Initial itinerary for 23 days in Argentina
Sep 24th, 2018, 09:46 PM
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Initial itinerary for 23 days in Argentina
Hi All,
I will be traveling to Argentina from late November to mid December for 23 full days. I am mainly into nature, hiking, wildlife, culture & architecture.
I just started planning and here is my first pass at the itinerary. Since I don't have much time left to plan, I would really appreciate your input in the early stages if possible before getting into planning each destination. I am still not sure about which destination will come first.
What do you think of the amount of days spent in each area? I didn't go much into what each destination has to offer but seems like there are lots of stuff to do in all those stops. Any suggestions to drop any destination for another??
Waiting for your input.
Thanks a lot
I will be traveling to Argentina from late November to mid December for 23 full days. I am mainly into nature, hiking, wildlife, culture & architecture.
I just started planning and here is my first pass at the itinerary. Since I don't have much time left to plan, I would really appreciate your input in the early stages if possible before getting into planning each destination. I am still not sure about which destination will come first.
- Buenos Aires - 4 days
- Iguazu Falls - 2 days (there will be flying in both days, arrive early first day then leave late the second day), probably no time to cross to the Brazilian side!
- NW area: Salta / Cachi / Jujuy - 5 days
- San Martin de Los Andes then drive along the lakes till Bariloche and spend time there - 6 days
- Patagonia area: El Chalten / El Calafate / Cross over Chilean border to Torres Del Paine - 6 days
What do you think of the amount of days spent in each area? I didn't go much into what each destination has to offer but seems like there are lots of stuff to do in all those stops. Any suggestions to drop any destination for another??
Waiting for your input.
Thanks a lot
Sep 25th, 2018, 07:43 AM
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thanks a lot for taking the time to reply!
I had few questions regarding couple of destinations.
- Regarding Torres Del Paine, I understand that there is the W trail which needs like 5 days to finish, if I only had 1 full day there will I be able to see any thing?
- Also, I wanted to include Ushuaia to see Tierra del Fuego and the penguins, so I was thinking to skip the NW part and split the days between Torres del Paine and Ushuaia area. Is this a good switch or I should keep the NW area?
Sep 25th, 2018, 08:12 AM
#4
For my one day at TdP see:
https://mytimetotravel.wordpress.com...owers-of-blue/
I chose not to go to Ushuaia or the northwest, but if I had to pick one it would be the northwest as having more to see/do, plus if I ever make it to Antarctica I will have to go to Ushuaia then.
https://mytimetotravel.wordpress.com...owers-of-blue/
I chose not to go to Ushuaia or the northwest, but if I had to pick one it would be the northwest as having more to see/do, plus if I ever make it to Antarctica I will have to go to Ushuaia then.
Sep 25th, 2018, 08:21 AM
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For my one day at TdP see:
https://mytimetotravel.wordpress.com...owers-of-blue/
I chose not to go to Ushuaia or the northwest, but if I had to pick one it would be the northwest as having more to see/do, plus if I ever make it to Antarctica I will have to go to Ushuaia then.
https://mytimetotravel.wordpress.com...owers-of-blue/
I chose not to go to Ushuaia or the northwest, but if I had to pick one it would be the northwest as having more to see/do, plus if I ever make it to Antarctica I will have to go to Ushuaia then.
Sep 25th, 2018, 11:17 AM
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To make sure your itinerary works you really need to factor in the transport from one region to another, whether by overnight bus or flights, before nailing down the number of nights in each places. It is not always straightforward in Argentina!
I love the NW region of the country, five days would give you enough time for a driving tour of say Salta, Cachi and Cafayate or, with a little longer you could include Purmamarca, Salinas Grande Etc.
I enjoyed the San Martin de Los Andes and the drive via Angostura to Bariloche but was not over enamoured of Bariloche itself. If I were to cut somewhere, it would probably be this section and maybe add the time to Patagonia and the NW but would definitely add a day to Iguazu and see both sides. ( although we didn’t actually make it any further south than Bariloche, I do regret not following Ruta 40 all the way down to Ushuaia)
Some more info and photos of our time in some of these areas on our blog which you may find of some help. https://accidentalnomads.com/categor...ica/argentina/
I love the NW region of the country, five days would give you enough time for a driving tour of say Salta, Cachi and Cafayate or, with a little longer you could include Purmamarca, Salinas Grande Etc.
