally thrilling experience. Overnight trips are quite comfortable, often including meals, films, and attendant services.

:: By car: For a personalized adventure through the countryside, you can always travel by car. Rental companies generally operate in most towns and cities and you can save some bucks if you are travelling in a group.

:: By taxi or remis: Cheap and reliable, taxis and remises (private taxis) provide quick transportation within city limits. Simply flag them down with an outstretched arm, or call them in advance.

:: By local bus: Sometimes very efficient, but unless you know the city very well, it can be a bit confusing. In Argentina they are called “colectivos”, but in Chile this word means “shared taxi”. Local buses in Chile are called “micros”.

Please recycle me!!

If you can bear without taking me home, leave me

for one of your friends!

** Getting Around **

South Pass is a travel pass for 5, 7 or 15 bus trips (regular only) in and across Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia and Peru over 60 consecutive days. South Pass works online so that travellers don’t need to go to the bus station anytime before their journey.

Enter www.argentinabybus.com for more information.

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To make sure you stay healthy and enjoy your travels, we have developed a couple of health and safety tips:

- You can normally drink tap water, although always ask if you are unsure.- Use sunscreen, especially at high altitude - even if it’s cold, the sun is still strong.- Stay streetwise as you walk around the big cities, keep to busy streets, avoid being a target and mind your pockets/bag.- Take taxis at night and try not to be out alone.- If you do fall in love one night, always use protection - AIDS, HIV and other STIs are a risk in any country with any person (heterosexuals included).- Keep your documents safe, make copies and save your details online in case.- If you have any valuables, try to keep them in the hostel/hotel safe. - Never leave valuables in a car or bus.- Dress appropriately to not attract unwanted attention. - Overnight buses sometimes get very cold, wrap up warm.- Don’t change money on the street, only use recognized exchange bureaus.

** Health & Safety Tips **

To visit Argentina, Chile and Uruguay most nationalities (including most of Western Europe, South Africa, New Zealand) don’t need a visa and can enter these countries with a valid passport and receive a free 90 day Tourist Card on arrival. Some nationalities (including USA, Australia and Canada) are required to pay a reciprocity fee on entry to Chile and Argentina - these can be paid on arrival and is typically around US$130 - US$160 payable in cash (it depends on the country). The receipt is regarded as a multiple entry visa.Other nationalities require a visa before arriving - contact the relevant foreign consular representative if you are unsure or if you need to apply in advance for an entry visa.

Note: Passport and visa requirements are liable to change at short notice. Travellers are advised to check their entry requirements with their embassy or consulate.

** Visa Information **

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Interested in making a societal impact? South America offers a number of charitable organizations that need YOUR help!

A few hours a week can enrich your experience abroad and can make a world of difference!

Here are only a few of many organizations operating:

ARGENTINA

• Fundación Argentina de Etoecología (www.etoecologia.org.ar) raises environmental awareness through direct action such as forestation, ground imporvement, water purification and education on environmental issues. You can also volunteer with them to help children and women on the street. • Hogar Amparo Maternal (www.amparomaternal.com.ar) works with young mothers and their children to create a place to stay and organize their daily tasks.• Banco de Alimentos (www.bancodealimentos.org.ar) fights hunger and malnutrition by providing soup kitchens and raising awareness.• Voluntario Global (www.voluntarioglobal.com.ar) runs educational projects in Buenos Aires, northern Argentina, Bariloche and Iguazu.• South American Explorers (www.saexplorers.org) has a good database of volunteer opportunities across South America for eager travellers.

CHILE

• Voluntarios de la Esperanza (www.ve-global.org) works to provide shelters, orphanages and schools in Santiago.• Agrupacion Medio Ambiental Torres del Paine (www.amatorresdelpaine.org) does conservation work and environmental education in the national park.• Un Techo para Chile (www.untechoparachile.cl) works on reconstruction of homes for those in Southern Chile whose homes were devastated by earthquakes.

URUGUAY

• Karumbe (www.karumbe.org) is a volunteer project that monitors and conserves sea turtles in coastal Uruguay.

