Life In The Slow Lane
SPENT OUTDOORS, OR DELICIOUS FOOD AND WINE WITH A STORY, OFF-THE-BEATEN TRACK ARGENTINA TICKS ALL THE BOXES.
The views are like nothing I’ve ever seen before in my life. To my right, a collection of colourful mounds sparkle in the early morning sun. One appears fiery orange, a second hill is pinky-red, and a third is a lovely conglomeration of dusty browns and russet reds. To my left the scene is similar – but the hills are further away, and the bold yellows, oranges and reds are layered, like a child’s birthday cake.
I’m in my element, and enjoying the peace and serenity as we make our way up the mountains … that is, until my llama, Palmiro, stops for the fifth time in one hour. Our local guide and llama herder, Avela, only laughs. She’s already told my husband and me that the two llamas we’re leading will abruptly halt whenever they require a nature stop. I soon realise that today’s trek will be a slow one.
To be fair, I quickly start to appreciate the countless breaks, and discover a different kind of tranquillity with our stop-and-start routine. I look around more, I breathe a little deeper. With the relaxed pace, I take my time soaking up my surrounds.
The landscape in the Humahuaca Gorge region is utterly spectacular, but then everything on our customised Abercrombie & Kent Argentina itinerary sounds just as extraordinary. We’ve already whirled our way through Buenos Aires with our knowledgeable guide Vanesa at the helm. Now – away from the hustle and bustle of the city – it’s all about nature, farm life, cultural immersion, and good food and wine.
MOUNTAIN AIR
By the time the llama trek comes around I’ve been mindfully trying to slow down and combat my fight-or-flight urge. My husband argues that I actually perfected the art soon after we arrived in the city of Salta and happily checked into The House of Jasmines – a Relais & Châteaux property located on an expanse of land dotted with gumtrees.
I watched the sun set from various vantage points, then enjoyed a beautifully executed dinner in the spacious dining room. The chefs here use regional produce, and the quinoa and grilled vegetable salad and tender llama steaks are both must-trys.
The next day I found myself running a little late, as I was enjoying my post-breakfast latte and watching the world go by; but our guide, Andres, was very understanding and told me it happens often enough.
And there was no rushing around as we strolled through Salta. Since the tour was organised especially for my husband, our daughter and me, the times were flexible and could easily be adapted to suit our needs.
There was ample time to venture off the beaten path on our road trip to Purmamarca the next day, taking the scenic Route 9 – which weaves its way through mighty mountains, then bypasses the city of Jujuy to the west.
It takes a bit longer than the highway option, but the scenery is incredible and makes the journey truly unforgettable. One minute we were looking at the lush green trees of semi-rainforest left, right and centre, then suddenly it was all bright reds and oranges with cacti springing up like jack-in-the-boxes.
The town of Purmamarca is flooded with visitors when we arrive, but this only adds to the atmosphere. Everyone has come here to see the famous Cerro de los Siete Colores (Hill of Seven Colors), an intriguing formation of layered colours – which is the result of different minerals and sediments being deposited over a very, very long time.
Sightseers all follow a similar itinerary, which includes a walk or drive around the renowned hill, then an amble around town. Purmamarca is hive of activity from late morning right up until sunset, thanks to the street vendors who are fanned out around the square selling all kinds of local handicrafts.
The next day is when we enjoy our llama trek along the mountains bordering the village of Maymará – located about 20 minutes’ drive from Purmamarca. We walk and we stop and we walk and we stop until hunger eventually calls, and then Andres and Avela whip out the most elaborate ‘boxed lunch’ I’ve ever come across.
In the blink of an eye a table is set up and a cornucopia of food is waiting for us – quinoa pie Avela cooked that morning, plump red cherry tomatoes from her garden, gigantic olives, creamy cheese, and strawberries so juicy they splatter all over our clothes. This time I sit and watch the world go by nursing a glass of malbec instead of a coffee – and there’s no such thing as ‘late’; everyone is happy to enjoy the views and fresh air.