I enjoyed the San Martin de Los Andes and the drive via Angostura to Bariloche but was not over enamoured of Bariloche itself. If I were to cut somewhere, it would probably be this section and maybe add the time to Patagonia and the NW but would definitely add a day to Iguazu and see both sides. ( although we didn’t actually make it any further south than Bariloche, I do regret not following Ruta 40 all the way down to Ushuaia)
Some more info and photos of our time in some of these areas on our blog which you may find of some help. https://accidentalnomads.com/categor...ica/argentina/
Sep 25th, 2018, 08:46 PM
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To make sure your itinerary works you really need to factor in the transport from one region to another, whether by overnight bus or flights, before nailing down the number of nights in each places. It is not always straightforward in Argentina!
I love the NW region of the country, five days would give you enough time for a driving tour of say Salta, Cachi and Cafayate or, with a little longer you could include Purmamarca, Salinas Grande Etc.
I enjoyed the San Martin de Los Andes and the drive via Angostura to Bariloche but was not over enamoured of Bariloche itself. If I were to cut somewhere, it would probably be this section and maybe add the time to Patagonia and the NW but would definitely add a day to Iguazu and see both sides. ( although we didn’t actually make it any further south than Bariloche, I do regret not following Ruta 40 all the way down to Ushuaia)
Some more info and photos of our time in some of these areas on our blog which you may find of some help. https://accidentalnomads.com/categor...ica/argentina/
I love the NW region of the country, five days would give you enough time for a driving tour of say Salta, Cachi and Cafayate or, with a little longer you could include Purmamarca, Salinas Grande Etc.
I enjoyed the San Martin de Los Andes and the drive via Angostura to Bariloche but was not over enamoured of Bariloche itself. If I were to cut somewhere, it would probably be this section and maybe add the time to Patagonia and the NW but would definitely add a day to Iguazu and see both sides. ( although we didn’t actually make it any further south than Bariloche, I do regret not following Ruta 40 all the way down to Ushuaia)
Some more info and photos of our time in some of these areas on our blog which you may find of some help. https://accidentalnomads.com/categor...ica/argentina/
Thanks a lot crellston for the reply. You are right, I am still checking the transportation between the far destinations, since my trip is short then I will definitely take planes, I checked few buses and they seem to take forever, although I hate flying but there is no other option with my tight schedule.
I am surprised you didn't like Bariloche, isn't the Lake district in Bariloche or it's a different spot? My main interest in this area is to spend some time on the lakes to take a break in the middle of my hectic itinerary!
As for San Martin de Los Andes, I was planning to fly to it from BA then rent a car and drive all the way to Bariloche, but the issue here is I will need to pay a lot for car rental since I will not drop it at the same pick up location, so I might just fly to Bariloche and just either use it as a base and do day trips to the lakes and San Martin de Los Andes, or may be split the time between the Bariloche and San Martin de Los Andes.
By the way regarding Iguazu, can I see the Argentinian side on day 1 and the Brazilian on day 2, isn't this enough time? I read that beside the falls, there aren't much else to do in Iguazu.
Last edited by giicko; Sep 25th, 2018 at 09:00 PM. Reason: missed a paragraph
Sep 25th, 2018, 10:40 PM
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Re Planes v Buses - Buses may not take up as much of your "usable" time and the longer trips are scheduled overnight, thus leaving a full day in your departure town and a full day on arrival. Go Ejecutivo class and it is akin to travelling first class on a decent airline ( plus you save an nights accomodation. It may suit your schedule, it may not but worth exploring the timings on the bus company websites or omnilineas.com
On our last trip I planned various flights as we were travelling with friends and were relatively short on time. I booked DIRECT flights from Salta to Iguazu with aerolineas Argentinas. These were changed six times in the months leading up to departure and were finally changed to INDIRECT via BA, significantly increasing our travel time. This sort of thing is not uncommon. Given the locations you have in mind, the bus journeys may well be too long but just something to consider. Most flights within Argentina always seem to be routed via BA. There are two terminals there so make sure the route doesn’t include a change from EZE to AEP or vice versa.
Iguazu - you are right, there isn’t a whole lot to do in Puerto Iguazu apart from the falls. You may have time to see both sides but this depends largely on which flights you take and whether or not they are on time. The Argentine falls really needs a full day to do it justice, the Brazilian side around half a day will be sufficient. A little more would be better if you want to include the bird park. We have been a couple of time and have crossed the border by bus to Brazil and by taxi. It is pretty straightforward to do both sides of the falls by bus but it does take time as you have to change buses for Brazil. As you are short on time the latter would be better and you may want to organise this in advance with your accommodation. The taxi could pick you up at the airport, dump your bags at the hotel and take you straight to the falls and pick you up at a pre arranged time in the pm.
