Geocaching country souvenir: Argentina

By Andrew Baldwin
In Argentina, there is always something exciting around the corner. Whether you’re a master mountaineer or a curious tourist, the towering Andes mountains, breathtaking landscapes of Patagonia, festive culture of Buenos Aires, and exquisite cuisine will not cease to captivate you.

From a natural perspective, the area is enveloped with iconic mountain silhouettes, growing glaciers, vast salt flats, vibrant wetlands, desolate deserts, and the Valdivian rain forest. While exploring Argentina you may also come across penguins, capybaras, or one of the many bird species native to the area. Over 10 percent of the world’s flora is native to Argentina, offering a diverse and robust array of flowers, cacti, and trees from north to south.
The people of Argentina love to watch fútbol (soccer) and dance. If you find yourself in town during a match, jump in on the fun in a local bar and join the passionate back and forth chanting and clinking of beers. Ballroom dancing is another favorite pastime for many Argentinians. The Tango originated from the Buenos Aires lower class and rose to popularity when teenagers assimilated together in the city. This bridged a cultural gap in the city and the Tango spread like wildfire.
But if you’re reading this you most likely tango with geocaching—and so do we—so let’s get started.
In July of 2001, Argentina’s first geocache was placed. Since then, over 1,900 geocaches have been published (1,500 active) across its spacious landscape. Geocachers flock to this part of the world to experience adventure and exploration. We’ve hand selected geocaches in some of Argentina’s most beloved locations that capture the beauty and spirit of both the country and geocaching.
Glaciar Perito Moreno – Patagonia
EarthCache | GC1JPHG | by Dutzig | D2.5/T2.5

Travel through the Patagonia Valley to the Perito Moreno Glacier located in Los Glaciares National Park. It is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Argentina. The ice formation is one of 48 glaciers fed by the Southern Patagonian Ice Field in the Andes mountains shared with Chile. This icefield is the world’s third largest reserve of fresh water and one of only three Patagonian glaciers that is not retreating.
The Perito Moreno glacier was named after the Francisco Moreno, an explorer who studied the region in the 19th century.
To log this EarthCache you’ll need to estimate what the distance between the terminus of the glacier to the tip of the peninsula on the day you visited and snap a picture of you and your GPS/Mobile device.
Puerto Madero
Multi Cache | GC39KDR | by Luis959 | D2/T1.5

This cache guides you on a walk through the newest district of Buenos Aires, Puerto Madero. Surrounded by bars and restaurants, feel free to rest and enjoy the beautiful views of the city and waterfront.
Laguna de los Tres: Maya-treasure-06
Traditional | GC5TQT9 | by CacheGert | D1.5/T4

The iconic Fitz Roy mountain range and blue glacier lakes are an essential part of the breathtaking visual experience of Patagonia. El Chaltén is a small mountain village located at the base of Cerro Torre and Cerro Fitz Roy mountains. Your journey begins at El Chaltén for an eight hour hike.
We announced five new Geocaching country souvenirs on Monday, December 4th. If you’ve already found a geocache in any of these countries, you’ll automatically receive the souvenir on your profile. Check out all of the geocaching souvenirs here.