How to spend your time in Argentina

We travel Argentina the Fleewinter way – unhurried, immersive and with plenty of room for the good bits.

With so much to see (and taste!), it can be tricky to know how long to spend where. So we’ve rounded up our top regions, the ideal number of nights in each, and the little insider tips that turn a good holiday into a great one.

A great Argentina holiday begins in Buenos Aires

Most international flights land in Buenos Aires, making it the perfect place to begin your adventure. And truthfully, no trip to Argentina feels complete without a few days in the capital. We recommend at least 3 nights because we adore this city – it’s one of the most beautiful and memorable in the Americas. With its grand European-style architecture, café culture and elegant neighbourhoods, it’s easy to see why it’s often called the Paris of South America.

If time allows, consider adding a stay at an estancia in the pampas just outside the city. Many are only an hour away and offer a completely different glimpse into Argentine life. Most are still working ranches, where you’ll find the legendary gauchos going about their day—a wonderful and authentic contrast to the buzz of the city.

Tip: Eat late (around 9 pm) to enjoy buzzing restaurants full of locals and don’t order a cappuccino after lunch. Locals switch to cortados or espresso during the day. It will help you blend right in.

A gorgeous panoramic view of the Iguazu falls

Wine, waterfalls & the wild landscapes of North Argentina

The north of Argentina is a region of coloured Andean peaks, otherworldly desert landscapes, world-class wineries, thundering waterfalls and one of South America’s most underrated wildlife havens.

If you love your wine, Mendoza is a must! Home to elegant vineyards, long lunches and spectacular views of the Andes. Even better, pair it with a few days in the northwest around Salta, where dramatic scenery, sleepy villages and some of the country’s friendliest people await. This is also where you’ll find Argentina’s fascinating high-altitude wine scene, particularly in Cafayate and Cachi.

No visit to the north is complete without the Iguazú Falls, the world’s largest waterfall system with 275 cascades crashing through the jungle. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime sight. If you end your trip here, it’s wonderfully easy to hop over to Brazil for a few days on a beautiful beach to unwind.

Tip: For something truly unique, consider adding the Iberá Wetlands or El Impenetrable National Park to your northern Argentina itinerary. The Iberá is one of the country’s finest wildlife hotspots, home to caimans, capybaras and endless birdlife, while El Impenetrable offers untouched forests, conservation projects and a real sense of pioneering adventure. Both are wonderfully off the beaten path and perfect for travellers looking to experience Argentina’s wild side.

With so much to see, planning your time well is key. Get in touch and we’ll help you choose the perfect combination of regions and advise exactly how long to spend in each to create your ideal Argentina holiday.

The Perito Moreno is one of the highlights of Argentina's Patagonia

Patagonia: Argentina’s Wild Southern Frontier

Patagonia is one of our most loved destinations—a vast region of wild beauty with distinct areas to explore depending on your interests. The Lake District is ideal if you enjoy gentle outdoor adventures, picture-perfect scenery and moments of pure relaxation. It’s also a brilliant region for a self-drive mini-adventure, with winding roads, crystal lakes and cosy mountain lodges.

Head further south to discover El Calafate and El Chalten in Southern Patagonia, a land of towering glaciers, dramatic mountains and some of Argentina’s most iconic hiking trails. This is where you’ll find unforgettable landscapes and days spent exploring the great outdoors.

Tip: visit an estancia to experience the gaucho life! You can even stay overnight is time and budget allow.

Continue towards the tip of the continent and you reach Ushuaia, gateway to Tierra del Fuego National Park, boat trips along the Beagle Channel and encounters with penguins and marine life.

Patagonia is a strongly seasonal region, so we’ll guide you on the best time to visit each area depending on what you’d like to see and do.

Tip: For true wilderness & wildlife

If you’re keen to venture off the beaten track, consider adding Peninsula Valdés or Bahía Bustamante to your itinerary. These remote coastal areas are among the best places in Argentina to witness whales, penguins, sea lion colonies and a staggering array of birdlife—perfect for travellers seeking a wilder Patagonian experience.

Ready to Start Planning?

Argentina is a country that rewards curiosity, whether you’re wandering the barrios of Buenos Aires, tasting Malbec beneath the Andes, listening to the roar of Iguazú, or standing in silent awe before a Patagonian glacier. Each region offers something completely different, which is why planning your route carefully makes such a difference. The beauty of Argentina is that you can shape it around your interests: food and wine, wildlife, landscapes, culture, or a little bit of everything.

With so many incredible places to choose from, it can feel overwhelming – but that’s where we come in. We’ll help you piece together the perfect combination of regions, decide how long to spend in each, and add those special experiences that make a holiday feel truly unforgettable. Wherever your travels take you, Argentina has a way of staying with you long after you’ve returned home.

Ready to start planning? We’d love to help.

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.