It is definitely worth seeing both sides. The Brazil falls are all about the panoramic views, the argentine, about getting up really close. Both are incredible!
Bariloche & SMDLA - we loved San Martin but found Bariloche town to be very touristy, although the surrounding lakes are beautiful. My judgement may be coloured by the fact that we visited over the argentine equivalent of Spring Break, the place was jam packed and we ended up having to stay in what turned out to be an old people’s Care home! Others I know have loved Bariloche, so maybe it’s just me!
We rented a car through Hertz. It was few years ago but it wasn’t that expensive even with the one way fee. Although we ended up sharing the car with an Italian/Spanish couple whom we travelled with on to Puerto Madryn which diluted the cost somewhat . If you wanted to get out and about around Bariloche, the car would be a distinct advantage.
On our last trip I planned various flights as we were travelling with friends and were relatively short on time. I booked DIRECT flights from Salta to Iguazu with aerolineas Argentinas. These were changed six times in the months leading up to departure and were finally changed to INDIRECT via BA, significantly increasing our travel time. This sort of thing is not uncommon. Given the locations you have in mind, the bus journeys may well be too long but just something to consider. Most flights within Argentina always seem to be routed via BA. There are two terminals there so make sure the route doesn’t include a change from EZE to AEP or vice versa.
Iguazu - you are right, there isn’t a whole lot to do in Puerto Iguazu apart from the falls. You may have time to see both sides but this depends largely on which flights you take and whether or not they are on time. The Argentine falls really needs a full day to do it justice, the Brazilian side around half a day will be sufficient. A little more would be better if you want to include the bird park. We have been a couple of time and have crossed the border by bus to Brazil and by taxi. It is pretty straightforward to do both sides of the falls by bus but it does take time as you have to change buses for Brazil. As you are short on time the latter would be better and you may want to organise this in advance with your accommodation. The taxi could pick you up at the airport, dump your bags at the hotel and take you straight to the falls and pick you up at a pre arranged time in the pm.
It is definitely worth seeing both sides. The Brazil falls are all about the panoramic views, the argentine, about getting up really close. Both are incredible!
Bariloche & SMDLA - we loved San Martin but found Bariloche town to be very touristy, although the surrounding lakes are beautiful. My judgement may be coloured by the fact that we visited over the argentine equivalent of Spring Break, the place was jam packed and we ended up having to stay in what turned out to be an old people’s Care home! Others I know have loved Bariloche, so maybe it’s just me!
We rented a car through Hertz. It was few years ago but it wasn’t that expensive even with the one way fee. Although we ended up sharing the car with an Italian/Spanish couple whom we travelled with on to Puerto Madryn which diluted the cost somewhat . If you wanted to get out and about around Bariloche, the car would be a distinct advantage.
Sep 26th, 2018, 05:43 AM
#9
you have to change buses for Brazil.
Unlike crellston I preferred Bariloche to San Martin. Traveling north instead os south I took a day tour to San Martin and got off there istead of going back to Bariloche. That meant I got a number of stops to admire the scenery as well as transportation.
Sep 27th, 2018, 09:44 AM
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Re Planes v Buses - Buses may not take up as much of your "usable" time and the longer trips are scheduled overnight, thus leaving a full day in your departure town and a full day on arrival. Go Ejecutivo class and it is akin to travelling first class on a decent airline ( plus you save an nights accomodation. It may suit your schedule, it may not but worth exploring the timings on the bus company websites or omnilineas.com
On our last trip I planned various flights as we were travelling with friends and were relatively short on time. I booked DIRECT flights from Salta to Iguazu with aerolineas Argentinas. These were changed six times in the months leading up to departure and were finally changed to INDIRECT via BA, significantly increasing our travel time. This sort of thing is not uncommon. Given the locations you have in mind, the bus journeys may well be too long but just something to consider. Most flights within Argentina always seem to be routed via BA. There are two terminals there so make sure the route doesn’t include a change from EZE to AEP or vice versa.
Iguazu - you are right, there isn’t a whole lot to do in Puerto Iguazu apart from the falls. You may have time to see both sides but this depends largely on which flights you take and whether or not they are on time. The Argentine falls really needs a full day to do it justice, the Brazilian side around half a day will be sufficient. A little more would be better if you want to include the bird park. We have been a couple of time and have crossed the border by bus to Brazil and by taxi. It is pretty straightforward to do both sides of the falls by bus but it does take time as you have to change buses for Brazil. As you are short on time the latter would be better and you may want to organise this in advance with your accommodation. The taxi could pick you up at the airport, dump your bags at the hotel and take you straight to the falls and pick you up at a pre arranged time in the pm.
