Argentina suggestion
 

I will be traveling solo to Argentina for 2 weeks in August. I usually prefer to book a tour since I don't have time to plan. Any suggestions on small, active tour groups? I am not interested in the big tour companies (like Trafalgar). Thanks.

BA is best seen in small tour groups- the big buses can barely make it into the best parts of town. I suggest looking into tours by Eternautas and even the Free Walking tours where you just pay the tip - I believe their site is www.freetoursba.com
If you are looking to have a plan organized you can contact www.baculturalconcierge.com - it is a small company that plans special itineraries for people who generally just don't have time to plan and do all the research. I recommened this to a fellow Fodorite recently and she was extremely happy with the personal attention and unique BA experiences the company offered.

Also, if you don't end up planning in advance you can pick up the national newspaper La Nacion or El Clarin and look at their "Espectaculos" section - there you can find a lot of shows and day time events.

Safe trip!

Any ideas for a country tour? I only want a few days in BA. Thanks.

Intrepid Travel is amazing - I did a tour with them in Turkey and it was the best travel experience of my life. See their Arg. trips :http://www.intrepidtravel.com/search/trips

you can spend the day in any estancia in San Antonio de Areco, there are many travel agencies that sell the Gaucho Party in which they take you to the estancia, you see a show with gauchos and eat barbacue. Then they take you back to the hotel.
San Antonio de Aresco is the gaucho town but there are many towns in Buenos Aires province that you can visit.

I used Wow Argentina to arrange tours for me. The service was terrific and everything went without a hitch. When I asked about the Feria in Mataderos, Cintia went out there a few weeks ahead and checked it out so she could tell me about it. As a solo traveler, they were the perfect blend of organizing my trip and not being a huge tour. They arrange trips all over Argentina. They even called to check on me every few days to make sure I was fine.

(And hello to everyone - I didn't really fall off the earth, just into a hole. I plan to be in BA in October)

teachtotravel back in BA during our spring!

This lady REALLY knows how to travel!!!!!!!!!

I can't wait to be there! I can just envision strolling the parks, sitting at a sidewalk cafe with a perfect cortado aaah!

How about some churros with dulce de leche with that cortado???
Yummy!!!
Right now is really cold in BA and I wish I were at Café Tortoni with a cup of hot chocolate and eating those churros...
Teach2travel: BA is waiting for you!

Oh sofi, that sounds so good lol. Fresh hot churros !
I am too cold .. today we spent a long time in Nucha on Parana .. It was so warm and cozy and the tea was so good, I didn't want to leave :- )

Have you discoverd submarinos in lieu of hot chocolate? Chocolate bars melted into hot milk...there are those who swear by them....kind of hard for me to think about hot drinks right now with temps between 38 and 39 C. on my patio....

pls,.... stop!
Delicious medialunas, and dulce de leche!
Flintstones

If you all keep on - How will I wait until October?!

Don't. LOL!!!

teach2travel we can send you some HAVANNA alfajores! together with medialunas, vigilantes, bolas de fraile, tortitas negras and many other 'facturas'

Can I get locro and empanadas too?

Sure, but only for lunch or dinner. The "facturas" are for breakfast or tea time! LOL!!!

locro and empanadas.. the best are in the NW, SALTA and JUJUY...
and many other dishes you would LOVE!
I recommend take foru days for the NW...
Flintstones...