I lived in Buenos Aires from 2013 to 2015. I remember landing at the international airport with two suitcases and subpar Spanish skills *completely* in over my head. I was a 20something who’d moved to a new continent without proper language skills or a well-paying job. What could possibly go wrong?

Well, not much. In fact everything went kinda really right. Here’s where I bring in my favorite quote about growth by Argentine Chef Francis Mallmann who I met at an asado in L.A. just this month. Ever since I heard him speak these words during a Chef’s Table episode a few years back, they’ve stuck with me:

My life has been a path at the edge of uncertainty. Today, I think we educate kids to be settled in the comfortable chair. You have your job, you have your little car, you have a place to sleep and the dreams are dead. You don’t grow on a secure path. All of us should conquer something in life and it needs a lot of work and it needs a lot of risk in order to grow and to improve you have to be there at the edge of uncertainty.

Insert LimitLes in Argentina. I’ve always wanted to share this magical land with everyone I know (and don’t know). When I launched this destination, I was straight GIDDY. Never in a million bajillion years did I think I’d be back here with 10 incredible strangers-turned-friends.

As a way to recap future LimitLes trips, I’ve decided to let the group speak! From here on out, I’ll be spotlighting the group’s top five favorites from each trip (all based on their feedback form so ya know it’s real). This is the best way to keep the full itinerary sacred for each individual group while highlighting the best of the best for all of y’all!

Asado on the Terrace

Asados are a way of life in Argentina. Similar to a BBQ, they involve lots…and I mean MUCHO…meat, fire and of course, a social gathering. I knew the best way to go about introducing the group to Argentine culture was to kick off the trip with an asado on our very own terrace in the heart of Palermo Hollywood – just a couple of blocks from where I lived in Buenos Aires for two years of my life. We hired the most wonderful family from Casabierta Catering who put together the best asado I’ve ever experienced – empanadas and chorizo and morcilla and bife de lomo and chimichurri and dulce de leche and AHHH my mouth is watering. Augusto and his wife Carina make the MOST AMAZING TEAM in the history of teams. He’s a sommelier, she’s a chef and for the cherry on top, they rent out a pretty epic Airbnb. Please contact them for all of your home-away-from-home needs.

Journaling & Sharing

I strongly feel that human connection and community is vital to our well-being. After learning various practices during my 32 years on earth that help fuel both of these needs, I put them into practice during LimitLes trips. It may seem like a *very* strange thing to gaze into the eyes of another woman for many minutes at a time, but holding space for others allows for so much release, growth and connection to unfold. We practice nonreactive listening as we share our truths with one another, only to journal about different topics throughout the trip. This safe space is where everyone becomes real, raw and themselves through and through.

Kayaking

I’ve waited five whole years to kayak these glacial waters! To do it with this specific group was truly unforgettable. Allow me to set the scene. We all woke up at 5am that morning in Buenos Aires to catch a flight to Patagonia. Even before the sun woke, energy levels were high. We made it to the airport, ordered some terrible coffee and boarded our 3-hour LATAM flight south. Quasar Expeditions (a favorite tour agency of mine) picked us up, gave everyone a really delicious boxed lunch (seriously didn’t know they could taste SO good), and we drove 1.5 hours to Los Glaciares National Park.

My only regret was not filming the actual act of putting on these dry suits since it basically looks like you’re being born from the suit itself HA. Ahhh, memories. If you find yourself in El Calafate, please for the love of God – do this.

Helsingfors Lodge

A lot of me doesn’t want to share about Helsingfors. To me, it’s the best kept secret in all of Patagonia. But alas, I am a travel blogger and here to share my favorite places throughout the world. On the shores of Lago Viedma, this magical lodge (with Hansel and Gretel vibes written all over it) is surrounded by a natural landscape, protected by lush woods giving away to a panoramic view of the lake, Mount Fitz Roy and the Andes Mountains. Listen up: there is no better view or more perfect vibe out there. If and when I pass, please scatter my ashes here (and then go across the border to Torres del Paine National Park in Chile. Scatter there, too.)

Perito Moreno Glacier Trek

I’ve been lucky AF to do this trek twice now, and it was just.as.much.fun the second time around. The mini ice trek on the growing glacier of Perito Moreno involves learning about geology (!), putting on crampons (!!), hiking a freaking glacier (!!!), and drinking whiskey on glacier ice afterwards (!!!!). I think we quite literally peaked in life at that moment. This ice field is the world’s third largest reserve of fresh water and is one of the only glaciers in the world that is growing instead of shrinking – yay for fun facts!