It is definitely worth seeing both sides. The Brazil falls are all about the panoramic views, the argentine, about getting up really close. Both are incredible!
Bariloche & SMDLA - we loved San Martin but found Bariloche town to be very touristy, although the surrounding lakes are beautiful. My judgement may be coloured by the fact that we visited over the argentine equivalent of Spring Break, the place was jam packed and we ended up having to stay in what turned out to be an old people’s Care home! Others I know have loved Bariloche, so maybe it’s just me!
We rented a car through Hertz. It was few years ago but it wasn’t that expensive even with the one way fee. Although we ended up sharing the car with an Italian/Spanish couple whom we travelled with on to Puerto Madryn which diluted the cost somewhat . If you wanted to get out and about around Bariloche, the car would be a distinct advantage.
On our last trip I planned various flights as we were travelling with friends and were relatively short on time. I booked DIRECT flights from Salta to Iguazu with aerolineas Argentinas. These were changed six times in the months leading up to departure and were finally changed to INDIRECT via BA, significantly increasing our travel time. This sort of thing is not uncommon. Given the locations you have in mind, the bus journeys may well be too long but just something to consider. Most flights within Argentina always seem to be routed via BA. There are two terminals there so make sure the route doesn’t include a change from EZE to AEP or vice versa.
Iguazu - you are right, there isn’t a whole lot to do in Puerto Iguazu apart from the falls. You may have time to see both sides but this depends largely on which flights you take and whether or not they are on time. The Argentine falls really needs a full day to do it justice, the Brazilian side around half a day will be sufficient. A little more would be better if you want to include the bird park. We have been a couple of time and have crossed the border by bus to Brazil and by taxi. It is pretty straightforward to do both sides of the falls by bus but it does take time as you have to change buses for Brazil. As you are short on time the latter would be better and you may want to organise this in advance with your accommodation. The taxi could pick you up at the airport, dump your bags at the hotel and take you straight to the falls and pick you up at a pre arranged time in the pm.
It is definitely worth seeing both sides. The Brazil falls are all about the panoramic views, the argentine, about getting up really close. Both are incredible!
Bariloche & SMDLA - we loved San Martin but found Bariloche town to be very touristy, although the surrounding lakes are beautiful. My judgement may be coloured by the fact that we visited over the argentine equivalent of Spring Break, the place was jam packed and we ended up having to stay in what turned out to be an old people’s Care home! Others I know have loved Bariloche, so maybe it’s just me!
We rented a car through Hertz. It was few years ago but it wasn’t that expensive even with the one way fee. Although we ended up sharing the car with an Italian/Spanish couple whom we travelled with on to Puerto Madryn which diluted the cost somewhat . If you wanted to get out and about around Bariloche, the car would be a distinct advantage.
Thanks a lot crellston for your input!
Since you did the road trip in the Salta area, the plan for my 5 days would go like this, Salta / Jujuy / Purmamarca & Salinas Grandes / Cachi / Cafayate. So basically one day in each stop. Is this doable or pretty rushed?
Sep 27th, 2018, 07:32 PM
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Hi All,
So here is my revised Itinerary:
Day 0 - Arrive late afternoon Buenos Aires
Day 01 - Buenos Aires
Day 02 - Buenos Aires
Day 03 - Iguazu
Day 04 - Iguazu
Day 05 - Salta (5 days road trip)
Day 06 - Jujuy
Day 07 - Purmamarca + Salinas Grandes
Day 08 - Cachi
Day 09 - Cafayate - head back to Salta to spend the night
Day 10 - Salta - Buenos Aires - Bariloche
Day 11 - Bariloche
Day 12 - Bariloche
Day 13 - Bariloche
Day 14 - Fly to El Chalten
Day 15 - El Chalten
Day 16 - El Chalten
Day 17 - El Chalten
Day 18 - Bus to El Calafate
Day 19 - El Calafate
Day 20 - Ushuaia or Peninsula Valdes/Purto Madryn
Day 21 - Ushuaia or Peninsula Valdes/Purto Madryn
Day 22 - Fly to Buenos Aires
Day 23 - Buenos Aires
Day 24 - Fly home @ 8:00 pm
I split my Buenos Aires time to have some buffer before my flight home.
