The ultimate Argentina Itinerary 2024

Argentina can be a tricky place to travel for the budget backpacker, but completely worth the effort.

The inflation makes getting money here a difficult and ever changing task – check when you arrive for the latest information as it really will change all the time!

I spent 3 months here and still feel like I only scratched the surface on the vast beautiful country.

From Patagonia in the south, to the cowboys and red wine in the north – I have out together the ultimate first timers itinerary for Argentina.

Time in each place depends on your budget and total travel time – do not try to visit too many places! Argentina is the dream place for slow travel.

This intinerary is based on coming from Brazil / Paraguay into Argentina via Puerto Iguazu. I have included some prices but note that almost immediately quoted prices here are out of date!

Puerto Iguazu

Brazil side? Argentina side? I had heard that the Argentina side was the best and it did not disappoint. I actually ended up visited both and would agree that the Argentina side of the falls is much more vast and impressive.

Check the weather and visit when sunny to get that light reflecting off the water!

Visiting the falls:

Buses run every 20-30minutes form 7am, you can just buy a ticket on board. The journey is around 40 minutes.

To return to town the buses pick you up just outside the entrance and you must use the same bus company as you did on the way there if you want to not buy a new ticket. They run every 30minutes, check the last bus times as they changed a lot.

The price was USD22 and you can plan to spend 5-6 hours here. Included in the entry was the short ferry ride to San Martin Island.

From the entrance, grab a map and make your way to the ‘train station’ where you will be taken to the first stop. Get off there and head to the Superior (upper rim) and the Inferior (the longer walk on the bottom where you get the boat to San Martin). These two will take 2-3 hours.

Then return to the station, there are bathrooms and an eating area for your packed lunch. Then continue onto the Devils Throat – yes you will get wet!

Where to stay:

Poramba Hostel is right near the bus terminal. Has a pool, kitchen and free breakfast.

Cordoba

The lively student city with the best nightlife and shopping after Buenas Aires and the second largest city in Argentina.

There are loads of interesting bars and streetart, head to the main street late at night for food and drinks. Note – Argentinians do not eat dinner until 10-11pm and do not go to clubs until 2m. You will end up back home at 7am, and if you have fully converted to being Argentinian you will be at work by 9am sipping Mate like nothing ever happened.

What to do:

Honestly… here I just people watched and had a few nights outs! I found the shared airbnbs were much cheaper than the hostels and met great people.

Las Sierras de Cordoba

Cordoba is located in this region, and I would strongly encourage visiting the Sierras outside of the city! For those limited on time just pick one.

As always it is easiest with a rental car, so you could get a few people together and hire one. Alternatively ask at the bus stations for the smaller buses – i found that the bus times seemed to change alot but still very doable.

This is deep is siesta country, places do not open until late and they close early. Nothing is open around lunch time and life is slow in these parts – embrace it.

La Cumbre

Here you can go paraguilding, horse riding, cycling and hiking. Visit the craft fairs at Villa Giardino.

Villa Carlos Paz

A town on the San Roque lake only 25 miles form the city. Incredible lake views and a cute little town with delicious food!

Los Terrones

An amazing park and nature reserve and my favourite hiking in the region.

Villa General Belgrano

Well this place was a surprise! A Bavarian looking mountain town founded by Germans 90 years ago. They actually even have an Octoberfest if you are there that month and in the mood for beer.

Uritorco Hill

Known hippy town with a very alternative living feel. Apparently they saw UFOs here and supernaturla goings on.. it is one of the more well visited towns in the area and located on river with lots of nice hiking.

San Marcos Sierras

I accidently got stuck here for a week just drinking wine and eating empanadas. A stunning town , easy to get to on public transport. Visit the thermal springs, take in the sleepy vibes and eat the best empanadas of your life.

San Miguel De Tucuman

A good place to stay overnight if you need a break before heading up to Salta or over to Mendoza.

I stayed one night and was glad I did, although is isnt the nicest place I did have some delicious vegan food (yes vegan in Argentina).

What to do:

Sierra San Javier – The Tucuman bus company run irregular buses that drop you off 2km from the start of the trial. It gets hot so leave early as you can.
Yerba Buena – Fancy neighbourhood outside of the city for trendy coffee shops and food.

From here I headed right up to Jujuy. With everywhere in Argentina , hitch hiking is pretty easy and the buses are easy to organise at the central bus terminals. I normally booked my long distances bus out when I arrived into a city.

Jujuy

A beautiful town north of Salta known for the multi coloured red mountains. Surprisingly I did not see many tourists here, and my big regret was not staying overnight in one of the many interesting hostels/ homestays.

