If walking around a city isn’t your thing, this informative and cheeky tour chauffeurs you around some of the most important tourist spots in Mendoza.

In Mendoza, you cannot see the desert for the trees, literally. No matter how many Mendocinos tell me this province is basically dry scrub (only 3% is irrigated), all I can see is an abundance of water feeding tree-lined streets, lush parks and thousands of hectares of vineyards, orchards and olive groves. There is rafting, fishing, sailing and swimming.

A desert? Come on!

Look at a map, I am told. There you will see this vast province has only several small pockets of green. The rest is thirsty camel country. Get dropped in the middle of nowhere and within an hour you´ll be drinking your own urine.

Cordon del Plata is part of the Cordillera Frontal, the first big mountain range you meet west of Mendoza, near Potrerillos. Its biggest peak is El Plata at 6,300m, but it has many smaller mountains (such as San Bernando at 4,300) which are ideal for one-day treks. Many climbers use the area to practice and acclimatise before tackling the big one – Aconagua (6,962). The area is more peaceful and less visited than the national park.