We're planning our first trip, and all I can say is thanks be to this forum. We have the excuse of a honeymoon and a birthday to throw some (but not a ton) of caution/dollars to the wind.

Thanks AVRooster, Flintstone and others for all your great advice, which allowed me to sketch out a rough itinerary. Haven't done a lot of research yet, but need to use Alaska frequent flier miles so want to book it and then fill in the blanks of where to stay, lining up guides, must sees, etc.

We'd be flying from Seattle, probably on LAN to Santiago, and out of BA. We're thinking of 4-5 days in Mendoza/Bariloche area, 7-8 days in Salta (including a couple in Cafayate) and the end of the trip in BA. We've used guides in Mexico and Europe, and I'm a big fan. Really learn so much more that way, plus it's less stressful than driving when you're not sure where you're going, especially after wine tasting.

Wanted to combine beautiful nature, beautiful wine and food, charming towns (like Salta), and the culture in BA. Does that sound like a good itinerary? Not sure if it matters weather wise where to start our journey - understand that it still may be hot then. Alaska airlines lets you use one stop or an open jaw, so we're considering flying to Santiago, then Mendoza, Salta, BA. Make sense?

Any advice would be appreciated. We can't wait to see your fabulous country!

Sounds like a perfect honeymoon to me! Congratulations! The Salta region is perfect for natural beauty, good food and wine, and relaxation.

pshamrock, Any itinerary including Sala and the NW is perfect. You have plenty to see and mid-march is really a great time. Do not miss Purmamarca where the 7 colout mountains is, and the Salt Flats in the province of Jujuy and Cafayate in Salta. If you need any information, please do not hesitate in contacting.
Warm regards.
Flintstones

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Sorry, but I had not seen this before.

Thanks for the thanks. We don't always get them, you know, pshamrock.

Congratulations on your combo of honeymoon and birthday!

About your "we're considering flying to Santiago, then Mendoza, Salta, BA.": You MAY be able to fly Santiago to Mendoza, but certainly not Mendoza/Salta, which would have to be via BA.

Angie (Flintstones) is a great guide, who will take you to the best places in Salta.

However, her latest post written today: ".........." suggests she had too much to drink on Christmas Eve. LOL!!!!

In general terms, I'd say your planning is on the right track. Try not to include Holy Week in your travel dates, as it's crowded everywhere.

Have a great time in our country.

Thanks AVRooster! Glad it makes SOME sense anyway. When is Holy Week? I Googled it and saw it starts March 16 in Spain?

Flights got pushed back to March 22, but we've added another week so, boohoo, have to stay a month instead of 3 weeks. We already have our flight from Santiago to Mendoza set. I emailed Isabel about internal flights but haven't heard back. Sounds like there's no avoiding going through BA on these legs. I've read some comments about taking a bus from Mendoza to Salta -but that sounds like an awfully long haul.

Angie said she'd guide us around Salta - I'm weary of being in a car for days and days - will have to narrow down our priorities.

Thanks to all of you for the referrals of Isabel and Angie (she's not the only one who was overserved on Christmas - damn that mulled wine). I hope we can take your tour of BA too AVRooster (yes, I've read the whole posting

Cheers, and happy new year! It's snowing like crazy out here in Eastern Oregon - summer down there sounds awfully good to me about now.

Easter Sunday falls on March 23 this year in Argentina. From Thursday, March 20 until the 23rd, will be particularly bad days for travel within Argentina. Sort of like your Thanksgiving weekend, you know? You absolutely need firm reservations for those days.

It's very much unlike Isabel not to reply reasonably fast to e-mails. Her address is:

[email protected]

I'm flying to Paris in late March, but I hope to be able to do my tour with you.

Just write to the e-mail mentioned in that thread, furnishing the requested info.

Rest assured you'll have a great time in our country.

