This post is part of a series called Mendoza, Argentina April 2019

Mendoza, Argentina April 2019

Mendoza, Argentina, is a place on our bucket list, and so, in early April, we took a few days off and went to check out this place. We took an overnight flight from Dallas to Buenos Aires (BA); and when we arrived in BA (EZE airport) early the next day, we found out that to take the local Gol airlines flight to Mendoza, we would have to change to the AEP airport; the domestic airport in BA. So we took a $50 taxi ride from the international terminal to the local terminal 🙁 ; steeper than what I would have liked. Fortunately, this was early in the morning, traffic was relatively light, and the taxi driver was friendly and chatty with his limited English 🙂 . Ironically, the flight from Dallas went south to the Chilean coast, and then turned eastward towards BA , flying directly over Mendoza 🙁

Information
Taxi Rides from Airports not so cheap

Mendoza is a city in northwestern Argentina, located just east of the Andes mountains, that form the border with Chile, and was founded in 1561. It’s greater metro population is more than 1 million, and its main industries are Olive oil production and Argentinian Malbec wine production; and an emerging tourism industry. Mendoza is the wine capital of Argentina, which is precisely why we came here 🙂 . Before the Spaniards arrived, the local tribes had devised a system of irrigation that was later developed by the Spanish leading to larger scale wine production and sustaining a larger population.

We had booked a rental car at a low rate from a local company (no office at the airport or nearby), and when we landed, we were met by a gentleman who took us to show the car, signed all the papers and took the payment. The car was a little older, but in good shape and relatively cheap. So off we drove to our hotel in the afternoon. This time, we stayed at the Hotel Intercontinental, where we had magically gotten a great rate of $40 per night, including breakfast 🙂 . This place was in a suburb not far from the city center and had great views of the city and the Andes

Hotel Check
Check in the Hotels with good views of the Andes.
Mendoza, Argentina View of Mendoza and the distant Andes mountains at dusk
View of Mendoza and the distant Andes foothills at dusk

That evening, we were recommended a local restaurant by the hotel, the Restaurant Don Mario. It was close by and it was a small place, fairly full, and we had some of the best steak we have eaten. With wine, steaks, and desert; cost came to about $25 including tip, for both of us. My kind of place 🙂 . Turns out, Mendoza is a foodie place.

Foodie Place
Mendoza is a foodie Place

Steaks from grass-fed, free-ranging cattle are the specialty, and even the smallest/cheapest restaurants will have white table cloths, and well dressed and attentive waiters. The Mendozan’s take their food seriously, and with pride; and it shows. The steaks everywhere were at least 2 inches thick, and cooked perfectly evenly through, over wood fired grills. And everything was relatively cheap, because the Argentinian peso was at a discount. After this delicious meal, we went back to the hotel for a well-earned rest.

Mendoza, Argentina Mendoza and Andes by early morning
Mendoza and Andes foothills by early morning

Next day, after a wonderful breakfast at the hotel (included), we decided to spend the day at Termas Cacheuta; a natural thermal spring where there is a hotel/restaurant and spa facilities (relatively expensive) and the nearby Parque de Agua Termas Cacheuta, which is where we ended up at. We drove from our hotel; heading north and west into the Andes mountains towards the Chilean border on Hwy 7, where the springs were located. Some views along the way

Mendoza, Argentina Views of the Andes mountains on the drive to Parque de Agua Termas Cacheuta
Views of the Andes mountains on the drive to Parque de Agua Termas Cacheuta

The Parque was off the main road, and you could tell by all the cars where it was. Entrance was about $5 each and that include a locker. The Parque was not upscale like the hotel/spa, but it was also a lot cheaper, and there were many locals here; eating Carne Asada at the large outdoor restaurant, or enjoying their picnics here. Everything was basic, but it was comfortable and clean enough.

Mendoza, Argentina Outdoor pools of different temperatures at Parque de Agua Termas Cacheuta
Outdoor pools of different temperatures at Parque de Agua Termas Cacheuta
Mendoza, Argentina Enjoying the natural thermal spring water
Enjoying the natural thermal spring water
Mendoza, Argentina Niña checking out the Parque in detail
Niña checking out the Parque in detail
Mendoza, Argentina Hiking trails by the Parque along the Rio Mendoza
Hiking trails by the Parque along the Rio Mendoza

After several hours here checking out the different outdoor and indoor pools, each with a different temperature of water, we had a small snack and drove back to Mendoza. Dinner was at Anna Bistro; which was near downtown. Again, a great dinner and wine place; a little bit more upscale & expensive than Don Mario at $30 for wine, salad, and steak; but still very nice and pleasant.

