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Travel advice for Argentina
From travel safety to visa requirements, discover the best tips for traveling to Argentina
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written by Stephen Keeling
updated 21.02.2019
Bruce Chatwin's In Patagonia has served as a bible for those travelling through South America since its publication 40 years ago. Four decades on, Stephen Keeling follows in the footsteps of the legendary travel writer to see how much Chatwin's Patagonia has changed.
A Polish woman grins as the car ferry to Tierra del Fuego crashes over the Magellan Strait. The bus groans and moves very slightly forward, grazing the truck in front of us. I grip my chair.
She waves a book at me. “Have you read our excellent Podróże Marzeń guide to Chile?” She smiles again as the bus rolls back. The bus driver is outside and stubs out his cigarette. He shakes his head at the sailors trying to secure our vehicle. I tell her that I can’t read Polish.
“You are writer, no?” She points at my note pad. Yes, I say. Rough Guides? She stares at me. “Like Podróże Marzeń?” Yes, I suppose so. “You want a copy? I have a photocopy on my Samsung”. No thank you, I say. “Is the bus supposed to be moving?” She shrugs, then points to Bruce Chatwin’s In Patagonia. “This is your book?” No, I say. This is by an author who is now dead.
“You know Bruce Chatwin?” She shakes her head. “He likes Patagonia?” Sort of. “Ah, yes, it is so very beautiful”. She looks sad. “But tomorrow our group goes to Easter Island, for the big heads.”
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Forty years ago, the publication of In Patagonia made Bruce Chatwin famous overnight – in the English-speaking world at least. In 1975 there were few tourists in southern Chile and Argentina. Chatwin finds Patagonia a place of “vicious” sunsets in “red and purple”. It has towns of “shabby concrete buildings, tin bungalows, tin warehouses and wind-flattened gardens”, a place littered with the insane, criminals and British eccentrics, leftovers from the sheep-farming boom of the early 1900s.
In Patagonia was a magical book – "a wonder voyage" – about a remote and mystical land. I knew the place must have changed – I just had no idea how much.
10 days / from2650 USD
The Great Lakes and Glaciers of Argentina
Experience the great outdoors, Argentina-style! Marvel at jaw-droppingly beautiful Patagonian landscapes, walk the shores of deep-blue lakes guarded by snow-capped mountains at Bariloche, explore the stunning Perito Moreno Glacier – experience all of this, and much more, with this unique trip!
view tour ⤍13 days / from3180 USD
From Chile to Argentina, across the Andean Lakes
Travel from Chile to Argentina across the stunning Andean Lakes, also known as the Lakes District. Beginning in Santiago, you will travel to Puerto Varas, in Chile, and then across the lakes to Bariloche, Argentina, taking in the stunning mountain scenery, before ending your trip in Buenos Aires.
view tour ⤍14 days / from1933 USD
An adventure across three countries: Brazil, Argentina & Uruguay
A trip filled with history, culture and nature spread out over three beautiful and unique countries, Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay. Visit some of the most stunning sites, like the Sugar Loaf Mountain, Iguazu Falls and UNESCO World Heritage site Colonia del Sacramento, during this 14-day trip.
view tour ⤍13 days / from2581 USD
Argentinean Patagonia: from the Coast to the Andes
Explore the region's most fascinating corners: sea life in Puerto Madryn awaits before you head to the most southern city in the world: Ushuaia. Discover Tierra del Fuego before heading out to El Calafate and Bariloche, really soaking in the Argentinean vibes.
view tour ⤍16 days / from3585 USD
Unforgettable Argentina
Argentina has a lot to offer travellers, in this itinerary you will explore the highlights in just two weeks. From busy Buenos Aires you will fly to Iguazu to marvel at the majestic waterfalls before heading south to Puerto Madryn, Ushuaia and El Calafate. Unforgettable Argentina awaits!
view tour ⤍10 days / from2650 USD
Magical Patagonia and Cultural Buenos Aires
Combine exploring the contemporary city of Buenos Aires, with all its luxuries and grand, historical buildings, together with the wild, rugged land of Patagonia. Take in the culture and observe the landscape and wildlife to gain a complete picture of the true Argentina.
