Very popular sports
If in the land of the god Maradona football is king, other sports enthrall the crowds.
Basketball. Victory at the Athens Olympics in 2004 is still on everyone's mind. The Albiceleste had won against Italy, after taking out the USA, the big favourites. Led by a formidable Manu Ginobili, well supported by the Scola, Nocioni and Oberto, this popular success generated considerable excitement across the country, although enthusiasm has waned somewhat since superstar Ginobili's retirement in 2018.
Rugby. No professional league in Argentina, yet one of the best teams in the world,3rd in the World Cup in 2007 and4th in 2015, before getting stuck in the pools in 2019. Since the end of the 1990s, the Pumas have been able to rise to the level of the best, thanks to talented players like Juan Martín Hernández or Agustín Pichot. That is what prompted international bodies to include the hitherto isolated Argentinian team in the famous Tri-Nations tournament between the great teams of the southern hemisphere, renamed The Rugby Championship in 2011. At the same time, the Jaguares franchise was created in 2015, allowing Argentinean players to sharpen their skills by competing in the demanding Super Rugby Championship.
Tennis. Argentina is a land of tennis, with great tennis players such as Guillermo Vilas, David Nalbandian, Guillermo Coria, Gastón Gaudio, Mariano Zabaleta, Juan Mónaco, Juan Martin del Potro or, more recently, Diego Schwartzman (13th in the world in 2020). Among the women, the talented Gabriela Sabatini (3rd in the world in the late 1980s) has made her mark
Polo. Little known in French-speaking countries, polo fascinates the crowds here. The country's left-wing tradition ensures that the horse and rider have a good time, and the best players in the world are all Argentinians, such as the mythical Adolfo Cambiaso. The Palermo Open in Buenos Aires is the most prestigious tournament in the world.
Riding in the land of the gauchos
Horseback riding is an excellent way to visit remote valleys and endless spaces, meeting the Argentine gauchos. Most estancias offer horseback excursions and you will be spoilt for choice. The best places to go on a crazy horseback ride are the following: in Patagonia, near El Calafate and around Ushuaia; in Cuyo near Mendoza or around Malargüe; in the Córdoba sierras with their alpine air; in the northwest, countless possibilities around Salta, to discover remote canyons or unknown archaeological sites; in the Pampa, to follow in the footsteps of the gauchos; in Mesopotamia, especially in the delightful region of the Esteros del Iberá.
To the rivers!
Fishing. Argentina is a country renowned for salmon and trout fishing, especially in the Lake District and Patagonia. Remember that you will need to have a license. The Bariloche region is one of the musts for sport fishing enthusiasts and generally speaking, Argentine Patagonia is full of lagoons and rivers that are a joy for anglers. However, it is in Mesopotamia that this sport takes on its full scope, especially along the Río Paraná, in the region of La Paz or Corrientes in particular. You can fish for 20 kilo dorados!
Rafting and kayaking. The region of Bariloche and Lake Mascardi is once again recommended; otherwise, it is possible to have a lot of fun around Mendoza, especially in the village of Potrerillos, where you can even go night rafting on full moon nights in summer! Less adventurous, but pleasant nonetheless, is the walk in the Paraná Delta, in Tigre, barely an hour from Buenos Aires.
The Mecca of trekking
Needless to say, Argentine Patagonia and the entire Andes mountain range up to the Bolivian border offer countless possibilities, from country walks to long hikes lasting several days. Between the fertile and lush valleys, the austere and diaphanous Puna or the tormented landscapes of the Patagonian glaciers, everyone will find their happiness. The lake region offers short day hikes or long treks lasting several days. The areas of the Lanin volcano, Lake Mascardi and Cerro Tronador, El Bolsón of course and its peaceful valley, Esquel and its national park Los Alerces, Chaltén of course (one of the highest trekking places in the world), or Ushuaia offer many possibilities to face the magic of the vegetal and mineral world. Otherwise, around Mendoza, and especially Malargüe, the possibilities are also interesting. The more experienced can also set off to conquer Aconcagua, the highest point in the Americas. Finally, if the walks in the province of Córdoba are a little less spectacular, the whole northwest is worth discovering. It is, for example, possible to make a hike of several days starting from Iruya, a superb small Andean village, towards La Quiaca, in unknown and still little-used landscapes.
Cycling legendary roads
The Ruta 40 is the major route for cyclists in Argentina. From Junín de los Andes to El Calafate, the landscapes change and there are many tourist sites. However, it may be advisable to use the private transport between Perito Moreno and El Chaltén: long distances, no traffic, very few opportunities to stay or eat... And if you are tackling this legendary stretch of road, equip yourself accordingly!
The Ruta 3, on the other hand, runs along the Atlantic and is very tiring with thousands of kilometres swept by the wind. But that doesn't prevent you from coming across some brave people on the Alaska-Ushuaia route!In winter, it's time to ski
Argentina is South America's ski mecca. The season runs from June to September. Bariloche, with its famous Cerro Catedral, is THE winter sports resort on the continent. But the prices are quite high and the slopes are very busy. So why not visit Junín de los Andes, Villa la Angostura (Cerro Bayo), San Martín de los Andes (Cerro Chapelco), or Esquel (La Hoya)? Otherwise, in the region of Mendoza, there are the resorts of Las Leñas and Penintentes, less posh than Bariloche. The more adventurous will go as far as Ushuaia to enjoy the snows of the Cerro Castor.