The main towns around here are San Salvador de Jujuy, Purmamarca and Tilcara. Tilcara is the most northern of these and has a pre-incan fort call Pucara built on a hill.

What to do:

Quebrada de Humahuaca – The narrow mountain range in the province is home to small towns and ancient ruins.
Calilegua National Park – Here if you are lucky you can see jungle wildlife including bit cars.
Salinas Grandes – A huge salt flat at the base of the mountains.
Hill of seven colours – think Rainbow mountain in Peru without the crowds and hike. There is a great Hotel Killari right next to here.

Salta

The darling of every backpackers Argentina trip, and for good reason. I absolutely loved my 5 days here.

The town is part of the Valles and Calchaqui and one of the best wine regions.

Although there does not seem like much. to do here in terms of sites, the main thing to do here is just enjoy the city, eat, drink and wander around.

What to do:

Grab the cable car – there are actually a few hills you can summit on a cable car. It was too pricey for me on a backpacker budget.
Iglesia San Franciso and Catedral de Salta are the town main churches in town.
Leave the city to do some paraguilding, rafting in the surrounding areas on day trips. The hostels can help you sort this and they were all pretty affordable however i did not do them.
Valles Calchaqies – day trip or do a multi day hike.
Cachi – day trip to the small city on the northern edge of the Calchaqui valley. You go up La Cuesta del Obispo at 3,348m high, then through Parque Nacional Los Cardones which has giant cactus, then along La Recta de Tin Tin

Where to stay?

Coloria Hostel is popular and had a pool!

Cafayate

This was another favourite of mine in Argentina, i stayed 2 days but could have stayed longer. I think by this point the slow moving Argentinian life was getting to me.

A beautiful small tranquil village famous for its white wine, taking a bike ride through the wineries and munching on Torillas rellenas (stuffed cheesey tortillas) is a great way to spend a few days.

What to do:

Hire bicycles – check where you are renting them from as some are dodgy. A full day was about USD11. You could take your bike on the bus to Gardanta del diablo and cycle back.
Rio Colorado waterfalls – 6km out of town. Easy to visit, can lock up you bike outside.
Drink wine – Finca las Bunes is a lovely small winery. Generally you will need to a bicycle / bike / car to get tot them. Some bodegas offer free wine tastings.

Tafi Del Valle

The only bus company that came here was Aconquija and there are several buses daily coming here from Tucuman and Cafayate.

This high altitude town in the Sierra del Aconquija valley is a great base for loads of self guided hiking. During the summer holidays December – January this town gets busy and expensive, if you do go during this time try and aim for mid-week.

You can hire bikes from most hostels here, and also from the shop behind the visitors centre. Price was under USD8 for 6h.

What to do:

Cerro de la Cruz hike
El Mollar lake – 3h walk around it
Avenida Peron is the towns main street and full of arty shops
Drink beer at Kkechuwa – local beer brewery

Where to stay:

Estancia and Estancia Los Quartos are nice in the centre of town.

Nomade Hostel was well recommended and had meals included options.

There are also some ranches that I wish I had stayed out just outside of town but I do not have an recommendations there!

CENTRAL argentina

Buenas Aires

The capital and the most famous place in the country. When people think of visiting Argentina they are probably imaging themselves sipping on a red wine watching tango in a colourful cobbled street in Buenas Aires… just me?

Getting a bus here is easy, but as always in this country, long. Getting around the city is easy once you get used to it, you can purchase a SUBE card which can save you money depending on how long you are spending there. I used the metro for everything.

The trendy neighbourhoods is Palmermo Viejo and home to lots of craft breweries, and where the nightlife is. Remember – things start late in Argentina!

What to do:

San Telmo market – Every Sunday. Closest metro is Paza de Mayo on the A line or Cetedral on the D line.
Visit Boco – the colourful streets you see on instagram, famous for football and tango. Get the No.29 bus from San Telmo and get off when you see the tourists. I was warned by my hostel owner to stick to the main streets as muggings can be common. I did wander around however and had no problems.
Boco Jnrs tour – Take a tour of the stadium if you are a football fan. You can just take yourself around the museum and grounds.
See the street art in Palermo – like a lot of street art the area around is hipster central and has lots of breweries, coffee shops and restaurants.
Lo Recoleta cemetery – Yes weird recommendation but it is a thing people see here – closest station is Retiro on the C line.
Plaza del Mayo – the govermnet building and lots of artwork. Closest metro station is Plaze de Mayo on the Aline
Visit the famous bookshop – you know the one. In an old theatre in Callao.
Plaza Dorrego – to watch some tango for cheap, you just just tip the dancers. Closest metro stop is Plaza del Mayo Aline or Cetedral D line.
Get tango lessions! i did not do this but other travellers raved about it. Normally a steak dinner is included.

