Getting AR pesos at home or once there
 

We had planned on ordering a sizeable amount of pesos for our upcoming trip to BsAs. We'll be there for 3 weeks and didn't want to immediately have to hit the banks and ATM's. With the peso at the 4 AR /1 CA exchange we were unhappy with the rate that Continental Currency gave us which is 3.50 to 1. Any suggestions please regarding the wisdom of waiting to buy our pesos in BsAs? What would be a logical amount to have on hand when we arrive? Also I see one post mentioned a shortage...any new information regarding that?
Thanks

Get off the plane, walk through Customs, go to the Banco Nacion .. NOT the Exchange place but the Banco Nacion.
All you really need is some cash to get you into the city then you can go to a bank ATM.
The only shortage is on Fridays, sometimes at some ATM machines, they run out of cash because during the summer especially, everyone gets cash for the weekend.
I think it is safe ( in terms of theft) not to bring a great amount of cash with you, you can figure out how much you need and take it out of the ATM once a week.

Local expert hikerboy reported getting 3,80 pesos per Canadian dollar at the Banco de la Nación recently. That should answer your question.

http://www.fodors.com/community/sout...irport-eze.cfm

Have a great time in our country.

Thankyou very much for this info you two. Certainly a better rate than Continental here at home. And yes, avrooster I'm quite sure we will enjoy your country. We'll definitely take advantage of the free tours in the City....either ciccerones or the bafreetour. We've also booked a 3 day trip to Iguazu with WOW but will wait 'till we get there to book Colonia. The jury is still out on whether to do an overnighter there or just a day trip with a tour.Mendoza will have to wait for the return trip I'm afraid

minx, be sure to plan ahead for Colonia. We went to the boat first thing in the morning and it was already sold out for the day.

minx, avrooster kindly referred to my experience at EZE last Saturday. It worked well, as you can read. One irritating thing is that on the international market, the $C trades for 4.07 pesos, while the $US trades at 4.02 and yet Banco de la Nacion paid 3.80 for our $C and 4.005 for $US.
This disparity is confirmed if you check DolarHoy.com, so that is the reality here.
My advice is to wait until you arrive and do as Scarlett suggests. You may be further ahead financially to buy $US in Canada and use them to buy pesos here in Argentina.

Today, DW was paid 4.06 for $US at Monedas del Mundo, located at Junin 1621. The walk up rate would be 4.02, but the rental agency called on our behalf and asked them to give us their "best" rate, which they did.

If you book the ferry to Colonia the day before, you most often will have no problem getting tickets.
I would just go on the early ferry and come home that night..

You can always use the Cicerones And the BAFreeTours :- )
and don't forget to take the hop on and off bus, that is a great way to see town without a lot of walking ..

Hikerboy: did your DW get an invoice for that exchange at 4,06?

Because if she did not, I'm afraid it was NOT a good rate.

avrooster: Now I'm embarassed! I guess I've been duped again. What IS a good rate, and where should we go to get it?
Of course, we all want to exchange our funds at the best rate possible.

Muchas gracias, amigo.

To know whether or not it was such a good rate, I need to know whether or not your DW got an invoice.

I'm almost sure she didn't get an official invoice, which would mean the rate was just decent, not great.

I'll explain further, if you wish, but please tell me whether or not she got an invoice.

avrooster, you are correct. She did not get an invoice.
I'm really curious.
Please explain further.

That means it was an illegal black market transaction. A few days ago, the rate in this market was about 4,10 or 4,12 bid. Right now, I don´t know.

If that rate still prevails, what DW got was not so great.

I strongly suggest tourists do NOT change their currency this way, unless they are advised to do so by a knowledgeable local, which in a certain measure was the case with you, since the rental agency arranged the transaction.

Regarding the peso...when travelling to Uruguay (actually just Colonia), is it necessary to change money? I realize if we go with a group tour,that is a moot issue but for a possible DIY overnighter,would AR pesos be sufficient? I'm in favour of the day trip myself Scarlett...DH thinks we need to be there longer...hmmmmm? My fellow Canuck...hikerboy...yes, it does seem strange that our stronger currency exchanges for less than the weaker US greenback. Again...thanks to everyone.

US dollars are more readily accepted in Uruguay than Argentine pesos, if that helps.

It does ...thankyou very much avrooster