One or Two weeks in Argentina: Suggested itinerary

The amazing Perito Moreno glacier. Photo by Angik Sarkar

I visited Argentina and Antarctica in Dec 2014 and it was probably the best trip of my life. I am slowly writing the trip reports and would post them as they are done. I have had quite a few friends and family requesting an optimized itinerary since meticulous planning allowed us to cover a lot of ground in the short time.

Itineraries

Please note the following about the itineraries presented are:
a. Optimized for specific flight timings between cities keeping in mind that Argentinean flights are unreliable.
b. Extremely hectic. I would suggest cutting out at least one city from the list or adding more days.
c. Best suited for Argentinean summer/North American winter with a heavy emphasis on Argentinean Patagonia.
d. Suited for those who are not comfortable with driving in Argentina.

One Week in Argentina

One crazy week in Argentina

Day	Lodging	Plan
0	Iguazu Falls	Fly directly into Iguazu Falls if you can.
1	Iguazu Falls	Half day sightseeing of the Brazil side of the Falls. Transfer to Argentinean side
2	Buenos Aires	Full day sightseeing of Argentinean side of the Falls. Late night(10PM) flight to Buenos Aires.
3	El Calafate	Whole day tour of Buenos Aires. Eat a memorable dinner at an authentic parrilla and board a late night(10PM) flight to El Calfate
4	El Chalten	Book Big Ice trek in advance and tour the famous Perito Moreno glacier. If not trekking, take a boat ride and enjoy the glacier and return to El Calafate town. Evening (630 or 8PM) shuttle to El Chalten
5	El Chalten	Hike Laguna de los Tres/Laguna Torre/Loma del Pliegue Tumbado. For an easy hike consider Laguna Capri. For a stroll, shuttle to Lago del Desierto and hike to Huemul Glacier. If you can, climb up Condor Mirador and Eagle Mirador (1hr) for amazing views of town and of Fitz Roy at Sunset.
6	Ushuaia	See sunrise at El Chalten and catch early morning shuttle to El Calafate airport.Morning/midday flight to Ushuaia. Sit on left side window for spectacular views as you descend into Ushuaia. Options for the day: The excellent maritime museum Evening sail around Beagle channel. Hike to Martial glacier
7	Buenos Aires	Choose between: Emerald Lagoon hike Beagle channel/Gable island/Estancia Haberon(Penguin rookery) trip. One of the hikes in Tierra del Fuego National Park. Night (820PM) flight to Buenos Aires.

I sincerely hope you have extra days and some breathing room in this crazy itinerary. I would suggest eliminating Ushuaia from the itinerary and adding the extra day(s) in Buenos Aires if you love cities and culture or El Chalten to hike the trails with magnificent views of Fitz Roy.

 

