The Argentina Travel Guide
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Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Santelmo bohemian neighborhood, Buenos Aires
- Palermo neighborhood, Buenos Aires
- La Boca district, Buenos Aires
- Recoleta cemetery, Buenos Aires
Tigre, Argentina
- Tigre Art Museum, Argentina
Lujan, Argentina (Place of pilgrimage for Christians)
San Antonio de Areco, Argentina (19th century town with tree lines streets along a river)
LaPlata, Argentina (740,000; near mouth of Plata River. Well-planned city)
Cordoba, Northwest Argentina, (2006 American Capital of Culture; Argentina’s second city. 1.3M pop, founded in 1573, Jesuit’s establish first University in Cordoba in 1613)
- Villa General Belgrano, Cordoba’s Sierras, Argentina (Germany town, very European flavor)
- Villa Carlos Paz, Cordoba’s Sierras, Argentina (mix of Vegas and Disneyland. Lake getaway is dotted with theme hotels (Great Pyramid, Kremlin).
- Alta Gracia, Cordoba’s Sierra’s, Argentina (colonial mountain town with Jesuit architecture)
Sierra de Cordoba Region, Northwest Argentina
Salinas Grandes Salt Flats, Northwest Argentina
Cafayate, Northwest Argentina (Great vineyards and base to explore surrounding parks)
- Quebrada de Cafayate, Cafeyate, Argentina (Orange and Red sandstone formations much of them named, Looks like southern Utah.
Calchaquies Valley, Northwest Argentina (Colonial estates and picturesque small towns in red rock country)
Calchaqui Valley Scenic Loop, Argentina: Salta; 325 miles
Cachi, Calchaquies Valley, Argentina (very scenic small town
Quilmes ruins, Argentina
Salta, Argentina (pop 655,500; city set in red rock country. Good night life and restaurants.
Quebrada de Humahuaca Valley, Northwest Argentina (Narrow mountain valley, with rock formations and panted hills)
- Tilcara, Quebrada de Humahuaca, Argentina (small artist town with painted hill backdrop and ruins on hill above town)
- Pucara fortress ruins, Tilcara, Argentina (pre-Columbian 1th to 15th century although site is thought to be older, impressive stonework)
- Humahuaca, Quebrada de Humahuaca, Argentina
Rosario, Argentina (pop 1,190,000, Argentina’s second city culturally)
El Palmar National Park, Argentina
Rio Pilcmayco National Park, Argentina
Santa Fe, Argentina (526,000; University town)
Parana, Argentina (247,000; nice town on river, with historical center and a couple majestic plazas. Good cafes/bars)
Colonia Pellegrini, Argentina (Access town for Esteros de Ibera Provincial Reserve)
Esteros de Ibera Provincial Reserve, Argentina (comparable to Brazil’s Pantanal, park is 13,000 sq km of aquatic plants and grasses including floating island. Domain of caimans and anacondas and many birds. Very popular with bird watchers and nature lovers. $5 pp for 2 hour boat tour)
Puerto Iguazu, Argentina (access town for Iguazu Falls)
Iguazu Falls, Puerta Iguazu, Argentina (UNESCO; 80% of the falls is on the Argentina side, the rest accessed from Brazil.
- Devil’s Throat, Iguazu Falls, Argentina
- Lower Trail, Iguazu Falls, Argentina
- Upper Trail, Iguazu Falls, Argentina
Mar del Plata, Argentina (Shoulder to shoulder beach scene in the summer pop: 614,000; huge tourist destination)
Villa Gesell, Argentina (Laid back dune community, very pretty coastal town pop: 30K)
Pinamar, Argentina (Where wealthy Argentine families come to play; great low season rates on cabins and villas. Stylish architecture, mature trees lining the streets)
Carilo, Argentina (most exclusive beach resort town, huge mature woodland park with hotels and cabanas sprinkled about tastefully and a tiny town center)
Miramar, Argentina (Charming small resort town oriented towards families and bicycle travel. Nice beach, big, shaded plaza, low-key and quiet. High rise buildings on seafront.
Necochea, Argentina (resort area with nice stretch of beach, busy in the summer, but keeo to town core. To the west of town is desolate beaches and dunes incl Cueva del Tigre natural arch)
Monte Hermoso, Argentina (Established resort area with great beaches)
Bahia Blanca, Argentina (Provinces largest naval base and port. Town is quiet and attractive)
Sierra de la Ventana, Argentina (Highest range of hills in the Pampas)
San Luis, Argentina (upcoming backpackers destination. Pop: 170K)
Mendoza, Argentina (One of Argentina’s best cities, stunningly picturesque and very walkable. Pop: 1.1M; great wineries)
Lihue Calel National Park, Argentina
Sierra se las Quijadas National Park, Argentina (Southern Utah ’esque park. Colorful rock formations, canyons. Looks stunning. Remote, nearest town in San Luis)
Uspallata (Exceptionally beautiful valley surrounded by painted hills and snowy Andes peaks in the distance. A location for Brad Pitt’s Seven Years in Tibet. Pop: 3,800)
Puente de Inca, Argentina (natural stone bridge spanning the Rio Mendoza; underneath is rock walls and the ruins of a spa)
Anaconda National Park, Argentina (Western hemisphere’s tallest peak at 22,841 feet; reaching the summit requires at least 2 weeks; trekking to base camps and refuges below permanent snow line an option too)
San Juan, Argentina (pop: 109K; nearby wineries, access to Ischigualasto NP)
Ischigualasto National Park, Argentina (SW type park. Rock formations and area of Moki balls called the bowling field)
Malargue, Argentina (pop: 21,600; Oil town, with year round outdoor activities in the area
Las Lenas, Argentina (Argentina’s most prestigious ski resort popular with foreigners and wealthy Argentines; town with year-round appeal)
Lanin National Park, Argentina (Lanin Volcano, 12,388 feet and extensive stands southern beech and monkey puzzle trees, and glacial blue finger-shaped lakes
San Martin (San Martin de Los Andes), Argentina (pop: 28K; small, fashionable destination, crowded in summer. Nested between two mountains on shores of Lacar Lake. Many stone and wood chalet buildings)
Villa La Angostrura, Argentina (pop: 11,000; very nice lakefront town; charming wood and stone alpine style buildings. Pictures look like alps or high end cascades resort town)
- Los Arrraynes National Park, Villa La Angostrura, Argentina (40 minute boat ride from town brings you this protect peninsula)
Bariloche, Argentina (pop: 110K; Lake District’s largest city, on the shores of Nahuel Huapi Lake and surrounded by snowy mountain peaks. Touristy, but very nice year-round; Swiss-vibe)
Nahuel Huapi National Park, Argentina (Valdivian temperate rain forest – like the PNW; alpine meadows, glacial lakes. Extremely nice park.
