Tailor-made
Argentina
Holidays

Argentines are a proud and wonderful nation, with deeply ingrained traditions mixed with a plethora of immigrant influences, mainly from Europe. The gaucho is somewhat of an icon here, representing strength, resilience, endurance, and skill; venturing into the wilderness to meet them is a must. As you move away from the urban chic of the capital, the scenery becomes wilder and the landscapes more breathtaking, with the wildlife and culture taking centre stage.

The northern half of the country is home to the natural wonder of Iguazu Falls, located right on the border between Brazil and Paraguay. The surrounding Atlantic rainforest is inhabited by some truly unique wildlife species such as capybara, anteater, chinchilla and caiman. Nestled along the Andes are indigenous-speaking Quechua communities and adobe villages built by Spanish conquistadors, all dotted with deep canyons, giant cacti, and lush vineyards.

As you head further south, the tropical climate gives way to cooler temperatures with national parks filled with lakes, rivers, glaciers and granite peaks. The remote and rugged Atlantic coastline is scattered with colonies of marine mammals such as elephant seals, condors and penguins. And then you’ve got Cape Horn, the southernmost point of land before reaching the otherworldly landscapes of Antarctica.

Argentina is a destination that can be enjoyed all year-round. As a general guideline, we believe the best time to travel is between October and early May. As Argentina stretches from the tropics far down into the Southern Hemisphere, the weather patterns follow the opposite seasonal conditions found in Europe. Warmer summer months begin in November and extend into February, while the cooler winter months fall between June and August (a time when rainfall can also spike). Patagonia lodges tend to shut down from June to mid-October, with the exception of the ski resorts around Bariloche and San Martin.

If you’re looking to travel during the peak summer months of December, January, and February, you’ll need to make sure you book far in advance and it’s worth noting that at this time of year, prices are higher, rooms are often scarce, and the cities can feel quite crowded. These months also coincide with the local Argentine summer holidays, a time when locals jump at the opportunity to pack up and head off to explore their stunning country in droves.

Some more specific regional information:

Iguazu & Ibera: The climate here is generally hot and humid. Winter (June to August) is cooler, although the water level of the falls also tends to be lower. April or May are the best months to visit Iguazu for the most impressive water flow, thanks to the November to March showers. But, they’re still impressive all year round. In Ibera, summer (December to February) can be intensely hot, yet ideal to see migratory birds. Fall (March to June) is the low season for the region, and a particularly good time to travel, as the more timid wildlife emerges from hiding. Spring (September to November) is the wettest time of year, but it’s also breeding season, and the vegetation is lush, green and beautiful.

Salta & North-West: There’s a warm and dry climate here all year round. Winter and Spring (June to November) are the best times to travel. In winter, the rains are less frequent and the tropical temperature drops a few degrees (nights are downright cold, so you’ll want to pack layers!). In summertime, temperatures can rise above 40 degrees Celsius.

Mendoza: The wine region is beautifully sunny and dry for most of the year. November through April is the big draw when the vines are bursting and green. The “vendimia” or harvest festival is held annually on the first Saturday of March, well worth a visit if you can time it right. A visit in April and May will come with the added charm of beautiful autumn colours.

Peninsula Valdes: The peak time for wildlife spotting in Peninsula Valdes is between October and December. Southern right whales can be seen offshore between June and December, with sightings peaking in October. Orcas arrive between September and April, and are best spotted close to sealion colonies. Magellanic penguins nest from September to March, and vast colonies of sealions and elephant seals can be seen all year round, with breeding taking place between December and March.

Patagonia: October to April is the best time to visit Patagonia, with the busiest months being November to February. Temperatures can vary wildly from warm to almost freezing, even in summer. Spring blooms and autumn colours make the shoulder season months of October and April great choices for visiting. Be prepared for all seasons!

Argentine food is simple, fresh and full of flavour. There’s a wonderful range of mouth-watering regional staples on offer, as well as plenty of fine dining opportunities to rival the world’s best restaurants. When eating out in well-established restaurants and cafes, expect to pay lower prices to the UK, and even more affordable meals can be found in informal local restaurants and markets where the locals eat. We’re here to help you find them!

