Hi
I plan on using either Mayra or Cintia but I like to do my own research first so I know what I want.
I arrive Buenos Aires and have 13 days there counting my arrival and departure days. So, I have 11 extra days and I would like to spend some more time in BA, also would like to see Iguazu Falls, Bariloche and Montevideo. I thought we would take a ferry ride to Montevideo and stay for 1 or 2 nights, 1 night for Iguazu Falls and 2-3 nights in Bariloche. Here's my problem - what is the best order to do this. We arrive BA March 13th afternoon and depart late evening of March 25. I would also like to stay at a hotel in BA that would hold our larger suitcase while we travel and I am trying to arrange it so we are not constantly running around in circles. We are not as young as we used to be but then who is? I know we would be happy just walking around BA but would like to see other areas. We will be coming from Santiago so it is not a long flight - we are spending the first 4 nights in Santiago. Open for any and all suggestions.
Thanks
Pat

Pat, when do you plan to visit?
One thing I found out while planning my trip with Cintia for next November was that virtually all domestic flights go through Buenos Aires. That caused me to seriously rethink my itinerary. After a long overnight flight down I definitely did not want to arrange my travel so that I spent whole days getting from point A to point B. In the end I pared down my itinerary to Buenos Aires and Bariloche. If I had had two more days Iguazu would have been included.

cmcfong

That is exactly what I am afraid of ..too much point A to B etc. I wasd hoping that there was a flight from Montevideo to Bariloche ...maybe?

My husband wants Montevideo so I can't leave that out, we both want the falls and I can't imagine dropping Bariloche. We are not the type to spend 13 days in one destination either, well, let's so one of us is not the type
Pat

Hi Pat,
Since you are coming from Santiago and won't have the long overnight plane ride, I would try to connect directly to Iguazu Falls for two nights, then fly from Iguazu - Bariloche for 3-4 nights, then fly back to BA for the remainder of the trip. If you need to spend one night in BA at the beginning (to leave your luggage?), then take the 1st flight up to Iguazu the next morning, giving you 1 1/2 days in the park, which is enough, then fly staight to Bariloche (which will go thru BA) for 2-3 nights. I found the domestic connections through BA to be very easy. Definitely use a local travel agent, we used Mercedes at Argentina Escapes for both our flawless trips. I'll be happy to answer any other questions you may have.
Pam

Pat,
Sorry, I forgot about Montevideo...would your husband be satisfied with a day trip to Colonia from BA instead? We did that and enjoyed Colonia very much. Plus, you don't have to change hotels! I've had friends who've gone to Montevideo for a couple of nights on their way to Punta del Este, they were not too impressed.

hmmm....going to have dinner tonight and discuss the Montevideo part with my husband. What you are saying makes sense, especially if I can stay one night in BA and leave the luggage. Let me talk to him and I will come back for help. Thanks all for the suggestions
Pat

If you can go to Montevideo, I have been there recently and was surprised by nice restaurants and boutique shops of hand made items. In particular by amazing hand made lengerie, I suppose not everybody is interested in this, but I am and loved what I found
the lengerie is done by Daura, [email protected] the dress by Ana Livni, www.analivni.com . I also so art at several atteliers
and at the cce, www.cce.org.uy. We had lunch there too, great food very inexpensive.
The atteliers were shown to us by a guide that charged us, $45 each and walked us around for five hours including lunch and exhibit time.
The most fun was an evening in Sonic and amazing
night club.

I meant saw art...

PS We stayed in a charming boutique hotel called
Beltmont House , this is a very nice place, from there we took a car to go to the lengerie place not to far from there.

Dear PAt: As I see, the NW is not in your plans this time. Hope you come one day and see Salta and Jujuy, the sceneries, weather and food are really good! You should come one day...
Flint.

Pat,
I frequently travel to Buenos Aires and have traveled to the cities you mention. I think you are doing too much simply because your flights have to keep crossing Buenos Aires. Iguazu is a must but I would give that two nights. Bariloche is equally beautiful. I would spend three nights and stay at Llao Llao if it is within your budget. I would skip Montevideo. I would spend the balance in Buenos Aires. If you are coming from Santiago, fly to Buenos Aires (EZE airport) and reconnect from Jorge Newbery Airport to Bariloche. After your stay in Bariloche, return to Buenos Aires, spend a week there and then fly from EZE to Iguazu. After Iguazu, return to Buenos Aires and fly home to the states. I think from Iguazu you have to fly to Jorge Newbery and then take a cab to Ezeiza (EZE), the international airport.

Thanks all - it does seem like I am doing a bit too much and still missing some beautiful areas.
Flint, I am sure Salta is wonderful and possibly that can be part of a "next" trip.
Graziella - thanks for your suggestions.
I will contact one of the agents and try to get some more suggestions.