- Chico Circuit Byway, Nahuel Huapi National Park (60km; can spend an entire day exploring this 50 minutes’ worth of driving)
El Bolson, Argentina (pop: 17,000; Hippie town, organic farms, hops, orchards. Artsy and liberal. Surrounded by dramatic peaks; warm microclimate – banana belt.
- Bosque Tallado, El Bolson, Argentina (figures carved into logs in shady grove and along trail. Pretty cool, was on Globe Trekker)
Esquel, Argentina
Trevelin, Argentina (Welsh town, complete with visually stunning tulip farms and tea houses)
Los Alerces National Park, Argentina (mirror lakes, lush mountain, and the Alerce Tree, with specimens over 4,000 years old, look like Sequoia)
Puerto Madryn. Argentina (pop: 73,600; Gateway to the Valdes peninsula, warm summer temperatures equal to Buenos Aires – good beaches and whale watching)
Valdes Peninsula Reserve, Patagonia, Argentina (UNESCO; sealions, elephant seals, guanacos, Magellanic penguins, dolphins, endangered south right whale. Boat tour a must during whale season)
Trelew, Patagonia, Argentina (pop: 98,600; Steeped in Welsh heritage, but rather uneventful asie from museum)
- Egidio Feruglio Paleontological Museum, Trelew, Argentina (Houses the most important fossil finds in Patagonia, including locally-found life-sized dinosaur exhibits)
Gaiman, Patagonia, Argentina (Another Welsh town, this one with great pastries and teas houses, offering unlimited tea and pastries for about $3.50- $5 day, some with free WIFI. Open at 2pm, close late.
Punta Tombo Protected Natural Area, Patagonia, Argentina (Largest penguin nest ground in continental South America)
Cueva de las Manos Rock Art, Los Antiguos, Patagonia, Argentina (incredible rock art from 7370 BC; extremely colorful and well preserved)
Seven Lakes Road Trip, Patagonia, Argentina (Can bus, rent a car or bike it)
El Chalten, Patagonia, Argentina (pop: 1,630; colorful village over stunning northern part of Glacier NPs Fitz Roy Range)
- Spa Yaten, El Chalten, Patagonia, Argentina (Well-regarded spa; $17 for one-hour massages from a pro)
Fitzroy Loop Trek, Patagonia, Argentina (10-days, epic but highly technical and very difficult, but doable. Should only be undertaken with experienced guides. Can be broken into sections to eliminate harder parts)
- Laguna Torre Day Hike, El Chalten, Patagonia, Argentina (9km, 3 hrs one-way to views of stunning rock needle of Cerro Torre the most difficult peak to see. Only go in clear weather, otherwise peak is in clouds)
- 2-hour guided ice trekking to Videma Glacier for $50 incl transport w/Cruise-ship access.
El Calafate, Patagonia, Argentina (pop: 21,300; Gateway to Glacier’s NP and Perito Moreno glacier)
Glaciers National Park, El Calafate, Patagonia, Argentina
- Perito Moreno Glacier, Glaciers National Park, Patagonia, Argentina (massive calving glaciers and condors flying above)
- Laguna de Los Tres Day Trek, Glaciers NP, Patagonia, Argentina (14 miles RT from El Chalten, One of the park’s most photogenic spots in Patagonia along high alpine tarns to stunning views of the Fitz Roy’s over an alpine lake. Steep in some places. Done as a day hike generally)
- Huemul Circuit Trek, Glaciers NP, Patagonia, Argentina (Little know backcountry route involves some scrambling, climbing and river crossings at certain points, but the reward is solitude in the one of the most beautiful places in the world. 37 mile loop from El Chalten)
Tierra del Fuego archipelago, Patagonia, Argentina (Most extreme south of South America)
Ushuaia, Patagonia, Argentina (The end of the Earth on southern tip of continent, adventure capital year-round, southern most city in the world)
Antarctic Cruise (Can get an all-inclusive 10-day cruise valued @ $10Kpp, for about $3Kpp double occupancy in Ushuaia if you time it right and hustle at bit. This is especially true when they need to fill ships on short notice – be at the port day off ready-to-go if you want this price.)
Tierra Del Fuego National Park, Patagonia, Argentina (12km west of Ushuaia)
