Background info
Argentina is the second largest country in Latin America and counts approx. 40 million inhabitants. There are very few countries in the world that can rival its variety of natural beauty. Its land area covers a variety of climate zones and habitats including a metropolitan city, tropical forests, waterfalls, gigantic green fields, wetlands, deserts, mountains and glaciers. The animal life is abundant and includes for example Llamas & Guanacos, Penguins & Sea-Elephants, Pumas & Condors, Cows and Sheep.
Argentina is not cheap. Wines are excellent. USD 20-30 for a simple meal is normal in the country side. A nicer meal in a nicer restaurant in Buenos Aires may cost double or more. Meals are large and most of the time large enough to share between two people. All national parks charge entrance fees. The fee (between USD 30 and 50) gives entrance to one specific park for 1-5 days.
Argentina is large county and the major tourist destinations are in the far corners of the country. To see most of it on a single trip, you probably have to fly several times. Many people visit Argentina in combination with Chile. This makes sense and is easy with wide open borders between the two countries.
I have been to Argentina 3 times now and spent close to three months between all corners of this amazing place. It changed, as all countries do, but certainly remains one of the top tourist destinations in the world for nature. Yes, I would go again.
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital of Argentina and with 16 million people in the metropolitan area, one of the largest cities in the Americas. This may be your first entry point when flying into Argentina from abroad. As with all major cities, there is a lot to do here.
The city has the nickname “the Paris of South America”, but this isn’t really true. They are quite different. The heart of the city is the Plaza de Mayo, where the government buildings are. You will also find the Metropolitan Cathedral of Buenos Aires here, where late Pope Francis served as an arch bishop. Another famous person is of course Eva Peron (aka. Evita), who died in 1952 and is buried in the Ricoleta Cemetry (entrance fee USD 30). Ricoleta is a nice district with long avenues and restaurants.
The most famous place of Buenos Aires is probably La Boca, a district with very colourful houses and home of the Boca Juniors football club. Diego Maradona played for Atletico and Boca Juniors to become a true global football legend. He can still be found everywhere, on posters and in miniature. Lionel Messi and the tango are also very present in La Boca.
Dining in a proper restaurants in Buenos Aires starts late. Do not walk in before 20:00, because the cook may not be there yet. Most diners arrive between 21:00 and 23:00. Yes, they eat a big meal with lots of meat just before bedtime.
Iguassu Falls
The Iguassu Falls on the border between Argentina and Brazil is a must-see destination if you are less than 1000kms away. You will need one whole day at each side.
This may sound exaggerated, but seeing the largest water system in the world, resulting in one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the world, is truly extraordinary. Victoria Falls may be the largest single drop of water, but the Iguassu are more impressive.
The colour of the water changes depending on the amount of water that comes down the Iguassu River. In the rainy season there may be lots of water, but the colour turns brown.
Puerto Iguassu (in Argentina) is the main tourist town nearby and recommended. Local buses take you to the waterfalls from here. A nice photo stop to spend a few hours is “Tres Fronteras” (3 borders) where you can see Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay. The restaurant sells excellent Pina Coladas!
Iberá Wetlands
The Iberá Wetlands may not be very well-known and are not exactly on everyone’s itinerary. They are the smaller brother of the Pantanal, with lots of swamps, marshes and lagoons.
The wetlands are filled with animal life, in particular Capi Baras, alligators, deer and birds. Even 35 jaguars are roaming the area now.
Colonia Carlos Pelegrini is the place to stay and discover the waters by boat, but it is very quiet and a bit remote. There are only 3 buses per week from Mercedes, the nearest city. Planning your arrival and departure is therefore a necessity.
Puerto Madryn and Peninsula Valdes
The east coast of Argentina is famous for the animals that crowd the beaches. Puerto Madryn is a very pleasant place with nice hotels, apartments, restaurants and car rentals.
Peninsula Valdes is host to a lot of sea lions, sea elephants, and whales. Driving there over an unpaved road, with guanacos and emus as fellow road participants, is very memorable. The peninsula is world famous for one phenomena: orcas that come to the shore to feast on young sea lions. It sounds sad, but is nature.