Appreciate the help
Pat

I know you all will be thinking that all the marbles came rolling out of my brain but we arer thinking of skipping Iguazu and saving that for another trip. It seems we will be on too many flights if we include both Bariloche and Iguazu. My husbands choice of Montevideo would include a relaxing ferry ride instead of an airport base. Are we completely nuts to skip this. Of course I forsee another trip where we would include Brazil and then get to the falls.
Pat

I don't know where you have traveled previously, but in my experience the single not-to-be-missed natural wonder in Argentina is the one you are thinking about dropping
. Bariloche is beautiful but there are places in Canada, the United States and the European Alps that offer much the same type of scenery.

Montevideo is nice, too, in its own way....but not really a "world class" city in its own rite.

Iguazu is like nothing in the United States, Canada or Europe. The falls are awe inspiring...as impressive in its own way as the Grand Canyon in the United States.

A trip to Bariloche with a stay at Llao Llao and a jaunt to Montevideo with a stay at the Belmont would be nice, indeed...but I would not miss Iguazu for either of these other adventures.

I agree with drdawggy. Iguazu (which obviously is my screen name, too) is breathtaking. I would not miss that for anything. I also agree that if one had to choose between Bariloche and Iguazu, I select the falls. If you want to take Buquebus (the ferry that crosses from Buenos Aires to Uruguay), go to Colonia, not Montevideo. Colonia has history and is a charming little town. Everytime I suggest to my Argentine friends that I am going to Montevideo, that all say it is a waste of time and money.

Ok Ok ..I was loosing it. Let me go back and sit down with the other half and figure this out. I too think we should drop Montevideo and just do a day trip to Uruguay.
I know when we reurn we would have kicked ourselves for missing Iguazu. We plan to do Brazil next but who knows if we will actually ever get there - we have many plans as do most of us. Thanks for your insight and guidance.
Pat

ok..how does this look
MIA-Santiago (5 nights) doing day trips to Vina del Mar, Valparaiso and Concha y Toro and of course sightseeing in Santiago. Staying in Providencia

Santiago-Buenos Aires - BA 3 nights (we will have some time to relax and explore the city)then 5 nights between Iguazu Falls and Bariloche then return to Buenos Aires and have an additional 5 nights. We will do day trips such as Colonia, the
Tigre, an Estancia etc.

I have dropped Montevideo and it gives me a better sense of Buenos Aires by having more days together instead of chopping it up so much. Does this sound like a more relaxing trip?

Thanks for all your help
Pat

I cannot comment on the Santiago part of your trip because I have never been there. I am pleased that Montevideo was eliminated. Eight nights in Buenos Aires may be a lot. It is big but not NYC. I just returned from nine nights there but I have friends living in Buenos Aires so my nights are always busy. If the first three days are seeing the city, that should be fine. On the next five, Tigre would be a day trip, an estancia would be another day trip, Colonia is a day trip. That leaves two more days. Perhaps one day could be walking around the city seeing what you did not see in the first three days. As for that last day, I have run out of ideas.

Do you have a hotel in Buenos Aires? Where in the city do you want to stay. How much per night? Are you aware there is a 21% tax on the room rate? I can help you with ideas if you wish.

Thanks Iguazu - I am still looking into hotels. drdawggy gave a number of good hotels that I am looking at. I am not sure where I want to stay having never been to BA before. I do think we would like to be in the center of things. We would like to be in a safe area where we can walk around. I would like to keep it under $150 per night including the tax. Breakfast is not important to us but would be a nice extra if included. Normally I stay at Marriotts or Sheratons in the states but the Marriott is too high and the Sheraton Liberator looks a bit worn. I am so spoiled since I have been using priceline for the past few years and have been staying at 4& 5 star hotels for bargain rates - absolute bargains. Unfortunately priceline is not available in South America.
I have read that the TA's in Buenos Aires can get better rates so of course I will use either Mayra or Cintia. I am not worried about the extra day in BA as we need time to just wind down, sip some wine and relax. Thanks for all your help
Pat

I spend several months each year in Buenos Aires. It is a fascinating city with endless possibilities, depending upon your interests. You could spend days shopping in Palermo Soho and the leather district. Weather permitting, a visit to the Parks in Palermo and the Japanese Garden would be nice. Museums, such as the MALBA, the Evita Museum and the Tango Museum are nice. Recoleta Cemetary is a must. On Sundays flea markets abound. My favorite is Mataderos, but San Telmo is nice as well. Don't forget a tour of Teatro Colon or to visit Plaza de Mayo at 3:30 on Thursday to see the Mothers March. Stroll down Florida Street to Plaza San Martin...stop in at Galerias Pacifico along the way. I enjoy exploring the ethnic diversity of Buenos Aires--there are Islamic, Catholic and Jewish houses of worship....a small "China town" in Belgrano, a Middle Eastern sector along Scalabrinin Ortiz, with several restaurants featuring entertainment at night....music an belly dancers.....Tango shows and milongas abound....live theater along Corrientes, rock and blues and jazz clubs mixed with Irish pubs....endless choices of cuisine, from pasta to sushi and steak, of course. In short, you should not run out of things to do, provided you enjoy cities.....