Travel ideas for Argentina - unique sights, worth Guinness records

Iguazu National Park is well known to the visitors of Brazil and Argentina. This natural reserve is divided into two parts and lies on the territory of both countries. A complex of waterfalls of the same name is located in the heart of the reserve which is also considered the property of the two countries and is one of the natural attractions of world importance. The waterfall is about 82 meters high only while the total width of the complex is striking, it reaches 4000 meters.
According to the scientists, the waterfall was formed on the river Iguazu after a major volcanic eruption. The waterfalls reach their maximum activity during the rainy season. At this time the visitors of the National Park can appreciate the whole complex of waterfalls with a number of identified objects. The most famous fall is Gargantua del Diablo whose name can be translated as "the Devil's Throat." Widescale complex of waterfalls forms an incredibly beautiful and harmonious area with many islands. Numerous viewing platforms have been built for observing and admiring this natural attraction.
The whole complex has 275 waterfalls each of which is unique and interesting. Over the past few years the system of pathways and podiums has been improved so today the visitors of the National Park have the opportunity to appreciate the beauty and irreproachable appearance of Iguazu Falls from a variety of foreshortenings. Travellers who visit Brazil will be able to enjoy a bird’s-eye-view of the area during their helicopter trips. But in Argentina such trips are under a ban nowadays. ... Complete sights collection

The legendary Train to the Clouds is a rail line Tren a las Nubes in Argentina. Nowadays, it’s a sight of a global value. On the 217-km rail line there are 29 formidable bridges, 21 tunnels and a huge number of ascents and descents. Tourists have more than enough chances to feel an adrenaline rush, that’s what has made this railroad so extremely popular.
Passenger trains depart from Salta to La Polvorilla concluding their journey at an altitude of 4000 metres above the sea level. Construction of the unique railway that passes through the mountain ranges and the deepest canyons, began in 1921. It took just under 30 years to build the railroad in that harsh terrain. The complete railway came into operation in 1948.
The line has a number of interesting features, such as zigzags and spirals. Such a structure allows the trains to avoid steep grades, but because of this decision some parts of the way does not seem safe at all. Originally built for the needs of the local population, it is now primarily of interests to tourists. A new train with 10 passenger carriages and enough room for 640 people operates regularly from 2008. ... Complete sights collection

Laguna-del-Carbon - that is the name of the deepest depression in the Southern hemisphere, located in Argentina. In reality, the lagoon, whose depth is 105 meters below sea level, is the deepest part of the vast Gran-Bajo-San-Julian deep. Because of the fact that the bottom of the lowland is almost completely covered with the dangerous marshes, tourists visit only the beautiful lagoon - one of the main tourist attractions of the southern part of the earth.
On the bottom of the valley is the salty lake, whose water level can change every season. Along with it also changes the level of one of the deepest grounds on the planet. The tourists, who seem to be unsatisfying with the walk along the lakes, can also walk through the marshy districts of the lowlands. Because of the high water evaporation level one can see the interesting salins in this area, which form the strange natural sculptures.
Despite the impressive depth, the surface of the valley is relatively small and forms about 9 q. Km The length of the lagoon is about 5 km, and the width - not more than 2 km, which allows you to visit all the most interesting places in this area. 'The coals of coal,' as one can guess from the sinking, is rich in the deposits of the earth treasures that once brought people here. ... Complete sights collection

Fans of the Burger King chain would love to visit Buenos Aires, where we have one of the most unusual restaurants of the network. It is remarkable that it resides in a unique historical building, with the original interior decoration preserved. Dining areas of the restaurant are located on two floors, they are equipped with an elegant furniture. In this historical building, slender marble columns and wide staircases with carved rails have still remained, walls and ceilings in the halls adorn the artful paintings.
One of the main features of the building is the finish of the ceiling, where the constructors have kept the beautiful stained-glass windows. Burger King in Buenos Aires does not look like fast food restaurants that you can visit in other cities, it has a special festive atmosphere. Even more attractive point is that the restaurant offers the usual menu with affordable prices, in which you can find your favorite hamburgers, salads for adherents of dietary food, specialties from potatoes, as well as a lot of wonderful desserts.
Opening of the restaurant in the historical building took place more than 20 years ago, over the years its interior has changed many times. Today, the dining room, located on the first floor of the building, looks more modern, and in the hall on the second level there is still a refined aristocratic atmosphere. Burger King in Buenos Aires can safely be called the most luxurious fast-food restaurant in the world. ... Complete sights collection

The famous mine named Veladero is located in Argentina and belongs to the well-known American company Barrick Gold. Each year about 1 120 000 ounces of gold are produced on the mine, making Veladero the country's top leader. The unique deposit is located on the territory of the province of San Juan. Its development began relatively recently, in 2005.
The development of the mine was very rapid. In the first three months of the development, about 55000 ounces of gold was mined, and in 2008 the annual production capacity was about 700000 ounces. The costs of building of an industrial complex, as well as the scale of production, are very large. Only by rough estimates, Barrick Gold has invested about $ 540 million in the development of the mine.
In addition to gold, the deposit is rich in deposits of silver, its development is conducted in an open manner. It is also worth noting that the mine is located in a mountainous area. Its mines are located at an altitude of 4000 to 4850 meters above sea level. In September 2015, the mine experienced the largest accident during its operation - a leak of cyanide. Due to leakage of more than a million liters of toxic substance, the development of the field was temporarily suspended, thanks to timely measures taken, the terrible consequences of the accident were prevented. By the end of 2015, the extraction of valuable minerals at the mine will resume. ... Complete sights collection

