Argentina’s wine capital — where world-class Malbec grows in the shadow of the Andes, and where great food, outdoor adventure, and one of the most beautiful landscapes in South America come together in one extraordinary destination.
Mendoza is one of the great wine destinations of the world. Nestled in the Cuyo region of western Argentina at the foot of the Andes, it produces Malbec that has captured the imagination and the palates of wine lovers in every country on earth — a wine that found its finest expression in Argentine soil and now defines Argentina’s identity in glass form. The high-altitude vineyards that stretch across the Mendoza wine region — some of them over 1,000 meters above sea level — produce grapes of extraordinary concentration and complexity, and the wineries that work with them range from grand historic estates to intimate boutique producers working with extraordinary precision and passion.
But Mendoza is far more than wine. It is a city of wide, tree-lined boulevards and elegant plazas, of excellent restaurants and a food culture that takes local ingredients as seriously as any city in Argentina. It sits at the base of the highest section of the Andes, with Aconcagua — at 6,961 meters the highest peak in both the Western and Southern Hemispheres — visible from the city on clear days. The mountain landscape that surrounds Mendoza provides a remarkable backdrop for outdoor activities in every season: horseback riding through high-altitude vineyards, ATV adventures in the mountain foothills, skiing at Las Leñas and Los Penitentes in winter, white-water rafting on the Mendoza River, and trekking into the Andes on trails that reach some of the most dramatic mountain scenery in the world.
The city itself has a warmth and a sophistication that reflects its particular combination of Italian immigrant heritage and Andean frontier spirit. The Cerro de la Gloria, rising above the city’s Parque General San Martín, offers panoramic views across the entire Mendoza Valley to the Andes. The parks of the city — green, shaded, and full of life — are among the finest urban green spaces in Argentina. And the wine bar culture that has developed in the city’s neighborhoods over the past decade makes Mendoza one of the most enjoyable cities in South America to simply spend an evening in.
Beagle Tours has developed three distinct Mendoza itineraries — Wine Country, Ride & Wine, and Moto Adventure — each built around a different way of experiencing the same extraordinary destination. Whatever your pace and your interests, we have a Mendoza experience designed for you.
Cuyo — Western Argentina
Mendoza
Mendoza
Malbec
Luján de Cuyo / Valle de Uco / Maipú
Aconcagua — 6,961m (highest in Americas)
March to May (harvest) / September to November
June to September
Semi-Arid / Warm Dry Summers / Cold Winters
Spanish
Argentine Peso
ART (UTC -3)
Governor Francisco Gabrielli International (MDZ)
Mendoza rewards different kinds of travelers in different ways. We have built three distinct itineraries — each one a fully different way of experiencing the same extraordinary destination.
The classic Mendoza experience — private winery visits in Luján de Cuyo and Maipú, tastings at the source, lunch in a vineyard, and evenings in the city’s finest wine bars. Designed for the traveler whose priority is wine, food, and the extraordinary landscape that produces both.
Combine Mendoza’s finest wine experiences with horseback riding through the high-altitude vineyards of the Andes foothills. An itinerary that moves between the saddle and the tasting room — perfectly balanced for the traveler who wants both adventure and indulgence.
Hit the open roads of Mendoza province on two wheels — through the vineyard districts, up into the Andes foothills, and across some of the most dramatic mountain scenery in Argentina. An itinerary for the traveler who wants to experience Mendoza’s landscape at speed, with wine at the end of it.
The wineries of Mendoza are among the most beautiful working estates in the world. In Luján de Cuyo — the heartland of Mendoza Malbec — grand historic bodegas sit among vine rows with the snow-capped Andes as a permanent backdrop. In the Valle de Uco, three hours south, a newer generation of boutique wineries works at altitudes above 1,000 meters in a landscape of extraordinary drama and precision. In Maipú, the oldest wine district in Mendoza, family-owned producers maintain traditions of winemaking that go back generations. A private guided winery tour with Beagle Tours takes you into these estates with genuine access — tastings with the winemakers, lunches among the vines, and the unhurried pace that a great wine destination demands.