Food

The humble empanada, a cheese-based pastry filled with vegetables, meat or fish, is likely to feature heavily during your stay and is often served as a starter before dinner or as a snack. Argentines love an asado, a traditional barbeque where whole sides of meat are put on a giant rack and slow-grilled, often accompanied by chorizo sausage. Beef is, of course, ubiquitous here thanks to the tradition of cattle ranching, and it’s without doubt some of the best in the world. Further south, lamb is much more common and equally as good. South America might not be thought of as an easy food destination for vegetarians and vegans, but alternative choices are becoming easier to find. Thanks to European influences, Italian cuisine is popular here, so pasta dishes are well-prepared and delicious. The locals have a very sweet tooth, and ‘Dulce de Leche’, a sweet caramel made with milk, appears in lots of desserts. Ice-cream is a local obsession in Buenos Aires with parlours featuring a myriad of flavours found on every street corner, and afternoon tea wouldn’t be the same without ‘alfajores’, a type of shortbread biscuit sandwiched together with, you guessed it, dulce de leche.

Wine and more

Mendoza is a wine grower’s paradise, with sprawling, lush valleys aided by year-round warm temperatures and a low pest concentration. It produces the country’s most popular variety of wine using the Malbec grape, a delicious, rich and fruity red that goes so well with the excellent beef here. The vineyards are experimenting with other grape varieties, such as Bonarda, so there are plenty of interesting local discoveries to be tasted. 

The high-altitude wineries further north, around Cafayate, also produce some excellent white wines, often based on Torrontes grape varieties. It’s not all about the wine, though; there are some great local beers brewed in this area, such as Quilmes. Maté is a local brew, rather like a bitter green tea, that you’ll see locals sipping from gourd-shaped mugs through a metal straw, especially up in the north-west. And, if you like fruit, then be sure to try a licuado – basically a fresh fruit milkshake.

Argentina is served by daily direct flights from London Heathrow to Buenos Aires with British Airways. If you’re visiting Iguazu Falls or combining a wine discovery journey of Mendoza with the Santiago Wine Valleys in Chile, then you could also choose to fly with British Airways direct to or from São Paulo and Santiago. 

A host of airlines also fly into Buenos Aires via various European hubs, such as Madrid, Paris and Amsterdam, with LatAm offering routes via São Paulo in Brazil. Indirect flights can cost a little less, and they often take between 18 and 20 hours in total to reach Buenos Aires. As always, we’re here to help find the most convenient flight options for you.

If you’re a UK passport holder, you don’t require a visa to enter Argentina, provided you depart the country again within 90 days. Other nationalities should check entry requirements with their respective embassies. Passports need to be valid for the duration of your stay, and no further period of validity is required beyond the length of your trip.

You’ll be handed a ‘tourist card’ on arrival, which is extremely important to keep safe. Along with passports, the card may be requested when you check into each hotel, and are required to leave the country.

If you’re flying to Argentina via the USA, you’ll need to apply online for an ESTA electronic travel authorisation, even if you’re only in transit. This should be applied for on the official Department of Homeland Security website: https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/

You should contact your GP before travelling to all destinations. We can provide some general guidelines; however, we’re not medically trained, so it’s really essential to speak to a medical professional well in advance of your trip:

Zika Virus: There is no known risk of Zika in Argentina.

Yellow fever certificate: if you are arriving from countries with yellow fever, you may be asked to produce a certificate of vaccination against the disease.

General: It’s recommended that your general boosters for Diphtheria, Polio, Tetanus and Hepatitis A are up-to-date before travel. We recommend purchasing comprehensive travel insurance as soon as you have booked your holiday and declare any pre-existing medical conditions to your insurer – some may be able to provide cover for an additional premium.

While Argentina enjoys low levels of crime, you should exercise caution in larger cities as you would in any capital city and take a taxi back to your hotel after dark. You can also check the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office website for the latest advice before you travel.

