From a world class metropolis to some of the most beautiful natural landscapes in the world, Argentina has so much to offer. Since you’re probably traveling a long distance to get to Argentina, you’ll want to make the most of your time here by visiting the most spectacular places in the country.
First, let’s talk what is a realistic travel itinerary. If you have three weeks to a month to spend traveling, it may be possible to hit all five of the most famous regions. With less time, consider sticking to three or four so that you don’t spend your vacation rushing from place to place.
Building your perfect itinerary will also depend on what season you’ll be visiting. Summers in the northwest can be blistering hot, while winters in Southern Patagonia will likely be too cold to enjoy, unless of course, you’re planning to ski. So, make sure to keep the weather in mind when putting together your trip. Here are our top destinations to visit in Argentina along with their respective best seasons and suggested amounts of time to spend there:
Buenos Aires
Mendoza
Iguazú Falls
Northwest: Salta, Jujuy, Cafayate
Patagonia:
Bariloche
Puerto Madryn
Calafate
Ushuaia
Recommended amount of time: 4-5 days
Best months to visit: October-December and March-May have the most comfortable weather.
Buenos Aires is not only the capital of Argentina, but one of the culture and art capitals of South America. From tango, and European architecture, to chic bars and delicious parrillas, there’s no shortage of things to see, do and eat. Buenos Aires could certainly fill a two-week vacation itself- many travelers do just that! But, if you’re limited on time and thirsty to see the variety of landscapes of Argentina here are our recommendations for what every traveler must see while in Buenos Aires.
1. Explore the historic center, including Plaza de Mayo and Casa Rosada (where the president conducts business), Congress building, Teatro Colón, Palacio Barolo, and Obelisco. If you’re interested in a more in depth understanding of the most important landmarks in Buenos Aires, the history and such, consider a taking a private tour with a knowledgeable guide or tag along on one of the many free group walking tours.
2. Visit the older parts of the city. Filled with crumbling mansions and old school parrillas, San Telmo was the original city center of Buenos Aires and has maintained its traditional charm. Just a bit further south is La Boca, which includes El Caminito, a one-block long “street museum” surrounded with shops, street performers and museums. The El Caminito area is also one of the most tourist-friendly and picturesque spots in town and is just a few blocks away from the famous Boca Juniors “La Bombonera” stadium. La Boca has a reputation for being a bit rough, so make sure visit during the day, and stay on the main tourist welcoming streets.
Pro tip: If possible, visit San Telmo on a Sunday. The main plaza is converted into the biggest street market in Buenos Aires. Hundreds of vendors sell antiques, art, jewelry, artesanal goods and tango dancers perform in the square.
3. Explore some of the gorgeous parks and plazas in Palermo. Palermo is huge and one of the newer neighborhoods in Buenos Aires. It has the majority of large and well-maintained parks and plazas in the city. Bosques de Palermo is the most expansive, and includes a small lake where paddle boats can be rented, and a rose garden that is especially beautiful when in bloom in the spring (October-December). After spending several days sight-seeing, this is the perfect place to relax for an afternoon.
For the evenings:
If you’re visiting in during the warmer months, take advantage of one of Buenos Aires’ many rooftop bars for an al fesco drink. For dinner, you’ll find some of the highest end restaurants in the Puerto Madero neighborhood. If you’re looking for a trendier spot, check out one of the trendy restaurants in Palermo.
Tango is a Buenos Aires icon, and a trip to the capital isn’t complete without seeing a show. There are several great productions in the city that include optional dinner add-ons and transportation to and from your hotel. Perfect for an easy and elegant Buenos Aires night.
Recommended amount of time: 2-3 days
Best times to visit: October-December and March-May have the most comfortable weather. Fall is especially great because it is the harvest season.
Nestled at the base of the Andes foothills, Mendoza is the heart of Argentina’s wine producing region, and is filled to the brim with charming vineyards and wineries that offer tours and tastings.
If you are after a more 5-star experience, we recommend staying in Luján de Cuyo. This upscale area in the Mendoza providence has beautiful landscapes and some of the more extravagant wineries in the region. If you’re on a tighter budget, head to Maipu for a selection of some great wineries at more affordable prices. There are many companies that offer tours with transportation from winery to winery. But, if you’re looking for a more active way to travel to and from the vineyards, there are plenty that are close enough to make your way by bike, and various bike rental companies operating in the area.
