Argentina Travel Guide
Priya Nair· Asia Editor
Updated September 20, 2026 · 8 min read
Argentina is the southern counter-season: Buenos Aires' tango and parrillas, Patagonia's Perito Moreno glacier and Fitz Roy peaks, Mendoza's Malbec foothills, and Iguazu at the northern border. Planning figures: BA ~$80/day, Patagonia $120+.
The classic route: Buenos Aires (3–4) → Patagonia's El Calafate and El Chaltén (4–5) → Mendoza (2) wine days.
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Buenos Aires covers the milongas, Recoleta and Palermo. Patagonia splits between El Calafate (the glacier) and El Chaltén (Fitz Roy's trekking capital). Mendoza runs the Malbec route. Bariloche adds the lakes and the chocolate.
- Classic: BA 4 → Calafate 2 → Chaltén 2.
- Wine: BA 3 → Mendoza 3.
- Lakes: BA 3 → Bariloche 4.
The Steak-and-Empanada Economy
The parrilla is the national institution: bife de chorizo, empanadas, Malbec at restaurant prices that undercut the export labels. The blue-dollar exchange rate question changes costs — research current rates at booking.
BA & Patagonia
Tango to glaciers.
Day 1 · BA — San Telmo & tango
The milonga night.
Day 2 · BA — Recoleta & Palermo
The cemetery, the cafés, the parrilla.
Day 3 · Fly to El Calafate
Perito Moreno's wall of ice.
Day 4 · El Chaltén — Fitz Roy
The Laguna de los Tres trek.
Day 5 · Mendoza or home
The Malbec route or the flight north.
Practical planning info
Money
- BA ~$80/day, Patagonia $120+.
- Research the exchange-rate situation at booking — it changes fast.
When
- Patagonia: December–February (summer) or March for the autumn colors.
- BA: March–May and September–November.
Frequently asked questions
Perito Moreno or Fitz Roy?
Both — Calafate for the glacier, Chaltén for the trek. Four days covers the pair.
Is Argentina expensive?
BA is a value at ~$80/day with the exchange realities; Patagonia is the premium tier.
How many days for Argentina?
A week does BA plus one Patagonia leg; two weeks adds Mendoza and Iguazu.
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