The special place among the most interesting paleontological areas of the planet is occupied by Patagonia. Here an ancient cemetery of fossils was discovered. Remains could belong to the seven species of ancient dinosaurs. Among the many artifacts there were incredibly large bones and it's possible that they belonged to one of the largest dinosaurs of the planet. Researchers suggest that bones found belonged to one of the species of titanosaurs that lived on our planet in the Cretaceous era, about 90 million years ago.
Giant herbivorous dinosaurs could be 40 meters long and 20 meters high. They weighed more than 77 tons.  Many incredible photos were made in Patagonia at the site of the excavations. On some pictures, it can be clearly seen that the length of the bones exceeds the height of the individual. The pioneers of the unique cemetery of dinosaurs in Patagonia were ordinary farmers in the province of Chubut. They accidentally discovered a huge bone, the length of which reached 2.4 meters. That happened in 2011.
Excavations in the area started only two years later. All in all, more than 200 bones belonging to different species of dinosaurs were found . Also, the researchers found imprints of leaves and stems of huge ancient trees, the height of which can reach 15 meters. It is likely that once the rich vegetation in the area of ​​modern Patagonia attracted to these places some of the largest herbivorous dinosaurs of our planet. ... Complete sights collection

Equally sad and tragic is the fate of the Argentine town of Villa Epecuen. This resort town was founded on the banks of a large salt lake. It was positioned as a health resort. Since the foundation, its fate was full of obstacles. The town was so attractive that a number of guests attending it increased every year. Gradually, authorities of Villa Epecuen faced the lack of the fresh water and decided to expand the scale of the local reservoir.
Within ten years, the fresh water from the reservoir began to flood the resort area. Then, it was decided to build a new dam. An excess of water was used to irrigate agricultural fields. However, such measures didn’t save the city. One day, the water in the lake has risen by 15 meters. The resort area was flooded completely. Local residents had to leave their homes hastily. Today, the resort town is completely destroyed by the elements and lies in a total desolation.
Founded in 1920, the resort has been existing for less than 70 years. Just before destruction, its population was more than 5 000 people. The resort stood flooded until 1993. Now, the water level in the lake is gradually reduced. It allows you to look at the ruins of the once prestigious resort. In 2009, there was a significant event. One of local residents, Pablo Novak, returned there. An amazing documentary called Pablo’s Villa was filmed about the hermit and a ruined town. It was first presented at the Sydney Film Festival. ... Complete sights collection

The Iguazu National Park was founded in 1934. It has an area of ​​more than 55 000 square km. Each year, the park is visited by more than 1.5 million people. They come to admire the magnificent waterfalls, walk through the centuries-old forests and incredibly picturesque mountain areas. There are over 2 000 species of plants in the reserve. The site has become a habitat for 70 species of mammals, 40 species of reptiles and 400 species of birds. The main feature of the park are the beautiful Iguazu Falls. There are more than 270 waterfalls in the park.
Today, the most beautiful waterfalls are equipped with convenient bridges and viewing platforms, so you can see natural attractions in all their glory. The park has a lot of fast-flowing rivers. Rafting is also very popular among tourists. However, many people prefer just to stroll through the most picturesque areas of the reserve on foot. Not so long ago a hotel was built in the Iguazu park, so everyone can stay in this picturesque area longer.
The main natural attraction of the reserve is the waterfall with a scary name Devil's Throat. A rainbow is formed over it every day. Jeep safari is carried along the territory of the reserve. During a tour you can see many rare native species. Hiking is popular among those who like to watch birds. Exotic forests are inhabited by cute colorful parrots, toucans, and more exotic species of birds that are found nowhere else in the world. ... Complete sights collection

The Spanish name of Cueva de las Manos can be translated as Cave of Hands. This cave is one of the most interesting in the world from the paleontological point of view. Researchers have found there many ancient rock paintings, including numerous images of human hands. Scientists estimate that the age of some cave paintings is more than 10 000 years. This shows that the cave has been inhabited by people for thousands of years.
During the years of research, scientists were able to decipher a significant part of rock carvings, including images of hands. According to their hypothesis, hands were painted with a special mineral paint by teenage boys during initiation rites. Over the years, the cave remained a sacred place for local residents. The most important religious ceremonies took place there. In addition to numerous handprints on the walls, traditional hunting scenes, as well as images of animals were found.
The cave was discovered relatively recently, in 1941. That's a part of a complex set of caves, whose length is more than 160 km. The depth of the Cueva de las Manos is about 15 meters. For thousands of years, the special microclimate has being formed there. It has contributed to the preservation of the unique rock art. The cave was discovered by chance by one of the local monks. Over tens of years of research, the site allowed to make a lot of new discoveries, but the number of mysteries related to the cave is still very large. ... Complete sights collection

Those who love to explore the historical sights will like walking around the Jesuit Block, which is located in the immediate vicinity of Cordoba. The quarter is a complex of survived buildings constructed by Jesuit missionaries. The building of the National University that is one of the oldest in South America has preserved there too. In addition, here you can see a building of an old school, a few surviving houses and an old church.
The main part of the historical buildings that can be seen today, was built in the first half of the 17th century. The quarter went completely deserted in 1767, when Charles III signed a decree on the expulsion of the Jesuits. All constructions of the area came under the jurisdiction of the state; only a few of them managed to survive to the present day. A huge number of travelers visit the Jesuit quarter within a sightseeing tour. Besides religious and residential premises, tourists can visit an old print shop, as well as see some surviving town farms.
The historic quarter was included in list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2000. Today, it is one of the few evidences of educational activities of the Jesuits. The place is of great value from an architectural point of view. The historic quarter is located in a very picturesque natural area. It is surrounded by a large park with old trees and lakes, against which the old buildings look just fascinating. ... Complete sights collection