Next day, we decided to drive the Wine route south of Mendoza, to the Valle de Uco, about 1.5hrs south of Mendoza. This valley is at the foothills of the Andes mountains, and the drive to the wineries is through a lot of rural farming areas, with spectacular views of the Andes mountains to the west. This area is in the rain shadows of the Andes, and so does not receive much rainfall. So most wineries are drip irrigated using the high quality Andean snow-melt water. Also, this region around Tupungato is at 4,200ft above sea level, so nights are cooler, with warm days, resulting in high quality grapes producing some of the best wines (Malbec, Chardonnay, Cabernet and Merlot) in Argentina. First stop was for wine tasting at the Bodega La Azul

Tourist Not to Miss
Wine Tasting session should not be missed
Mendoza, Argentina Ready for some wine tasting at Bodega La Azul
Ready for some wine tasting at Bodega La Azul

After the wine tasting and a tour of this small winery, we drove 5kms to the Tupungato Divino, a small hotel/restaurant nestled among several wineries for lunch.

Mendoza, Argentina Amazing views in Tupungato wine route
Amazing views in Tupungato wine route

The lunch menu at Tupungato Divino was a set menu, and the 4 course meal we chose was with steak (of course) and this was another one of those best meals we have ever had; all for about $13 per person. Did I say this was a great foodie place?

Mendoza, Argentina Beautiful restaurant location amongst wineries with a backdrop of the snowcapped Andes
Beautiful restaurant location amongst wineries with a backdrop of the snowcapped Andes

360 degree views

Mendoza, Argentina Thick steaks cooked to perfection; people are proud of their food here; amazing presentation
Thick steaks cooked to perfection; people are proud of their food here; amazing presentation
Mendoza, Argentina Another amazing desert and presentation
Another amazing desert and presentation

After this great wine tasting and lunch, we drove back to Mendoza

Mendoza, Argentina Interesting statue in a roundabout on the highway
Interesting statue in a roundabout on the highway

Since we had not spent any time in the city center, we drove to the centro; where there were many large leafy squares with plenty of trees and shade. Some scenes below in the city center

Mendoza, Argentina Nice outdoor tree shaded pedestrian street with outdoor cafés
Nice outdoor tree shaded pedestrian street with outdoor cafés
Mendoza, Argentina Coffee in Mendoza was always served with sparkling water; a nice touch
Coffee in Mendoza was always served with sparkling water; a nice touch
Mendoza, Argentina Flower shop
Flower shop

Since we like to check out the local fruits and vegetables, next stop was the Mercado Central. This was a little disappointing as it was quite small with few vendors. I guess most locals shop at the supermarkets. We did see some good vegetables and fruits

Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and Vegetables looked different in this part of the world
Mendoza, Argentina Different kinds of Eggplants we had not come across previously
Different kinds of Eggplants we had not come across previously
Mendoza, Argentina Lots of fresh fruits
Lots of fresh fruits
Mendoza, Argentina Nice large leafy squares (Plaza San Martin) all over the city
Nice large leafy squares (Plaza San Martin) all over the city
Mendoza, Argentina Cultural center at one corner of Plaza San Martin
Cultural center at one corner of Plaza San Martin

At this Cultural center, we learned that there was a free concert, if you brought a packet of milk as a donation, at 5PM, the following day. So, the following day, we picked up a packet of milk, and went to this place, but were told the concert had already been oversubscribed 🙁 . We donated our milk and carried on 🙂

Cultural Program
Donate Milk and Get inside a cultural Program
Mendoza, Argentina View of the moon; note the “bite” out of the moon is actually the moon setting over the Andes peaks
View of the moon over Mendoza; note the “bite” out of the moon is actually the moon setting over the Andes foothills

Next: More Mendoza as we explore other areas of Mendoza and other surrounding areas

This entry was posted in Argentina, Mendoza, South America

35 thoughts on “Mendoza, Argentina

  • Mehdi Nimjee October 16, 2019 at 9:01 pm Reply

    On my bucket list. I dance the Tango here in TO. One of these days.

    Regards,

    Nimjee

    • Ali Karim October 16, 2019 at 9:04 pm Reply

      Hi Mehdi, thanks so much for the feedback. We visited Buenos Aires before I started blogging, and the Tango there was a lot of fun. Unfortunately, we did not come across any Tango in Mendoza, so it seems to be localized to Buenos Aires.

  • Nimjee October 7, 2019 at 2:12 pm Reply

    And did you learn to do the Argentinian Tango?????

    • Ali Karim October 14, 2019 at 11:54 am Reply

      Thanks for the feedback. No Tango here in Mendoza; we did find and partake in Tango when we last went to Buenos Aires and spent time there. That was before we started blogging; and Buenos Aires was a lot of fun; definitely worth going there also

  • Salim habib October 7, 2019 at 12:03 pm Reply

    I am sorry not just buffalo beef but all kinds of beef,thanks.

