Where Should You Go?
When travelling to Argentina, the options of destinations and tours are very diverse, since Argentina is a large country with a great number of places to visit. If it is your first time in this beautiful region, we recommend selecting the destinations according to the season when you are traveling.
In Spring and Summer, Visiting Patagonia Is a Must
If you plan to visit during Spring or Summer time, starting in late September and finishing in late March, we recommend exploring Northern Patagonia and Southern Patagonia. Northern Patagonia includes San Martin de los Antes as far as Esquel. You will also get to know Villa La Angostura, Villa Traful and San Carlos de Bariloche on your way. Southern Patagonia includes Ushuaia (Tierra del Fuego National Park) and El Calafate and El Chaltén (Los Glaciares National Park.)
Starting at Andean-Northern Patagonia…
This is the area of the Andean-Northern Patagonia, because it is located very close to the Andes Mountain Range (bordering Chile.) This is the most beautiful region in the whole Patagonia due to the beautiful lakes displaying all shades of blue, from emerald to deep blue, the imposing mountains standing tall due to the closeness to the mountain range, and the deep tones of green, due to the heavy rains occurring between autumn and winter, which create incredible vegetation on the thick forests of coniferous trees, which include waterfalls and lagoons as well. On Northern Patagonia, the region of the Atlantic Coast, you need to travel east towards Puerto Madryn to visit Peninsula Valdes and discover the great biodiversity of its flora and fauna. If you wish to take the sighting tour of the southern right whale, you should visit from September to lat November, otherwise you will be sorry to have missed them.
Heading to the Last Edge of the South American Continent: Southern Patagonia
Another option is travelling even further south, reaching the limits of the South American continent, to visit the last end of Earth: Southern Patagonia. If you are coming from Northern Patagonia from Puerto Madryn, we recommend arriving in Ushuaia by air, but if you depart from Bariloche, it is advisable to arrive in El Calafate first. This area of Patagonia is wilder and quieter; a drier region battered by strong winds, with huge mountain ranges including Mounts Fitz Roy and Torre and the first rate glaciers area of Los Glaciares National Park. This area does not offer the shelter of the lush vegetation found in the Andean-North Patagonic forests.
In Fall and Winter, Travel to the Northeastern Region and the Iguazu Falls
Winter and Autumn times are perfect for visiting the Northeastern region, from San Juan to Mendoza as far as Salta and Jujuy. It is also a good time to visit the Iguazu Falls, since the most humid and hottest season (October to March) is over. These are the best months, with less humidity and nice weather. Depending on your available days to visit this region, it is always better to start a circuit around the Northeastern Region, travelling to the Falls, then continuing to the west in Salta and from there, travel north as far as Jujuy, starting to go south towards San Miguel de Tucumán. Then you can visit Catamarca, La Rioja, San Juan and Mendoza. Visiting all these destinations depends on the amount of available days to explore the natural attractions that Argentina has to offer. Another interesting itinerary is getting to know the city of Buenos Aires and its surroundings thoroughly. You can even travel to our neighbor country, Uruguay, to visit Colonia del Sacramento, then travel to Cordoba (in the centre of the county) and from there, you can travel to the Northwestern Region or Cuyo, depending on your interests. On all these cases, the Winter-Autumn season is the most recommended.
What Tours Should You Take?
