When To Visit Argentina?
Since the length of both countries covers more than 4,300 km, it will depend entirely on where you are.
For Patagonia (South of Argentina), November to March is the high season. Even though it is not a bad idea to come during this time to maximize the chance of getting good weather, you will also have to deal with the crowds and the overbooked buses and tours. The best time to avoid the crowd is the shoulder season from October to November when the crowd is manageable, and you get the beautiful spring landscape.
For Easter Island, late January to mid-February is the best time, as the annual Tapati festival is taking place with concerts and events all over the island.
For Iguazu Falls, February to March is recommended, as the water level is still quite high, and the sky is mostly clear. It can be quite humid during this time, but you will cool off immediately once you get close to the falls.
For the Atacama desert, any time between September and March is good, but be sure to be in the Atacama during the moonless nights to see the stars.
How to Get to Argentina?
Browse through Skyscanner or Expedia to find a cheap flight from where you live to Santiago (SCL), and from there, you can find either an overnight bus or a cheap flight to Atacama Airport (CJC).
How To Get Around Argentina?
Argentina is not a cheap country, so buses are the perfect solution for long-distance trips. Though not very punctual, overnight buses are very comfortable and cover most of the popular tourist locations. Be sure to get the Cama seat for your overnight buses.
For Argentina, Andesmar or ViaBariloche are great options for long-distance trips, whereas for domestic flights, I would recommend Aerolineas Argentinas for their price and coverage.
Which tourist SIM card is best for Argentina?
The Internet in Argentina is quite a mixed bag. The internet by Claro works well in big cities like Buenos Aires, but in Patagonia, it doesn't work 60% of the time, and in El Chalten, there is no signal anywhere. Even though the internet package has unlimited data, they capped the data each day to 50MB, and you have to pay extra to get the speed back, with another 50MB capped. That is bullsh*t if you ask me, but there were not many options available. For more info, read here.
Tips: To stay connected with your loved ones at home, make sure to have a VPN service like NordVPN installed before traveling. This way, you can bypass any local Internet censorship you might encounter while in Argentina.
Daily Budget
Please keep in mind that these are suggested daily budgets based on my own style of travel, which leans more towards the budget side of things. If you aim to stick to this budget, anticipate sleeping in dormitories, dining out only occasionally, and being comfortable with the cheapest and most convenient modes of transportation, which often involve a considerable amount of walking.
What to Pack for Argentina?
As you may already know, I am an advocate of light traveling, and indeed, packing light for a journey like this is a unique art form. Here are some packing tips for your upcoming trip to Argentina:
- Walking/Hiking Shoes: With all the walking and possible hiking during your travel, a comfortable pair of shoes is a must. I recommend the Timberland 3-Eye Classic Boat Shoes that are my go-to pair for long strolls and hikes.
- Breathable Shirts: Given the potential for hot weather, pack a few breathable shirts for your outdoor adventures.
- Shorts/Jeans: Anticipate lots of walking during your travels? Be sure to pack some breathable shorts and a pair of Levi's jeans for when the weather cools. For women, leggings are excellent for both hot and cold climates, so consider packing some as well.
- Fleece Jacket: For colder weather, layering is the key, and a fleece jacket makes an excellent insulating layer. I recommend the Columbia Steens Mountain Fleece (for women).
- Outer Shell Jacket: An outer shell jacket is great for windy or rainy conditions. I highly recommend the Columbia Watertight Jacket (for women). It's lightweight, breathable, and even comes in a cool orange color.
- Microfiber Towel: A Microfiber towel is the ideal backpacker's towel due to its lightness, quick drying, and compressibility.
- Camera: You should also pack a good camera for your trip so that you can capture all the beautiful experiences you might have. I recommend the Sony a7R V camera together with the Sony 24-70mm f2.8 GM II lens, which is probably the highest-performance camera and lens combination you can get right now.
- Power Bank: Keep your electronics charged on the go with a 20,000+ mAh Power Bank.
- Water Bottle: The Hydro Flask Trail Water Bottle is a great insulated water bottle to have with you in cities or on hiking trails. It is lightweight and can keep your water cold or warm for more than 12 hours. It's a total game-changer.
- Universal Adapter: You'll need just one universal adapter to plug in your electronics in any country you visit.
- Packing Cubes: Packing Cubes will help you save space in your backpack and keep all your belongings organized.
- Daypack: The Langly Alpha Globetrotter is my go-to everyday camera backpack. It's large enough to carry all my travel gear, and it comes with plenty of slots and pouches. Plus, it's stylish as hell!
- Large Backpack: You will need a large backpack to carry all of your stuff. I recommend the Osprey Atmos AG 65L backpack. With excellent weight distribution and a lifetime guarantee, you can't go wrong with Osprey.
For more information on what I pack in my backpack for this trip, check out: My Packing List: 60 Travel Essentials.
