After every country we visit, Vikram writes about our overall experiences and highlights. Here’s his take on Argentina!

Argentina offers most of the comforts of America for a fraction of the price. Unfortunately, that fraction is frequently around 9/10. Exchange rate fluctuations and runaway inflation mean Argentina is no longer the sophisticated yet affordable budget destination it used to be, which came as an unwelcome surprise after we were completely spoiled by the power of our dollars in Colombia. However, in spite of no longer having Monopoly money to spend, we (unsurprisingly) had a great time in Argentina. We loved hiking in Patagonia, people and dog-watching at sidewalk cafes in Buenos Aires, and wine tasting in Mendoza. Argentina is a popular tourist destination for very good reasons, and there’s not much we can tell you about Argentina that you haven’t already heard. Budget travelers can make it work following the usual advice—cook some of your own meals, take public transport instead of taxis or flights, and skip out on pricier attractions like $100 tango shows. Dollars stretch farther in other parts of South America, but we greatly enjoyed our three weeks in Argentina and felt it was well worth the money.

Basics

Total days in the country: 24

Number of cities visited: 5 (El Calafate, El Chaltén, Buenos Aires, Mendoza, Salta)

Number of bus rides: 5

Number of plane rides: 1

Finances

Average daily cost per person: $71 USD (includes intra-country buses and flights, but not a $160 reciprocity fee for U.S. citizens visiting Argentina)

Exchange rate: $1 USD = $15.30 ARS (as of March 10, 2016—but it started below $14 ARS when we first arrived at the beginning of February)

Attractions

Favorite things we did:

• Hike to Fitz Roy/Laguna de Los Tres
• Trekking at the Perito Moreno glacier
• Tanina’s wine and empanada tasting in Mendoza
• Steak and tango in Buenos Aires
• Chillin’ at cafes in the afternoon in Buenos Aires

Better than expected:

• Dogs, parks, and the combination thereof in Buenos Aires
• Overnight buses
• The staff at the Bolivian consulate in Salta

Worse than expected: El Caminato in the La Boca neighborhood of Buenos Aires

Things you have to eat:

• Steak, everywhere
• Roasted lamb, Patagonia
• Pasta and gnocchi, everywhere
• Empanadas, everywhere—but especially in Salta
• Grilled pizza, Buenos Aires
• Milanesa Neopolitana, everywhere

Biggest challenges we faced:

• Cash. Despite being a major international airport, every single ATM we tried in the Buenos Aires airport did not work (an issue other travelers had as well), and we had to try three ATMs in El Calafate before we found one that would work. Bring plenty of good-condition U.S. dollars – you’ll always find somewhere to change money, whereas ATMs in Latin America can be erratic. Additionally, no one in Argentina has small bills and coins, and everyone wants them. I’m assuming this is due to inflation, but this was annoying and inconvenient – no one can break a hundred, the biggest bill in Argentina, which is only about $7 USD. And of course, many places don’t take credit, and even the places that do only let you tip in cash. Figure out your money, Argentina.
• Getting into Bolivia, as documented already.
• Honorable mention: Our plane to Patagonia from Buenos Aires was delayed due to a strike, which we only learned about after other passengers demanded an explanation for the continued delays from the airline’s front desk people. The airline also had no information on when the strike might be resolved, though luckily negotiations seemed to go well, because we ended up only taking off an hour late.

What we would have done differently: Gone to a soccer game and taken tango lessons in Buenos Aires.

Read More!

Trekking in Patagonia (or, Where the Kilometers Are Longer than They Appear)

Walking on Big Ice: Our Day at a Glacier

A Night of Steak and Tango in Buenos Aires

Seven Days in Buenos Aires, Part One

Seven Days in Buenos Aires, Part Two

Wine and Water in Mendoza

How to Get a Bolivian Visa from Argentina (for U.S. Citizens)

Argentina Pictures