** Volunteering **

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Travelling is a conscientious act of discovery and liberation. Still, simple steps can (and should) be taken in order to be a responsible traveller and to avoid undesirable incidents. How to be a responsible traveller... • Read about the social, cultural, political, economic, and environmental climate of your destination. • Seek out locally owned businesses (accommodation, restaurants, etc). • Travel in small groups and mingle with locals. • Attempt to learn the local language. • Be respectful of culture and customs: dress accordingly, ask to take photographs of people, etc. • Volunteer with local organizations. • Travel to enjoy, not to destroy. • Buy crafts from local artisans to assist local economic development. • Don’t be stingy with tips, especially when visiting developing areas. • Limit your environmental impact - don’t litter!The key is to travel with an open mind; a desire to connect with the people and culture you’re entering will go a long way towards creating an unforgettable journey.

** Responsible Travel **

:: Avoid trekking alone.:: Pre-plan your itinerary, informing others of your route and making sure you leave yourself plenty of daylight time. :: Always remain on marked trails.:: Make sure to read and obey all signs. :: Make sure to wear and carry the appropriate gear. UV sunglasses, a waterproof jacket, sunscreen and warm clothing are just a few to mention… if in doubt make sure to ask a local guide. They will know best!! :: Don’t bother the wildlife, pick up your waste and bring back only memories.:: Never ever light a fire under any circumstances.:: If someone has left a mess before you, do the right thing and pick it up.

** Trekking Tips **Trekking is one the best things to do in South America -it’s cheap, it’s healthy and always memorable. Here are our top tips:

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Everyone loves a good fiesta, and here are some of the highlights of festivals for Argentina, Chile and Uruguay. These festivals are popular - so always try to book accommodation in advance!

January• Festival Nacional del Folklore, Cosquín, near Córdoba, late January: This is Argentina’s largest festival for folk music. Grab your gaucho pants and armadillo guitar for this one!

February• Fiesta Nacional de la Pachamama, Amaicha del Valle: Celebrate the bounty of mother nature (Pachamama) as the natives gather to celebrate with folk music, food and drink and pick out the most beautiful girl as their festival queen. • Lemanja Festival of the Godess of the Sea, Montevideo and Punta del Este, 2 February: One of the major festivals in Uruguay, thousands of devotees take to the beaches to offer watermelons, flowers and candles to the godess of the sea.• Festival Costumbrista Chilote, Castro, Chiloe Island, 3rd week of February: This festival celebrates the Chilote traditions with artisans, typical food, singing and music, animal fairs and traditional games. • Festival Internacional de la Canción, Viña del Mar: This is not only Chile’s but one of South America’s biggest Latin American pop festivals. Everyone gets down to Viña to see their favourite pop acts.• Carnival, Uruguay, North Argentina (Gualeguaychu, Jujuy province), late February - early March: Although much bigger in neighbouring Brazil, carnival is still celebrated with due fervor in these other Southern Cone countries. The main Carnival celebrations are in Montevideo where people dress up, dance and sing to Candombe all night long for a couple weeks. In Jujuy people celebrate Mother Nature’s bounty by throwing a huge party with lots of drinking, eating, singing and dancing. The devil is the mascot of the party and locals dress up in colourful costumes as they move to the music on every street corner and cover each other in snow spray, talcom powder, confetti and using water pistols.

March• Vendimia, Mendoza, late February - early March: Celebrating the wine harvest in Mendoza, this event builds up momentum over a couple weeks culminating in beauty parades, big theatrical performances, folkloric music and lots of wine tasting!

** Popular Festivals **

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April. Lollapalooza, Santiago, 6th & 7th: A two day alternative rock and rap music festival with international acts as well as a comedy and dance tent. 2013`s lineup includes Pearl Jam, The Black Eyed Peas, Deadmau5 and Queens of the Stone Age.

July• Fiesta de La Tirana, Iquique, mid July: One of the most important festivals in Chile’s calender - La Tirana sees around 80,000 pilgrims get together for this religious cult celebration where they present the Virgin with carnival style dances and offerings in this small village.

August• Fiesta Nacional de la Nieve, Bariloche, mid August: Up on the Cerro Catedral and in the city locals celebrate the white snow with ski competitions, a chocolate festival, fireworks, music shows and pick a snow queen!

September• Fiestas patrias, 18 - 19 September: Chile celebrates its national day (18th) with general merriment across the country - tucking into typical Chilean food, enjoying some dance and music and lighting houses up like the national flag.

October• Oktoberfest, Villa General Belgrano, Argentina, early October: Argentina’s German immigrants made this festival near Cordoba the beer drinking fiesta that it is today. Two weeks of drinking local brew, listening to music and partying hard.

