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[shefinds]

Hi -
My husband and I are traveling from NYC to Buenos Aires in April and we have 7 days to spend seeing the country. I would like to stay 3 nights in Buenos Aires and then go somewhere else for the remainder. I don't want to spend the whole trip in airports/on buses so I'm a little overwhelmed as to how to plan the itinerary. Everything seems so far apart in Argentina. Any suggestions?
Aside from Buenos Aires we'd like to see some charming small towns/beautiful countryside. We're late thirties - love food, wine and modern boutique hotels.

thx
Michelle

[skylab]

Well there's not many options since yeah everything is in fact far but if you'd like a totally different vibe from Buenos Aires, check out Colonia, Uruguay. It takes an hour to get there by boat that's right in BA. Extremely easy. The boat is beautiful and cheap. Take the morning boat over then take a night boat back to BA. Colonia can be done in 1 day. I loved Colonia. Calming nice little town. I highly suggest renting a motorbike, minicar, or buggy to explore its beaches and country side thats there.

Within BA you can take a day to Tigre. Very nice outside the city area. Takes an hour to get there by train. Easy to get to again. Highly recommend it.

[semi-backpacker]

I would recommend taking a local flight to El Calafate in the Patagonia region of Argentina. You will NOT regret it!! The town is cute and picturesque and the major attraction, the Perito Moreno Glacier, is well worth it:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perito_Moreno_Glacier

The option listed above of Colonia, Uruguay is also very good. I loved it there. If you visit my blog, you will see descriptions and pictures to both places and many more in the region.

Good luck!

[skylab]

Never been to El Calafate but heard amazing things.

[semi-backpacker]

El Calafate was by far my favorite place in Argentina.

[mothman]

Another vote for the Uruguay town option - nice little place..

And I regret not going down to Patagonia when I was in the region, sounds like it could well be worth it - though Bariloche & Pauerto Madryn were nice, (Mar Del Plata not so).

If you don't fancy the cold then the Igauacu Falls (Brazil/Argentina border) were pretty amazing.

Enjoy!

[shefinds]

Are there any good places to visit like 8 - 10 hours by bus from BA? I'd like to see a bit more of the area than just the environs of BA. Any ideas?

The falls sound interesting, but I've been to Niagra falls and it was VERY touristy so I'm hesitant. I really want to avoid tourist traps.

[mothman]

Iguazo is a long overnight bus trip from BA, but the buses are very good!

When in Toronto we gave Niagara a miss as budget didn't allow and from people that had been to both Iguazo was more impressive...

I dont have first hand experience, but at Niagara there is apparently a lot of concrete, at Iguazo it is pretty much in the forest, with lots of small wildlife about, and pools to swim in etc - but is still full of tourists. We spent three days in the vicinity - one to see Brazillian side, one to see Argentinian side, and one to see Paraguay and the Itaipu Dam (Lots of concrete! But a free trip at the time- not sure now) Could be done in two days though if need be.

My blog and photos are below..

http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entri...60960/tpod.html

One issue may be if you are from the USA then I think a visa is needed for Brazil, which probably wouldn't be worth it for only a few days.

Have fun whatever you decide!

[kathryn77]

The falls sound interesting, but I've been to Niagra falls and it was VERY touristy so I'm hesitant. I really want to avoid tourist traps.

Oh, Iguazu is completely different to Niagara - there is a boat trip to the falls, like at Niagara, but this one doesn't conform to health & safety, and you get such a drenching, it goes so close to the falls - AMAZING!

It can be touristy, yes, but just go on your own, not as a tour group, and you can lose the tourists easily Niagara are the tallest falls, but Iguazu are the widest, so you've lots of exploring to do and ground to cover, whereas the tourists at Niagara all congregate at the top

[lahaciendadelso]

Why not go to Costa Rica and do a cleanse? I would do a detox cleanse in Costa Rica and completely relax and take advantage of the beautiful scenery. La Hacienda Del Sol resorts hosts all kinds of retreats like this. http://www.haciendadelsolcr.com/

[polydemic]

I'd taste the nightlife of Buenos Aires then ride the wide open plains with the gauchos. There's also hiking on the Andes & glaciers.

[kiwi_surfer]

7 days...S*$# lol

I'm afraid you are stuck around BsAs with only 7 days. for sure, go to colonia in Uruguay for a day. its really nice, I have a blog entry of photos if u want to check it out

http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entri...67354/tpod.html

that gives u 3 more days.

I feel u have 4 choices and u can only really choose one of them.

1. Iguazu

2. Fly to Bariloche, hike up volcano Tronador 3 -4 hrs There is a lovely Refugio near the top you can sleep in. you sleep between 2 glaciers and u get to see some of the best sun sets and sunrises. i stayed in a tent because it was free but. treated myself to some good Argentine wine(TAPIZ) and the girl working there made the most delicious stake. my friend shared his with me... I'm traveling on a budget... but the wine was so good i brought another bottle.

in the morning a local guide took us for a 3 hour climb on the glacier(one of the ones you sleep between, if you don't know how to climb he teaches you. It a quarter of the price to do this compared to other glaciers ion Patagonia and its less touristy. After the glacier expedition you can walk down the volcano and take a bus to bariloche. Also in bariloche(the town itself) it has the best ice cream eve! haha, oh and the chocolate isn't to bad. this option depends on the time of year your traveling. I have just spent 10 weeks hiking and climbing in Patagonia. and it is by far the most amazing place in south America i have been to so far. oh also Tronador is an amazing spot to see condors. I saw one 15 meters away.

here is a link to my bariloche entry, I spent 10 days there. The tronador option would be the most satisfying for sure.

http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entri...83073/tpod.html

3. Go to Mendoza, rent a bike and bicycle around the vineyards "taste testing"and get drunk...

4. The cowboy gaucho thing.

I personally didn't like El calafate.... it was to touristy for me. I have a link to an entry for that place, but I don't want to promote it... lol

id choose option 2 by the way... if you hadnt already guessed

peace, have fun. I know I AM!

Swerte

[colemanshelley]

My best friend and I are spending time in Bariloche and want to know the best way to get to El Calefete and where to stay. Got any advice? How did you do it?

Shelley

[kiwi_surfer]

it a long bus ride down to El Calafete, something along the lines of 25 hours. There is a passanger/cargo boat which goes from puerto mont in chile( the other side of the andes from Bariloche) to puerto natalas in chile. then from puerto natalas is about a 3 hour drive to el calafate I think....

the boat ride is beautiful(4 nights 3 days), depending on the weather at the time. if you buy a ticket, go straight to the doc, its allot cheaper then using agencies(you can negotiate etc if you want)

[kiwi_surfer]

My best friend and I are spending time in Bariloche and want to know the best way to get to El Calefete and where to stay. Got any advice? How did you do it?

Shelley

OH place to stay, um I stayed in a cheap place which wasnt really a hostel, more of a refugio(shelter) it was 10 pesos which is inclusive of a rock climbing wall outside(a samll one)

the owners and people staying their were all argentines and sometimes have parties in a fam that has an old observatory and an under ground bunker.

I have a link to that experiance

http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entri...80547/tpod.html

Have fun,

I know I will be today, sandboarding on some massive dunes in peru,

chou