So what do you guys think, Ushuaia or Peninsula Valdes in mid December? From what I read, Ushuaia seems much interesting than Peninsula Valdes except for the wildlife viewing which seems really much better in Peninsula Valdes. Is December a good month for wildlife viewing in Peninsula Valdes?
So here is my revised Itinerary:
Day 0 - Arrive late afternoon Buenos Aires
Day 01 - Buenos Aires
Day 02 - Buenos Aires
Day 03 - Iguazu
Day 04 - Iguazu
Day 05 - Salta (5 days road trip)
Day 06 - Jujuy
Day 07 - Purmamarca + Salinas Grandes
Day 08 - Cachi
Day 09 - Cafayate - head back to Salta to spend the night
Day 10 - Salta - Buenos Aires - Bariloche
Day 11 - Bariloche
Day 12 - Bariloche
Day 13 - Bariloche
Day 14 - Fly to El Chalten
Day 15 - El Chalten
Day 16 - El Chalten
Day 17 - El Chalten
Day 18 - Bus to El Calafate
Day 19 - El Calafate
Day 20 - Ushuaia or Peninsula Valdes/Purto Madryn
Day 21 - Ushuaia or Peninsula Valdes/Purto Madryn
Day 22 - Fly to Buenos Aires
Day 23 - Buenos Aires
Day 24 - Fly home @ 8:00 pm
I split my Buenos Aires time to have some buffer before my flight home.
So what do you guys think, Ushuaia or Peninsula Valdes in mid December? From what I read, Ushuaia seems much interesting than Peninsula Valdes except for the wildlife viewing which seems really much better in Peninsula Valdes. Is December a good month for wildlife viewing in Peninsula Valdes?
Sep 27th, 2018, 11:16 PM
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Your roadtrip section is pretty rushed but just about doable. I assume you are happy with a self drive rental car? If so, I would pick up at Salta airport to save time. I suggest checking google maps for your proposed route and then at least double the drive times. Some of the roads are gravel but mainly because there is so much to see you will find yourself stopping a lot along the way.
Forget about JuyJuy it is not worth a stop. Carry on to Cachi for overnight. A lovely small town ( don’t miss the hilltop cemetery). The drive through Parque Nacional Los Cardones is beautiful.
Driving down Ruta 40 to Cafayate takes a while but there is some stunning scenery along the way. Molinos is definitely worth a visit. I would allow a full day for that drive. You wil possibly want to hang around in Cafayate or even make it two nights if into wine as there are lots of vineyards and bodegas in and around the town.
Driving from Purmamarca to Cachi is a very long drive back through Salta and I would not recommend it in one day. Ideally spend a night in Salta en route.
You could drive from Salta to Purmamarca and use that as a base to see the Cerros de Siete Colores which are very close to town and best viewed at dawn. Salinas Grande can also be visited from there - best in the late afternoon. Tilcara is close by - touristy but worth a visit. A bit further out but also worth considering is Huamhuaca.
Did you manage to find Direct flights between Iguazu and Salta?
It would seem to make more sense to include Ushuaia if the transport works. See this for whale times https://www.theargentinaspecialists....whale-watching it seems you are on the cusp of the whale season.
Looking good!
Forget about JuyJuy it is not worth a stop. Carry on to Cachi for overnight. A lovely small town ( don’t miss the hilltop cemetery). The drive through Parque Nacional Los Cardones is beautiful.
Driving down Ruta 40 to Cafayate takes a while but there is some stunning scenery along the way. Molinos is definitely worth a visit. I would allow a full day for that drive. You wil possibly want to hang around in Cafayate or even make it two nights if into wine as there are lots of vineyards and bodegas in and around the town.
Driving from Purmamarca to Cachi is a very long drive back through Salta and I would not recommend it in one day. Ideally spend a night in Salta en route.
You could drive from Salta to Purmamarca and use that as a base to see the Cerros de Siete Colores which are very close to town and best viewed at dawn. Salinas Grande can also be visited from there - best in the late afternoon. Tilcara is close by - touristy but worth a visit. A bit further out but also worth considering is Huamhuaca.
Did you manage to find Direct flights between Iguazu and Salta?
It would seem to make more sense to include Ushuaia if the transport works. See this for whale times https://www.theargentinaspecialists....whale-watching it seems you are on the cusp of the whale season.
Looking good!
