Unreal. Exceptional. Must-See. Spectacular. These are the words that people use to describe Argentina. In fact, Argentina’s sensational qualities attract over 5.8 million tourists annually (according to the World Tourism Organization), making it the brangwetan most-visited country in South America and the second most-visited of Latin America, after Mexico. This begs the question: what’s so amazing about this southernmost country of the Americas? Believe it or not, the exquisite natural wonders of Argentina are what compel travelers to flock to the country by the millions in search of adventure and new experiences.
The Vote Is In!
In 2019, the first worldwide voting platform gave Argentina’s population the chance to name and vote for the seven natural wonders located within their borders. Out of 77 original contenders, a panel of judges narrowed the options to 28 finalists, from which voters in Argentina whittled it down within a year to the top 7.
Let’s take a look at the fascinating list that gives us a unique glance at Argentina’s natural treasures through the eyes of the people who live there. Afterward, I’ll share with you the 21 travel-worthy places that almost made the cut!
1. Perito Moreno in Parque Nacional de los Glaciares
Los Glaciares National Park is not only the largest national park in Argentina, but it is also the largest ice cap outside of Antarctica and Greenland. The entire park showcases massive, skyscraping sheets of ice connecting over frigid and deep lakes of ice water run-off.
The most famous and well-known of these glaciers is Perito Moreno, a monumental wall of ice crushing a path through the Patagonian Andes. UNESCO named this park a world heritage site for its “exceptional natural beauty, with rugged, towering mountains and numerous glacial lakes.”
2. Parque Nacional Nahuel Huapi
Nahuel Huapi is the oldest park in Argentina and the largest park within an adjoining system of more than 10 other parks. Rolling mountains of volcanic rock surround Nahuel Huapi Lake with its western border resting at the foothills of the Patagonian Andes. Interestingly, the name “Nahuel Huapi” means “Island of the Puma” in Mapuche, a local indigenous language of west-central Argentina.
Of course, pumas aren’t the only creatures that roam the region—the park is teeming with otters, foxes, deer, and other temperate forest animals. The scene it provides is breath-taking. Towering slopes of eroded glacial features adorn the landscape among cypress, conifers, and remnants of ancient rock formations.
3. Salinas Grandes, Jujuy
Salinas Grandes is the third largest salt flat in the world and the second-highest in elevation, sitting at 11,318 ft. (3,449 m.) above sea level. Despite being the third-largest, its expanse is so impressive that it spans the borders of two major provinces of northwestern Argentina: Jujuy and Salta.
In simple terms, the salt flats are a massive evaporated river in the middle of a desert. And as such, the surrounding terrain is dry and sparsely vegetated, much like the southwestern states of the U.S., The view from the ground shows the western horizon displaying deep red canyons and barren rock of the Andes mountains, reminiscent of a Martian landscape.
4. Bañado la Estrella, Formosa
El Bañado la Estrella is the third largest wetland in the Americas and a wildlife sanctuary for countless animals such as herons, anteaters, alligators, maned wolves, and curiyús, a variety of anaconda. It exists as a result of overflow from the Pilcomayo river, a tributary of the Paraguay River, and its water level depends entirely on the amount of rain that fills these rivers.
Since this seasonally flooded ecosystem only recently opened as a destination for ecotourism, it remains in its pristine, original state. Ideal visitors are lovers of adventure, nature, and environmental conservation.
5. Río Mina Clavero, Córdoba
Mina Clavero is a small, but wildly popular tourist town located in the Traslasierra Valley, a region of Córdoba, Argentina. It’s to the west of the Sierra Grandes, nestled between the mountain ranges of Achala and Pocho. The river that descends from the Achala mountains and winds through the town is the Mina Clavero River.
With its cold and crystalline waters, it crosses the city, forming natural pockets of golden, rocky beaches. Many tourists find this natural paradise to be irresistible, especially sun-loving water enthusiasts.