Tourism in Argentina
Mt. Fitzroy, Patagonia
Argentina is a land of enchanting landscapes, from the lush tropical rainforests in the north, to the windswept plains of Patagonia. Whether getting up close and personal to the beautiful waterfalls in Iguazú, touring the vineyards of Mendoza sampling the goods as you go, trekking the evergreen forests of the Lake District or playing the gaucho in the fertile Pampas, Argentina provides wonderful and memorable adventures with something for everyone.
When to go?
Argentina shares its position with New Zealand as a fellow Southern Hemisphere nation and therefore its seasons are experienced at the same time. In general, the summer is the best time to visit Patagonia and the South Andes because of the mild temperatures and long days. Wintertime is recommended for travelling to the North and Northwest as rains are less frequent and tropical temperatures drop a few degrees. Autumn and spring are beautiful in Buenos Aires, Cuyo and the pre-mountain range areas of La Rioja and Catamarca. Argentina has the highest standard of living in the region, with a comprehensive technical, transport and services infrastructure.
Getting there
Some of the best deals to Argentina are offered by Aerolíneas Argentinas which is Argentina's national carrier, which currently flies from Australia direct to Buenos Aires.
To get to other destinations in Argentina, such as Río Gallegos, Ushuaia and El Calafate, you would have to look at purchasing an add-on fare or air pass from either of these two citites.
If you plan to do a fair amount of travelling within Argentina (or to other South American countries), you may want to think about buying an air pass with your main ticket. These passes offer substantial savings, but can be bought only outside South America with your international ticket.
Getting around
Due to the country’s large size, planes are best to travel long distances, and you can then take overland transportation to get to your final destination. Domestic flights and flights to Uruguay depart from Jorge Newbery Airport, located to the north of Buenos Aires beside the Río de la Plata.
Domestic flights schedule from Buenos Aires to:
San Salvador de Jujuy- 2 hrs 10 mins
Salta- 2 hrs
San Miguel de Tucumán-1 hr 50 mins
Puerto Iguazú- 1 hr 45 mins
Posadas- 1 hr 30 mins
Rosario- 52 mins
Mendoza- 1 hr 50 mins
Córdoba- 1 hr 15 mins
Mar del Plata- 45 mins
San Carlos de Bariloche- 2 hrs 20 mins
Trelew- 2 hrs
Río Gallegos- 2 hrs 55 mins
El Calafate- 3 hrs 15 mins
Ushuaia- 3 hrs 20 mins
By Bus
Buenos Aires bus station is located at Av. Ramos Mejia 1680 close to Retiro Station. Long-distance buses are equipped with toilets, air conditioning and bar.
Distances from Buenos Aires:
Bahia Blanca - 660Km
Rosario- 306Km
Cafayate- 1.703Km
Salta-1.605Km
Córdoba- 710Km
San Antonio de Areco- 114Km
Corrientes- 1.074Km
San Carlos de Bariloche-1.627Km
El Calafate- 2.681Km
San Fernando del Valle de Catamarca- 1.185Km
Esquel- 2.050Km
San Juan- 1.119Km
Formosa- 1.181Km
San Luis- 820Km
Humahuaca-1.782Km
San Martín de los Andes-1.607Km
La Plata- 52Km
San Miguel de Tucumán- 1.310Km
La Rioja- 1.168Km
San Rafael- 999Km
Luján- 64Km
San Salvador de Jujuy- 1.654 Km
Mar del Plata- 410Km
Santa Fe- 476Km
Mendoza- 1.037Km
Santa Rosa- 607Km
Neuquén- 1.156Km
Santiago del Estero-1.150Km
Paraná- 495Km
Termas de Río Hondo- 1.150Km
Pinamar- 401 Km
Tigre- 33Km
Posada- 1.060Km
Trelew- 1.436Km
Puerto Iguazú- 1.346Km
Ushuaia- 3.171Km
Puerto Madryn- 1.382Km
Viedma- 970Km
Rawson-1.441Km
Valle de Las Leñas- 1.218Km
Resistencia- 1.019Km
Villa Gesell- 416Km
Río Gallegos- 2.630Km
Villa La Angostura-1.695Km
Río Grande- 2.850Km
Shopping & VAT return
You may obtain a VAT reimbursement to any purchases of local products made for an amount over $70 (per invoice) in shops operating with the “Global Refund” system, as follows:
Jorge Newbery Airport (in Buenos Aires), at Telecom telephone booths.
Ministro Pistarini International Airport - Ezeiza, Terminal A, 1st Floor.
Ministro Pistarini International Airport - Ezeiza, Terminal B, Ground Floor.
Jorge Newbery Airport (in Buenos Aires), at Telecom telephone booths.
Ing. Ambrosio Taravella International Airport (in Córdoba), at Telecom telephone booths.
Ing. Francisco J. Gabrielli International Airport (in Mendoza), at Telecom telephone booths.
Bariloche International Airport, at Telecom telephone booths.
Tancredo Neves International Bridge (in Puerto Iguazú), at Telecom telephone booths.
Buenos Aires Port, Northern Dock, Buquebús Terminal, information desk.
Buenos Aires Port, New Port, Quinquela Martín Cruising Terminal, from October to April.
Opening hours
Banks and Exchange Bureaus: Mondays to Fridays from 10.00 a.m. to 3.00 p.m.
Business Offices: generally from 9.00 a.m. to 12.00 p.m. and from 2.00 p.m. to 7.00 p.m.
Stores: in the big cities from 9.00 a.m. to 8.00 p.m., although in the outskirts and the provinces they generally close at midday. Saturdays, from 9.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m.
Cafés, cake shops and pizzerias: open most of the time except between 2.00 and 6.00 a.m.
Restaurants: lunch is served as from 12.30 p.m. and dinner as from 8.30 hours. Fast-food menus are served in many restaurants at all times.Tips
10% of the amount of the bill is usually left in cafeterias and restaurants. Doormen, porters, and ushers in cinemas and theatres are also generally tipped.
Electricity
The electrical system in Argentina is 220 Volts and frequency 50 Hertz. If you have electrical applicances for 110 volts you can purchase adaptors in specialised stores.
Public Holidays
To see a list of the public holidays in Argentina please visit:
http://www.mininterior.gov.ar/asuntos_politicos_y_alectorales/dinap/feriados.php
Tourist Assistance
The City of Buenos Aires has a free toll line (0800 999 283887) for tourists that need assistance. Assistance is provided for national and foreign tourists and calls are answered in Spanish, English, Portuguese, Italian and French. The complaints handled are for:
• cases of commercial abuse;
• robberies, theft, offences, losses and failure to locate any person;
• non–fulfilment of a contracted service.
Tourism websites
To start planning your trip to Argentina we recommend you consult the following websites which offer useful information on the many things to see and do whilst in our country.