When people think about Argentina, they usually associate it with mountains, falls, gauchos, wine, football, drama, and an endless inhabited bunch of remote lands. Sometimes, when speaking of a remote place, people refer to it as “La Pampa”.
Then, when the time comes to plan a real visit to Argentina, it can result difficult to squeeze every location in one trip. Let’s have a look at some of the most common doubts, and the tips to cope with them:
With so many attractions, how to decide what to choose?
After making a first research, familiarize with the popular destinations and the minimum days to visit each one of them; and locate the destinations on a map. It will definitively help you have a better panorama about the distances, and to trigger new ideas about how to combine them with the main attractions in the neighboring countries.
Then, check out when is the best time of the year to visit them all, and how many flights you would need to do it. You will realize that some destinations are not really worth the visit in some months of the year, which will help you set priorities.
Many flights for just a few days
You don’t have to swing by Buenos Aires to rejoin every other place. For instance, Córdoba is a good hub, or there are even some direct flights between the main regional cities (you just need to check which days they operate).
Some destinations can be joined overland (or by Fjords), through singular sceneries, demanding the same time than doing it with a long stopover flight. For example, you can go from Ushuaia to Punta Arenas in a full day bus or a private transfer. Or you can go from Bariloche to Puerto Montt, through the “Cross Lakes” excursion. This opens up a new world of possibilities to combine many of the regions in one trip.
What to do on the arrival/departure days at the different destinations
Those who don’t have the chance to leave those days free (in order to enjoy the places in a more relaxed way, which is suggested) come to a very common doubt: is it possible to go on an excursion on the day of my arrival/departure?
Well, even though it depends on many factors, it’s useful to take the following into consideration:
If it’s on the day of your departure, there are no major inconveniences apart from being aware of the airport location and the time that you need to reach it. If it’s on your arrival day, have in mind that flight delays in Argentina are very common, so either calculate a big gap between your arrival time and the beginning of your excursion, or go on a private tour.
You can actually visit a lot of “essentials” under this scheme. The only disadvantage, maybe, is that in some places it is better to set a particular order for the attractions to visit (a matter of leaving the best for the end ☺).
If you take an evening flight on your day out, for example, you would be able to visit: Brazilian falls (Iguazu), Tierra del Fuego National Park (Ushuaia), one of the navigations to the Glaciers Upsala & Spegazzini (El Calafate), Short Circuit (Bariloche), and many other places around the country.
One way or the other, don’t miss out your chances of getting the best out of your visit, by asking a local travel expert for advice.