AlisaAAM

I’m in the initial stages of planning a 3 week (excluding travel days, our trip will likely be 22 days/21 nights) trip to Argentina for July or August of 2020. I haven’t seen many recent posts about travel to Argentina in winter, and would welcome any specific advice about travel this time of year.

This will be our first time in South America. We will be traveling with our then just-turned-four year old son who is a very good traveler (he already has multiple passport stamps, did great on the 24 hour journey to New Zealand from the East Coast last summer, and is an adventurous eater). We are skiers and might spend a few days on the slopes, but the primary objective for this trip is beautiful scenery, wildlife viewing, cultural experiences, and great food and drink –we love wine. We have done a lot of hiking in the past, but know that hiking will be limited by our son’s age and the time of year. I have carried him on my back in a carrier on hikes lasting multiple hours over the last few years, but at four he will mostly want to be on his own feet and his weight will limit the duration of time I can comfortably carry him. My husband is a teacher, thus longer trips for us are limited to Northern Hemisphere summer vacation. We’re from Boston, so cold temperatures, snow, and short days don’t bother us.

We want to include at least 4 nights in Buenos Aires and 2 nights in Iguazu Falls. We are very interested in Patagonia as well. From my research it appears that El Chalten is a destination with tours that operate year round, but access to El Calafate is very limited in winter. It looks like Torres del Paine is accessible in winter with what I would consider very reasonable weather and is quiet and beautiful that time of year. Though we are not typically luxury travelers, we would consider a splurge at Explora to make the most of the park and stay in more reasonably priced accommodations elsewhere. We want to spend some time in Ushuaia as well. I’m not sure how much time to allot for Patagonia knowing that excursions will be limited due to the season. I’m also looking at Mendoza and Bariloche/the Lake District but am a bit concerned that they might be inundated by skiers. Salta is another destination that is intriguing.

I am concerned about transit from one location to another in such a huge country and not sure if all of the wish list above is even really feasible to combine (please tell me realities if not!). We would love to minimize time in cars and buses as we find that road trips and kids don’t necessarily combine well.

I would welcome any advice, either general or specific. And thanks in advance; these forums are such a great resource!

crellston

We have only ever visited Patagonia in the spring and only as far down as Bariloche so can’t really comment on Torres re Paine etc. but I am sure other will be able to help. We did the drive from San Martin de Los Andes to Bariloche in September/Oct and still saw lots of snow and rain (great drive though).

Salta and Iguazu will be great at that time of year. Here is a link to our blog which may give you some ideas as to what to expect. https://accidentalnomads.com/categor...ica/argentina/ We have done those trips in July/August and Nov and got great weather both times.

Salta lends itself to renting a car and doing a road trip. There are a couple of loops you can do and take anywhere between 5-10 days. There is a lot of driving and I am not sure how much a 4 year old would enjoy that but there is a lot to see along the way and you could break it up into bite sized chunks.

Travel distances in Argentina are vast and travelling around can take a lot of time. Flights are not the most reliable ( strikes and delays and cancellations are not uncommon) . I wouldn’t entirely discount travel by bus as the network is extensive and the service excellent. Business class is amazing! Not getting away from the fact that there are some very long journeys but most can be scheduled overnight and even I am able to sleep on those services (think first class on a decent airline in terms of comfort.

sf7307

mlgb

Ushuaia is lovely as viewed from the Beagle Channel but I have no idea what it would be like or what to do in winter. Sometimes in the southern latitudes you do get cool crisp and clear weather in winter (at least I know it's often the case in New Zealand). It isn't always easy or inexpensive to transit between Argentina and Chile, I think the two countries have a lengthy history of not getting along. So you may want to stick to one country or the other.

flintstones

I would definitely include the NW of Argentina over Patagonia as it is too cold in winter. From Salta you can visit Quebrada de Humahuaca and you have sun shining all the time in this area. The sceneries, the llamas, the food will be an adventure everyday, specially for a 4 y.o child.
For a good overview of the whole area you need at least 5 days, that will be unforgettable.
Warm regards,
Angie/flintstones.

AlisaAAM

Thanks for the advice! The information about unreliable flights is really helpful for me. Buses do sound more appealing as we would be able to give oiur son more attention as we would get i n the car. Overnight travels on a bus might prove difficult for our son, but I will certainly consider it!

AlisaAAM

Yes, in trying to figure out logistics of getting between countries, it seems difficult at best! I may rethink and save Southern Patagonia for another trip.

AlisaAAM

Thanks for your advice, Angie. My son would love the llamas. As I said, we aren't at all bothered by cold, but I will do more research into this area. The wines of the region are also appearing to me and my husband.

AlisaAAM

I have an acquaintance who recently traveled to Argentina with her toddler and they unexpectedly landed in Ushuaia when travel plans went awry and absolutely adored it. It was a different time of year, to be sure, and possibly mostly related to the great last minute deal on the luxury property where they stayed.