Perfect 2 week Argentina itinerary

In this post, I will outline everything you need to know to for a perfect 2 week Argentina itinerary. It’s worth noting that Argentina is a really big country, the 8th largest by land mass in the world. As such, a 2 week trip just starts to scratch the surface. Still, I believe this itinerary, which I actually used on my recent trip helps give you the highlights of the region. It includes time in the cosmopolitan Buenos Aires, plenty of time exploring gorgeous Patagonia (my favorite part), as well as some time in the northeast corner of the country, seeing a wonder of the world, the Iguazu waterfalls in the jungle. It’s everything you would need to wet your pallet and come back again for more.

The route at a glance

• Vancouver → Buenos Aires
• Buenos Aires → El Calafate
• El Calafate → Perito Moreno Glacier (mini-trekking)
• El Calafate → El Chaltén (bus)
• El Chaltén → El Calafate (bus)
• El Calafate → Buenos Aires → Iguazú (long travel day)
• Iguazú (Argentina side + Brazil side)
• Iguazú → Buenos Aires

Day 1: Travel to Patagonia

If you’re coming from North America, you’ll usually route through Buenos Aires to get basically anywhere else in Argentina. It’s important to keep in mind though that Buenos Aires has two main airports:

Day 2: El Calafate

El Calafate felt like a functional basecamp: touristy, convenient, and oriented around Perito Moreno glacier. It’s cute, but it’s not where I’d linger for food or atmosphere, spend only as much time here as you need to see the glacier, fly in and out of Patagonia and connect to El Chalten or on to Chile, if that is part of your journey. A couple things to keep in mind in El Calafate is that restaurants and BnBs close earlier than you’d expect, especially if you’re arriving late – it’s not like the rest of Argentina. We had a hotel that wasn’t 24-hour staffed and almost ran into issues with a delayed flight, so make sure to message your accommodation if you’ll check in late.

Hot tip: food was expensive and repetitive (lots of steak/burgers/pizza/pasta), so you may want to consider grabbing some groceries at the shop in town.

Where to stay in El Calafate

We very much enjoyed our stay at Amancay in El Calafate, which was centrally located but not on the main drag (which meant it was very quiet), plus there was a kitchen and fridge we could use to store snacks and food we needed for our day on the Glacier. They also provided a light breakfast and had clean and comfortable accommodation for a great price. For something a bit more upscale, I’d consider Hotel Posada Los Alamos.

How to visit Perito Moreno Glacier

I have to start by saying that Perito Moreno Glacier was one of my favorite days of the entire trip. It really blew my mind how beautiful it is, and this is coming from someone who can literally see glaciers from where they live. Still, this glacier is worth ALL the hype. It’s so big and in such good shape, and is really an experience of a lifetime. We felt that, after seeing it, if the rest of the trip didn’t work out, it would have still been worth it to come to Argentina for this experience alone.

We opted to walk on the glacier, which I highly recommend for a few reasons. One is, again, as someone who has had a lot of exposure to glaciers, its getting harder and harder to walk on them, as the toes of the glaciers melt so quickly due to global warming and make it unstable (for example, the famous Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau, Alaska cannot be accessed this way anymore). There’s only one outfitter in El Calafate licensed for glacier hiking and that’s Hielo y Aventura. We opted for their 4 hour excursion, which included pick up and drop off in El Calafate as well as a visit to the main visitor center and viewpoint of the glacier. It is pricey but well worth it.

If you are looking for something more low key, have accessibility issues or don’t have the time or energy to do the hiking, you can always book a trip from El Calafate to the visitor center where you can enjoy amazing views and accessible ramps of the glacier. This is a much more cost effective option as well, and this way you don’t need to rent a car.

Hot Tip: My main feedback here is make sure to pack all types of weather layers for the day on the glacier. we encountered rain and sun, and vacillated between being cold and hot. Bring a dry bag for your electronics and a lunch and snacks for the long day. While there is food at the visitor center, the glacier itself has none.

