Need Help in Planning a Group Trip To South America: Argentina +?
May 26th, 2006, 08:27 AM
#21
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hi all!
I'm back with more updates!
After discussion with DH, here is what we decided is really best for the trip and have already e mailed both Cintia and Andrew at Lost World:
We decided that we really should follow all of other group trips and really only plan 2 hotels. DH has also wanted to go to Rio for the longest time and he won out to include Rio. We had our loooong discussion on this last night,
Soooo..
What we decided given we really like cities, is to extend Buenos Aires to 5 nights and have a day trip to Colonia ( since it would be cool to actually go to uruguay and I've WANTED to go there) and then a day trip to a winery. From BsAs, then go to Rio for three nights with trips to Sugarloaf and Corcovado.
It would then be an 8 night trip and I think that would be fine.
If only DH and I were going, then of course, we'd make the time to go to the Falls and Bariloche and much more.
But I think we'll get a good sense of BsAs in 5 nights( I know you can spend much, much more time) also to include some tango, city tour, etc and then Rio ( for DH , but I do want to see it to as well as others in our group want to.
So when I hear back from Andrew and Cintia, I will repost and then ask you all fine people again, what you think of their proposals.
Now though the sticky and icky part is airfare... I started to look on my own and ack... over $1000. I do have a regular airfare consultant at my regular travel agent's office, so I will start there. Also with group fares, we can usually do better.
But any ideas are appreciated.
We are thinking the 1 or 2nd week of March for this 8 night trip ( and 1 overnight flight and return), so really 8 nights plus 2 travel days.
Thanks a mil everyone.......
I'm back with more updates!
After discussion with DH, here is what we decided is really best for the trip and have already e mailed both Cintia and Andrew at Lost World:
We decided that we really should follow all of other group trips and really only plan 2 hotels. DH has also wanted to go to Rio for the longest time and he won out to include Rio. We had our loooong discussion on this last night,
Soooo..
What we decided given we really like cities, is to extend Buenos Aires to 5 nights and have a day trip to Colonia ( since it would be cool to actually go to uruguay and I've WANTED to go there) and then a day trip to a winery. From BsAs, then go to Rio for three nights with trips to Sugarloaf and Corcovado.
It would then be an 8 night trip and I think that would be fine.
If only DH and I were going, then of course, we'd make the time to go to the Falls and Bariloche and much more.
But I think we'll get a good sense of BsAs in 5 nights( I know you can spend much, much more time) also to include some tango, city tour, etc and then Rio ( for DH , but I do want to see it to as well as others in our group want to.
So when I hear back from Andrew and Cintia, I will repost and then ask you all fine people again, what you think of their proposals.
Now though the sticky and icky part is airfare... I started to look on my own and ack... over $1000. I do have a regular airfare consultant at my regular travel agent's office, so I will start there. Also with group fares, we can usually do better.
But any ideas are appreciated.
We are thinking the 1 or 2nd week of March for this 8 night trip ( and 1 overnight flight and return), so really 8 nights plus 2 travel days.
Thanks a mil everyone.......
May 28th, 2006, 04:22 PM
#22
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Tripgirl: Do consider Peru for your next southamerican tour. There is so much to see. Peru is consider one of the megadiverse countries in the world due to its three natural regions and various climates. There are several impressive archeological vestiges besides Machu Picchu both in the coastline and in the Highlands. Also peruvian cuisine is one of the most exquisite in the Americas and the world. Anyway enjoy your trip to Argentina which is also a great destination!
May 29th, 2006, 07:26 AM
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HI!!!
imītoo late, but in my opinion, you have to know that the distance, here in LA are too long and the transportation in not like in the 1š world.
So, if your planning a 7-9 days trip Buenos Aires, Iguazu y Bariloche is not a good option, iguazu is 2500 kms. aprox. far from bariloche, and buenos Aires in the middle and you donīt have direct flights.
And if you are going to travel frequently,I think the best option is to choose in Argentinian region from:
a) Buenos Aires and Uruguay
b) Buenos Aires and Iguazu
c) Buenos Aires and Patagonia (Bariloche, and lakes regions)
d) Buenos Aires - Bariloche - Puerto Montt is a nice trip.
you have to choose closer points, and try to contact region operators (travel agents) who can accept you your payment in Argentina, because the payment from the outside is quite expensive.
Hoping this has helped you at least a bit...
Bienvenido a America Latina!!!
imītoo late, but in my opinion, you have to know that the distance, here in LA are too long and the transportation in not like in the 1š world.
