Argentina

At Perito Moreno, slabs of blue ice break from the glacier and crash into the lake below. At Iguazú, forest walkways lead into clouds of spray and the roar of hundreds of waterfalls. Argentina rewards a spirit of exploration: walk beneath the jagged peaks around El Chaltén or sail the Beagle Channel, where sea lions gather on rocky islets.

Buenos Aires deserves time of its own. Browse San Telmo’s antiques stalls, linger over coffee in a historic café and spend an evening at a milonga, one of the city’s tango dance halls. Alongside the grand avenues and elegant architecture, there are neighbourhood bookshops, bustling markets and steakhouses worth making an evening of.

In Mendoza, vineyards spread beneath the Andes, and a long lunch with a glass of Malbec can easily become an afternoon’s main event. Further north, Salta opens the way to red-rock valleys, whitewashed villages and the wineries of Cafayate. Allow time for the journeys here: the road through the Quebrada de las Conchas is an attraction in its own right.