Today I chose to join a tour again. I could have done it on my own, but I felt so exhausted and unwilling to plan that a tour was the only option to get anything done ;-)
So, the tour went to the high Andes. I learned that there are three levels of mountains in the Andes: the foothills, the frontal hills, and the primary hills, from lowest to highest altitude. The foothills actually run out close to Mendoza, so I guess further south there are only two levels left.
Our first stop was an artificial lake in the foothills:
Close to the lake, we stopped to look at this rock formation - very aptly called pregnant woman.
Close to the end of our trip we came across this brightly colored natural bridge called Puente del Inca (though the inca didn't have anything to do with it). The ruins on the other side are the remains of a luxury hotel built in the 1940s that were destroyed by an avalanche in the sixties.
After the economical crisis in Argentina at the beginning of the new millennium, the number of tourists visiting and crossing the bridge climbed to more than 1000 per day, so that the government decided in 2005 to close the bridge to keep it from being damaged.
Close to the bridge, there is a big handicraft market. The unique souvenir are random items that have been left in the mineral-rich water for about a month - enough time to give them the color of the bridge.
Our last stop was the natural park surrounding Cerro Aconcagua. With almost 7000m, Aconcagua is the highest mountain in the world outside of Asia. The weather was gorgeous, and we got some really beautiful views of Aconcagua. This is the peak reflected in Lago Espejo - the mirror lake:
... and on its own:
Looking back from the viewpoint, there was this lake with gorgeously colored mountains in the back:
On the way back to Mendoza, we stopped somewhere in the frontal hills for lunch. Instead of eating inside, I say outside marveling at these wonderful red and green mountains:
According to the guide, the colors come from various elements within the stone: red is iron oxide, green is copper... and I forgot about the rest of the colors ;-)
I had no idea that the Andes are so colorful - I'm really glad that I did this tour and got to see all of it!
So, the tour went to the high Andes. I learned that there are three levels of mountains in the Andes: the foothills, the frontal hills, and the primary hills, from lowest to highest altitude. The foothills actually run out close to Mendoza, so I guess further south there are only two levels left.
Our first stop was an artificial lake in the foothills:
Close to the lake, we stopped to look at this rock formation - very aptly called pregnant woman.
Close to the end of our trip we came across this brightly colored natural bridge called Puente del Inca (though the inca didn't have anything to do with it). The ruins on the other side are the remains of a luxury hotel built in the 1940s that were destroyed by an avalanche in the sixties.
After the economical crisis in Argentina at the beginning of the new millennium, the number of tourists visiting and crossing the bridge climbed to more than 1000 per day, so that the government decided in 2005 to close the bridge to keep it from being damaged.
Close to the bridge, there is a big handicraft market. The unique souvenir are random items that have been left in the mineral-rich water for about a month - enough time to give them the color of the bridge.
Our last stop was the natural park surrounding Cerro Aconcagua. With almost 7000m, Aconcagua is the highest mountain in the world outside of Asia. The weather was gorgeous, and we got some really beautiful views of Aconcagua. This is the peak reflected in Lago Espejo - the mirror lake:
... and on its own:
Looking back from the viewpoint, there was this lake with gorgeously colored mountains in the back:
On the way back to Mendoza, we stopped somewhere in the frontal hills for lunch. Instead of eating inside, I say outside marveling at these wonderful red and green mountains:
According to the guide, the colors come from various elements within the stone: red is iron oxide, green is copper... and I forgot about the rest of the colors ;-)
I had no idea that the Andes are so colorful - I'm really glad that I did this tour and got to see all of it!