So, if your planning a 7-9 days trip Buenos Aires, Iguazu y Bariloche is not a good option, iguazu is 2500 kms. aprox. far from bariloche, and buenos Aires in the middle and you donīt have direct flights.
And if you are going to travel frequently,I think the best option is to choose in Argentinian region from:
a) Buenos Aires and Uruguay
b) Buenos Aires and Iguazu
c) Buenos Aires and Patagonia (Bariloche, and lakes regions)
d) Buenos Aires - Bariloche - Puerto Montt is a nice trip.
you have to choose closer points, and try to contact region operators (travel agents) who can accept you your payment in Argentina, because the payment from the outside is quite expensive.
Hoping this has helped you at least a bit...
Bienvenido a America Latina!!!
May 30th, 2006, 04:43 PM
#24
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You asked about what is the most interesting to see. Here are my thoughts....
My wife and I have traveled to over 35 countries - over the past 20 years.
I think our trip to Machu Pichu in Peru will always rank near the top of the list. Rio De Janiero was ok/interesting and Sao Paulo was not even as good as Rio. Way to congested and industrial for us. But Cuzco and Machu Pichu was a must in our travels. It was great!
Take the train from Cuzco to Machu Pichu. The train switchbacks out of the city backwards. As it backs up from the city to the top of the mountain you get the view of Cuzco. It and is quite different. The only fault with the train was that the windows are dark shaded with a sunscreen - so you cannot see as much as I like. Otherwise it was great.
The trip to Machu Pichu can be done in a day with the train leaving in the morning and returning that night. About 4 or 5 hours are all you will need at the site. Make sure to go on the Inca Trail and walk a half hour+ each way until you get to the area that has hundreds of steps down into a canyon. At that point look over what you can and turn around. This is also a world class hike. The trail is fascinating!
Now for our concerns....
We are going to Buenos Aeres for the first time in December for 16 days and we also want to know what to see. The Lake country (Bariolle) 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 becasue 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.
My wife and I have traveled to over 35 countries - over the past 20 years.
I think our trip to Machu Pichu in Peru will always rank near the top of the list. Rio De Janiero was ok/interesting and Sao Paulo was not even as good as Rio. Way to congested and industrial for us. But Cuzco and Machu Pichu was a must in our travels. It was great!
Take the train from Cuzco to Machu Pichu. The train switchbacks out of the city backwards. As it backs up from the city to the top of the mountain you get the view of Cuzco. It and is quite different. The only fault with the train was that the windows are dark shaded with a sunscreen - so you cannot see as much as I like. Otherwise it was great.
The trip to Machu Pichu can be done in a day with the train leaving in the morning and returning that night. About 4 or 5 hours are all you will need at the site. Make sure to go on the Inca Trail and walk a half hour+ each way until you get to the area that has hundreds of steps down into a canyon. At that point look over what you can and turn around. This is also a world class hike. The trail is fascinating!
Now for our concerns....
We are going to Buenos Aeres for the first time in December for 16 days and we also want to know what to see. The Lake country (Bariolle) 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 becasue 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.
May 30th, 2006, 05:35 PM
#25
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If you look at my most recent post on this thread, we will save Peru for another time.
We are going to concentrate on only two places BsAs and Rio. We know we'll be back. Like you, I do not want to stay in a zillion places only to see lots of airports.
I'll keep you all posted whenI hear back from Cintia.
Ciao...
We are going to concentrate on only two places BsAs and Rio. We know we'll be back. Like you, I do not want to stay in a zillion places only to see lots of airports.
I'll keep you all posted whenI hear back from Cintia.
Ciao...
May 31st, 2006, 08:19 AM
#26
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5365.... You will be missing a wonderful experience if you skip Iguazu Falls because you feel it is too touristy. Having been there last November, I would wade through a bazillion "tourists" to see these incredibly beautiful falls and surrounding area.
I dislike crowds, but despite lots of people along the trails we never felt uncomfortable or crunched. We walked along at our own pace and stopped at the many lookouts to admire the falls and take pictures.
Obviously it is your trip and your decision, but skipping Iguazu would be a terrible mistake in my opinion.
I dislike crowds, but despite lots of people along the trails we never felt uncomfortable or crunched. We walked along at our own pace and stopped at the many lookouts to admire the falls and take pictures.
Obviously it is your trip and your decision, but skipping Iguazu would be a terrible mistake in my opinion.
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