The Andes are not merely a backdrop in Mendoza — they are a presence. On clear days, Aconcagua is visible from the city streets, its summit at 6,961 meters rising above the range in a way that makes the scale of the mountain immediately felt. The high Andean roads that lead west from Mendoza toward the Chilean border pass through some of the most dramatic mountain scenery in the world — the Uspallata Valley, the Puente del Inca natural bridge, the Aconcagua Provincial Park with its trails leading to base camp. For travelers who want to combine Mendoza’s wine culture with genuine Andean adventure, a private guided mountain excursion is one of the most rewarding day trips in Argentina.
Mendoza is one of Argentina’s most livable and most enjoyable cities. Its wide, tree-lined boulevards — the famous acequia irrigation channels running alongside them — give it a distinctive character unlike any other Argentine city. The Cerro de la Gloria rises above the magnificent Parque General San Martín — one of the largest and most beautiful urban parks in Argentina — offering panoramic views across the valley to the Andes. The city’s pedestrian center, its plazas, its outdoor restaurant terraces, and the wine bar culture that has established itself in the neighborhoods of Aristides Villanueva and Chacras de Coria together make Mendoza a city that is deeply enjoyable simply to be in.
Mendoza’s combination of mountain landscape, river valleys, and open high-altitude terrain makes it one of the best adventure destinations in Argentina. Horseback riding through vineyard country and into the Andean foothills. ATV adventures in the mountain terrain north and south of the city. White-water rafting on the Mendoza River through a canyon of dramatic rock walls. Skiing at Las Leñas — one of the finest ski resorts in South America — in winter. And for the most serious outdoor travelers, multi-day trekking toward Aconcagua base camp through a landscape that few people outside Argentina have ever seen. Beagle Tours connects all of these adventures with the wine and food culture that makes Mendoza one of the most complete destinations in the country.
Mendoza’s food scene is one of the best-kept secrets in Argentine gastronomy. The Italian immigrant heritage of the Cuyo region — combined with the finest local beef, vegetables grown in the irrigated Andean valleys, and olive oil produced from ancient groves in the region — gives Mendoza a culinary tradition of genuine depth. The vineyard restaurants that have opened across Luján de Cuyo and the Valle de Uco in recent years — where winemakers serve food designed specifically to accompany their wines in a setting of vines and mountains — represent some of the finest dining experiences in South America. Paired with the Malbec, Torrontés, and Cabernet Franc that come from these estates, a meal among the vines in Mendoza is an experience that stays with you.
Mendoza offers two distinct accommodation experiences and we offer both. Choose from the finest 4 and 5 star hotels in the city center — elegant, well-located, and close to the best restaurants and wine bars — or stay in a vineyard lodge right among the vines, where waking up with the Andes behind the vineyard outside your window is part of the experience. Whatever your preference, every property is personally vetted for comfort, character, and location.
Every Mendoza experience is led by a private, English-speaking guide with genuine local expertise — in the wineries, in the city, and on the mountain. We customize every schedule around your group’s interests and pace, whether that means three days of intensive winery visits, a balance of adventure and gastronomy, or a fully tailored combination of everything Mendoza offers.
From arrival at Governor Francisco Gabrielli International Airport to your final transfer out, all ground logistics are handled by our team. Private vehicles for all city transfers, winery visits, and mountain excursions. The distances between Mendoza’s wine regions are significant — having private transportation transforms the winery circuit from a logistical challenge into one of the great scenic drives in Argentina.
Mendoza is well connected by air to Buenos Aires and other Argentine cities, and by road across the Andes to Santiago de Chile. Our team and trusted partners help arrange the best flights in and out. For guests combining Mendoza with Santiago, Buenos Aires, or other Beagle destinations, we coordinate the full routing from start to finish.
Vineyards in Mendoza
Mendoza from the Sky
Just across the Andes, Santiago offers Chile’s finest wines, a cosmopolitan city experience, and the Pacific coast — the perfect companion to a Mendoza wine itinerary.
Argentina’s cosmopolitan capital is a short flight from Mendoza — the natural starting or finishing point for any Argentine journey that includes wine country.
Argentina’s other great wine destination — the high-altitude Torrontés and Malbec of Cafayate, combined with colonial heritage and dramatic Andean landscapes in the country’s northwest.
Tell us when you want to go, how long you have, and what kind of experience matters most to you. We will take care of everything else from there.