Sep 29th, 2018, 11:05 PM
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Re Planes v Buses - Buses may not take up as much of your "usable" time and the longer trips are scheduled overnight, thus leaving a full day in your departure town and a full day on arrival. Go Ejecutivo class and it is akin to travelling first class on a decent airline ( plus you save an nights accomodation. It may suit your schedule, it may not but worth exploring the timings on the bus company websites or omnilineas.com
On our last trip I planned various flights as we were travelling with friends and were relatively short on time. I booked DIRECT flights from Salta to Iguazu with aerolineas Argentinas. These were changed six times in the months leading up to departure and were finally changed to INDIRECT via BA, significantly increasing our travel time. This sort of thing is not uncommon. Given the locations you have in mind, the bus journeys may well be too long but just something to consider. Most flights within Argentina always seem to be routed via BA. There are two terminals there so make sure the route doesn’t include a change from EZE to AEP or vice versa.
Iguazu - you are right, there isn’t a whole lot to do in Puerto Iguazu apart from the falls. You may have time to see both sides but this depends largely on which flights you take and whether or not they are on time. The Argentine falls really needs a full day to do it justice, the Brazilian side around half a day will be sufficient. A little more would be better if you want to include the bird park. We have been a couple of time and have crossed the border by bus to Brazil and by taxi. It is pretty straightforward to do both sides of the falls by bus but it does take time as you have to change buses for Brazil. As you are short on time the latter would be better and you may want to organise this in advance with your accommodation. The taxi could pick you up at the airport, dump your bags at the hotel and take you straight to the falls and pick you up at a pre arranged time in the pm.
It is definitely worth seeing both sides. The Brazil falls are all about the panoramic views, the argentine, about getting up really close. Both are incredible!
Bariloche & SMDLA - we loved San Martin but found Bariloche town to be very touristy, although the surrounding lakes are beautiful. My judgement may be coloured by the fact that we visited over the argentine equivalent of Spring Break, the place was jam packed and we ended up having to stay in what turned out to be an old people’s Care home! Others I know have loved Bariloche, so maybe it’s just me!
We rented a car through Hertz. It was few years ago but it wasn’t that expensive even with the one way fee. Although we ended up sharing the car with an Italian/Spanish couple whom we travelled with on to Puerto Madryn which diluted the cost somewhat . If you wanted to get out and about around Bariloche, the car would be a distinct advantage.
On our last trip I planned various flights as we were travelling with friends and were relatively short on time. I booked DIRECT flights from Salta to Iguazu with aerolineas Argentinas. These were changed six times in the months leading up to departure and were finally changed to INDIRECT via BA, significantly increasing our travel time. This sort of thing is not uncommon. Given the locations you have in mind, the bus journeys may well be too long but just something to consider. Most flights within Argentina always seem to be routed via BA. There are two terminals there so make sure the route doesn’t include a change from EZE to AEP or vice versa.
Iguazu - you are right, there isn’t a whole lot to do in Puerto Iguazu apart from the falls. You may have time to see both sides but this depends largely on which flights you take and whether or not they are on time. The Argentine falls really needs a full day to do it justice, the Brazilian side around half a day will be sufficient. A little more would be better if you want to include the bird park. We have been a couple of time and have crossed the border by bus to Brazil and by taxi. It is pretty straightforward to do both sides of the falls by bus but it does take time as you have to change buses for Brazil. As you are short on time the latter would be better and you may want to organise this in advance with your accommodation. The taxi could pick you up at the airport, dump your bags at the hotel and take you straight to the falls and pick you up at a pre arranged time in the pm.
It is definitely worth seeing both sides. The Brazil falls are all about the panoramic views, the argentine, about getting up really close. Both are incredible!
Bariloche & SMDLA - we loved San Martin but found Bariloche town to be very touristy, although the surrounding lakes are beautiful. My judgement may be coloured by the fact that we visited over the argentine equivalent of Spring Break, the place was jam packed and we ended up having to stay in what turned out to be an old people’s Care home! Others I know have loved Bariloche, so maybe it’s just me!
We rented a car through Hertz. It was few years ago but it wasn’t that expensive even with the one way fee. Although we ended up sharing the car with an Italian/Spanish couple whom we travelled with on to Puerto Madryn which diluted the cost somewhat . If you wanted to get out and about around Bariloche, the car would be a distinct advantage.
Your roadtrip section is pretty rushed but just about doable. I assume you are happy with a self drive rental car? If so, I would pick up at Salta airport to save time. I suggest checking google maps for your proposed route and then at least double the drive times. Some of the roads are gravel but mainly because there is so much to see you will find yourself stopping a lot along the way.
