Argentina

Argentina Itinerary

From a European-like cosmopolitan vibe in Buenos Aires, to secluded Peninsula Valdés all the way to the spectacular views of Patagonia – Argentina does have it all. Did we mention it is foodie heaven?

We found the Argentinians to be very welcoming and, after you get over the money exchange hassle, it is a very easy country to travel in. The highlights have easy access and everything works out smoothely.

First stop was Puerto Iguazu, for the Argentinian views of the Iguazu Falls. Hopped on a flight to Buenos Aires where we strolled and ate for 5 days, followed by 3 days in Peninsula Valdés, immersed in amazing wildlife watching.

Flew south to Ushuaia, starting our cold journey. Crossed to Chile by bus to Puerto Natales lead us to hiking in the spectacular Torres del Paine National Park (Chile).

Back to Argentina for El Chaltén and El Calafate, where we trekked for views of Fitz Roy and hiked on Perito Moreno Glacier.

Moving around in Argentina

In between Argentina’s top destinations, it is farelly easy to move around. Most destinations are connected by (very long) buses, which is a safe and cheap option. You can also fly between most spots, at a not so friendly cost but at a much faster pace.

Larger cities have ride-hailing apps such as Cabify, Uber or others. In Buenos Aires, the public transportation is super convenient, cheap and mostly safe. In smaller towns, taking a registered taxi is the best option.

Currency in Argentina for tourists

Where should we start… Money while travelling to Argentina is a very long story. We are not experts either, so let’s just lay out the basics we learned. Cash is definitely king, and this is because the rate at which you can exchange currency into Pesos is nearly double the official exchange rate (example in early 2023: 1€=200 Pesos – official rate; 1€=400 Pesos – exchange rate/blue dollar).

To get cash there are two main ways: 1) make a transfer to yourself and retrieve the money in a Western Union office/partner – there is at least one in each major destination; 2) if you have dollars or euros, you can exchange money in kiosks or shops, just ask arround. It is possible to bargain the rate too.

At the time of our trip, Visa was also applying a rate 90% of the blue dollar – this is a good option if you don’t want the hustle of the exchange adventure or carrying large stacks of money around.