Pro tip: Don’t plan on touring multiple vineyards on a Sunday, when many of them are closed, or have very limited hours.
If you’re ready for a break from sipping Malbec and looking to take in some of the natural beauty Mendoza has to offer, you have plenty of options. There are several tour companies that operate white water rafting and kayaking tours at the nearby Mendoza River. Or, head to the mountains for some trekking, mountain biking or horseback riding. For a more relaxing option, the Termas Cachueta are natural springs located about an hour outside of the city. These springs were built into the landscape, and offer picturesque 360 views of the surrounding mountains.
Recommended amount of time: 2 days
Best times to Visit: For smaller crowds and comfortable temperatures March-June and September-October are the ideal months to visit.
The Iguazú Falls are the collection of waterfalls situated at the border between Argentina and Brazil. Made up of hundreds of falls crashing over towering cliffs, the sights are nothing short of spectacular.
You’ll want to spend a full day on the Argentine side, where wooden walkways and stone steps allow you to crisscross through the emerald green Forrest, offering countless unique views of the falls. For an even closer look, you can take a guided boat excursion down the river that brings you close enough to the falls to get soaking wet.
On day two, cross the border over to Brazil to see the falls from a whole new vantage point. In the park, a short scenic walk will take you to a bridge directly to the center of the “Garganta del Diablo” (Devil’s Throat), for one of the most post card worthy sights at Iguazú. Because the Brazilian side only has one main view point compared to the hundreds on the Argentine side, you really only need a half day to take it all in.
Pro Tips: Bring a rain coat or a poncho, even if the forecast isn’t calling for rain. Many of the vantage points bring you close enough to be sprayed by the falls. Also be sure to check for required visas to pass into the Brazilian side.
Recommended amount of time: 4-5 days
Best times to Visit: The Northwest has a comfortable dry and warm climate almost year round, but is best avoided in January-March as these are the hottest and rainiest months.
For beautiful desert landscapes and traditional indigenous culture, head to the northwest of Argentina.
While Salta is the capital of the providence and the easiest place to fly into, it is the least interesting of the three stops. We recommend spending only about a half-day there, and then immediately setting off to explore the rest of the region. Because this region of Argentina is so spacious, renting a car will be your best bet to cover the most ground.
The drive from Salta to Cafayate can be done in about 3 hours on route 68. It’s a stunning drive and worthwhile to take your time making plenty of stops along the way. Garganta del Diablo (the devil’s throat), el Antfiteatro (the amphitheater) are both otherworldly red rock formations that most travelers include in their itineraries. There are also various hiking opportunities along the way, including La Yesera; an hour long hike through one of the most scenic valleys. You’ll can’t miss the small shop where you can stop and buy snacks or interact with the llamas lounging outside.
Cafayate is a quaint and traditional little town that centers around a main square that has a few al fresco dining spots, bars and an ice cream shop. Cafayate is one of Argentina’s smaller wine producing regions. There are several charming wineries dotted around the town, and a few bigger operations further out in the countryside. While Mendoza is famous for its Malbec, here the specialty is Torrontes, a fruity and dry white varietal.
Next stop: Drive north about 6 hours directly up to Jujuy. The following day, take the scenic mountain road trip up to Salinas Grandes, which is about 150 Km and a 2.5-hour drive from the town of Jujuy. Once there, you’ll discover a vast salt flat, that offers both stunning views, and the perfect opportunity to take some optical illusion photography.
Pro tip: If you aren’t accustomed to high altitudes, small candies that contain coca leaves that diminish altitude sickness are available for purchase in Jujuy, and from vendors along the way. If you are feeling adventurous, try chewing wads of the leaves like the locals or add some coca leaves to your mate (tea drunk from a hollowed out gourd)!
On the way back down, stop in Purmamarca, a tiny traditional village for lunch. There a several quaint restaurants that offer up some of the traditional foods of the region including empanadas, llama steaks or a hearty stew called locro. From here, you can also take a small hike to check out the beautiful Cerro de Siete Colores (the hill of seven colors), a naturally occurring colorful rock formation.
Recommended amount of time: 1-2 weeks
Best times to Visit: For skiers, August and September have good snow and fewer crowds than June and July. For hiking and other outdoor activities, November-March will have the warmest temperatures.