Valdes and Punto Tumba are known for large colonies of Magellan Penguins. Up to 1 million animals can be found here between September and March. Highly recommended.
The area is served by two airports: Puerto Madryn and Trelew. They are 70kms (1 hour by taxi) apart. This may not seem important, but you need to know where to be at time of departure. We almost showed up at the wrong airport and almost missed our flight!
Salta and the North-West
Salta is a beautiful, colourful, mountainous region in the North West of Argentina. It features stunning landscapes, gorges, deserts, salt flats and green valleys. Cafayate is the centre for excellent vineyards at an altitude between 1500m and 3000m.
Salta City is known for its Spanish colonial architecture with many restaurants and cafes. It is one of my favourite cities in Argentina.
There are buses from Salta to Mendoza in the south, as well as San Pedro de Atacama (in Chile), with connections to Bolivia.
Mendoza and the vineyards
Mendoza is a large city in the centre of Argentina wine culture with bodegas and wine tastings. You may find Argentinean wine in your home super market, and it is probably from this region.
The city itself is pleasant with modern buildings, long avenues and flowers. I was here in September (spring) and that caused my hay fever to show its ugly face.
Mendoza is at the foot of the Andes Mountains. From here you can cross by bus to Santiago de Chile. You would then pass Mount Aconcagua, the highest mountain in the world outside the Himalaya (at almost 7000m).
Bariloche and the lakes
San Carlos de Bariloche is often called “little Switzerland” and this because of two things. First of all there is this beautiful nature, mountains and lakes. Second, there is lots of chocolate to be found and enjoyed here. It was founded by Germans around 1900 and now serves as a major tourist destination and ski resort.
Bariloche is located at the Nahuel Huapi Lake and national park with the same name. The Llao Llao Hotel is a famous luxury accommodation nearby.
The “Andean Lakes Crossing” is a whole day tour that connects Bariloche with Puerto Varas in Chile. It combines several boat and bus trips and is quite an experience, but not very cheap. You could take your luggage along and continue your South-America tour in Chile.
Patagonia
The most southern part of Argentina is the wildest and windiest. Patagonia features large empty plains on the East end the Andes Mountains in the West and South. Wildlife includes sheep, guanacos and pumas.
The Andes in this part is cold and includes the Patagonian Icefields with approx. 25,000 glaciers. The ice area may still be significant and clearly visible from the sky (airplane), but these glaciers also shrunk a lot due to global warming.
The Andes region is a great destination for walking and scenery with El Calafate being one of the tourist centres. From there we can visit the famous Perito Moreno glacier in the “Parque Lost Glaciares”. This amazing glacier can be explored on foot from a hill nearby. El Chalten, a bit north, is known for mountain trekking near Mount Fitz Gerald.
EL Calafate connects by 5 hour bus to Puerto Natales in Chile, home of the Torres Del Paine National Park.
Tierra del Fuego and Ushuaia
From El Calafate we took a very long, but very interesting public bus ride to Ushuaia. On this recommended trip we could enjoy the wild landscape, and saw many guanacos before crossing the ferry to the island Tierra del Fuego (“Fire Land”). We were a bit shocked when looking at the sick state of the trees on the island. Not sure whether it is caused by a virus, or by beavers, but it surely didn’t look too happy.
Ushuaia has a few nicknames, for example the “most Southern City in the world”, “End of the world” and “Gateway to Antarctica”. For sure it is very, very remote! The city of 80,000 residents has a few attractions, including the scenic Tierra del Fuego National Park (where the American Highway ends) and the boat trip to the lighthouse in the Beagle Channel. Of course you’ll take a picture with “Fin del Mundo” as well, so you will never forget where you have been.
Most cruises and expeditions to the Antarctic start in Ushuaia. In 2 or 3 weeks you may see the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and a sneak peek of the Antarctic Peninsula before crossing the infamous Drake Passage. Adventure all the way!
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