Make Your Next Trip Extraordinary

Two girls sitting and overlooking mountains in Bariloche, Patagonia.

Bariloche in Patagonia: “Views that can barely even be imagined, incredible hikes of varying difficulty for all types of people.”

Argentina is magical. Having been there before over the winter holidays, we knew we wanted to focus on Buenos Aires for the first half and then Bariloche for the second half. What we did not anticipate was that Lucinda would introduce us to a hidden gem just a couple hours outside of Buenos Aires, Estancia La Madrugada Areco, that was truly the most perfect way to begin our two week Argentina adventure. We were thrilled with everything starting on day one.

Spending the first three nights at Estancia La Madrugada Areco was the perfect way to start the trip and I would recommend it to anyone looking to quickly ease into vacation mode or even to end there as a calming end to a trip if traveling extensively around the country. Within hours it felt that we had been there for days. The energy is calm, the land is stunning, and the farm house is lovely and comfortable. Having a private experience with just our family allowed us to get to know the staff and have an extremely personalized experience. We went out horseback riding each day and Cucho made me feel safe as an inexperienced rider and gave my daughter free reign to gallop through meadows as an experienced rider. We each got exactly what we needed. The food was excellent and we even had a cooking class with the chefs to learn to make empanadas. When we weren’t on horseback, there was plenty of space on the property to walk, play or read in the game room, or just sit by the pool. The horses walking around the property add a level of whimsy and fun. The time at the estancia was our most unique experience on this trip as we had an opportunity to learn about the gaucho culture and spend time with gauchos. One evening a lovely man from a famous gaucho family came to sing us folk songs around a fire and share stories with us. He only spoke Spanish, so some of us could understand, while others just listened, but it didn’t matter. He had so much passion and the music was so beautiful.

We went into the city of San Antonio de Areco, which was absolutely lovely! In addition to the outside market and gorgeous river, the streets are lined with beautiful boutiques for a fun day of shopping. Don’t miss the chocolate shop and the original gaucho bar that is over 200 years old! As a new destination within Argentina for us, I am grateful to have stayed there and highly recommend it. Additionally, Bariloche is my favorite city in Argentina, so I would highly encourage anyone visiting this beautiful country to make a trip to Bariloche in Patagonia. Views that can barely even be imagined, incredible hikes of varying difficulty for all types of people, and delicious restaurants. A new experience in Bariloche that was shockingly beautiful was our day swimming in the river at a glamping property near the Chilean border.

Lucinda was amazing from the start! Before the trip, she was an excellent communicator and offered us excellent options for activities and restaurants. Once in Argentina, Lucinda was still in touch regularly (as needed) and was able to help us any time we needed to make any changes, even last minute when we were running very late for a dinner reservation. I would recommend anyone use Lucinda for their Argentina adventure!

Our trip to Argentina from Dec. 21 to Jan 4 was fabulous from beginning to end! Paul and Lucinda were attentive from the planning stages all the way through the end of the trip. The recommendation to stay at Awasi in Iguazu Falls was perfect. If I could stay at an Awasi property whenever I travel in the future, I would. The service was like none I have ever experienced. It was luxurious, outdoorsy, peaceful, personal and comfortable all at once. I have to say the hugest thank you to the staff there. My husband unfortunately caught an infection in his eye on Christmas Eve which was significant enough that we thought we might have to cut our trip short. After calling the front desk for assistance in the middle of the night, they were able to have a doctor from a private hospital in our room by 8:30 Christmas morning. They then picked up a prescription for us within another hour. My husband was quickly better with the antibiotic and they literally saved out trip.

Other than that, the food, service, grounds and room with the private plunge pool were spectacular. We then went to Buenos Aires which was fabulous. Our guide, Gabriel, was incredible. He actually had coincidentally been my son’s guide during his study abroad summer a few months before, and they were so happy to be reunited. The Tango show us at the Faena hotel was another highlight. Our last stop in Bariloche was equally incredible. We joined up with my sister’s family for this section of the trip, and the plans expertly entertained all 9 of us, ages 11 on. Some highlights in Bariloche were the lovely picnic lunch on the beach at the end of one of the the hikes, and the challenging hike planned for my husband, nephew, and son.

A few notes of gratitude—booking us in priority travel on the internal flights turned out to be so helpful. We were able to bypass the huge holiday crowds at the local airports throughout Argentina and have seamless travel experiences. Also, Paul and his team were completely accessible and quick to answer any questions throughout the weeks we were there. They made a last minute change for us due to weather when we asked to change a kayaking experience, and we had a lovely hike instead. All of the guides were absolutely fabulous beginning to end. I really can not say enough positive things about this trip. It was all of the little touches that Paul helped to plan that made the trip so very special! My family of four (kids ages 17 and 20) loved it!

David and Sheila Cahnman hiking the Perito Moreno glacier in southwest Santa Cruz Province, Argentina.

Travelers David and Sheila Cahnman hiking the “magnificent” Perito Moreno glacier in southwest Santa Cruz Province, Argentina.

We just completed a wonderful 14 day trip to Argentina planned by Paul & Lucinda. They suggested four different locales that represented Argentinian highlights where we could tour, hike, bike without being too strenuous, and also have time for my passion— sketching. The trip started with four nights in Buenos Aires including a private architecture tour and Jewish sites tour with very knowledgeable guides. I loved the Japanese garden and Rosedal in Palermo. We then went for a few days of sailing, hiking and biking in Bariloche which was very similar to the Bavarian Alps. Not a “must see,” but very pleasant. Next we headed to EOLO resort in El Calafate and the magnificent Perito Moreno glacier. Make sure to spend a full day hiking there!

Our last stop was Peninsula Valdes : Rincon Chico, the 8 bed lodge and conservation area, is a 3 hour drive from the Trelew airport. The 3 days we spent there were a cross between a safari and the Galapagos. We especially enjoyed when our hosts took us four couples to see 600,000 Magellanic penguins nesting on their private property.

Paul and Lucinda’s company communicates through their own app, which listed updates to our itinerary and also boarding passes etc. Two minor glitches in transportation arrival were handled through the app: in one case they negotiated a full refund for late arrival at a tango show, and in the other we received complementary massages. Also was impressed that all our flights throughout the country were direct and did not require a return to Buenos Aires like many other fellow travelers.

We (mom and 2 boys, 10 & 13) are just back from our wonderful trip to Argentina planned by Lucinda Paxton & Paul Irvine. We could have not asked for more, and the only “problem” we experienced on the trip was not agreeing on where we want to travel next with the support of a WOW List trip planner.

Lucinda & Paul put together a thoughtful, balanced itinerary with a not very detailed brief and just under 2 months of prep time. We visited Buenos Aires, the Ibera Wetlands, and San Antonio de Areco and stayed in lovely properties in each location.

This is my first time using such a service and while I enjoy planning my own travel, I simply could not have put together this trip and its details—like our light aircraft flight to Rincón del Socorro on Ibera—on my own.

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