kallpatour, Autor en Kallpa I Tour Operator

Immersed in the Misionera Jungle

This is a history that has been written since 1924 by descendants of the same family and that is depicted on each corner of Puerto Bemberg Inn located in the middle of 400 hectares of pure nature in the jungle of Misiones with trails and hidden corners we visited. A paradise immersed in the Misionera jungle.

Otto and Federico Bemberg settled in Misiones and founded the first Yerba Mate growing company with a production at a large scale. Its progress allowed them buy lots of lands in the area and that is why they set up Puerto Bemberg [port].

There are two aspects important to highlight of Puerto Bemberg, first its commitment with nature conservation that can be felt at each aspect of the service, what made them obtain the verification of Rain Forest Alliance on sustainable tourism. The other point to highlight is the beauty of the inn in the middle of this natural paradise where it has been built.

Relaxed by the wooden fireplace, with a library of more than 2,500 books we find a place to rest and forget about the dynamism of urban life for some days. During the day we may enjoy the open air swimming pool, laying on wood deck chairs in the middle of trees and some have taken the massage service to feel renewed.

The hotel breakfast is a Continental Buffet which includes regional jams, regional and native products of the area and other delicacies. This breakfast is very complete so as to provide the energy for the activities that may be performed in the area. Gourmet cuisine is something that must not be missed its menu includes meals whose ingredients come from products grown in the hotel’s own garden. If you enjoy trying the flavors of different regions you cannot resist trying an ice cream of ‘yerba mate’.

The rooms are decorated in a rustic style, with an air conditioner, flat screen cable TV, dark-color wood furniture and parquet flooring. Blankets and bedspreads are made of natural knitting and show earth-like and olive green color tones. The rooms offer details of rustic interior design. These have got free wi-fi and a private balcony with a view to the garden.

At the inn, you may do different activities such as sailing the Río Iguazú, cycling, trekking in the jungle or watching of the fauna and flora of the area, visiting of natural falls among others. The ruins in San Ignacio are at a 250-km distance of Puerto Bemberg so it used to be one of the most visited attractions in the area after the falls.

Puerto Bemberg Inn offers the perfect combination of history and comfort therefore it is an option that you cannot leave aside if you travel to Iguazú. Remember that should you need any more information on this product or any other type of material, you may contact your Kallpa personal executive officer or simply send us a message through our contact form.

featured nature

Andreas Madsen Museum El Chalten

Andreas Madsen Museum El Chalten is one of the great activities you can do during your trip. El Chalten means also Culture.

Adventure and culture generally go together. Each place we visit has a history, culture and other appealing aspects that we will discover throughout the journey. This is what the Kallpa’s philosophy involves: the possibility of enjoying an active trip to the Argentine destinations and of closely experiencing the local culture and history.

This is why this moth we want to tell you about the new touristic attraction at “El Chaltén”. This is the guided visit to the manor of the former Estate Cerro Fitz Roy also known as Casa Madsen (Madsen House) which was owned by the Madsen family, pioneers of the area and its proposal is to inform travelers who visit El Chaltén, the activity generally developed by the first inhabitants of the area and especially the habitat of the Madsen family.

Andreas Madsen was a Danish pioneer who arrived to the region in 1901. He was an active member of the Commissions on the Limits ruled by the Perito (technical specialist) Francisco P. Moreno. During 12 years he explored the area developing all sort of tasks, at the beginning for the Commissions and then for the Estates already set in the area.

In 1912 he returned to his country of origin and married Stephanie Tomsenwith with whom he undertook the venture of living in the Patagonia until the last days of his life.

Andreas Madsen life is fascinating. He was a husband, father of family, sailor, tamer, writer,multilingual, among other characteristics of this Patagonian traveler who knew how to narrate in his books ‘La Patagonia Vieja’ (The Old Patagonia), ‘Cazando Pumas’ (Hunting Cougars), among others, as well as countless anecdotes that deserve to be told.

Something that appeals to our attention is the Family House, built with materials from the area: wood, sheet metal and bricks stuck with adobe. The house is in the process of being restored respecting the original structure and the looks this used to have when inhabited by Andreas and Stephanie. In the guided visit we may appreciate the method used by the Patagonian Pioneers for building their homes which shows their sacrifice and work.

The House, surrounded by trees planted by the Madsen family, is also an excellent panoramic point of view for tourists to appreciate the beauty of the landscape, of the mountains and especially of the Massif Fitz Roy which named to the Estate built by Mr. Andreas.

Daily visits to the house start in October. There will be trips at 3pm and 6pm. Journey duration is 2 hours, with a cost of USD31 per person. This activity is suggested for people with a free afternoon at the Chaltén and who are interested in having a close encounter with the architecture, history and knowledge of one of the Pillars of the foundation of our beautiful Patagonia.

activities el chalten featured

Cuisine and Good wine is an experience

Combining relax, cuisine and good wine is an experience an is not something easy to perform, however, Club Tapiz in Mendoza was very successful in doing so.

As lovers of tourism and fine cuisine we cannot miss the opportunity of telling you about this product Kallpa-like.

Club Tapiz proposal offers us is specially devised for lovers of the fine cuisine, the good wine and throughout a true personal experience by the active participation in activities in the vineyard, the wine tasting and cooking lessons.

