Explore Argentina! - 8-9 Days
Any tour of Argentina must begin with bustling Buenos Aires, often called the "Paris of the South" due to the fashionable refinement of its people and monumental architecture that make it seem more like Europe than South America. But Buenos Aires is no copy of somewhere else, but has a unique identiy as the birthplace of Tango, an often exaggerated national pride, and a love for beef. A basic tour of Buenos Aires can be done in 4 days, and after that ehre are a number of ways to spend a few more free days there. Or if you're ready to see the diversity of Argentina outside of Buenos Aires, you have options from the spectacular Iguazu Falls in the North to stunning mountain scenery in Patagonia down South. Explore your options below:
Day 1
Depart on your overnight flight to Buenos Aires.
Day 2
Arrive Buenos Aires in the morning, transfer to hotel located in the center of Buenos Aires within easy walking distance to Florida Ave. shopping, ferry port, bus & train stations. Check-in and freshen up. Orientation to Buenos Aires, shopping and lunch pedestrian mall. Dinner at a "parilla" for typical Argentine grilled beef. Walking night tour of monuments.
Day 3
Morning bus tour: Recoleta, Plaza de Mayo, La Boca, Puerto Madero. Afternoon: open shopping on Florida Ave. Dinner & Tango show in San Telmo.
Day 4
Day Trip to Colonia, Uruguay. Ferry across the Rio de la Plata and spend the afternoon in this fortified port, once popular with pirates and contraband. Now it has a slow pace for leisurely strolls and shopping in markets.
Day 5
Fiesta Guacha. Day trip to an estancia in the Pampas outside Buenos Aires to party and feast with the Guacho, Argentina's famous cowboy. Ride horses, watch games and dances, and eat your fill of beef. Board your flight home.
Day 8-9
Ilheus. Heading north up the coast of Bahia state, we break our journey for a couple of days in Ilheus to discover yet more stunning beaches. Take a stroll around the colonial, town centre or visit the church or the museum or just kick back and relax.
Trip Extensions:
Buenos Aires Extension (7 Day Trip)
Day 6
Day trip to Tigre on the Rio Parana delta. (weekend shopping)
Day 7
Free day and optional tours in Buenos Aires until evening flight. Arrive in U.S. the next morning.
Iguazu Falls Extension (7-8 Day Trip)
Day 6
Either fly or take an overnight sleeping bus (17 hours one way) to Puerto Iguazu.
Day 7
Explore one of the most amazing waterfalls on the planet. Walk the overlook platforms and hike thru the roaring spray below. Optional day at Posadas and the Jesuit Mission remains at San Ignacio Mini.
Bariloche Extension (8 Day Trip)
Head down to the mountains and spend a few days in Bariloche and the Lake District, an area akin to Switzerland. Opportunities for day hikes and outdoor recreation.
El Calafate Extension (8-9 Day Trip)
Visit the mystical mountains and valleys of Southern Patagonia. Day trip to massive Perito Moreno Glacier, one of the few advancing glaciers in the world. Lake tours or hikes available. Optional overnight and day hike to El Chalten.
