Take the best of Argentina – the landscape, the wine, the tango, the trekking, the literature, the beef and the architecture – and you have the ingredients for one of the most exciting trips you’ll ever undertake. Read on for the incredible experiences no visitor to this spectacular land should miss…

Feel the power: The Iguazú Falls, Northern Argentina

Chosen as one of the new Seven Wonders of Nature in 2011, the Iguazú Falls in northern Argentina is by turns hypnotic and dazzling. Taller and wider than Niagara Falls, this chain formed of hundreds of waterfalls spreads into a horseshoe shape that stretches for nearly two miles. The roar caused by this wide, rapid drop can be heard far away, while huge clouds of mist rise some 500 feet into the air, forming spectacular rainbows. Brazil might boast that its side offers a more stunning panorama, but Argentina can lay claim to a more visceral and personal experience.

The end of the world: Ushuaia, Patagonia

The mythical Ushuaia, the so-called ‘city at the end of the world’, is both a popular starting point for expeditions to Antarctica and the Falkland Islands and a must-visit travel destination in its own right. Top of the list for any traveller should be Martillo Island, where you can find one of the largest penguin colonies outside of Antarctica, and the Tierra del Fuego National Park. The latter is characterised by an abundance of crystal clear lakes, rivers, glaciers, deep valleys, centuries-old forests, high granite peaks and an array of wildlife, including Fuegian foxes, Austral parakeets, albatrosses and Andean condors.

Get lost in nature: Los Glaciares National Park, Patagonia

As its name suggests, Los Glaciares National Park is home to over 40 glaciers, with a third of its 3,000 square miles covered in ice. The most impressive of them all is Perito Moreno, one of the few glaciers in the world not retreating. Named after a 19th-century explorer, it is currently 19 miles long and rises an average of 240 feet above the water. If you wait a while, you may even witness huge chunks of ice break off and crash into the turquoise waters below, causing a reverberating roar.

Tango the night away: Buenos Aires

The cosmopolitan and colourful capital of Buenos Aires is the birthplace of tango, the sensual partner dance that remains an iconic aspect of Argentine culture. You can watch performers in stage shows, milongas (dance halls) and on the streets. For an al fresco experience like no other, head to the picturesque neighbourhood of La Boca. In El Caminito, a narrow alley with brightly painted shacks, impromptu performances are often carried out. Remember tango is not a hobby, it’s a way of life.

Toast with a tipple: Mendoza, Cuyo

Located on a high-altitude plateau, at the foot of the Andes, the Mendoza province is one of the great wine regions of the world (it produces 70% of all the wine made in Argentina). In its second home, the French grape variety Malbec produces red wines of great concentration and intensity. Here you can take your pick from over 1,000 wineries, which are not only fascinating to visit, but set against a stunning backdrop of blue skies and snow-capped peaks, are stunningly picturesque as well.