view tour ⤍16 days / from5050 USD
Andean Triangle - Chile, Bolivia and Argentina
Start your South American adventure in Santiago de Chile before exploring the wonders of the Atacama desert. A short hop across the border and you'll find yourself in the middle of the Bolivian salt flat. Afterwards, you'll continue to Argentina with Salta and Buenos Aires.
view tour ⤍13 days / from2500 USD
Argentina: Tango and Glaciers
Visit the grand, edgy and famously seductive Argentine capital of Buenos Aires for tango and culture; then head northeast to see the thundering Iguazú Falls. Finally, it’s off to the end of the Americas to deepest Patagonia for adventure, glaciers and limitless horizons.
view tour ⤍13 days / from6800 USD
Wild Patagonia
Argentina has lots to offer its visitors: a glacier the size of a city, sizzling tango, fashionable barrios, artisan towns, ranches with horses and gauchos and wild untamed natural beauty. From Buenos Aires to Patagonia, you’ll get to see it all in this adventure-laden vacation.
view tour ⤍7 days / from1400 USD
Tango & Wines in Argentina
Argentina is known for its dances and gastronomy scene, both to be discovered on this trip. Explore Buenos Aires on your own and with a guide, including its famous nightlife before heading to the vineyards of Mendoza, one of the most developed wine regions in the country.
view tour ⤍14 days / from2271 USD
Multi-country adventures from salt flats to the Andes
South America is full of wonders and this trip packs Argentina, Chile and Bolivia into 2 weeks. Bustling Buenos Aires, beautiful valleys around Salta, the surreal looking surroundings of San Pedro de Atacama, the salt flat of Uyuni as well as Lake Titicaca are all part of this itinerary.
view tour ⤍10 days / from2120 USD
South American Wines Trail
All wine lovers unite! Start your tour in Buenos Aires before heading to the wine region of Mendoza. Sample some of Argentina's finest wines and enjoy the beautiful scenery. Afterwards, continue to Santiago de Chile with a day trip to Valparaiso.
view tour ⤍13 days / from2756 USD
Argentina and Chile: Dazzling Cities and Magical Landscapes
Santiago is an emerging city, whilst Buenos Aires has long been a busy metropolis. Both offer historical buildings to admire, a local gastronomy scene to savour and sensuous dances to learn. Not to mention the mountainous terrain and desert landscapes outside the cities waiting to be explored.
view tour ⤍14 days / from7857 USD
Southern Argentina & Antarctica
Explore the Antarctica on an intimate cruise from Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world. Start in Buenos Aires before spending a few nights in El Calafate and Ushuaia to then board your cruise. 4 nights in the Antarctic are the highlight of your trip before heading to Chile's capital Santiago.
view tour ⤍4 days / from420 USD
A city escape to Buenos Aires
Soak in the unique atmosphere of Buenos Aires on this 4-day tour premium tour. Stay at one of the most exclusive hotels and discover Argentina's capital on bike during the day and in style at a Tango show at night.
view tour ⤍13 days / from2756 USD
Argentina and Chile - Wine Country Explored
Get a taste of the wines of Argentina and Chile on this tour of the country's best bodegas. Sway to the rhythm of tango in Buenos Aires before you head to high altitude towns and absorb stunning mountain scenery. Then it's across the border into Chile to sample Santiago's historic delights.
view tour ⤍14 days / from3075 USD
Self Drive on the Atlantic Patagonia Blue Route
Travel across wild Patagonia in your own rental car. Full autonomy and freedom means being able to truly go off the beaten track. You'll come across plenty of wildlife like whales and penguins, as well as following Darwin's footsteps across the steppe.
view tour ⤍13 days / from2600 USD
Argentina's Northern Highlights
Your journey begins in Bueno’s Aires, the Argentine capital and the home of tango, colonial buildings and cobbled streets. Explore museums, churches, and stunning mountain valleys; be awestruck by the roar of the Iguazú Falls; then explore the wineries of the Central Valley.