Easily the most popular tourist destinations in Argentina, Patagonia encompasses 5 provinces spread over the bottom third of the country. Several weeks could easily be spent just traveling through Patagonia, and you still wouldn’t be able to see it all. That being said, here are a few of our recommended top destinations:
Recommended amount of time: 3-4 days
Best times to Visit: Bariloche can be visited year round, but the weather is best for hiking and biking from October through May. December through March are the warmest months, when on the warmest days people can take a swim in the lake. For Skiers, August and September have good snow conditions, and much fewer crowds than July.
Situated in the lake district in Northern Patagonia, Bariloche is the easiest and least expensive city to get to from Buenos Aires. Known for crystal blue-green lakes, Swiss alpine architecture, chocolate and craft beer, Bariloche is a lovely town surrounded by scenic, postcard worthy nature.
You really only need a half day to explore the picturesque mountain town of Bariloche. Make sure to stop by Rappanui, Mamuschka, or El Reino de Chocolates to sample some of Bariloche’s famous chocolate. Then, spend the rest of your time experiencing the great outdoors. Nestled within the Nahuel Huapi National Park at the foot of the Andes Mountains, Bariloche is a paradise for the nature enthusiast. To cover the most ground, rent a car and take and a drive on the “route of the seven lakes.” This 108 kilometer section of route 40 crisscrosses through pristine lakes, serene forests and jagged Andean peaks. Known as being one of the most scenic drives in all of Argentina, this road trip can be completed in one day and is a must for anyone visiting Bariloche. During your remaining time, rent a kayak or a bike, go hiking, or hang at one of the many scenic pebble beaches.
Recommended amount of time: 3 days
Best times to Visit: To see whales and penguins the best two months are October and November.
On the coast of northeastern Patagonia, Puerto Madryn is Argentina’s destination for marine wildlife. From late June through December, whales return to the coast of Puerto Madryn, however, they are the most abundant in October and November when catching a glimpse on a whale watching tour is pretty much guaranteed. Meanwhile, from September through March, one of the world’s biggest Magellanic Penguin colonies migrates back to Punta Tombo, a peninsula about an hour south of Puerto Madryn. At Punta Tombo you can get quite close to the nearly one million penguins that arrive every year, making for a truly breathtaking sight and incredible experience. The best time to see the penguins is From November through March, when the new babies are born and raised before the colony migrates north for warmer weather.
While the main draws of this area are the whales and penguins, sea lions can be found lounging around at Punto Lomo. Or, if you’re there in October, head to Isla Escondida, a secluded beach where a colony of Elephant seals return every year to mate.
Recommended amount of time: 3 days
Best times to Visit: The weather can be windy and unpredictable year-round, but the best time of year to visit is October and April. The weather will be the nicest from December to February, but this is also high season, so the crowds will be larger and hotels more expensive.
Further South, Calafate is the gateway to Glaciers National Park. One of the most highly sought-after tourist destinations in Argentina, the Perito Moreno Glacier is the star of the show at Glaciers National Park. Electric blue and colossal, this iconic glacier sits at the top of many travelers’ bucket lists. If you make it there, be sure to do one of Hielo y Adventura’s trekking tours that take you to the top of the glacier. A truly incredible experience that ends with a whiskey served over ice from the glacier itself.
While the Perito Moreno Glacier is the main reason to visit Calafate, if you only have one or two days, the weather may not permit a visit to the glacier. It’s advisable to give yourself an extra day or two of cushion to up your chances of a sunny day to do a trekking excursion.
Recommended amount of time: 3-4 days
Best times to Visit: The majority of the trails in Tierra de Fuego are closed from May through September, so visit From October through April for the most hiking availability. Similar to Bariloche, Ushuaia has a popular ski resort, best visited in August/September to avoid large crowds.
Known as the “city at the end of the world,” Ushuaia is the furthest south you can go on the continent, and the gateway to Antarctica. For the most incredible views, head to Tierra del Fuego National Park where you’ll find pristine lakes, jagged peaks and untamed wildlife. Here, you can spend a night or two camping, or an afternoon hiking one of the many trails.
If you didn’t get a chance to see the penguins at Puerto Madryn, Ushuaia also has colonies of Magellanic, Gentoo and King penguins. The tuxedoed birds roam freely on the Martillo island, and access to them is only available through a tour. Also make sure to check out the iconic Les Éclaireurs Lighthouse, located on the furthest of the five Éclaireurs islands in the beagle channel.
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