Raft from Argentina to Chile

I can't swim so I must have had a death wish when I chose a Class IV white water rafting tour that requires you to be a "confident swimmer." I figured what could go wrong as long as I have a life jacket and safety kayakers by my side. Luckily, nothing bad happened to me but I can't say the same for the guys who fell overboard into the glacier-fed Manso River in Argentina. Did I mention that it was also snowing that day? Within minutes, I was part of a rescue team saving my fellow rafters. You'd be surprised what you can do when the adrenaline is pumping. After rafting for two hours through the deep canyons and intense rapids, we arrived at the Chilean border where we we celebrated the day's events with some Argentinian wine and a Patagonian barbecue. For more info: http://www.aguasblancas.com.ar/english/adventure-rafting-manso-river-chile-frontier-patagonia.shtml

Ice Trekking on a Glacier

Reaching the center of the Perito Moreno Glacier in Argentina with crampons strapped to your feet is no easy task. After four hours of hiking and rappelling, you'll be begging for a foot massage. Several types of ice trek tours are offered in Calafate, ranging from easy to hard. Push yourself and sign up for the "Big Ice" trek offered by Hielo y Aventura, which allows you to experience more of the glacier. This trek is geared for fit people between the ages of 18 and 45. I'll be the first to tell you that I'm not what most consider "fit," but I can walk a fair distance without huffing and puffing. So if I can do it, it can't be that hard. After a couple of hours of trekking, you'll find yourself at the center of the glacier where you can have a picnic and a warm cup of yerba mate tea. It gets better -- on the ferry ride back, you'll be drinking a "scotch on the glacier rocks." Savor the moment as this is the only place where the "rocks" are older than the scotch. For more info: http://www.hieloyaventura.com

Don't Forget the Lamb in Argentina!

With all the talk about the beef in Argentina, don't miss out on the lamb. One of our best meals in Patagonia was cooked over a fire pit in the parking lot of our hotel in Puerto Piramides (a town famous for viewing the southern right whales). After waiting patiently for two hours, the rancher finally said the magic words, "it's ready." It was worth the wait! The lamb was succulent, juicy and fell off the bone. A bottle of Malbec and Patagonian lamb hit the spot. To taste this for yourself, head over to the parking lot of Hosteria Paradise. For more info: http://www.hosteriaparadise.com.ar/