Where to stay:

I moved around several hostels and do not really recommended any of them, but a guide on the districts:

Most stay in the Microcentre where most of the attractions are .

San Telmo is the older district and is not as safe as some of the tango halls can get a little rowdy at night. I never had any problems but was told to visit during the day only.

Recoleta is the richer district (where the cemetery is).

South Argentina

Bariloche

The gateway to Argentinian Patagonia and the most lively place in Patagonia thanks to the lively ski resort culture.

What to do:

Ski at Cerro Catedral- If you visit during ski season then the cheapest way to ski here would be to grab a day pass, at the time I visited it was about USD$50 including equipment rental. Don’t like skiing? Just head to one of the many breweries and bars in town for that Apres- ski vibe.
Nahuel Huapi National Park – Famous black galcier, can hike, kayak or take a boat ride out to the islands year around.
Circuito Chicio – 60km cycle route if your legs are up to it.
Ruta de los Siete Lago trek (route of seven lakes) – will need to join a tour or rent a car but worth it
Refugio Frey hike – The most famous hike in the area. Stunning, can camp at the top or stay in the refugio.
Refugio Otto Meiling and Cerro tronador hike and camp – Can see the famous hanging galcier on the 36km round trip. The campsite is free but you need to pay park entry.
Cerro Campanario Hike – Famous viewpoint of the lakes and easy to get to from town on the No.20 bus.

For full details of the hikes check out my PATAGONIA GUIDE HERE

Where to stay:

Want to party? Check out Berkana y Bar de Playa

Old and grumpy like me? Try Hospedaje Penthouse 1004 , Hostel Achalay or Hopa Home Hostel Patagonia

El Bolson

A small backpacker hippy town , home to some alternative communities. Easy place to wind down and spend a couple of days.

What to do:

Rio Azul and Cajon Azul hike – Small amazingly blue lakes, most of the treks begin in Wharton which is easily reached from the centre of town. Can camp, kayak and swim.
Carved Forest – Sculpture park on the mountainside, can camp here also in a tent or at the refugio.
Paragliding! I didn’t do it here and ended up regretting it as my friends photos look amazing.
Cerro Amigo – short 30minute walk for sunset, a picnic or stargazing. Walking distance from the city centre.
Park Nacional Lago Puelo – 9 miles south of town, gorgeous views of the lakes. Lots of easy walks once you get there.
Volunteer at Ecofarms or learn beekeeping at one of the local communities – lots of people come here ot escape the city life and live alternatively. Check out workaway/similar or ask around in town if you are looking for something.

For full details of the hikes check out my PATAGONIA GUIDE HERE

Where to stay:

Want to party? Check out Berkana y Bar de Playa

Old and grumpy like me? Try Hospedaje Penthouse 1004 , Hostel Achalay or Hopa Home Hostel Patagonia

Esquel

Not too much to see here but is a popular stop to break up the journey from El Bolson / Bariloche to El Chalten.

This town is the gateway to Los Alerces National Park.

Perito Moreno

The town not the glacier! The glacier is still 400 miles south of here.

This town is known as the base for seeing Cueva de la Manos. This UNESCO site is a cave full of painted hands and pictures from 13,000 years ago, worth a visit if you can hitch hike or are driving!

El Chalten

The hiking capital of Argentina, everyone is here to hike and I find that these kids of towns always have such a good vibe. Everyone is recovering or gearing up for their hikes, plenty of good advice and good vibes.

You can easily spend a week here doing all of the hikes.

There is SO much to do here, I have included only a brief overview of all of the options. I spend two weeks here doing most of these!

SHORT DAY HIKES:

Mirador Los Condores – easy, 2-3 miles. Starts at Parque de los Glaciares ranger station and gives amazing 360-degree views of the valley and Fitz roy.
Chorrillo del Salto – 4 miles round trip walk from town at the car park on Avenida San Martin, easy hike to the large waterfall.
Laguna Capri – 5 mile round trip. Moderate hike starting at the same car park as above. You walk up a steep slope to get amazing views of Fitz Roy and there are some lovely beaches to eat a picnic at.