November• Gay Parade, Buenos Aires, mid November: It doesn’t get much more colourful than BA’s gay, lesbian and transgender parade in November. Along with all their supporters and friends they parade from Plaza de Mayo to the Congreso with the music up loud!. Creamfields, Buenos Aires, Santiago: This full day music festival in both capital cities is a clubbers nirvana with top dance music acts coming from around the globe for one of the bigget parties of the year.

December• New Year’s Eve, everywhere, 31 December: New Years is a pretty big celebration in every country but the celebrations in Montevideo, Uruguay, have to top them all. An all out Guerra de Sidra (Cider Fight) in the main plaza with hours of cider throwing fun, followed by BBQs, a billion fireworks and dancing into the wee hours of the morn. Bring on the New Year!

** Popular Festivals **

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** Don’t leave without trying these **

Asado/Parrilla Is in essence a grilled barbecue, consisting of various cuts of meat. A typical asado* may have an assortment of various cuts of steak, chicken, morcilla (blood sausage/black pudding), chorizo (sausage), mollejas (sweetbreads), riñones (kidneys), and chinchulines (intestines).

Is a popular traditional infusion made with the leaves of the yerba plant. Once dry and processed, the leaves are put into a gourd called mate (made of wood or other materials) and hot water is poured over it. The infusion is sipped through a bombilla (a filtered metal straw).

Mate

Dulce de Leche is the ultimate for anyone with a sweet tooth. Made from slow cooked condensed milk it is rich, creamy and perfectly addictive! Spread it on toast in the morning, try it stuffed in pastries, eat it in the local alfajors or just eat it straight from the jar!

Dulce de leche

EmpanadaIs a tasty stuffed pastry that can have a wide range of fillings, such as beef, chicken, seafood, vegetables, ham and cheese, sweet corn, onion, boiled egg, olives, raisins and more. It can be baked or fried.

ChivitoThis Uruguayan sandwich consists primarily of a thin

slice of steak, with mayonnaise, black or green olives, cheese, tomatoes and sometimes also bacon, fried or hardboiled eggs and ham. Normally served in a bun with a huge stack of French Fries! The Chilean version is barros luco and in Argentina, the lomito.

Argentina, Chile and Uruguay have some national dishes and drinks that you shouldn’t miss. Almost all of them appear in each country and beyond being tasty, they are a key part of the culture. Try them all !!

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This is South America’s wine land, so don’t leave without trying lots of the amazing wines on offer. In all three countries, visiting wineries is a fun experience and if you have the time it is worth spending a couple days bodega hopping! Wineries range from big to small and each one offers different tourist programs whether you want to pick grapes in the vineyards, make your own wine blends, see a gaucho show, eat indulgent five course lunches or simply just taste wine. Visiting wineries can either be done by car or in some cases by bus and bike, there are also wine tour operators in most regions ranging from backpacker friendly to five star. Whether you wan to quaff in private or take wine home for family, here are some wines you have to try:Malbec - The King of Argentine wine. This French varietal became famous in Argentina because of its fruity and silky nature. Grown all over the country, Malbecs can have great variation in flavours but most are enjoyed best with a good steak!Carmenère - Chile’s champion variety is spicy and full and is a very unique wine that you are sure to remember. This can be quite a heavy wine that definitely requires a hearty meal to help you soak it up.Tannat - Uruguay made this unusual grape their national wine and the handful of wineries in the country produce some really great red and rose wines with Tannat. It can be a bit rough around the edges so for the best experience you want to splash out on some older tannat that has spent some time in oak barrels.Torrontés - If Malbec is the King, Torrontes is the Queen of Argentine wine. Mainly coming from Salta, this is Argentina’s only native variety and locally it is called ‘the liar’ because its floral and fruity nose makes you think it will be sweet but it is actually a dry white wine.

Sauvignon Blanc - Made all over the world, this well known wine is made here too. Some of the best Sauvignon Blancs come from Chile and are perfect when eating seafood on the beachfront!

Cabernet Sauvignon - Another variety popular world wide, Cabernet also finds a special home here with great wines being produced in Chile and Argentina in particular.

** Wine tasting guide **

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Sharing dorm rooms, travelling in cramped conditions and using the same bathroom as strangers requires a little bit of travel etiquette.

