Essential
Argentina Essential
13 days, including travel days
An evening in
Buenos Aires can end long after midnight. A few days later, you are standing in warm rainforest with the roar of
Iguazú in the air, while the final part of the journey unfolds among wind, steppe and glacial ice in
Patagonia.
Four nights in
Buenos Aires allow a guided introduction to be followed by time on your own. Plaza de Mayo, San Telmo and La Boca provide the historical framework, while Recoleta, Palermo and long dinners reveal another side of the capital. An extra free day makes a real difference. It can be used for a museum or an excursion to Tigre, but can just as easily remain completely open.
Iguazú is the journey’s major change of climate. Both the Argentine and Brazilian sides are included because they provide entirely different perspectives on the falls. On one side, walkways lead far among branches of the river and close to the water. On the other, the entire gorge opens into view. Two nights are enough when the days are used well and the onward flight can be planned without unnecessary haste.
The final flight heads far south to
El Calafate, on the edge of the Patagonian ice fields. From here, visit Perito Moreno, Lago Argentino and estancias out on the steppe, with a third day available for hiking, a rural excursion or simply more time in Patagonia. It is wise to leave some flexibility for the weather.
Over thirteen days, the journey moves from boulevards and late dinners to humid subtropical forest and then to wind across a Patagonian lake. At the same time, the immense distances between Argentina’s different landscapes become clear.
Culture
Nature