16 Days in Argentina Advice
 

Hi Folks,

I have been given some unexpected time off before I start a new job in mid-March, and so I'm going to visit Argentina for around 16/17 days to scratch a 15-year itch.

What should be on my itinerary, beside a few days in BA? Was thinking of doing Patagonia, but that in itself could take up a week or more. Was thinking of doing the likes of Ushuaia and Calafate for 4/5 days via a small group tour (given I'm supposed to be going in a few weeks, don't have much time to book things in advance).

Was also thinking of Igazzu falls, but considering it's at the end other end of the country, am I biting off more than I can chew here?

What are the absolute most-dos for a few weeks in Argentina?

Thanks!

I think you will need a week for Patgonia (you may struggle to find small group tours for any less than that. Pretty much the ideal time for the south of the country. Buenos Aires needs three or four days, depending upon how much you like cities. Iguazu would be a prerequisite of a short trip to the country. Plan the flights right and you could do it as a a two night side trip from BA.

My favourite place in the country is the area around Salta and Jujuy provinces in the north west of the country. Ideally done as a self drive trip lasting a week or more, it can also be done as SGT or with a private guide and driver. Some photos and details of some of our time there @ https://accidentalnomads.com/categor...ica/argentina/

Mendoza is worth considering if you are into wine, though there are plenty of vineyards around Cafayate in Salta province too.

Being a huge country, getting around the country can present some logistical problems, not least because the airline system there is notoriously unreliable. to an extent this can be offset by using the excellent long distance intercity bus network. longer routes can be schedule overnight saving on usable time.

Iguazu Falls is spectacular and less than 2-hour flight from BA.

Several yeara ago I got a ticket from BA to iguazu to BA and a couple days later a one-way from BA to Montevideo. All on one ticket. It was cheaper than the roundtrip BA to iguazu to BA.

I flew from Rio to Iguazu and then on to Montevideo. Crossed on the ferry to BsAs. I would not consider visiting BsAs without a side trip to Iguazu, and you do need at least two nights, better three.

I absolutely loved Patagonia (click on my name to find my TR for that trip). I flew from BsAs to El Calafate and took the bus up to El Chalten. You really do not need a tour.

We enjoyed Bariloche and left from there for the Lakes Crossing to Chile.

So I've been thinking of this, roughly, for 15 nights in Argentina:

BA - 3/4 days
Mendoza - 2/3 days
Usuhaia - 2 days
Calafate/El Chalten - 3 days
Bariloche - 3 days
Return to BA for final night.

Does this sound like a decent plan?

"Does this sound like a decent plan?"

Not really. We all have our different travel styles and I understand the desire to pack in as much as possible, but that is a lot of travelling time. Time when you could be actually enjoying the locations will be spent travelling between them. Three nights in a place only allows two days of actual sightseeing etc. so your two days in Usuhaia will require three nights and so on. Every time you change locations you will lose half a day of "usable time" (probably more in Argentina) . Which is a long winded way of saying , drop one of your destinations so you have more time to actually the others.

I also wonder about the attraction of Ushaia. I would certainly rate Iguazu higher. I don't see how you can do both El Calafate and El Chalten in three days.

So what should I miss out/give a miss? My plan was based off of an Argentine friend of mine, who recommended hitting all those places.

Ushuaia

So I've confirmed BA for 4 days and El Calafate for 3-and-a-half. Go to Bariloche after Calafate? or somewhere like Mendoza?