view tour ⤍7 days / from1400 USD
From the city to the jungle
Visit two of the most fascinating parts of Argentina: First, the electrifying capital of Buenos Aires in all of its glory before heading out to Puerto Iguazu to discover the majestic Iguazu waterfalls.
view tour ⤍14 days / from7500 USD
Luxury Holidays in South America
Experience the best of Argentina and Brazil in luxury. From vibrant Buenos Aires to breathtaking Argentinian Falls, stunning Bariloche, and untamed Patagonia. Conclude in Rio de Janeiro's iconic beaches before immersing in cosmopolitan Sao Paulo.
view tour ⤍9 days / from3300 USD
Buenos Aires, Iguazu Falls & Wine Country
Embark on an unforgettable journey through Argentina's diverse landscapes and vibrant cities. Explore the cosmopolitan charm of Buenos Aires, marvel at the awe-inspiring natural wonder of Puerto Iguazú's majestic waterfalls, and indulge in the renowned wines of Mendoza's picturesque vineyards.
view tour ⤍10 days / from2600 USD
South Argentina and the Ends of the Earth
This trip goes to the southernmost point of Argentina and to the ends of the earth. Begin in Buenos Aires, then travel south to El Calafate and explore the stunning Perito Moreno Glacier, before continuing to the southernmost city on earth, Ushuaia, and the Tierra del Fuego National Park.
view tour ⤍11 days / from15375 USD
Classic Antarctica from Chile
Start and end your trip in Chile and discover the Antarctica on an intimate, Boutique-style expedition boat. Cruise the Drake Passage, visit Cape Horn and fly back to Punta Arenas before returning to the capital Santiago.
view tour ⤍11 days / from3600 USD
Bariloche & Buenos Aires
Explore the stunning landscapes of Bariloche and immerse yourself in nature's wonders. Then, soak up the vibrant energy of Buenos Aires, with its captivating culture, history, and lively streets. A journey of breathtaking beauty and cultural immersion awaits.
view tour ⤍12 days / from2500 USD
Islands & Waterfalls: Ihla Grande and Iguazu
A mesmerizing journey through Brazil and Argentina, starting with the vibrant energy of Rio de Janeiro. Explore the pristine paradise of Ilha Grande, then step back in time in the colonial gem of Paraty. Finally, marvel at the awe-inspiring Iguazu Falls.
view tour ⤍Chatwin finds Ushuaia, the world’s most southernmost city, especially dispiriting, full of “blue-faced inhabitants [who] glared at strangers unkindly”. Today this town is perhaps the most transformed of any he visited, a booming tourist depot serving European and American cruises and adventure travellers by the Airbus load – the main drag heaves with shops, Irish pubs, cool cafés and North Face outlets. English is spoken everywhere.
The old prison was a barracks when Chatwin arrived, "blank grey walls, pierced by the narrowest slits", with a brothel next door. He came looking for evidence of the failed anarchist Simón Radowitzky, imprisoned here in 1911. There are no more brothels (at least, none as obvious), and the navy now shares the old prison with the stylish Museo Marítimo de Ushuaia, making the building seem far less foreboding – it’s a fabulous labyrinth of exhibits on modern art, the ‘Malvinas War’ and history of Antarctic exploration.
Chatwin would be pleased to see that Simón is also remembered, though the brutal ill-treatment he received is not – displays emphasize that Radowitzky was an anarchist and murderer. Yet the museum is not wholly unsympathetic to the prisoners’ plight. One cellblock has been left as it was; cold, dimly lit and very cramped.
Today Ushuaia lives for tourism, not “canning crabs”. Chatwin remarks on the damage done by imported beavers to the ecology of Tierra de Fuego – today there are tours to go see them. He walks all the way to the Estancia Harberton, where Clarita Goodall (granddaughter of original missionary Thomas Bridges) makes him breakfast.
Today tour buses grind over to the spiffy estancia in under an hour for guided tours, penguins and the estate museum. The place is still owned by Clarita’s son, Thomas Goodall, but it’s no longer a working farm. Tourists get to eat soup and cookies at the Mánacatush Tea Room.