    • Ali Karim October 14, 2019 at 3:36 pm Reply

      Hi Salim, Thanks for your query. Sorry, but since we were just there on vacation, we did not build any contacts in the meat industry. Sorry, but we cannot help with your question. Thanks for reading my blog though and for your email

      • Salim Habib October 16, 2019 at 9:00 pm Reply

        Thanks a lot and I am aware beef of this particular region is very popularly eaten, nonetheless apart from business I enjoy your Travelog keep travelling ,and Happy Thanks giving

        • Ali Karim October 18, 2019 at 11:21 am Reply

          🙂

  • Salim habib October 7, 2019 at 12:01 pm Reply

    We are in edible food business for over four generations ,we wonder if you can source a buffalo beef exporters in that region for us ,The suppliers that we searched on internet are mostly fraud and absolutely unreliable ,even on Alibaba.com
    Thanks,

  • Zubeda Virani September 28, 2019 at 11:53 am Reply

    During my AA employment days, 6 of us traveling buddies did a brief Argentina getaway but mostly to eat, visit markets and my choice to attend a fabulous Tango show…loved it. Through your blog I felt I was actually in Mendoza enjoying delicious stake and desserts😁
    Your posted photographs are so vividly expressive and exceptional!
    Thanks for my truly enjoyable virtual trip.
    Take care…Zubeda

    • Ali Karim September 28, 2019 at 12:04 pm Reply

      Wow, thanks so much for the nice words; and so glad you enjoyed the read.
      Appreciate the feedback always.

  • Laila September 28, 2019 at 11:51 am Reply

    Thank you Ali for sharing another very enjoyable read of your amazing journey and experiences!
    My grocery purchase this week included kiwi fruit from Chile, and Malbec wine from Argentina :))
    Happy exploring, happy sharing, happy healthy mind, body and soul. Keep safe and well.

    Best regards
    Laila

    • Ali Karim September 28, 2019 at 12:03 pm Reply

      HI Laila, so glad you enjoyed the blog; thanks for the feedback. I am missing the Malbec already 🙂

  • Sabira Sajan September 28, 2019 at 11:50 am Reply

    Thanks for always sharing your fine gems!

    • Ali Karim September 28, 2019 at 12:01 pm Reply

      Sabira, thanks so much for the nice comments. Appreciate that.

  • Mumtaz Rahemtulla September 28, 2019 at 11:49 am Reply

    Nice !!

    • Ali Karim September 28, 2019 at 12:00 pm Reply

      Thanks Mumtaz

  • Mahamud Jinnah September 28, 2019 at 11:47 am Reply

    Wow, what an amazing place. i had never even heard about this place. great views and what great food at cheap prices. How did you manage 40 bucks at intercontinental. Miss you guys.

    • Ali Karim September 28, 2019 at 11:59 am Reply

      Thanks Mahamud, for the feedback. Glad you enjoyed it. It is not surprising you have not heard of Mendoza; since you neither eat meat, nor do you drink wine; both items are what are makes Mendoza memorable 🙂 . Just kidding; the scenery and food is great here and worth visiting

  • Muslim Harji September 28, 2019 at 11:35 am Reply

    Lovely pictures and beautiful writeup.Asante.
    BTW..what flavor is the green Icecream cone that Dilshad is enjoying…Not Pistachio..???
    Love, Light & Cheers

    • Ali Karim September 28, 2019 at 11:45 am Reply

      Yes, definitely pistachio :). Thanks for the feedback.

  • ALAMARA September 20, 2019 at 1:29 pm Reply

    Wow!!!!!!!! loved the pic of the moon oves the Andes!!!!!

    • Ali Karim September 28, 2019 at 11:18 am Reply

      Yes, I thought that was a unique moment to capture with the bite out of the moon 🙂

  • Farida and Zool September 18, 2019 at 11:46 pm Reply

    Beautiful pics – always looking forward to reading your interesting blog. Honestly we thoroughly enjoy reading your very informative blog. Thanks for sharing dear.

    • Ali Karim September 28, 2019 at 11:17 am Reply

      Thanks for the feedback Zool & Farida. So happy you are enjoying my blogs

  • Zahir September 16, 2019 at 10:49 am Reply

    As always, great posts from your blog. The “bite from moon” was the best pic’. As you know, we carry a lot of Argentinian Malbec from Mendoza/Uco, so I can appreciate you enjoying all that you had and tried.
    Keep it up!

    • Ali Karim September 16, 2019 at 1:20 pm Reply

      Zahir, I knew you would relate to the food and wine in Mendoza 🙂 . Glad you enjoyed the post and the pics; and thanks for the feedback.

  • Nick paroo September 16, 2019 at 7:45 am Reply

    Beautiful place and lovely pictures. Thanks Mr Ali. U are the best

    • Ali Karim September 16, 2019 at 1:18 pm Reply

      HI Mr Nick, thanks so much for the feedback. And so glad you enjoyed reading my blogs

  • Abdulmajid M Morani September 14, 2019 at 9:12 pm Reply

    thank U for the 360 degrees TOUR

    • Ali Karim September 15, 2019 at 1:29 am Reply

      Thanks Abdul; appreciate the feedback

  • Alnoor September 14, 2019 at 4:49 pm Reply

    Excellent post. Another interesting place to visit. Always look forward to your posts. Gives us ideas for our future travels.

    • Ali Karim September 15, 2019 at 1:28 am Reply

      HI Alnoor, So glad you enjoyed the trip; wait for the 2nd blog on Mendoza before going there; it gets even better 🙂

  • AmirT September 11, 2019 at 10:05 pm Reply

    Great trip! Great Blog!

    • Ali Karim September 15, 2019 at 1:27 am Reply

      Thanks for the feedback Amir; glad you enjoyed

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