Chile & Argentina: Andino Museum, Parador Jamón & Bodega Los Toneles

March 2026

Punta Choros

On the way to Punta Choros, surrounded by beautiful scenery, we had the chance to observe foxes and guanacos up close.

Uber, Bolt, and similar services

Ride-hailing is the digital booking of rides in private cars via an app, often as an alternative to traditional taxis. Users (passengers) are picked up directly by a driver at their desired location and taken to their destination.
We’ve been using Uber for years.

Since we know that most private car owners here in South America don’t make a fortune with the very low fares, we always round up the fare with a generous tip, which we hand over in cash.
In Santiago de Chile, we used an Uber to travel 35 km from our safely parked Sprinter to the Swiss Embassy in the city center. On the way to the embassy, we had bad luck with a nervous, inexperienced driver. We keep experiencing that taking a ride in a big city isn’t without risk, depending on the driver.
The return trip was a whole new experience for us. A Tesla owner responded to our booking request via the app. For us, it was pure luxury. I was especially amazed by everything visible on the huge touchscreen display: the surroundings behind and to the left and right, as well as vehicles and pedestrians on the side of the road, and much more. It’s almost borderline in terms of not distracting the driver.
The extreme, silent acceleration was also very impressive. The young driver had his vehicle completely under control. We enjoyed the ride, but we’re still not switching our vehicle! Especially not with Tesla!

Santa Rita Winery

A visit to this fascinating winery in the Santiago Metropolitan Region, known for its excellent Cabernet Sauvignon, is well worth it—especially because of the adjacent Andino Museum.
The museum is filled with 3,000 archaeological and ethnographic artifacts from Inca and Mapuche history and culture. The descriptions are provided in English and Spanish, making the exhibits easy to understand. The permanent exhibition is like a journey through Chile’s pre-Columbian cultures. We were thrilled!

Parador Jamón del Medio

On Route 40 north of Malargüe, you’ll find a paradise for ham sandwich lovers. A small rest stop well-stocked with regional products. How would you like your generously filled sandwich: toasted or untoasted, with olive oil or garlic, with pickled peppers, olive tapenade, or sun-dried tomatoes?
We wondered why some people left the shop just before placing their order. Not every Argentine is willing to spend 19,000 Argentine pesos (11 Swiss francs) on a large sandwich.
Well, we didn’t want to buy a sandwich but instead ordered thinly sliced raw ham to go. We were quite surprised when the server told us that the shop sold ham exclusively in sandwiches.
All the more reason for us to look forward to the delicious, high-quality raw ham at the Diapolo butcher shop in San Juan.

Bodega Los Toneles

an urban winery in Mendoza, founded in 1922 and fully restored by the Millán family since 2002.
An interesting winery tour: the ends of the wine barrels feature exclusive paintings of nymphs by the artist Francisco Bustos Arteaga. The Abrasado restaurant, which has received excellent ratings in the Michelin Guide, and the specialty coffee house La Casona.

Vallecito Encantado

A search for a campsite full of surprises.
We found a spot with breathtaking scenery and bizarre geological rock formations along National Route 40, 15 km from Guandacol. Sunrises and sunsets made the valley, with its reddish hues, truly enchanting.
After three days and nights, we left this special place.

Shopping along Route 40 in Argentina

Since towns are often hundreds of kilometers apart, this requires some shopping planning.
At a newer supermarket selling everyday groceries, we had to either leave our shopping bags and backpacks at the entrance or have them sealed in large bags.
1 kg of beef tenderloin for 15 francs. 1 kg of blue cheese for 11 francs. No complaints there.
At these specialty counters, our purchases were also sealed in bags and handed to us to pay at the checkout. Theft prevention!