ARGENTINA
Argentina is the most visited country in South America, with good reason. It is a place you can visit at any-time of the year and still find the perfect conditions to do something. With a lengthy Atlantic coastline, snow-capped mountain glaciers, vibrant cities, endless lush grasslands and waterfalls surrounded by rainforest, Argentina really is a land of boundless adventures.
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All the basics that you need to know for planning a trip to Argentina. Here you will find information on weather, currency, language, safety, transport and, most importantly, when the best time to visit is.
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The place for learning about all the key destinations to visit when in Argentina. We have travelled to all of these places and so offer our first-hand experiences as a guide to help maximise the enjoyment of your stay.
Detailed guides for all the must-sees (in our opinion) when in Argentina. They contain everything you need to know when visiting - including costs, travel arrangements, what to expect and much more!
Argentina is the eighth largest country in the world in terms of land area, but not neccesarily one that is found on every travellers bucket list. Part of the reason for that is that Argentina has gained a stereotype recently for being one of the more expensive South American destinations to visit. Having visited, I am here to tell you there definitely is some truth to those rumours but there is so much more to the country than somewhere to burn through your wallet. Given its sheer geographical size, Argentina is actually home to one of the greatest ecosystem varieties in the world. It is a place where you can find tropical rainforests, pampas grasslands, arid deserts and the towering, snowcapped mountains of Patagonia. This vast geographic variety also means Argentina is home to one of the globes largest biological diversities but it is not just the natural environment that makes Argentina a destination worth visiting. With cultural influences from a mixture of European countries and a vibrant Latin American passion (as well as some world-class wines) there is something for everyone to be found here.
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Best Time to Visit
Determining a best time of year to visit Argentina is not an overly straightforward affair but, with that said, it is entirely feasible to visit all year round. In terms of weather, there are definitely more favourable seasons depending on where you want to visit and what you want to do. Argentinian summer (Dec-Feb) can be extremely hot in the North but in the Patagonian South conditions are likely to be more mild and perfect for hiking. Autumn (Mar-May) can be a good shoulder season for Patagonia but temperatures will start to drop. The months are a perfect time of year to visit the Mendoza wine region. Winter (Jun-Aug) see colder temperatures arrive and parts of Patagonia become inaccessible. Heavy snowfall means this is a good time of year for skiing but it can also be a nice time to visit Buenos Aires. Spring (Sep-Nov) is a perfect time to visit the Lake District and a good chance to beat the crowds in Patagonia - providing the snow has melted from the hiking trails.
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It is also important to consider cost when planning a trip to Argentina. In most regions you will not find too much variation in terms of cost for accommodations, tours and transport throughout the year. However, the same cannot be said for Patagonia. Peak season in the mountainous Southern region can see accommodation prices rocket and tours are at their busiest. If you want to visit during the summer make sure you book early to avoid disappointment and from burning a hole in your wallet.
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We started our year long adventure in Buenos Aires, arriving on a direct flight from London in September, before embarking on a three month long tour of South America. We eventually did return to Argentina towards the end of this period as we spent time road-tripping through Patagonia. We were in the South through November and December, before the start of the main peak season, and some of our destinations were quiet but the main areas still had plenty of tourists. A few of the hiking trails were closed in November due to seasonally late snowfall and we did experience a little bit of rain at times. That being said, on the whole, we had excellent weather for hiking - with comfortable temperatures, clear skies and, most importantly, calm winds (if you have done any Patagonia research you will be well aware that the area can experience some absolutely crazy wind speeds!)
Currency
The currency in Argentina is the Argentine peso (ARS). That is where the simplicity of this currency ends however, as things can get a little confusing. For starters the currency uses the same dollar sign ($) as the US - which becomes an issue given most places are actually willing to receive USD in cash. As you might have heard in the news, the peso has experienced severe inflation throughout its history and has led to long periods of economic instability for residents of the country.
When we visited the Argentinian peso was at an all-time low and so many establishments preferred to be paid in USD (despite this not officially being allowed) since the local currency had little to no value. It also meant there was an official and an unofficial market for currency exchange. Using the unofficial methods saw us receive ridiculous value for money but it did make exchanging money very challenging - many exchanges would simply pretend to not have currency if we tried to exchange British pounds or Euros but it would then magically appear when we produced USD cash. The other option for getting the unofficia rate is to use the “blue dollar” exchanges, which are essentially private money lenders. If you are confident on your mathematics these can get you the best exchange rate but they can be risky for tourists as they are basically under-the-counter money exchanges. A new government has been installed since our visit and they have made big attempts to stabilise the peso - that being said, it is definitely something to bear in mind and do some research on before visiting.
