Highlights
Buenos Aires
A city of grand avenues and distinct neighbourhoods: the colourful houses of La Boca, the cobbled streets and Sunday market of San Telmo, the Recoleta Cemetery's elaborate tombs and the parks and bars of Palermo. Tango is danced in milongas across the city.
Iguazú Falls
Hundreds of waterfalls spread along the Iguazú river on the border with Brazil. Walkways on the Argentine side take you close to the falls, including the thundering Devil's Throat.
Perito Moreno Glacier
Near El Calafate, this vast glacier ends in a wall of ice that regularly calves into Lago Argentino. Viewing platforms face the ice front, and boat trips get closer.
El Chaltén and Fitz Roy
A small village that serves as Argentina's trekking capital, with free trails leading to lakes beneath the granite spires of Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre.
Mendoza
The heart of Argentine wine country, best known for Malbec. Vineyards line the foothills of the Andes, and Aconcagua, the highest mountain in the Americas, is a few hours' drive west.
Salta and the Quebrada de Humahuaca
A colonial city in the north-west and a UNESCO-listed valley of multicoloured rock, with adobe villages such as Purmamarca and the Hill of Seven Colours.
Península Valdés
A wildlife reserve on the Atlantic coast of Patagonia where southern right whales gather to breed, alongside sea lions, elephant seals and Magellanic penguins.
Ushuaia
A port town on the Beagle Channel at the tip of Tierra del Fuego, the starting point for most Antarctic cruises and for hikes in Tierra del Fuego National Park.
Interesting facts about Argentina
- Aconcagua, at 6,961 metres, is the highest mountain outside Asia.
- In 1892 an Argentine police investigation became one of the first in the world to solve a crime using fingerprint evidence.
- Argentines commonly use 'vos' instead of 'tú' for 'you', with its own verb forms.
- Dinner is typically eaten late: many restaurants in Buenos Aires only fill up after 9 or 10 pm.
- Argentina's territory spans more than 30 degrees of latitude, so you can go from subtropical rainforest to sub-Antarctic forest without leaving the country.
Best time to visit
Because the country is so long, the best time depends on where you go. Patagonia is best from November to March, when trails and roads are open and days are long. Buenos Aires is most pleasant in spring (September to November) and autumn (March to May); summer in the city is hot and humid. The north-west and Iguazú are good from April to October, avoiding the heat and summer rains. Whale season at Península Valdés runs roughly from June to December.
Practical information
| Capital | Buenos Aires |
|---|---|
| Currency | Argentine peso (ARS) |
| Languages | Spanish |
| Plugs | Type C, I |
| Voltage | 220 V, 50 Hz |
| Emergency | 911 police in most cities, 107 ambulance, 100 fire |
| Driving | On the right |
| Tipping | About 10 per cent in restaurants is customary and is usually left in cash. Tips are not added to the bill. |
Getting around
Distances are huge, so most visitors fly between regions, with Buenos Aires as the main hub for domestic flights. Long-distance buses are comfortable, with reclining or fully flat seats on overnight routes. In Buenos Aires, the Subte metro, buses and trains use the rechargeable SUBE card. Renting a car is the best way to explore the north-west and parts of Patagonia, but roads can be long and unpaved in remote areas.
Staying connected in Argentina
Mobile coverage is good in Buenos Aires and the other cities, and along major highways. In Patagonia, the Andes and the far north it can disappear for long stretches between towns, and parts of the trekking routes around El Chaltén and the national parks have no signal. Wi-Fi is common in cafés, hotels and hostels in cities and tourist towns. Download offline maps before long drives or hikes, install an eSIM before you fly and switch it on when you land.
See Argentina eSIM plans · How to install an eSIM
Useful apps for Argentina
- Uber: Ride-hailing in Buenos Aires and several other large cities.
- Moovit: Real-time bus, Subte and train routes in Buenos Aires and other cities.
- Google Maps: Directions and offline maps, essential for Patagonian road trips and hiking areas.
- Google Translate: Spanish translation for menus and signs; download it for offline use in remote areas.