Here are our top tips for being a polite backpacker:- Pack your bag the night before. If you have an early start and are staying in a dorm, try to pack your stuff the night before. You might have to get up early, but it doesn’t mean anyone else does while you are throwing a tantrum about fitting all your clothes in your bag. Plastic bag rustling is very annoying!- Farting and burping. Avoid doing it in public at all costs. It’s not fun sitting next to a farter or burper on long bus journeys or sleeping beneath one in a bunk bed.- Smile. It’s free and easy. Even if you have had a tough day on the road, you never know who you are talking to – the next person you meet may end up being a friend for life, or maybe they are having an even harder day. So be nice and try and smile.- Getting really drunk. Everyone loves to have a good drink every now and then and you should certainly enjoy your holidays, but try and be street wise about drinking too much abroad – you are far more vulnerable to crime and abuse when drunk. Also try and bear in mind creating a good impression of tourists for the locals.- Never, ever bring anyone back to your dorm. Even if you meet your Latin Lothario on the dancefloor, don’t bring him back to your shared dorm room. The expression ‘get a room’ was meant for private rooms… no-one else wants to hear it.- Clean up after yourself! This isn’t your mum’s house, nor is there a maid. So when sharing communal bathrooms, kitchens or living rooms try and leave it as you found it.

** Backpacker Etiquette **

Travelling on a budget? Check out our website!There you’ll find a number of businesses promoting exchange programs at their establishments.Read through our Swap Offerings section to find out which locations are participating. Save while you travel!!!

** Swap Offerings **

www.getsouth.com

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Everyone should have a bucket list of what to do when they get down to the southern cone. Here is our top five…Eat your heart out at an Asado: The ultimate in all cultural and gastronomical experiences in Argentina, Chile and Uruguay the ‘asado’ is the universal welcome to the South! Flames over a grill with every squared inch covered in meat, it is enough to satisfy every carnivore’s dream and without doubt enough meat to haunt yours for a few nights afterwards. The ritual is the same in each country: gathering with friends and family, drinking wine and coca cola, stuffing yourself with carne over a couple hours and chatting into the wee hours of the morning.Twirl your tailbone at a Tango: Not just an Argentine tradition, Tango was also born in Uruguay. Originally coming from the poor port areas in the late 19th century, tango is a seductive dance with lyrics of tragedy, pain and love. You can find the world’s most sensual of dances being performed in streets, clubs and milongas throughout Buenos Aires and Montevideo where you can also have a go yourself with classes beforehand.Drink mate like a gaucho: A real cowboy tradition here, no-one drinks quite as much mate as the Uruguayans. With a mate flask permanently attached to their hips, every other minute you will be offered a sip of this native bitter tea mixture. Argentineans also have a great affinity with this highly caffeinated mind booster and you can find it in Chile too. Drink it sweet or bitter, but definitely drink it before you leave!Sip pisco sours by the sea: Visiting Chile’s stunningly rugged coastline is a must but the best way to really appreciate where you are is by getting your tastebuds wrapped around the delightfully sweet and sour national cocktail – a pisco sour. Served chilled with national pisco, lime juice and egg whites it is best drunk on a balmy Summer’s evening watching the sunset over the sea.Swear like a pro: You can’t come here without learning some real street slang… There are regional differences of course, but don’t leave before you know how to convincingly spit out a few football phrases and slang words enough to make some of the locals choke on their mate when they hear a gringo speaking like a local!

** Bucket List **

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With so many nature reserves and national parks, Argentina and Chile are teeming with wildlife although some of the animals may appear quite different to what you might be used to back at home. Here is a quick guide to some of the native inhabitants:

Llama: Popular for its warm wool, these are the familiar faces of the North. Very sociable animals they live till around 30.

Guanaco: A relative of the llama, guanacos live in Patagonia and the Andes where you’ll find them shyly chomping on grass and have a cinnamon brown colour.

Vicuña: Another wild relative of the llama, they are very similar to the guanaco and are also shy creatures but with finer wool.

Condor: The king of the sky, this is the biggest flying land bird in the Southern Hemisphere and you can see them swooping between Andes mountain tops. The average wingspan spans up to 10m, they can live up to 50 years old and they mate for life, committing suicide once their partner dies.

Fox/zorro: Infamous as a crafty creature, you will find foxes all over the countryside and they can survive in desert climates too surviving on a mized diet of birds, reptiles and insects.

Carpincho/Capybara: The world’s largest rodent, you can spot carpinchos in the wetlands of Argentina. It looks like a massive guinea pig, but these rodents can swim and stay under water for up to five minutes!

** Meet the locals **