Trip Region: South America
Country(ies): Argentina, Uruguay
Partners Trek? No
Cost: $2999
Airfare Estimate: $1100
Structure:   •   Lodging:   •   Nightlife: 6   •   Activity: 7

Do you like exploring South American cities? Can you tell the difference between a Malbec and a Syrah (we can’t either)? Are you interested in converting “Old Town Road” from your favorite pregame jam to your life’s theme song? Join our trek to experience the best of all that both Uruguay and Argentina have to offer.

This trip has everything – city tours, massive waterfalls (and Bob, a tall glass of water), Argentinian nightlife, a ferry (and Mariel, a fairy), a hike… what more could you ask for? Oh, delicious food and drink? Check and check! Catch ya on the flip side (like the literal Southern Hemisphere). Let’s see how the sun hits and which way the toilet flushes for once and for all.

Day 1 — Sunday, Aug 16

Buenos Aires, Argentina: Bienvenidos a Buenos Aires! While I’m sure you enjoyed your fair share of BelVitas while watching Evita on the flight over, please don’t cry for me Argentina, there are no tears on this MTrek, only the longest continuously maintained smile of your entire life. Hope the Patagonias in your checked bag make it because we’ll be close, but we’re not going there. Upon arrival, settle into your hotel, meet your fellow trekkers and prepare for an evening of taste bud silent disco fueled by five courses of premium meat (lol) and delectable alcoholic grape juice (I am not drinking f***ing Merlot!). This isn’t your average NY strip at Ponderosa. We’re hopping on our culinary GulfstreamTM, destination: nirvana.

Day 2 — Monday, Aug 17

Buenos Aires, Argentina: Your taste buds enjoyed the metropolitan cuisine, now it's time to flip their world upside down like NasX did to country music. Ride the Old Town Road to just outside of Buenos Aires to the Elosia Estancia. Here, we’ll meet some horses and learn about the famed sport of Polo (not just for your dad’s shirts). Your day trip also includes a BBQ lunch and Argentinian wine tasting. We’ll then head back to Buenos Aires for a potential spin with the famous BA nightlife.

Day 3 — Tuesday, Aug 18

Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay: In the AM, we’ll complete our royal flush of travel with a ferry transfer from BA to Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay. Never heard of it? No problem! Luis Suarez will provide a personal city tour with lunch (it won’t be him, but we will have a guide). You’ll enjoy getting to know your fellow trekkers while walking the cobblestone streets of the Barrio Historico, taking in the architectural wonders of this UNESCO World Heritage site. While the guide runs the day, your options abound after dark. Leaders will plan a group dinner, with nightlife opportunities to follow.

Day 4 — Wednesday, Aug 19

Montevideo, Uruguay: Hope you packed your Nuun tablets (no seriously, LINK) - today we travel to the city of Montevideo. Here we learn about the history of Blockbuster Video, Pop-up Video, and most importantly, Montevideo. Continuing our exploration of South American tour guide styles, we partake in another Uruguayan city tour, this time working in more Leslie Knope, Selina Meyer and Jed Bartlett flavor in the country’s capital city. Once the tour concludes, again we tango, candombe or milonga our way through the watering holes of Montevideo, closely monitoring Prutha’s tequila intake along the way.

Day 5 — Thursday, Aug 20

Buenos Aires, Argentina: After waking up, identifying your whereabouts, popping a Nuun tablet, and finding the group, you’ll brave the high seas (or, technically a large river) back to Buenos Aires. In the afternoon, we complete the “Pretty Fly for Uruguay” trifecta by completing your third city tour in three days (bring your shape-ups!). Also don’t forget your portable phone charger, as street art abounds in the Colegiales neighborhood, where the tour snakes before finding our way to the MALBA, an art museum known for modern art (where you will undoubtedly out-gram our aspiring influencer Mariel). Celebrate the conclusion of the city tour trifecta at a local winery/brewery (where we get to know their secrets? Dunno, ask Intrepid). Later, we’ll learn the art of tango during a dance lesson followed by dinner and a tango show. Hope all the dancing tires you out because you need to rest up -- tomorrow we travel to where Chadwick Boseman was crowned king of Wakanda.

Day 6 — Friday, Aug 21

Puerto Iguazú, Argentina: Rise and shine, trekkers! We’ll be cruising the friendly skies to Puerto Iguazú city, near the world-famous Iguazú Falls (aka Warrior Falls per Black Panther #wakandaforever). We’ll cross into our third country of the tour, Brazil, to explore the Brazilian National Park side of the falls in the PM. Of note, we finish the tour in “the canyon of the Devil’s Throat” (their words, not ours), and Bob has promised a demonstration of his famed kicking abilities, offering to launch a football across the falls at some point. Lunch is included in our trek, but dinner will be on our own in Puerto Iguazú.

Day 7 — Saturday, Aug 22

Puerto Iguazú, Argentina: Today, we’ll be exploring the Argentine side of the Iguazú Falls in the Iguazú National Park. We’ll begin our exploration in Devil’s Throat (sheesh, we still can’t), walk 45 minutes to another viewpoint of the falls at the Upper Walk (why can’t Devil’s Throat take the hint?), and a 1.5 hr walk along the lower path (again, wtf Devil’s Throat?). After our Dora-the-Explorer adventure day, the evening’s activities are subject to the whims of the group. Sasha has promised a solo jazz evening at her favorite Puerto Iguazú jazz smoking lounge, but again, subject to the whims of the group. Bring your smoking jackets just in case.

Day 8 — Sunday, Aug 23

Buenos Aires, Argentina: I lied when I said there would be no tears on this trek, because you may shed a tear for our last full day (or for being caught in a detailed personality analysis with Laura) as an international crew of MTrek friends. Today, we’ll be making our way back to BA for our last hurrah as South American gauchos. We’ll have a free day, depending on travel times, to explore BA one last time. Our farewell meal could only be titled “The Argentine Experience” as it is an all-encompassing experience, both a true feast for the senses and a feat of ingestion. Here, we’ll repulge empanadas, prepare mates, swirl some wine, and order steak en Espanol. Open your hearts to our final group dinner in this little corner of the world, then open your devil’s throat to all of the liquor BA has to offer in one final grand finale closing ceremonial bash.

Day 9 — Monday, Aug 24

Remember those Nuun tablets? Today is our departure day, but we’ll see you in Ann Arbor! Fly back to the states, with a treasure chest of stories, souvenirs, and fresh friendships to build on throughout your MBA experience.