country
ArgentinaArgentina
First trip: Buenos Aires 3–4 nights, then fly to one or two regions (Patagonia via El Calafate, Iguazú Falls, Mendoza or Salta) for 3–5 nights each; every region is a 2–3.5-hour flight, not a bus ride.
Argentina is about 3,700 km from north to south; Buenos Aires to Ushuaia is roughly 3,000 km, about 3.5 hours by air. Trips break when they try Iguazú, the Andes and Patagonia by bus in ten days, or visit Patagonia in winter. Fly between regions from Buenos Aires (most domestic flights use Aeroparque, AEP, not the international airport EZE), plan Patagonia for November–March, and check the current card-versus-cash exchange situation before you fly, as rules have changed often.
All regions, cities and parks in Argentina (Atlas) →
Regions
Arrival city; San Telmo, Palermo, Recoleta; Colonia (Uruguay) by ferry
3–4 nights
El Calafate (Perito Moreno glacier), El Chaltén (Fitz Roy), Ushuaia, Bariloche
4–7 nights
Puerto Iguazú for the falls (both sides with a border crossing)
2–3 nights
Mendoza wine country and Aconcagua views; Salta and Jujuy canyons
3–5 nights
Arrive
EZE
Ministro Pistarini International (Ezeiza, Buenos Aires)
Main international airport; about an hour to the city centre by road
AEP
Aeroparque Jorge Newbery (Buenos Aires)
In the city; most domestic flights and some regional ones
Time math
- 7 days
- Buenos Aires 4 + fly to Iguazú 2 + back for 1
- 10 days
- Buenos Aires 3 + fly to El Calafate 3 + bus to El Chaltén 3 + fly back via El Calafate 1
- 14 days
- Buenos Aires 4 + Iguazú 2 + El Calafate/El Chaltén 5 + Mendoza or Bariloche 3, all by air
Country rules
- Check entry rules for your passport with Argentina's National Migration Directorate (Migraciones) or an Argentine consulate before booking.
- Exchange rules and the gap between card and cash rates have changed repeatedly: check current advice before deciding whether to bring US dollars or rely on cards.
- Patagonia (El Calafate, El Chaltén, Ushuaia) is a November–March trip; in winter many services close and hiking is limited.
Etiquette
- Greeting between friends is one kiss on the right cheek, including between men.
- Sharing mate is a social ritual; say gracias only when you have had enough.
- Tip about 10% in restaurants, in cash if possible.
- Summer holidays (January–February)
- Coast, Patagonia and domestic flights at peak demand.
- Winter holidays (July)
- Bariloche and ski areas full; Patagonia largely closed for hiking.
- Semana Santa (Easter week)
- Domestic travel peak; many services reduced on Thursday and Friday.
Money & passes
Cash necessity: 3/5
- Currency is the Argentine peso (ARS, $). Inflation has been high for years, so prices change quickly; do not rely on old guides.
- Cards are widely accepted in cities; small shops, buses and some hostels prefer cash, sometimes with a discount.
- ATM withdrawal limits for foreign cards can be low; check before relying on ATMs.
Before you fly: eSIM before you fly · Visas and entry
Safety
- Pickpocketing and bag snatching happen in busy Buenos Aires areas (Microcentro, San Telmo, La Boca outside the main street): keep phones out of reach on café tables and in the street.
- Watch for the mustard or spilled-liquid scam, where one person points out a stain while another takes your bag.
- Patagonian wind is extreme: expect hiking days to change; carry layers even in summer.
- Protests and transport strikes (paro) can stop flights and buses for a day; keep a buffer day.
Buenos Aires links by ferry to Uruguay and by air to Chile and Brazil; Iguazú borders Brazil and Paraguay.
Sources
- UK FCDO travel advice: Argentina (official)
- Wikivoyage — Argentina (secondary)