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After days in Buenos Aeres, where next????

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After days in Buenos Aeres, where next????

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Old May 30th, 2006, 04:57 PM
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After days in Buenos Aeres, where next????

We are going to Buenos Aeres for the first time in December for 16 days and we also want to know what to see.

Buenos Aeres will be fascinating and we look forward to this part of the trip.

The Lake country (Barioche) is very famous but it appears to be way to touristy for us. We would go to Glacier Park but it is a long distance and pretty expensive. We are still considering it because we can horse back ride and walk on glaciers and hike in beautiful mountains. But after this that leaves us with the waterfalls at Foz Iguzu and the area near Salta as the next choices.

Iguzu may also bee way too touristy and we avoided it when we were in Brazil so it may not make much sense now. The problem with Salta and the norhwest is that it is dry and hot and we are from the western USA and our area is pretty similar.

We do not like beach activities so we don't want to go to the coast. It would also be humid and we are from a dry climate....

We will rent a car and can drive quite a lot but it seems that anything is about 500 miles to 1,000 miles away. That is a stretch for a vacation and you add the hot summer heat to the long distances and you come up with a limited schedule. Buenos Aeres and maybe a ferry to Colonia, Uruguay. Also a day trip up the delta but after that we are still searching for what would work best.

We would spend money for air tickets without regret, but the time it takes to transfer between cities and return destroys a day or two of vacation. That is what happened last December in Nairobi, Rwanda, and Tanzania. WAY TOO MANY FLIGHTS AND TOO LITTLE TIME TO SEE THINGS. The transfer to the airport and arrivals and departures wears you out.

We love ecology and rain forests and wild life touring but Argentina seems to be lacking these opportunities. We like mountains but, being from the Pacific Northwest and near British Columbia, we already have deep woods, wild rivers, and mountains that are awesome.

So we are going to Argentina for the first time but still looking for what is the best choice of what to see.

Perhaps someone can steer us into an unusual idea of where to go and what to see.

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Old May 30th, 2006, 06:17 PM
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I went to BA two years ago and had the same issues as you do with other sites being far away. From the city we took day trips to a polo match and to an estancia where you can ride horses, watch gauchos do tricks on horses and so forth. If you do that, I would suggest a half day trip.
We took the ferry across to Colonia and it was worth seeing, with many historic buildings and people in colonial costume, etc. We spent a few nights at the Four Seasons resort in Carmelo, about an hour north of Colonia. This was a very nice resort with golfing, horseback riding, wine tours, etc. A friend who was with us in BA headed to Tierra de Fuego while we went to Uruguy and he loved that, mingling wiht penguins, romping around on glaciers, and so forth -- all a bit to chilly for me!
ANother idea that we considered but did not implement was a trip to the Mendoza wine region, which is supposed to be very scenic and which has easy access to Chile.
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Old May 30th, 2006, 06:54 PM
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Take a look at the trip advisor Argentina forum. There are several posters there with some excellent suggestions.
You might take a look at Peuma Hue about an hour from Bariloche if you want remote and gorgeous. It is most interesting.
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Old May 31st, 2006, 05:18 AM
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536547869
After days in Buenos aires, lots of places are worth a stay.
Lake district: as touristy as all places in Argentina. and that doesnt make it less attractive.
The Glacier, probably the most expensive area in Argentina, but not as expensive as it is painted here.
As in all the country, you can find affordable hotels which are not bad at all. Tourists decide how much they want to spend. Luxuries on acommodation are expensive everywhere.
Air tickets are the same price as the air tickets to Mendoza which is much nearer. Accommodation in 3*superior hotels can be as expensive as a boutique hotel in Buenos Aires. The the most expensive excursion can be very well replaced by others.
If your idea is to stay in the most expensive hotels in Calafate,Bs.As or any other place, yes the trip will be expensive.
There are horses everywhere in Argentina but trekking on the glacier is the top experience there.
Iguazu is a must, second to Angels falls. It is simply amazing to stay in front of the Devil throat, sth that nobody can miss.
But if you have time, there are places on the way to Iguazu which are outstanding. I wonder why they are not promoted in the way they should be. And it is the Agentinian Mesopotamia, the symbol of nature, jungles and marshes. There is only one snag, transfers are needed to connect places there.
Coming from Iguazu, the misionera jungle, a curious natural fault called Mocona Falls. You can be on the top of a hill with a view of a jungle and you will have your "own waterfall" in front of your cabin. A great variety of birds,an incredible jungle trek to be walked or horseridden. The feeling you have there, is that all nature belongs to you. At least, that is what I felt when I stayed 2 nights in Mocona.
Coming to the south, difficult access but incredible experience for those who love the wild,the fantastic Ibera marshes in Corrientes,covered with a rich flora and fauna. The Wetlands is a place to visit, to relax but also to profit a lot.
There is no other Salta landscape in the world, though many people in the USA think it is similar to some areas there. No way, Salta is unique. It is not Salta alone but Jujuy and the days in the area are really unforgettable. December is summer for us but Salta
is never as hot as Buenos Aires is in the summer.
Driving in Argentina is maddening. Distances are huge, roads are not well signalled. What for? If money is an issue, coaches will do it better safer and faster. But, time is a limitation for everybody, tourists or locals, air transportation is necesary for some destinations.
The country is huge, it has a lot to offer and you will realize that another trip will second.
However, for the ones that do like beaches, Arg beaches are no match to Punta del Este or the ones in Brazil.
We cannot compete there.
It will be a memorable trip.
A local who has travelled abroad and enjoys discovering this country,milla






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Old May 31st, 2006, 09:03 AM
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We've been to BA twice in the past 18 months. We really enjoyed it. The last time we went to Mendoza as well and plan to go back. We were there in March for the Vendimia (wine festival) and had a ball.