Forget about JuyJuy it is not worth a stop. Carry on to Cachi for overnight. A lovely small town ( don’t miss the hilltop cemetery). The drive through Parque Nacional Los Cardones is beautiful.
Driving down Ruta 40 to Cafayate takes a while but there is some stunning scenery along the way. Molinos is definitely worth a visit. I would allow a full day for that drive. You wil possibly want to hang around in Cafayate or even make it two nights if into wine as there are lots of vineyards and bodegas in and around the town.
Driving from Purmamarca to Cachi is a very long drive back through Salta and I would not recommend it in one day. Ideally spend a night in Salta en route.
You could drive from Salta to Purmamarca and use that as a base to see the Cerros de Siete Colores which are very close to town and best viewed at dawn. Salinas Grande can also be visited from there - best in the late afternoon. Tilcara is close by - touristy but worth a visit. A bit further out but also worth considering is Huamhuaca.
Did you manage to find Direct flights between Iguazu and Salta?
It would seem to make more sense to include Ushuaia if the transport works. See this for whale times https://www.theargentinaspecialists....whale-watching it seems you are on the cusp of the whale season.
Looking good!
Forget about JuyJuy it is not worth a stop. Carry on to Cachi for overnight. A lovely small town ( don’t miss the hilltop cemetery). The drive through Parque Nacional Los Cardones is beautiful.
Driving down Ruta 40 to Cafayate takes a while but there is some stunning scenery along the way. Molinos is definitely worth a visit. I would allow a full day for that drive. You wil possibly want to hang around in Cafayate or even make it two nights if into wine as there are lots of vineyards and bodegas in and around the town.
Driving from Purmamarca to Cachi is a very long drive back through Salta and I would not recommend it in one day. Ideally spend a night in Salta en route.
You could drive from Salta to Purmamarca and use that as a base to see the Cerros de Siete Colores which are very close to town and best viewed at dawn. Salinas Grande can also be visited from there - best in the late afternoon. Tilcara is close by - touristy but worth a visit. A bit further out but also worth considering is Huamhuaca.
Did you manage to find Direct flights between Iguazu and Salta?
It would seem to make more sense to include Ushuaia if the transport works. See this for whale times https://www.theargentinaspecialists....whale-watching it seems you are on the cusp of the whale season.
Looking good!
Hi crellston,
Thanks a lot for all the great info you always provide! really helpful!
I found non stop flights between Iguazu and Salta, but the price and the timing where bad so I decided to fly back to buenos aires from iguazu and then fly tl salta the following morning
As for the road trip, I mainly drove in the United States, but since I am Egyptian, then I am familiar with the crazy driving but unfortunately I haven't drove much in Egypt, is driving really crazy in this part of Argentina? I assume it's more crazy in large cities like BA but I hope it's reasonable in the northwest.
Here is my plan for the road trip, I added an extra day so I have total 6 days,
Day 01 - Fly Buenos Aires to Salta - pick the rental car from the airport and drive directly to Purmamarca - explore town - Cerro de Siete Colores
Day 02 - Day trip to Maimara for Paleta del Pintor then head to to Tilcara explore town and Head to Pucara de Tilcara
Day 03 - Day trip to Humahuaca - Hornocal Hill
Day 04 - Head to Cachi and Visit Salinas Grandes on the way - spend the night in Cachi
Day 05 - Head to Cafayate exlore town and spend the night
Day 06 - Back to Salta - explore town and spend the night
Sep 30th, 2018, 02:15 AM
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Actually on day 04, I thought I will take route 52 then 40 from Purmamarca to Cachi but I will take the other scenic route 33 so I will pass by Salta.
I have been checking car rentals and most of the cars I found are manual transmission! is this the case with all car rentals? do you recommend a certain company?
Also there are 2 routes from Salta to Purmamarca one that start with 9 (Acceso Norte) then 60 then 9 and the other route is 9 all the way and this looks like it has lots of hairpins. Is there a preferred one?
I have been checking car rentals and most of the cars I found are manual transmission! is this the case with all car rentals? do you recommend a certain company?
Also there are 2 routes from Salta to Purmamarca one that start with 9 (Acceso Norte) then 60 then 9 and the other route is 9 all the way and this looks like it has lots of hairpins. Is there a preferred one?
Last edited by giicko; Sep 30th, 2018 at 02:45 AM.
Oct 1st, 2018, 10:45 PM
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Hi Glicko - firstly a request! Could you please not quote my own reply back to me. It is taking ages to scroll through these pages (plus I already know what I said and don’t need to read it twice 
I really don’t know why Fodor’s introduced this facility.
