We landed in Mendoza just in time to watch the sun disappear from the sky. The Andes Mountains we’re alive in the distance with reds, pinks, oranges and yellows painted in the clouds. It was a stunning drive to the Park Hyatt Mendoza – which would serve as home base for the next four days.
Dinner reservations had been made for the next few nights but Sunday evening we were in search of a local favorite/mom and pop shop, so we asked the concierge who pointed us in the direction of La Lucia.
We ordered two massive steaks, grilled vegetables and Argentinian burrata, paired with a Mendoza Malbec. We laughed alongside the table next to us when the steaks arrived; they were bigger than our heads! While we clearly could have shared, Two for Takeoff did some singular damage on those cuts!
We headed straight for bed afterwards to rest up for Monday’s adventure.
We snoozed a few times and when we finally roused, we exchanged some USD for pesos and fired up Despacito (our mini-rental) for the long drive on Route 7.
After reading up on Mendoza, it became clear that the best way to experience the Andes region independent of a guide is to rent a car and travel along Route 7 to the border between Argentina and Chile. So that’s what we did, stopping along the way in small towns that line the Pan-American highway.
From Mendoza city, we watched the landscape change from urban sprawl, to grape and olive vines, to mountains capped with snow and desolate desert all around us.
The first sight along Route 7 was Potrerillos which is home to the dammed lake of Embalse de Potrerillos. As we rounded the bend, we saw the bright blue water from the lake sparkle. It was stunning to see, especially after nothing but fields and dessert for miles. Many stop here to raft and kayak, but our mission was about two-hours further Northwest.
We continued to Uspallata for lunch and cervezas on a quaint patio, before continuing to Puente Del Inca – where we stopped to see a natural rock bridge that stands over the Vacas River. Apparently, Charles Darwin once stopped here.
Finally, we arrived at Las Cuevas, a village that is 3200m above sea level, and headed towards Parque Provincial Aconcagua Laguna de Horcones. We forked over 400 pesos and entered the National Park, which spans nearly 165,000 acres of high grasses, natural ponds and of course, mountains.
Aconcagua mountain is the highest peak in all of the Americas, standing approximately 22,840 feet. We parked the car and hiked our way closer to the base of the beautiful rock. While gasping for air due to the high altitude, we stood in awe of her beauty. The surrounding area was equally stunning. We snapped photos and pinched ourselves a bit. After all, we were standing in the middle of the Andes at the border of Chile and Argentina; not bad for a Monday, huh?
The five/six hour drive nearly killed Patrick (they only have stick-shift cars in Argentina), but he handled it like a champ and agreed it was worth it to experience Argentina’s nature in its purest form. It was humbling; a wonderful reminder of how small we humans are when surrounding by Mother Nature in her element.
Dinner that evening was at a beautiful local spot called Siete Cocinas. We made reservations long ago based on the review in our Fodor’s book. The guides were not wrong. This adorable old house sits on the corner of two main roads, and has colorful artwork and bright paints covering the exterior. Inside, it’s a foodie paradise with modern Argentinian food from the country’s seven different food regions.
We ordered (shocker) more Malbec and loaded up on goat, chorizo and ceviche. Every bite was better than the last, until our plates were completely empty. Also – shout out to Argentina for the best bread and olive oil we’ve had since France!
If you’re in Mendoza – we highly recommend this beautiful slice of heaven. Their English is great too, which is a huge help with our French/high school Spanish combo!
We ended the night with (another) bottle of wine on the Park Hyatt’s Spanish-vibed terrace – which used to be the city’s Plaza Hotel in the 19th century – reflecting on the day and admiring the half-moon as it twinkle above.
Teaser: Tuesday and Wednesday are dedicated to… food and wine! Stay tuned for updates from the famed Valley de Uco and Luján de Cuyo (two of Mendoza’s most iconic wine regions).
#TwoforTakeoff