Horse riding in Argentina

Horse riding can be a wonderful way to enjoy Argentina’s landscapes, but there are inherent risks involved with riding anywhere in the world. Traditional cattle ranches are common, where you can ride out with the gauchos, who, of course, are a proud and hardy bunch who don’t wear helmets when they ride. Polo is also a popular sport here, although helmets are usually worn, even by professionals. Wearing a helmet is highly recommended for your own safety – ask your guide if they are not automatically offered, or consider taking your own if you have an extended stay at a riding estancia for a few days.

Argentina is one of the most developed, stylish and safe countries to explore in Latin America. Generally, prices are largely lower at the moment than what you’d expect to pay in the UK, but some remote regions, such as Patagonia and Peninsula Valdes, can be a little more expensive. The preferred currency is the Argentine Peso ($ARS) with notes of varying denominations coming in multiples of $2 to $1000 (ARS). 

It can be difficult to exchange £GBP in remote areas, but ATMs and money exchange facilities are widely available in towns and cities. If you do decide to take some cash, it’s better to take it in USD rather than GBP. Warnings about ATM scarcity are no exaggeration in some rural locations. In Patagonia, for example, even some of the smaller airports don’t have ATMs. If you are eating at your hotel’s restaurant, it’s usually worth charging your bill to your room, as payments made in $USD are often exempt from taxes for foreigners and can be settled by credit card. 

While tipping is appreciated, it’s not expected in Argentina as fiercely as it is in other areas of the continent. It’s worth checking your bill in restaurants before paying, as guideline tips of 10% are occasionally already included.

We believe travel should be a force for good. That means exploring with open eyes, treading lightly, and respecting the people and places that make the world so special. Our code of conduct isn’t about rules, it’s simply a guide to help you travel thoughtfully, ethically, and with care. Because every small choice makes a big difference.

• If you choose to trust us with your holiday, we’ll send you a “Travel Facts” document when confirming your booking. This includes useful facts and travel advice, such as restaurant recommendations, reading tips, basic language information, cultural traditions, climate information, brief historical overviews, and more. We feel that this offers a useful insight and can help you interact with local residents in a more sensitive, well-informed manner. Please do try to take the time to read this information before your visit, it’s worth the time!

• A number of the countries in which we operate holidays are religious societies with a widely observed set of customs. Always respect these norms, particularly when visiting religious buildings.

• To the best of our knowledge, all hotels, lodges, and camps within our portfolio operate stringent measures to minimise water usage. All of our destinations have issues with water supplies to a certain extent, so feel free to raise any possible wastage should you encounter it during your stay, either with the accommodation or with us upon your return.

• Please ask permission before taking photographs of people, and respect their wishes if they are not happy to be photographed. We find that friendly requests and a smile are usually met with a ‘yes!’

• Strive, where possible, to make your own contribution to environmental practices as you travel. This might include minimising your electricity usage, not smoking in protected areas, avoiding coral while snorkelling, and safely disposing of all litter (recycling where possible).

• Where possible, try to purchase from local suppliers. This includes shopping for souvenirs, dining out at restaurants, and booking additional excursions during your free time. In areas where haggling is an accepted part of daily life, don’t be offended if you’re unable to obtain what you perceive as a fair price for an item.

• We emphasise to local suppliers that our clients should never be taken on unsolicited shopping trips, but if this does happen, try to retain your sense of humour, provide a firm refusal to participate and do let us know about it on your return. We pass on all feedback from every trip undertaken with us to our relevant local suppliers, who all share our commitment to travelling with sensitivity.

• Please don’t remove any indigenous items from their natural habitat and attempt to bring them home as a souvenir. This particularly applies to everything from coral, shells, plants and food in the natural world, to cultural artefacts and antiques.

If you’re unsure about anything relating to the above, please feel free to chat to us. Our Argentina experts have travelled extensively in the country and will be more than happy to offer their considered advice.