WEDNESDAY 26 OCTOBER
On arrival in San Martin de los Andes we were met by the minibus from the Estancia Huechahue (www.huechahue.com) and transferred the forty minutes to the estancia.

Huechahue is a self-sufficient working farm belonging to and run by an old Anglo-Argentine family covering an area of 6,500 hectares in the rolling foothills of the eastern Argentine cordillera with views of the snowcapped cone of 13,000 ft Volcano Lanin. The owner, Jane Williams, runs the estancia (following the death of her husband) with help from Yvonne and her gauchos.

A stay at the estancia is an opportunity to live the life of a gaucho. The horses are Criollo crosses, bred and trained at the estancia. They are neck-reined and the riding is similar to western-style. The saddles used are montura de monte which are similar to old English army saddles with a sheepskin on top. Whilst staying at the estancia you can take a camping trip with camp staff setting up camp, cooking and caring for the horses. You can also climb the extinct Volcano Mt Lanin. Lanin takes its name from a local Mapuche word meaning "the extinguished one." The 2-day climb to the summit is via the Argentine side through thinly vegetated moraine and monkey puzzle forest up to the Espina del Pescate. You camp above snow level at approximately 8,040 feet before attempting the glacier topped summit the next day. This climb requires little to moderate technical skills. Ice axes and crampons are necessary but there are relatively few crevasses. I am pleased to say, we didn’t have to do this!

The accommodation at the estancia was very comfortable. There are two guesthouses, each with three, twin or double-bedded rooms with private bathroom and a new bungalow with two twin bedded rooms. All meals are served in the dining room of the main house and most of the food is home produced from the meat (beef and venison) to jams and chutneys (they have a huge orchard which when we were there was in full blossom – beautiful). All food and drinks is included during your stay.

Once we had settled in we gathered in the large living room where we met two local ornithologists who took us on a tour of the grounds pointing out some of the many varieties of birds …. we saw ten in our short tour. These ornithologists (who live locally) are available for longer bird-watching trips if required.

We then returned to the house for pre-dinner drinks in front of a roaring log fire. The Matay was also passed around, followed by an excellent dinner with lots of excellent fresh, home produced beef and vegetables and Argentine wines.

THURSDAY 27 OCTOBER
Full breakfasts comprising fruit, porridge, bacon, sausages, eggs, tomatoes and fresh bread are served every morning at the estancia After breakfast we divided up into two groups – riders and non-riders. The riders were kitted out with their chaps, helmets etc and set off. The non-riders were introduced to Eric Sweet from Patagonia Xperience. Eric is an American married to an Argentine and he was a superb guide. It is Eric who takes the groups to climb Mt Lanin. We set off from the estancia through barren, rolling hills along narrow rocky gorges where we could see condors and eagles soaring in the sky. We climbed up Chenque Hill which was extremely steep and certainly expanded ones lungs. En route we saw deer and a couple of guanco (a kind of llama). At the top we met up with the riders and entered a cave to view some ancient Mapuche cave drawings. We then had the return journey … a bit easier going down! Late afternoon, we took a horseride up to the ridge to see the Condors.

FRIDAY 28 OCTOBER
After another delightful breakfast, we set off again either riding or walking. This time we took another route over the Chenque Hill and down to the river. At the top of the mountain we visited the Tehuelche Indian burial caves. The caves were formed when the glaciers carved the valley, opening an entrance to the lava flow tunnels formed during previous eras of volcanic activity. The burial remains have disappeared but the petroglyphs are still there.

We continued on down the hillside to the riverbank and there awaiting us was an Asado – succulent home-grown beef and jacket potatoes cooked in the fire together with salads and lots of spicy sauces.

For the return journey they needed six volunteers to return by boat along the river. I decided a boat ride sounded much less arduous than climbing back over the hill so joined the boat crew. We were duly kitted out with our life jackets and set off. Although the river was not very deep (in fact a couple of times we were bumping the bottom) it was fast flowing. Our boatman kept us on course with some good oarsmanship although a couple of times we were nearly forced aground on the rocks. However, the problem arose when we reached where the minibus was waiting to transfer us from the river to the estancia because this trip is normally undertaken in the summer and the boatman couldn’t find a suitable spot to land. Eventually we had to clamber out of the boat and squelch through ankle deep mud to the river bank –yuck!!