Tours are the best option when you have a short time and you want to get the most of the places. However I'm not a fan of big groups for a tour so we decided to get personal tour guides everywhere, mostly in argentina where is not very expensive. We were very lucky with the guides we got , very nice peopel, knowledgeable and fun. In reference to drive on your own , we tried to do that in buenos aires: bad choice becuase is a city to walk around and catch everything you can see by foot and crazy place to drive if you are not from there. One day of that expierence was enough for us to quit the idea and we got a tour guide for the following days. Any advise you need you can let me know.

Many thanks Suruby. I'm on board with the guide recommendation. Angie can help us in the Salta area. Does anyone have a good guide they can recommend in Mendoza? We have about a week there. We'd like to see Lujan de Cuyo, Maipu and especially Valle de Uco, and of course wineries. I see some wine tour companies on line (trout&wine, etc.) Would welcome your ideas!

I would ask Isabel.

pshamrock, sorry I don't have a guide for Mendoza. We've been in Salta, Calafate and Buenos Aires. In case you need one guide for salta or buenos aires let me know and I'll check the email contacts for you.

pshamrock

Mendoza-Salta:
Yes, it is a long ride.
Starts in Mendoza at around 21 hs and arrives in Salta at 13 hs following day.
The seats are completely reclinable to 180 which makes them almost beds. It is a long time on the bus but sleeping well makes it shorter and when you wake up after a light breakfast, the landscape you will see will make the morning pass quickly.
bus ticket u$s 80 each pax.

Busing can never be compared to flying but in this case and many others, flying takes most of the day if you consider the time wasted at the airports.

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Connexions in Argentina are tricky and you ve got to bargain for any delay. If you take the am flight at a decent time,i.e 9:30 from Mendoza
the flight to Salta will be at around 5 pm arriving at 7 pm
These are the times scheduled for March.

Mendoza Bs.As. Salta u$s 270

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Salta: When you take some of the well organized tours in Salta there is a lot of time on the buses, many places in the itineraries and short stops. That is the only way you can visit many towns in the huge NW, distances are long and cannot be shortened.

Some days ago, a couple hired Flinstone for several days and made it in such a way that they never felt tired, had time to relax at lunch together and time to enjoy each town on their own.
I cant repeat the words they used when they referred to their stay in Salta but I personally have never heard so beautiful praises about a guide.
So here goes a big congratulation to Flinstone from me, a portena, on behalf of S and M. W. Thank you.

Gracias Milla! We have emailed back and forth with Flintstone about being our guide. After reading this board, we'd be nuts not to! We're all lucky to have someone who sounds really fun, and really knowledgeable about the area, to share their home turf one on one.

Spending hours and hours in a car isn't something I really like to do, but like you say, if you can break it up and do some relaxing I'm sure there's no doubt that what you see along the way makes it all worthwhile. Just have to figure out a couple must see trips without spending the entire trip on four wheels.

In keeping with the spirit of the new year, I raise a glass to all you experts and travelers for sharing your experiences and knowledge - most of us don't get to take many big trips like this, and you'll no doubt make it an adventure that's much more special because of it.

Happy New Year everyone!

Don't worry about feeling stuck in a car for hours and hours in Salta. The sights make the time go very quickly with stops at interesting villages, historical spots, wineries, and lunch to break up the ride. Prior to the trip I had the same concerns--long hours in a car with an unknown person. Other than the wedding of a friend in BsAs which brought us back to Argentina, touring Salta was the highlight of the trip. You are lucky to have Angie as your guide as she comes highly recommended! In BsAs it is easy to get around by Radio Taxi or even better by foot and public transportation, but guides are also available. I would never recommend tourists drive in BsAs since it is like San Francisco and Chicago traffic combined.

pshamrock I have been travelling and scarcely responded the mails. At he moment I am having problems to open ciudad.com.ar mailbox so, please everybody try angie_guide at hotmail.com...any info you need.
Happy NEW YEAR and much success for everybody.
AVRooster... Cheers! Everybody... Cheers!
Angie