We have stayed in Club Tapiz. It is located in a residence built in 1890, surrounded by 10-hectare vineyard. We highlight that the house was restored respecting the original structure and its architects were in charge of keeping the identity which is unique together with the surroundings and the magnificent view of the Andes mountain range. This house was declared Historical, Architecture and Touristic Heritage of the District of Maipú at the City of Mendoza.

When visiting the Hotel we could appreciate that attached to the Club there is an old wine cellar where wine was produced until 2002. We walk along aisles flanked by large oak barrels, we reach ‘Pour le Galerie’ room which has a beautiful mural of 22 x 4 meters painted by Sergio Roggerone, an artist from Mendoza, the room has got a 200-person capacity, it has got an own winetasting room, a wine cellar and a sparkling wine racks. It is that Pour Le Galerie was created out of love for art and it may be used for cultural events and social gatherings.

The Club has got a restaurant open the whole year where you can taste delicious meals prepares with local products and from the own organic vegetable garden.

We also enjoyed of the spa with sauna, Scottish shower, jacuzzis and massage rooms with different therapies that after a day of walks and degustation are definitely rewarding. Activities proposed by the Hotel are interactive. We had the possibility of trimming, harvesting and performing all of the vineyrad tasks and observing at the time of harvest the production of olive oil also produced at Club Tapiz.

We also rode horses; hiked and wandered around under the trees of the Andes. These are activities to be done in Mendoza during the day; and then to return to the Hotel to relax.

Nights were dedicated to sharing experiences in wine tasting or to enjoying a cuisine lesson.

Club Tapiz has got 11 rooms classically decorated, with wooden classic floors. Each room has got air conditioning, free wi-fi and cable tv, in addition to one of the most impressive views of the mountain range of the Andes.

Find below the Fact Sheet with more details about the Hotel. And as you already know, should you need further information about this activity proposed you may contact your Kallpa Personal Account’s Officer.

featured

A Day in the Countryside at Nibepo Aike

A Day in the Countryside at Nibepo Aike allows you to immerse in the life and activities of the Patagonian ranch houses. This experience is recommended for those travelers who do not have the possibility of staying at the lodge for two or more nights.

Adventure starts from El Calafate where we take the gravel road Nr. 15, also known as ‘Camino de las Estancias’ (Walk of the Ranch Houses). This is a trip with the ‘Cerro Frías’ [mountain] as the leading protagonist, where it is frequent to come across foxes, hares and to even see condors. It is interesting to observe how, after crossing the Rico River, the landscape of steppe changes abruptly into an Andean landscape.

After traveling along this remarkable road and entering into the Los Glaciares National Park we contact the Roca Lake in its more eastern point and we reached the ranch house where we find the southern arm of Lago Argentino [Argentinian Lake]. The host guide welcomes us and takes us to the Quincho [rustic dining room], where we are welcomed with a hot beverage (tea, coffee or ‘mate’) and home-made pastries. There is no better welcome in a region where the cold seems to find its residence.

We start the walk to visit Nibepo Aike’s facilities, an Estancia that in the past used to breed sheep and nowadays has become the most prestigious cattle ranch of Hereford, a type of cattle characteristic of these latitudes and that maintains a sheep shed.

There are several options on how to enjoy the day therefore we split in different groups according to our preferences, for example we chose a horse ride. From the horse stable, we get on the horses and we leave so as to explore the surrounding area, a ‘baqueano’ [local guide] comes with us. Baqueanos are expert people who know native places very well, where they generally live or develop themselves.

Another group decided to make a walk surrounded by the impressive views of the Southern arm of Lago Argentino where you can observe several rock outcrops eroded by glaciers and changes in the lake levels. Earth crust folding is clearly observed differentiated among them by the variety of sediments that originated them. Along the walk it is also possible to observe the woodland of lengas and ñires, inhabited by caranchos [vultures], cachañas [small parrots], hares, woodpeckers, eagles and an abundant variety of flora and fauna characteristic of this region.

After hiking and riding the groups meet at the door of the shearing shed. From the shearing process up to the preparation of the wool bundle -the way how the wool is stored and transported- was explained in a relaxed and interesting demonstration. It struck our attention that they continue using a manual pair of scissors, as it used to be in the past in every estancia up to the appearance of a mechanical handle with a cutting comb -which is the system that is currently used. This demonstration allowed us to experience a trip to the past.

Afterwards we enjoyed of ‘horse-reining’ by horsemen. According to the daily rural activities you may perform some farm work in the barnyard close to the main house. If you like the countryside life and want to extend the experience, it is possible, among the daily activities, to participate in the morning of cow milking and sheep herding in the afternoon, concluding in this way with a typical working day in the Estancia. These activities are not always performed since they depend on the weather conditions and activities developed in the Estancia.

Finally, the barbecue cook who is waiting for us with a spit roasted lamb is eagerly applauded, while our mouth waters, local stories and anecdotes from the first settlers come up.

When again at El Calafate, after having experienced the typical life of a Patagonian Estancia this gives us a wide perspective and a greater sense to the immense Patagonian landscapes characterized by their infiniteness and remoteness.