Highlights of Argentina in two weeks

Rushed two week Highlights of Argentina trip

Day	Lodging	Plan
1	Buenos Aires	Arrive Buenos Aires. If you have free time, watch a tango Show for free at San Telmo or roam around the various neighborhoods. Eat a memorable dinner at an authentic parrilla
2	Villa Angostura	Morning flight to San Martin de los Andes. Enjoy lunch and a stroll through San Martin de los Andes. Evening bus to Villa Angostura.
3	Bariloche	Ferry to Bosque de Arrayanes. 12 km hike back or ferry back to Villa Agnostura. Evening bus to Bariloche.
4	Bariloche	Bariloche town/ Cerro Otto and Circuito Chico in the afternoon. Or Circuito Grande for the whole day
5	El Chalten	Morning flight to El Calafate and shuttle to El Chalten from airport. Climb up Condor Mirador and Eagle Mirador for amazing views of town and of Fitz Roy at Sunset.
6	El Calafate	Laguna de los Tres/Laguna Torre/Loma del Pliegue Tumbado. For an easy hike consider Laguna Capri. For a stroll, shuttle to Lago del Desierto and hike to Huemul Glacier. Late evening bus/shuttle to El Calafate (Confirm the 930PM service)
7	El Calafate	Bus to the famous Perito Moreno glacier. Trek on the glacier if you can. If not, take a boat ride and enjoy the glacier and return to El Calafate town.
8	Ushuaia	Morning/midday flight to Ushuaia. Sit on left side window for spectacular views as you descend into Ushuaia. Options for the day: The excellent maritime museum Evening sail around Beagle channel. Hike to Martial glacier
9	Buenos Aires	Choose between: Emerald Lagoon hike Beagle channel/Gable island/Estancia Haberon(Penguin rookery) trip. One of the hikes in Tierra del Fuego National Park. Night (820PM) flight to Buenos Aires.
10	Salta	Whole day tour of Buenos Aires. Late night(830PM) flight to Salta
11	Salta	Tour to see Salinas Grandes,Seven Colours Hill, Quebrada de Humahuaca or Cafayete region.
12	Iguazu Falls	Sightseeing around Salta. Evening(645PM) flight to Iguazu Falls.
13	Iguazu Falls	Whole day sightseeing of Argentinean side of the Falls.
14	–	Half day sightseeing of the Brazil side of the Falls. Evening flight to Buenos Aires or flight back home from Iguassu Airport.

Options with extra vacation days

According to your interest, extra days can be added in any of the cities mentioned:

Interest	City	Attractions
Hiking/ Backpacking/ Landscape photography	El Chalten	Watching Fitz Roy at sunrise/sunset. Multiple hike/backpack options (http://goo.gl/AGiOYh).
	Bariloche area	Hiking in the mountains around the lakes (www.trekbariloche.com).
	Ushuaia	Backpacking remote Tierra del Fuego National Park http://www.trekbariloche.com/
Road trips	El Calafate	Travel to Torres del Paine (Chile).
	Bariloche	Ruta 40 bus from Bariloche to El Chalten
	Puerto Iguazu	The impressive Jesuit Missions
	Ushuaia	The remote and beautiful archipelago of Tierra del Fuego
	Salta	Purmamarca and Cafayate region
City breaks	San Martin de los Andes	One night in tranquility, gobbling up chocolates. Lanin National Park Ferry to Chile
	Bariloche	Boat trips in Nahuel Huapi National Park. Day trip to Cerro Tronador with unique black glacier.
	Buenos Aires	Spend more time in the city or travel to Tigre/Rosario/Colonia (Uruguay)
	Mendoza	Beautiful wine country and Mt. Aconcagua
	Salta	Deserves 5-6 days. Beautiful multi-colored landscapes
	Cordoba	Scenic hills around city, undiscovered by Western tourists
	El Bolson	Hippie town with a great weekly crafts market
Wildlife viewing	Puerto Madryn	Penguins at Punta Tombo or Peninsula Valdes. Southern Right Whale if in season
Ushuaia	Penguin rookery. Whales, dolphins, sea lions in Beagle Channel
Bahia Bustamante	Often touted as the “Argentine answer to the Galapagos”
Beaches	Mar del Plata, Puerto Piramides, Miramar, Camarones	Relaxing after a busy vacation

Consider adding Salta and/or Mendoza region to the itinerary only if you have 3 weeks or more.

What should you skip if short on time?

If you are short on time skip:

City	Options
Ushuaia	If you just want to see penguins, consider Puerto Madryn instead.
Bariloche	May skip if pressed for time and you have seen the lakes district in other regions like Switzerland/Italy border.
Salta	Not pleasant in Argentinean summer.

Useful planning resources

http://goo.gl/zpIJjb
trekbariloche.com
The forums at tripadvisor.com,Lonely Planet throntree.
http://livinginpatagonia.com/?p=4306
http://argentina4u.com/blog/en/perfect-3-day-salta-itinerary/

Let me know if you have any suggestions to improve the itineraries or if you have any questions.

Acknowledgment: Debjeet Sen