How to Get Around Argentina

Air travel

Distances between the major tourist sights in Argentina are long which means domestic flights are the quickest, easiest and most convenient way to travel within Argentina. However, flights can be relatively expensive and foreign travellers usually pay higher fares than local travellers. The national airline, Aerolíneas Argentinas, serves many domestic destinations from its key hubs in Buenos Aires, Cordoba and Bariloche. There are two airports in Buenos Aires so if you’re planning to connect through the city, be sure to check your airports and allow enough time.

Tip: We recommend booking international and domestic flights on one ticket if possible, as this often results in overall savings so please get in touch about putting together your holiday before you buy your flights.

Car hire

Renting a car may be a good option and some areas like the north west and the lakes are perfect for self-driving. You will need your driving license and a credit card with enough balance in order to hire a car and drive in Argentina. Driving is on the right-hand side of the road.

If you wish to hire a car, the following notes may be useful for you:

Seat belts must be worn in the front seats and the back seats if belts are fitted. Children who are too small to use seat belts must be transported in a correctly fitted child seat.

Children under the age of 10 have to sit in the back of the car.

The blood alcohol level limit for drink driving is 0.05% mg/ml.

Use of low lights is mandatory 24 hours per day on highways and main roads.

Mobile phones can only be used with a hands free system.

Vehicles can only be parked in the direction of traffic flow. It is illegal to park a vehicle facing opposing traffic.

In towns, intersections without traffic lights or signs function like four-way stops: a car approaching from your right has right of way.

On main roads left hand turns are not allowed unless specifically stated.

Bus travel

Argentina has a great network of overland buses that are inexpensive and comfortable. Most bus lines have modern coaches with spacious, comfortable seats, air-conditioning, TVs, toilets and sometimes an attendant serving coffee and snacks. However, as distances are huge, be prepared for long overnight bus rides. As an example, getting from Buenos Aires to the Iguazu Falls by bus takes around 18 hours.

If your time is limited, we recommend taking domestic flights, but if you are travelling on a budget, the buses may be an option. In fact, taking one luxurious overnight bus ride can be a memorable part of your Argentinian holiday – complete with a lie-flat seat, hot dinner, and a nightcap served on board!

Buenos Aires

In Buenos Aires, Argentina's cosmopolitan capital, you'll find graceful plazas, tango shows, melancholic melodies, historic buildings reflecting European grandeur, trendy bars, nightlife every night of the week, steak dinners, an emerging art scene and a Latin flair.
There is so much to do and see that you could spend weeks in "the Paris of South America" but to catch the highlights, we recommend at least 3 days in this exciting city.

Las Cataratas de Iguazú

The spectacular Iguazu Falls are located within the Iguazu Falls National Park on the Northern border of the Province of Misiones. This series of 275 waterfalls is at the heart of the Paranaense Rainforest, where the Argentine, Brazil and Paraguay borders meet, and where the cities of Puerto Iguazu (Argentina), Foz do Iguaçu (Brazil) and Ciudad del Este (Paraguay) face each other.
We recommend at least 2 nights in Puerto Iguazu so you can visit both sides of the falls. They are very different and both are jaw-dropping.

Parque Nacional Los Glaciares

Perito Moreno is one of the highlights of Argentina. This vast glacier is located in the Parque Nacional Las Glaciares, close to the town of El Calafate. Whether you watch its huge ice blocks collapsing into the lake from the viewing platform or take a hiking tour on the glacier itself finishing at the only bar in the world where the ice is older than the whiskey, the glacier's scale and shades of white and blue will leave you speechless.
We recommend at least 2-3 nights in El Calafate, the gateway to the National Park.

Mendoza

Mendoza is famous for its Malbec wine and vineyards in a spectacular setting, but there is so much more to enjoy. From white water rafting, fly fishing for trout, horseback riding in the Andes at sunrise, biking through the vineyards, to climbing Mt. Aconcagua, the highest peak in South America, there are plenty of ways to experience this region. We recommend at least 3 nights in Mendoza.

Salta "La Linda"

Set at the foothills of the Andes mountain range, Salta is at an elevation of 1,152m. The city's architecture is spectacular and you can see the influences from bordering Bolivia, Paraguay and Chile. While it's worth spending at least one or two nights in Salta, build in time for the surrounding area. Take a day tour to El Cafayate and marvel at the unique mountain formations and desert colours on the way, or an overnight tour to Cachi in the Calchaquí Valley, known for its adobe houses and white colonial buildings, surrounded by snow-capped mountains.

Peninsula de Valdes

The Peninsula de Valdes, a nature reserve in Northern Patagonia, is best known for whales, sea lions and elephant seals. Probably the largest draw are the Southern Right Whales (Ballena Austral) that come to take shelter in the natural bays of the peninsula between June and November. We recommend spending at least two to three nights in Puerto Madryn, the gateway to the peninsula.

Bariloche and the Lake District

San Carlos de Bariloche, simply known as Bariloche, is situated in the foothills of the Andes and is Argentina's most popular destination for skiing and hiking. Its ever-present views of the glacial lake Nahuel Huapi are spectacular, but the area is also a foodie hub, well known for its traditional asados (BBQs), choloatiers and micro breweries.

Ushuaia

Ushuaia is the capital of the Tierra del Fuego area in the southernmost tip of South America, often nicknamed the “End of the World.” Nestled between snow-capped Andean mountains and the shores of the Beagle Channel, it is an adventure hub where guests can visit national parks, kayak and hike, crab fish, visit penguins or explore old shipwrecks. In the winter, you'll find the world's southernmost ski resort, Cerro Castor.

How to get around