Chatwin’s Punta Arenas, at the bottom end of Chile, is a sad place: a sort of British enclave in decline meets Spanish city recovering from Marxist dictatorship. Today it is booming from tourism and a bonanza in natural resources. Locals in suits rush around the plaza for lunch meetings while bemused tourists seem dressed for the South Pole (it’s not that cold). The British sheep farming magnates of the 1890s – already an echo in Chatwin’s book – are long gone.
When Chatwin arrived the local dignitaries were commemorating José Menéndez, sheep-farm millionaire, with a memorial in Plaza de Armas: his bronze head is still there, and still “as bald as a bomb”. Chatwin describes the palazzos around the plaza as “mostly officers' clubs”, though there is now only one club, and most have become banks, hotels or restaurants. The hotel where he stayed – the Residencial Ritz – is now abandoned near the docks, a shabby building up for sale.
Chatwin seems to find the Salesian Fathers museum even more depressing, but this, too, has been completely transformed. The glass showcase of an Italian priest and otter skin is no more, and I couldn’t locate the two “sad copy-books” he mentions. Today the Museo Salesiano Maggiorino Borgatello is far more politically correct and an enlightening introduction to the region and its native inhabitants.
Yet there is still a tiny British presence here. The British Club and one time consul closed in 1981 – it’s now all part of the Bank of Chile and off limits, but St James Church and the British School next door are still very much in business. And Charley Millward’s Neo-Gothic fantasy house is around the corner, just as Chatwin describes it: “iron gate painted green, with crossed Ms twined about with Pre-Raphaelite lilies”. It’s now the offices of the local newspaper, Diario El Pingüino.
When Chatwin arrived in Puerto Natales, 240km north of Punta Arenas, the “roofs of the houses were scabby with rust and clattered in the wind. Rowan trees grew in the gardens…most were choked with docks and cow parsley”. Still an outwardly shabby place, the neglected, end-of-the-world feel has disappeared entirely; hostels overflow with backpackers on every corner. You can order a decent latte, cheeseburgers, bottles of quality Chilean red and cheap mojitos. Polish and Korean tour groups shuffle up and down the streets.
The main reason Chatwin visits Natales is for the Mylodon Cave, a short drive north of town. Chatwin’s fascination with Patagonia – and indeed the hinge on which the whole book pivots – had its roots in a scrap of mylodon (giant sloth) skin that Milward, his grandmother’s cousin, had sent back to England.
Of all the places in the book, this was the one I was most eager to see. Chatwin describes a raw, untouched cavern with a simple shrine to the Virgin at its mouth. Inside he sees the remains of petrified “sloth turds”. After rooting around in an old dynamite hole he actually finds another piece of ancient skin, preserved by the dryness. True or not (and Chatwin often made things up), I was intrigued.
When I visited there was a bit of a traffic jam. Several tour buses had arrived at the same time, mostly Germans and Koreans along with a pack of American hikers and a convoy of Chilean and Argentine families in dusty SUVs. The cave is accessed by clearly marked trails from a small visitor centre – there’s even a gift shop and decent restaurant across the road. The gaping cave mouth itself hasn’t changed in millennia, but now a life-size model of a mylodon on its hind legs graces the entrance. Informative displays tell the story of the now extinct giant. The small shrine, turds and any traces of skin have long gone, along with any romance the place once had.
But the buses soon moved on. As I strolled outside the cave I looked back across the icy plains towards the vast snow-capped massif of the Torres del Paine. Chatwin’s half real, half fantasy book was never meant to be a travel guide in any case. And even though Patagonia has changed, of course, its landscapes remain – vast, desolate and witheringly beautiful.
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written by Stephen Keeling
updated 21.02.2019
Stephen Keeling grew up in England and graduated from Jesus College, Oxford in 1992 with a degree in history. After working as a financial journalist in Eastern Europe and East Asia, he moved to New York City in 2006. Since then he has authored and updated numerous Rough Guides, Insight Guides, Frommer's guides and DK travel books in addition to writing for Google, Zagat, the Independent, Budget Travel and other publications.
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From travel safety to visa requirements, discover the best tips for traveling to Argentina