Argentina with Merlin Viajes

For our friends Tom and Gretchen and my husband, Jerry, and me, I wanted to hire a private guide in Argentina, but that was cost prohibitive. To design a trip for four of us for October ’12. I ended up contacting Anibal Mazas of Merlin Viajes (Pdte. Roque Sáenz Peña 1119 9° “902”, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, CP 1035, Argentina; phone +54 9 11 4936-0313).

I contacted him on the advice of Claudine Van Hemelryk of B&B Olleros 3000* in Buenos Aires, where we stayed four nights (July ’13, pg. 51).

Anibal skillfully orchestrated a 15-night trip for us that included five internal flights, transfers to and from airports, 3- and 4-star hotels and escorted tours in each city we visited for about $3,000 per person (not including international airfare). 

At a considerable savings over what I had been seeing advertised with organized tours, we saw everything on the “list”: the spectacular Iguazú Falls, the colorful high desert area of Salta, Jesuit missions and vineyards in Córdoba and the breathtaking alpine beauty of the lake district of Bariloche.

We found Anibal to be knowledgeable, reputable, thorough and conscientious. He has our highest recommendations. 

SUSAN PURCELL

Troy, MI

[B&B Olleros 3000 has closed. See this item in the May 2014 Boarding Pass column. —Editor]