Im planning a trip to Argentina that will last about 2-3 weeks and im looking for suggestions on places to hit and how to get around the country...

I would like to spend some time in Buenos Aires but I would also like to travel around the country a bit...

How much of the country can I expect to see in a 2.5 week timeframe? What should I try to see?

Thanks in advance for any thoughts/suggestions

Tierra del Fuego is stunning. Fly to Ushuaia. Highly recommened. Eat some crab (centolla). Take the boat tour in the channel or even the airplane tour over the little islands (I did both).

I didn't see the glaciers in Lago Argentino (or whatever it's called) but I hear it's great.

I did see the penguins in Puerto Madryn - very cool experience.

Skiing in San Carlos de Bariloche & wine in Mendoza.

Drink the mate' & the espressos (cafe' con crema) and eat the media lunas (tiny croissants). Don't eat dinner until midnight.

get on a boat to Antarctica just to say you ve done it

We are planning to go this January or February. We've heard over and over again that Iguazu Falls is a must see (on the Argentina/Brazil border). Investigate the Patagonia region. I haven't started looking hard yet at where we're going besides Buenos Aires. Looking forward to more comments on this topic.

Just got back from a whirlwind trip in Argentina. (BA, Cordoba, Mendoza)

Buenos Aries is great. The old buildings and statues are awesome. Explore the Palmero area for exellent food at very affordable prices. Skip the cheesy tango shows, but you might sign up for a tango dancing lesson, which is fun. If you are feeling adventerous, go to a Boca Juniors game if you can.

We worked in a 2 day dove hunt in Cordoba. If you like to shoot at all, it is well worth it. This was really the highlight of our trip.

The wine in Mendoza is great and cheap. Trout and Wine put on some good tours, but you can just rent a taxi for the day for cheaper if you know where you want to go. Azafran is a good restaurant in Mendoza, as is 1884. Pulenta estates has some of the best wine. O Fornier in Uco Valley has one of the coolest bodegas on earth.

The hardest thing in Argentina is getting a steak cooked correctly. They cook all meat well done.

Order steaks "Crudo con sabre" and then if they look at you funny, order it "juelta y juelta" (side and side). It might come out rare, it might come out medium, but that is the only way I have ever gotten a steak to come out less than well done.

Lestat- I'll be in Argentina from 8/16 until 10/1. Mainly in the Buenos Aires and Mendoza areas. I've never been before and appreciate all the ideas.

its amazing!

BA is great. Would spend at least 4-5 nights there. Go to a Boca or River soccer game. Take the ferry over to Uruguay, just to say you've been.

Mendoza is great as well. I know an awesome guide who will take GREAT care of you...and is cheap.

didnt go to the falls, but will my next trip.

we spent 8 nights down there. had a blast. great food, great people, etc.

Mel,

That sounds like an awesome trip. Would you mind updating this thread every once in a while when you find interesting things to do and places that you think are worth visiting?

Thanks!

Also, does Argentina require a Visa?

Chile requires the visa.

Skip the cheesy tango shows, actually I liked the show, a little look at the past.

Very nice city, hit one of the famous coffee houses.

Be sure to do a little reading on the history of the town to really enjoy it.

The majority of the population comes from Italy, so there is some really great I food.

Check on things in the county side, the rural areas have been in a real fight with the current government.

You can get a good deal on a real nice leather coat, custom fit in just a few hours.

Hmm, thats something I didnt think about...

Maybe spend a week in BA and head to Santiago for a week...

Also, does anybody know any good Hostels in BA? Another thing Im thinking about doing is renting a moped for some day trips...

Anybody have any experience driving around BA?

Thanks again!

Chile does not require a visa. Brazil does.

if you go to Chile and fly into Santiago, you have to a $130 "entry fee". If you drive across the border, you do not have to pay this. They stamp your passport and is valid for 10 years I believe.

From personal experience, Iguazu is a must see. They are larger and more spectacular than Niagra. However to capture the total greatness of the falls, you need to see them from both sides of the border. Although it will require a visa to get into Brazil. The nicer part of the falls is on the Argentine side, but the better view of them is from the Brazil side. If you saw Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull, the water falls at the end of the movie are Iguazu Falls.





Also, if you go to a Boca Juniors soccer game, make sure to go with a group, or a local. That is a pretty dangerous area at night.

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Take the ferry over to Uruguay, just to say you've been

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Colonia is a great day trip

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Colonia is a great day trip

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Forgive my ignorance...

How far is it from BA? Are there tours you can sign up for or can you just hop on a moped and go?

So my itinerary looks like this so far...

8/9 Travel
9-13 BA
13-16 Uruguay
17 Iguaza Falls
18-21 Ushuaia
22 BA
23/24 Travel Home

Am I being too ambitious? Or would those dates work?

Right now Im looking at taking the ferry to Colonia and than moped it to Montevideo and down to Punta Del Este...

I would take a bus to Iguaza and fly to Ushuaia

It's a ferry ride across

I don't remember. Maybe two hours?

ferry ride from B.A. was about an hour. It had a bar, so I dont really remember! Spent the day there exploring on foot, but you can rent mopeds, etc as well. For a little more adventure, you could go a little further down the way to Monte Video. Maybe spend a nigt or two there. I think there are buses in Colonial that can take you there.

I really wish we could have done the falls. Its pretty far from BA, so no day trip.

I lived in Buenos Aires for a summer when I was 16. It was an incredible summer to say the least. We stayed in a nice suburb called San Isidro, right off the main drag into town called Libertador. Libertador is the largest street in the world, reaching widths of 13 lanes in each direction when you get into town.

Here's an image of it. http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/77/Buenos_Aires_-Argentina-_136.jpg&imgrefurl=http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Buenos_Aires_-Argentina-_136.jpg&usg=__wI3bF1DgtEgkM1P3-sBQhPcNXlU=&h=660&w=1024&sz=220&hl=en&start=5&tbnid=K_G2B6hu_j_KpM:&tbnh=97&tbnw=150&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dbuenos%2Baires%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den

I was there during World Cup which was extra exciting. I was also there during the collapse of their currency, which made my $ worth 4 times as much. I was also allowed into bars and night clubs at the age of 16 which added to the wonderful haze of that Summer. It is a city of 15 million people and called the Paris of South America. The weather was perfect every day I was there, 65 degrees and clear skies. The beaches are topless. The shopping is first class. The street life is excellent and people tango on the weekends out of nowhere (it's a form of street entertainment there). All in all I give Buenos Aires two BIG thumbs up.

exp,

That sounds like it was an awesome summer...I am concerned about the 15-16 year old part, especially with the way women look these days...

Since you have experience in BA, how long would you reccomend staying there?

I think our newest itinerary has us there for 5 days...is that enough time?

5 days is more than plenty for BsAs.

I love BA. Just watch the pik pockets. Some of these guys are the best in the world.
I did hear that the Kirchner gov. has delayed the start of their football season.

I think you are going to need two days at Iguazu, especially if you are planning on seeing it from both sides of the border.

Consider you're going to need travel time. You should expect to stay the night there at least.