Vallée Frey (Argentina)

The journey leading to the stunning Frey Valley is mind blowing. It starts with a cable car, followed by a chairlift that goes as far as Mont Cathedral. You've got the message - this is the entry point to a ski resort, the largest one in South America. From there you can access the Cerro zip line. Boy, what a view...Numerous snow-capped mountains and volcanoes, in particular Lanin, which sits on the Chilean border. After a couple of hours' walk across an easy terrain, you'll arrive at this legendary valley.

I went during summer so I could hike and have fun clambering over the rocky boulders, but I've heard that 'extreme ski' fans head there during winter. One glitch: I did wonder how they managed to carry their kit along trails that are really slippery, even without snow!

Any climbing fan will love the Frey Valley's idyllic landscape : low lying vegetation, small lakes and, last but not least, red granite needles that seem to have been deliberately carved to make their ascent more easy. Even if climbing's not your thing, if you do find yourself at Bariloche it's still well worth visiting during your trip to Argentina. There's a fun atmosphere and delicious, huge pizzas available on-site: they're so good they merit the detour. As does the scenery, of course!