My husband and I are taking an 11 day trip to Argentina later this month. We will start and end our trip in BA and the only other area we have booked for sure (3 nights) is Mendoza. My questions are - What's the best way to get from BA to Mendoza? We booked our nights so that it can take us one night for the trip if anyone can recommend a quaint town that's along the way. Or, if a flight/non-stop travel is the best way we'll just stay the additional night in BA. Then, from Mendoza, does it make sense to go to Iguazu Falls before returning to BA? Are there other areas in Argentina that might geographically coincide better? We like budget travel to rustic, off the beaten path (but safe) places, but are not afraid to spend money for a unique experience. Thanks in advance for any advice!

flights always best distances are vast you are short on time..

www.argentinaforless.com

www.wowargentina.com

you will have to fly RT to/from BsAs

for each of your legs...

Have fun,

kbunde:

I agree with qwovadis that flying to Mendoza and back is most logical, given your time in Arg. And there are so many wonderful barrios to explore in Buenos Aires - including 'off the beaten path'.

You might want to add a short bus trip to San Antonio de Areco for an overnight, or 2, in the Pampas with a visit to an Estancia there. Or a day or overnight trip to Tigre by train, but I would check the weather before making this decision.

So great to have good options. And it appears the weather -trees and flowers in bloom - in BsAs is lovely now. Have a great visit.

~MarnieWDC

Fly to Salta, rent a car spend 5/6 days driving a circuit of the region - Purmamarca, Cafayate, Humahuaca, Cachi, Salinaras Grande etc. Get an overnight bus to Iguazu and spend a couple of days visiting both sides of the falls and then return to BA by air. More detail on our blog Entry #75 on:
http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog...ai/1/tpod.html

I'd include a river cruise in Tigre - we did this back in '09. The ride included a nice lunch at a private home on the river bank. A good time.

If you're looking for day trips out of BA, consider Lujan. I thought this a remarkable town, and it's not far.

If you are coming back to BA from Mendoza, consider the overnight deluxe bus back. Very comfortable and quite inexpensive. You'll save the price of a night's lodging, too. However, if you elect to do this, watch your valuables at the bus station! I had my pocket picked in Mendoza station, and lost my passport.

Thank you all for the advise! You have given us great ideas for our trip. Also, if anyone has any information on the boat trip to Uruguay from BsAs that would be appreciated. As well as when and where soccer teams play, even if they are Junior leagues. We are huge fans of the sport. Thanks again!

The boat trip to Colonia, you mean?

Yes. I've read there's a high speed ferry. Does it require advanced booking, or is that something we could decide to do at the last minute? Does it leave multiple times throughout the day? Thanks!

The Buquebus high speed ferry is better booked when you are in BsAs and can get an accurate, more immediate weather forecast...otherwise, you risk a miserable crossing or a cancelled trip, the refund for which you would then need to spend vacation time obtaining.

There were 2 crossings when we last looked: morning and afternoon.

Have a pleasant trip.

~Marnie

Marnie is right. The Buquebus can be booked online. I seem to recall that the website was Spanish-only and a bit difficult for someone without competency in that language. Perhaps there's a concierge at your hotel that can help you out with it.

My lady wife and I did this excursion last year. We took the morning fast boat out, kicked around Colonia for the day, and caught the ferry back - but I'd inadvertently booked the slow boat. But that was, as it turned out, happy mischance. The voyage (if you can call it that) was three or four hours long, the weather was pleasant (bit windy and chilly, take a windbreaker), there was open-air seating on the upper deck, where there was a cash bar. Pretty good time, we thought. The boat pulled into BA in the dark, so we had the pleasure of seeing the city from afar, by night and illuminated. Got in around tenish, IIRC, just in time - by BA's timetable - for dinner. No problem catching a cab back from the ferry terminal to our hotel.

Thanks again! All of this information is awesome! I love the day trip to Colonia idea. We are still trying to find out soccer information while in BsAs if anyone has any website suggestions.
Also, since my original post we have decided to go from Mendoza to Santiago, Chile then back to BsAs and skip the falls on this trip. If anyone has any input on booking this bus trip in advance I'd appreciate it. We will be in BsAs 6 days before and can book then, but I heard an early reservation is helpful in getting preferred seating???

Made that trip too, Kbunde. It's quite a ride, over the Andes. Booking more than a day or two ahead isn't necessary. There are lots of luxury buses - try to get seated as close to the front as possible for the best views. Watch your stuff at the bus station! Sure, it's summertime down there, but take a warm jacket on that ride - you'll be standing around at the immigration and customs shed at the frontier for a while, and I recall it being windy and quite cold. They unloaded and searched every single bag on the bus, and afterwards passed a can around for spare change - apparently the guys doing the actual loading/unloading work for tips. DON'T buy any of the empanadas sold on the bus - I recall that they were terrible. I got deathly ill right after that, too - really sick - and suspect that the empanadas may have been responsible.

I hosteled at the Santa Lucia in Santiago, and found it a pretty good place. Private room, pretty comfortable, cheap, lot of interesting people. Take a morning and check out the park across the street from the hostel - lovely. It's built on the highest point in Santiago, I understand, and the views are marvelous when there isn't too much mist.

No knowledge of futbol matches available, sorry. I too wanted to attend one or two while in BA, but none were being played. Surely some of the regular BA posters should be able to help you with that.