Another delightful dinner and enjoyable drinks round the fire before retiring to bed.

SATURDAY 29 OCTOBER
A very early start this morning – even before the dawn chorus – as we transferred to Bariloche Airport. En route we had breakfast and an inspection at the Arelauquen Golf & Country Club. (www.arelauquen.com) This was an excellent hotel, designed particularly for golf lovers but with lots of activities, spa and gym facilities.

Once in Bariloche we checked in to our LanChile flight to Buenos Aires where we arrived at 1353 hrs. Transferred to the Alvear Palace Hotel, one of the Leading Hotels of the World (www.alvear.com). What can one say about the Alvear: it is the best hotel in Buenos Aires, possibly even in South America. Old fashioned service but with up-to-the minute technology. I was lucky enough to be in a Deluxe Suite which meant I had a separate lounge (with a dozen red roses and fruit awaiting me), a TV, VCR, CD player and touch screen telephone in both the lounge and bedroom areas, a little office with fax machine and another telephone, the bathroom which was all marble and gold fittings consisted of hand basin, bath with Jacuzzi and flat screen TV, toilet, bidet and separate shower cabinet. The Alvear accommodation is all suites, and we saw samples of most, including the Royal Suite which has a marvellous dining room.

The hotel has three restaurants – L’Orangerie (serving afternoon tea, lunch, dinner and breakfast), La Bourgogne (French & International cuisine with meat cooked by Grill Rotissorie) and Le Cave (which is located in the wine cellar) where one can also enjoy wine tasting sessions. There is also a health club that has a heated indoor swimming pool, gym with computerised equipment, sauna and massage.

Whilst in Buenos Aires, I wanted to see the Recoleta Cemetery. The Recoleta graveyard is a must see for a visitor to Buenos Aires, as for the living and dead alike, Recoleta is Buenos Aires’s most prestigious address. The list of residents within its walls represents the wealth and power of Argentina. The cemetery is like a small city with streets lined with mausoleums of all shapes and sizes. The most visited is the burial place of Eva Peron (Evita) which is in her Duarte family grave. Juan Peron – the husband through whom she obtained her fame – is not buried here.

Later, we visited the Hotel Faena (www.faenahotelanduniverse.com) where we were being hosted for dinner. The Faena is billed as a ‘new concept’ in hotels. Once a reservation is made, the guest is contacted by their ‘Experience Manager’ – a personal guide who will greet the guest on arrival with a laptop computer which contains all their information. The Experience Manager then acts as personal receptionist, butler, concierge, public relations manager and personal assistant throughout their stay.

The hotel was designed by Philip Stark and is best described as minimalistic. None of the beds are set by the wall (as normal) but are in the middle of the room and at an angle. All the bathrooms have glass walls (with curtains if wanted) and the TV is hidden away in a wooden bookcase. You would definitely need to know your client very well before sending them there ~ it is a definite love or hate place!

We had our dinner in El Bistro (not a good name because there was nothing bistro about it) - an extremely unusual setting of mainly white and red with the walls lined with unicorn heads!!! The dinner was excellent and we were accompanied by the hotel manager and sales manager. After dinner we ‘retired’ to the Library Lounge for after dinner drinks accompanied by a pianist and two singers. There is another restaurant, El Mercado, which is furnished in cantina style – much more to my taste I must say.

SUNDAY 30 OCTOBER
After an amazing breakfast – you name it, it was on offer – salmon, smoked trout, eggs cooked every way, bacon, exotic fruits, cakes, 8 kinds of bread etc etc., we checked out and transferred to Ezeiza Airport for check-in to our Aerolineas flight to Florianopolis.

To read the final instalment of Sandra’s itinerary, moving on to do a spot of whale-watching in Brazil, click here