You can pay on credit/debit cards in most places but this will reflect the "official" exchange rate - the one that does not give you the best value for money. Your best bet is to take USD (ideally crisp, new $100 notes - most places do not want old notes) and change them at one of the many western Unions for pesos - there is just no guarantee this will work first time and you will likely have to queue. There are very few ATMs and so do not plan to simply withdraw cash when you arrive - getting cash in Argentina is a much more complicated process than that!
Language
Spanish, as it is in a lot of this part of the world, is the official language here. The Spanish here is slightly different from other Latin American Spanish in that it has a number of distinct Italian influenced sounds and slang. That being said, if you can converse in Spanish then you will be absolutely fine. We were maybe a bit naive since Buenos Aires was the first stop on our travels but we were really surprised at how little English was spoken in the capital. In the tourist parts of Patagonia we actually found more English but it is definitely worth learning some basic Spanish phrases as a bare minimum if you plan on visiting. Whilst the locals really appreciate attempts at speaking Spanish, most of the time you will find it being a requirement over a courtesy - you came to a Spanish speaking country after all!
Safety
I hope it goes without saying, but you always need to ensure you stay vigilant and street-smart when travelling, we would never want anyone to find themselves in danger as a result of us stating somewhere was 'safe'.
In Argentina we used a multitude of buses, both during the day and overnight. Our large rucksacks were always stored within the internal bus compartments but we took our smaller bags, with valuables, onto the bus with us. We had no issues with this form of travel and felt very safe sleeping on the overnight transportation, despite at times being the only foreigners present. Whilst travelling through Patagonia we hired a car and drove - this was an absolutely mind blowing experience and one we would highly recommend, yet it is not one for the fainthearted. The roads in Patagonia were wild; huge pot holes, loads of unpaved sections and some of the most remote driving conditions we have ever experienced make it something you need to fully research before committing to.
Argentinian locals were approachable and friendly, with most just being intrigued by our presence. In Patagonia, most places were very used to tourists and so when we required help or advice this was easy to find. Buenos Aires has some very sketchy areas that, just like in any major city, are worth avoiding as a tourist. One of these is found right next to the main bus station so do not attempt to walk there, especially at night, just get a taxi. Buenos Aires is also a place where you will see locals wear their rucksacks on their front and it is very advisable to keep an eye on your belongings - especially in crowded spots as pick pocketing and petty theft is a bit of a concern in certain areas. That being said we had no problems and we do not want to dissuade you - we lived in London for ages and we would take similar precautions there. Just be aware of your surroundings and keep an eye on your belongings, you will be fine!
Public Transport
Given that we backpack through most of the countries that we visit we try to make the most of public transport. Bolivia has an extensive bus network with routes being run between almost all the major tourist stops at regular intervals. Using these was absolutely the best way to get around the country. They were surprisingly time efficient (some actually reached destinations early) but we did find they were more expensive than similar buses we took in other South American countries. We also liked that you could almost always book tickets online before travelling - we used Plataforma 10. Here you can book bus tickets for almost all the major travel routes that you will require throughout Argentina. You can book specific seats, find out if the bus has a toilet and/or air-conditioning, prepay all within a process that was far more efficient than we had expected and saved us having to travel to the bus station early.
When in the major towns and cities you will find local buses that shuttle around the city. In Buenos Aires we used these fairly regularly and it was easy to look up routes/bus times online. They were a lot cheaper than taxis but almost exclusively used by locals and you will definitely need some Spanish if you require help once on board! In order to pay you need to acquire a (stupidly elusive) Subte card, a pre-loadable card that can be used on local buses and the Buenos Aires metro. We found these cards really hard to find with many places not having any in stock - we eventually found a pair and then were free to travel on the buses to our hearts content, which turned out to be quite a lot!
The local taxis are a good way to get around the major cities but they are not particularly cheap. Uber is also available and we used this in Buenos Aires a few times as it was not any more expensive than the local taxi option.
Ferries have become a more popular way to explore Argentina and there are tours that will take you all along the coastline, as well as down to Antarctica. We only used one ferry in the country, for a day trip across to Uruguay, but more on that later.
Destination Guides
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'Must See' Attractions
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Los Glaciares National Park
Reserva Laguna Nimez