LONG DAY HIKES:

Laguna de los tres – the famous trek! 13 miles round trip, 3,100 elevation. Make sure to choose a good weather day to make the most of it. Absolutely stunning trek.
Laguna Torre – 12.5miles round trip, 1,700 ft elevation. Another very popular hike that leaves you hiking alongside Rio Fitz roy. At the top of the trek you will see floating ice bergs making it all worth it.
Piedra del Fraile – 8+ miles, can be as difficult as you make it. Hike starts 10 miles north of El Chalten and there are a few options for the hike and some lovely refugios serving Malbec and yummy fresh food.
Lomo del Pliegue Tumbado – 13miles, 3,500 elevation . Starts at the Parque de los Galciares ranger station. Less known but worth it if you have the time and energy.
Lago Del Desierto – More effort than the other hikes but you walk along the lake bordering Chile and Argentina, you could even do this on your way over the border depending on your luggage. There are tour options and private taxis that can get you there if you have more than you wan to hike with.

MULTI DAY HIKES

Huemal Circuit – 40+ miles. A challenging 4 day hike that covers basically all terrain. You need to register at the visitors centre beforehand. The view of the Southern Patagonia Ice field is completely worth it – i would whole heartedly recommended this hike.

El Calafate

To get here from El Chalten it will be about 3 hours by bus, or very easily to hitch hike.

More touristy than El Chalten thanks to the Perito Moreno Glacier and how easily it is to visit. This also means that it is more expensive.

What to do:

Los Glaciares National Park – This is the park with Perito Moreno Glacier. Very easy to visit, no need to get a tour.
Glacier Museum with ice bar – Want to treat yourself? I was too much of a poor backpacker but this did look cool
Laguna Nimez Reserve – A short trail known for seeing different wild birds, could rent bikes to visit this and then cycle around the lake.

Where to stay:

Bla Guesthouse came recommended and has a kitchen. America del Sur hostel is a bit out of town but has amazing views and has bike rental.

I camped here to save some cash and found the AMSA camping to the left of the bridge the cheapest at USD$4 / night and had electricity, BBQs and warm showers. There are some free camp spots in town if you ask around but I wanted those hot showers!

Ushuaia

Known as ‘the end of the world’ and the gateway to those visiting Antartica.

An odd kind of fishing village with art deco buildings, I will say it is a little overrated but then I was on a tight budget. The very unpredictable weather made hiking here no where near as enjoyable (hello ice cold pouring rain) but the sunsets over the harbour are truly stunning. Plus it is an essential part of the bragging rights ofthe ‘top to bottom’ South America trip.

The ferry from Puerto Arenas to Ushuaia leaves once a day.

What to do:

Parque Nacional Tierra Del Fuego – Great hiking, unpredictable weather. Feels like untouched nature
Catamaran to Faro Les Eslaireurs / Isla Martillo –I did not do this but it looks amazing, I wish i had coughed up the extra money to see the penguins here. I could not, and still cannot decide if i agree with the ethics of walking around with the penguins.

Where to stay:

La Posta Apart Hostel is popular and offers private doubles for USD$20.

Antartica Hostel is a lovely cosy place for the colder months and has a small dorm area.

Caballo De Fuego is one of the cheaper options, but even then nothing down here is super cheap.

Puerto madryn

This is in the east side of Argentinian Patagonia and is known for the seeing the largest penguin colony in the world after Antartica.

What to do:

Punto Tombo – 3h/180km from Puerto Madryn. Home to the 2nd largest penguin colony. Between October – November the penguins come ashore, June to December is whale watching season with also the chance of seeing elephant seals and sealions. In April you can apparently see killer whales from the shore capturing seals.
Tours are about USD$50 and you are taken to other sites in the area to fill out the tour (tea rooms, museum) but you can ask to skip these and pay less. Most tours do not include the USD$9 entrance fee or include lunch.
Isla Encondida – In October elephant seals come here. Unless you have your own transport or want to hitch hike you can add this onto your Punto Tombo tour, not all companies off it. Entry to the beach is free should you get there yourself.
Valdes Peninsula – Parch to April orcas visit and eat the sealioons. Throughout the year you can see sea lions, birds, elephant seals. June to November is one of the best places in South America to see the southern right whales. Tours are about USD40 without $5 entrance fee. You are able to get a boat out for an extra $40 ish.
Punta Lomo – Only 17km out of town and a good options to see sealion instead of Valdes Peninsula. Entrance fee is about $5 and easy to hitchhike or grab the bus from town, no need to take a tour.
Playa Doradillo –
This is a normal beach all year but June – November the bay is full of southern right whales nursing their babies in the shallows. Try and visit in high tide.
Can hitch hike here but need to set off super early to avoid walking in the midday sun. Can cycle here.

Where to stay:

La Tosca Hostel comes high rated and has a kitchen. Chepatagonia Hostel and El Gualicho Hostel I have stayed in and were great and very socialable.