Next time we will go back to Mendoze (again for the wine festival) and we want to try Salta. It is in the northwest part of Argentina and lots of people have said it is wonderful. But it is a long way from BA, so you're best to fly it.
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Old May 31st, 2006, 02:44 PM
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The most varied sceneries are in the NW of Argentina, the 7colour-mountains, Cafayate area and the best wines( including the unique torrontes) and the rock formatiosn make of this area one of the best places to enjoy nature.
The Hotels are much cheaper too. ANd the regional food! The weather in December is great. MAybe you hear it is hot, I bet you will love this weather.
Definitelly the NW is a good choice. If you need more information see some of the reviews from travellers. Nobody regreted....
Flint
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Old Jun 1st, 2006, 08:18 AM
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goodspkr
if your plan is to visit Mendoza again, which i celebrate, use the bus to go to Salta, which i double celebrate.
The ride is excellent, the buses have 6 seats which are fully reclinable,sometimes with a curtain to make you feel more confortable, dinner is included and it takes the whole night for only 70 u$s. It will save you the money to come to buenos aires and from here to salta and also almost one day lost on flight and waits. You can spend the difference on sth more important as to have the NW explored. Remember, a good taste in the NW takes at least 5 nights and you will find it difficult to leave the area.
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Old Jun 1st, 2006, 02:03 PM
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Thank you,milla, I am proud of been local from SAlta!!!! It is true. The NW area is really great...numbers... the weather is great anytime and the wines worth!
Have look to the pics!http:/spaces.msn.com./cometosalta
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Old Jun 26th, 2006, 05:11 PM
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I was truly impressed with the many posters and what they suggested and I am now looking into some of your ideas.

Thank you
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Old Jun 30th, 2006, 01:04 PM
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I am working with Vanessa Heitner of -

Limited Argentenia - which is an exceptional local travel agency. Their phone number in the USA is 1-202-536-5812 which is a direct hookup from Washington DC to her offices in Buenos Aeres.

I tried Wow! Argentina but that was a disaster. So I looked on the Boards until I found this agency and started with some caution. But after a long exchange of e-mails and a 20 minute phone chat on what she knows and what we like - I can say that I have never been more impressed with a person in the travel industry. She is totally aware of our likes and dislikes and has made many recommendations - most of which never appear on these Boards.

I do not know how expensive she will be but I think it is more an issue of how much she books and at what level of luxury. I felt she offered choices in all levels of comfort and can follow whatever your pocketbook requires.

My wife and I have been to 35 countries worldwide and I have seen a lot so it is always a pleasant surprise to find a truly helpful person on the other end. we generally do not book through a travel agent but i am sure she will get most of our money since it is her effort that is giving us incredibly beautiful areas or truly adventurous must-do activities. She is also steering us away from the things we would find way too touristy. For example, January is lower water at Iguzu and more buggy and she says there is only really two hotels to stay at and it is not a good idea to go for a day. 2 days is a minimum.

And her depth of knowlege was great. Another example, she said we can fly now from Barioche to the El Calafante and back to Buenos Aeres now. That is fairly new routing and will work well for us.

This is not intended to be a commercial for any travel agency but I was truly impressed and wanted to share those thoughts with those who are seeking a way to cut through all the questions and get to facts and ideas.

I am getting a lot more excited on what is ahead of me based on a very graphic description from her of what we could see and where.
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Old Jul 4th, 2006, 05:57 AM
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Hi - maybe you are all sorted now - but to be honest it really is not necessary to use an agent to visit Argentina. Just do it - Salta is wonderful - you can fly there from BA - book your own flights on the net, and book trips from there locally.

Iguazu is amazing - again book your own trip. I didn't find it touristy and I am mega tourist allergic!! Could be that it's not at its best in January. I was there mid Nov and was awestruck. You have to see it from both sides so two nights is a minimum. But it's absolute rubbish to say that there are only 2 hotels to stay there.

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Old Jul 4th, 2006, 07:19 AM
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We went to Buenos Aires for a very short trip 2 years ago spending 2 nights there, 2 nights in Iguazu and 2 nights Colonia, Uruguay. Loved Buenos Aires and are heading back this year to do Mendoza and Salta areas as well. Buenos Aires is great for nightlife, dining, strolling, weekend markets and history. Iguazu is great for nature, we stayed at the Sheraton and it is the best location for daily walks to the falls, etc. Instead of dining both nights at the hotel, we asked the hotel about getting into the nearby city and he arranged a car for $20-$30. The driver waited for us, gave us a short tour of Iguazu and even suggested a wonderful spot for dinner -- much cheaper than a car rental. In Uruguay we stayed one night at the 4 Seasons. If you do this and like wine, ask them about a small wine restaurant that is nearby which offers a white and red wine...but wonderful aged cheese wheels and salamis that you can enjoy at their bar. They also serve full lunches but I am unsure about dinner. Colonia was very interesting for one night (old history with B&B type hotels and charming restaurants) and the ferry ride was quick. We purchased our tickets the day prior to avoid crowds on our departure date. We do wish we had stayed at an Estancia but our trip was too short and we are looking forward to seeing more in October.
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Old Jul 4th, 2006, 01:16 PM
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You can also buy your ferry tickets by phone. Paying like one dollar extra, they will waiting for you in a special booth.
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