I try to avoid generalisations if possible but Argentine drivers are not great esp. in BA but driving standards are not as bad as Egypt! Outside of Salta and JuyJuy there is little to no traffic. Roads vary from smooth tarmac to rough gravel or even sand in some places.
I generally use Hertz in Argentina, a bit more expensive but there cars are reasonably well maintained and they offer a zero excess insurance. I would stick to one of the majors rather tha a smaller local outfit. We checked them out when we were in Salta for a few days and they were cheaper but the state of some of the cars was appalling. Whomever you use do check EVERYTHING before you leave. Garages are few and far between on those routes.
Automatic transmissions are rare in Argentina. You could probably order one online but I wouldn’t bank on it being there at pickup. Unlikely, but if you did get stuck in sand, a manual would be much better for getting out.
A word of warning. Some of these roads, esp around Salinas Grande are at very high altitude. You will notice it and so will the car. We had a small VW / Renault which struggled to get out of 1 st gear going up some of the many hills. Nothing wrong with the car as such , it sjust short of oxygen.
I think it is probably good call to take route 33 to Cachi. On one occasion we took Ruta 17 from Salinas Grande which goes via San Antonio Del Los Cobres and then down R 52 which I imagine is similar. Very scenic but very remote - we saw no other cars just vIcunas for company. San Antonio is one of the most desolate towns I have ever visited. It took a very long time.
We took Ruta 9 from Salta, partly because we had been staying in San Lorenzo which is on that side of town. It is winding with lots of hairpins and it does take time. The new toll road will be quicker I am sure, although a friend did tell me recently that there are roadworks near Giumes, it will likely still be quicker and I don’t think you will be missing that much , apart from some driving stress!
I really don’t know why Fodor’s introduced this facility.I try to avoid generalisations if possible but Argentine drivers are not great esp. in BA but driving standards are not as bad as Egypt! Outside of Salta and JuyJuy there is little to no traffic. Roads vary from smooth tarmac to rough gravel or even sand in some places.
I generally use Hertz in Argentina, a bit more expensive but there cars are reasonably well maintained and they offer a zero excess insurance. I would stick to one of the majors rather tha a smaller local outfit. We checked them out when we were in Salta for a few days and they were cheaper but the state of some of the cars was appalling. Whomever you use do check EVERYTHING before you leave. Garages are few and far between on those routes.
Automatic transmissions are rare in Argentina. You could probably order one online but I wouldn’t bank on it being there at pickup. Unlikely, but if you did get stuck in sand, a manual would be much better for getting out.
A word of warning. Some of these roads, esp around Salinas Grande are at very high altitude. You will notice it and so will the car. We had a small VW / Renault which struggled to get out of 1 st gear going up some of the many hills. Nothing wrong with the car as such , it sjust short of oxygen.
I think it is probably good call to take route 33 to Cachi. On one occasion we took Ruta 17 from Salinas Grande which goes via San Antonio Del Los Cobres and then down R 52 which I imagine is similar. Very scenic but very remote - we saw no other cars just vIcunas for company. San Antonio is one of the most desolate towns I have ever visited. It took a very long time.
We took Ruta 9 from Salta, partly because we had been staying in San Lorenzo which is on that side of town. It is winding with lots of hairpins and it does take time. The new toll road will be quicker I am sure, although a friend did tell me recently that there are roadworks near Giumes, it will likely still be quicker and I don’t think you will be missing that much , apart from some driving stress!
Oct 2nd, 2018, 02:28 AM
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"Argentine drivers are not great esp. in BA" - I should have added that my good friend Avrooster is an excellent driver and has safely driven us through the streets of BA on more than one occasion
Oct 2nd, 2018, 03:03 AM
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"Argentine drivers are not great esp. in BA" - I should have added that my good friend Avrooster is an excellent driver and has safely driven us through the streets of BA on more than one occasion
I apologize for forgetting to quote your comment.
I apologize for forgetting to quote your comment.
Oct 3rd, 2018, 01:53 AM
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Thanks a lot crellston and sorry for quoting you! I agree it's annoying
Unfortunately I don't know how to drive a manual car so I gotta stick to automatic! I was finally able to reach hertz and they seem to have automatic cars, although it's like double the price!
Again thanks a lot for all your help!
Unfortunately I don't know how to drive a manual car so I gotta stick to automatic! I was finally able to reach hertz and they seem to have automatic cars, although it's like double the price!
Again thanks a lot for all your help!