NOURISHING THE BODY
There’s more delicious food to be enjoyed with a backdrop of incredible views in Mendoza, where every meal we devour is exquisite, the wines are superb, and the vistas of the snow-capped Andes elevate the whole experience to dizzying heights.
There are three main wine regions in Mendoza, and we base ourselves in the one furthest from the city – the Uco Valley. It’s almost two hours’ drive from the airport to our accommodation – The Vines Resort & Spa. As we drive, our guide for this part of the trip, Mariana (who is also a sommelier), delves into a detailed rundown of Mendoza’s wine scene, which interestingly only entered the world stage in the 1980s.
She explains how the late 1960s and early 1970s brought about some drastic changes in people’s drinking habits, with beer and Coke gaining mass popularity and wine taking a back seat. “Come the 1980s there were two options for wineries – to close or export,” she tells us.
Thankfully for us – and the rest of the world – some of the already-existing wineries went on a mission to improve their winemaking. And new wineries opened, too – with experts travelling from countries such as France and the USA, bringing exciting new ideas and technologies to develop the region.
Clos de los Siete is one of the best known success stories of the area – an assemblage of four wineries spread out on about 2,000 acres of vineyards. The region was originally chosen by two French vintners, Michel Rolland and Jean Michel Arcaute – who were later joined by two other winemakers to launch Clos do los Siete wines. The overarching ethos of the foursome was – and still is – to create premium wine using predominantly traditional French methods.
We manage to visit two of the four wineries. A sommelier named Bruno shows us around the Michel Rolland Winery, explaining how the wines are produced with the utmost care thanks to the teachings of Michel Rolland (who still plays a key role and visits a few times a year). We try a few wines, too, of course – my favourite is the 2014 Mariflor Pinot Noir.
At Bodega Monteviejo (which was the first winery built on the estate in 2001), the wine tasting takes place as we learn to cook with chef Nadia Haron – who is not only a delightful teacher, but also wonderful company. A glass of the 2013 Lindaflor Malbec served with my velvety pea risotto is an indulgent (yet fitting) end to the culinary experience.
That evening back at The Vines Resort & Spa we clink our glasses to our unique digs. The Vines vineyard comprises lots of land belonging to over 200 different owners, who each get to decide how they’d like their grapes to be treated, barrelled and corked. Some owners choose to be very hands-on and participate in all aspects of the production, while others kick back and rely on The Vines’ expertise a little more. Either way, the wines all taste delicious.
No-one ever wants to leave Mendoza, and our toddler daughter is the same. Although sampling wines is an adult pursuit, some of the wineries offer activities for kids – like drawing wine labels. We leave Mendoza with more wine labels than bottles of wine.
FARM LIFE
Mendoza is quickly forgotten by our daughter when we arrive at El Colibri, a working estancia (cattle ranch) one hour’s drive from Argentina’s second largest city, Córdoba. There are farm animals to feed, green grass to run on, and horses to ride (or play polo on, for those so inclined). It’s a blissful place for children of all ages.
It’s bliss for me and my husband, as well. Another Relais & Châteaux property, it has only nine rooms and we welcome the intimate feel and the chance to meet like-minded families.
We watch our daughter collect colourful pebbles, vigilantly pocketing them until they begin to tumble out. A farm tour, which involves feeding sheep, goats and llamas, is a highlight for every child – while my husband and I thoroughly enjoy the afternoon trail ride – both of us teamed up with calm creatures who seem every bit as joyful as we are.
As we make our way around the property, the horses methodically placing one hoof after the other, we get into a steady groove. The journey is a world apart from our llama trek – we’re on horseback instead of on foot and the landscape surrounding us is vastly different. But something is still the same – that inexpressible, magical feeling that incites deeper breaths and slower steps. We figure it must be the fresh air and the time spent in nature. And perhaps the Abercrombie & Kent touch, too.