In Southern Patagonia: From Perito Moreno Glacier to Tierra del Fuego National Park
The most traditional tours in Patagonia are the visits to Perito Moreno Glacier, hiking on its walkways or trekking on the glacier itself. We also recommend visiting some traditional "estancia" and enjoy a delicious Patagonic lamb. In El Calafate or in El Chaltén, you should take the hike to the base of Mount Fitz Roy: The Laguna de los Tres (Lagoon of the Three.) If you reach Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world, you should explore Tierra del Fuego National Park and sail the Beagle Channel as far as Estancia Harberton. A peculiar tour is taking a 4x4 truck to reach the southern lakes Fagnano and Esondido and having and "asado" (Argentine barbecue) at the shore of the lake. The best way to reach Ushuaia is on a road trip, since it is the best way to enjoy the details of the transitioning landscapes − the end of wild and quiet Patagonia in the South American continent in the province of Santa Cruz and the last mountains of the Andes Mountain Range, once you leave Rio Grande behind and you reach Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego. This is possible to do if you travel from El Calafate to Ushuaia. If you take a non traditional itinerary, from El Chalten you can take the road trip on Route 40, leading you to less touristic but fascinating destinations, such as Perito Moreno National Park and Lake Belgrano, where you can catch the sight of condors. Then you continue to lakes Posadas and Pueyrredón and Mount San Lorenzo. After this, you head to the Pinturas River Canyon to marvel at the Cave of Hands, to finish your trip in the city of Los Antiguos.
In Northern Patagonia: From the Sighting of the Southern Right Whale to the Crossing of Lakes Connecting Bariloche to Puerto Varas
In Puerto Madryn you should visit Peninsula Valdes to watch marine flora and fauna. If you reach this area between July and November you should travel to Puerto Piramides for the sighting of the southern right whale. From mid-September on, you can visit Punta Tombo to watch the Magellan penguin colony, which is the largest colony in South America. If you wish to go off the beaten track, you should travel to Bahía Bustamante, the only algae town in the whole world. From this town you travel south on Route 3 in the circuit called the Blue Route (Ruta Azul) which reaches Puerto Deseado, Puerto San Julián and Monte León National Park.
Once in Northern Patagonia you will find traditional tours, such as the visit to Victoria Island and the Myrtle Forest in Bariloche or the Crossing of the Lakes connecting Bariloche to the Chilean city of Puerto Varas. In Esquel, you should visit Los Alerces National Park and sail the Futalaufquen Lake. A picturesque tour is taking the Trochita, the Patagonic express train, for a time travel experience. In San Martin de los Andes we recommend walking around the most beautiful city in Patagonia, due to its well-cared-for architecture. You should go as far as Hua-Hum driving or sailing the Lacar Lake and visit the Lanin Volcano. You can also sail on lakes Huechulafquen and Epulafquen.
In the Northeastern Region: From the Quebrada de Humahuaca to the Gran Cañón del Talampaya
Tours around the Northeastern Region include the Quebrada de Humahuaca in the Province of Jujuy and the rides around the Calchachi Valleys in the Province of Salta. We also recommend the trekking with llamas in Tilcara. In Tucuman you should visit Tafi del Valle and the Archeological Ruins of the Quilmes Indians. In San Juan you should take the tour to Fertile Valley and the Valley of the Moon and in La Rioja you should visit the Cañón de Talampaya (Canyon of Talampaya.) We also need to highlight the visit to Laguna Brava. Both in Mendoza and San Juan it is interesting to make a visit to renowned or craft wineries on the wine route. In Cuyo you need to take the tour to the Atuel River Canyon or the tour to Alta Montaña (High Mountain) on the Mendoza River or to the Quebrada de Villavicencio (Villavicencio Gorge.)
In the Central Region and Northeastern Region: Buenos Aires and Cordoba Welcome You with its Historic Capital city and the Road of the Jesuit Estancias.
In Buenos Aires the perfect program is taking a walking tour to get to know the most traditional areas in the city. Another good option to get to know the city's surroundings is visiting the Delta del Tigre (Tigre Delta) and the Parana River. If you have some extra time, we recommend taking a ferry boat to Colonia del Sacramento. In Cordoba, you need to visit the historic town. The most recommended tours are Road of the Jesuit Estancias, the tour to Calamuchita Valley and La Cumbrecita. The Northeastern Region is home to most popular destination in Argentina, the Iguazu Falls. You must visit them both on the Argentine and the Brazilian side and you cannot miss the Devil's Throat! Another interesting tour is navigating the Lower Iguazu River and reaching the Falls. We also recommend taking adventure tours inside the Iguazu National Park.