Days 3-7: El Chaltén

Getting to El Chalten

El Chaltén was the heart of the trip for me: small, walkable, trailheads in town, and a rhythm built around weather windows. We took the Taqsa bus from El Calafate. Some things to know are that while taking the bus is straightforward, it’s popular especially in the high season, so book ahead. Time-wise, we’d budget 3.5 hours between the two cities. (our return was faster, but I wouldn’t count on that). The bus station in El Chaltén is right on the edge of town but still quite walkable, whereas the bus station in El Calafate is at least a 15 minute walk from the main drag.

Hot tip: the bus schedules in Patagonia are notoriously fickle, and this happened to us during our trip too. Given this, make sure to buffer enough time on each end to make sure your other travel plans aren’t impacted by a delayed or even cancelled bus route. I recommend taking buses earlier in the day or adding an extra night in El Calafate before flying out just in case.

Where we stayed

We stayed at Lagos del Sur (apartment-style, central, breakfast included, full kitchen). Having a kitchen mattered because we were there nearly a week and didn’t want to eat out constantly.

Restaurant highlights in El Chaltén

El Chaltén still isn’t cheap, but we ate much better here than in El Calafate. There were more options and in general the quality was much higher than in El Calafate.

• Butch – great steak in a cute atmosphere.
• Nomade Resto Bar – cozy spot for soup and empanadas, right next to Lagos del Sur.
• Maffia Trattoria – incredible homemade pasta, including dessert ravioli!
• Domo Blanco – delicious ice cream, perfect after a long hike.
• Meme’s Cakes – one of the best alfajores I’ve ever had!
• Mathilda – Cozy spot for breakfast or lunch, plus we enjoyed some local Tango one night.

How long to stay in El Chalten

Patagonia forecasts are dramatic. When we arrived, the weather report looked terrible with rain every day, yet it only truly rained once The longer stay meant we could pivot when the weather wasn’t looking good. That “buffer strategy” is the single best planning move we made in Patagonia. Even though to do the main hikes you might only need 1-2 days, giving yourself more time let’s you fully immerse and take advantage of weather windows.

The hikes of El Chalten

El Chaltén is famous because you can do world-class hikes without needing a car. Most trailheads start in/near town. Here’s what you can’t miss:

1) Laguna de los Tres (Mirador del Fitz Roy)

This is the headline hike: the lake + Fitz Roy range view. It’s ~20 km (round trip), so it’s long but not very steep except for the last 1.5 kilometers, and is worth prioritizing on your best weather day.

2) Laguna Torre (Cerro Torre Lagoon)

This is the other big classic. Hot take: if you only get one clear day, I’d still do Laguna de los Tres first. We spent a week in El Chaltén and never got a truly clear view of Torre/Egger—cloud cover is common.

Combining both (the big day)

You can combine Laguna de los Tres and Laguna Torre into a 32 km day. We tried and didn’t finish because the weather turned (afternoons can deteriorate). If you attempt this, start early, bring more food than you think, and bring a headlamp (December sunsets are late, but don’t gamble).

Other hikes/options

• Sendero Mirador del Paredón – this is good for a lighter day. It offers view of El Chalten and the valley from the easy side.
• Mirador de los Cóndores – this is a short hike to a gorgeous viewpoint that offers views of El Chalten, Cerro Torre and the Fitz Roy Range. If you only go to El Chalten for the day, or you have accessibility issues, this hike is what I’d recommend. You can extend the hike to make it longer by continuing to walk south on the various well worn trails on the ridge.
• Chorrillo del Salto – if you’re looking for a good rest day option, this hike along the river is flat and easy and ends at a beautiful waterfall up the valley.
• Loma del Pliegue Tumbado – if I had one more good long weather day, I would have liked to try this hike as it offers ridge views of BOTH Cerro Torre and the Fitz Roy range.

A non-hiking option: horseback riding

We did horseback riding with Bonanza Adventure, who took us up the Río de las Vueltas / Río Eléctrico area to their private ranch. It was a great way to get mountain scenery without another giant mileage day. They offer different ride lengths depending on what you want as well as options with or without lunch.

Days 8-11: Iguazú Falls

You can’t fly from El Calafate to Iguazú directly in any easy way, you have to transit through Buenos Aires, so we had a pretty full travel day (not including the bus return from El Chalten to El Calafate). The town (Puerto Iguazú) is mostly a base, and is touristy with not much to write home about. The main attraction in the town itself (besides the proximity to the falls) is the Triple Frontera viewpoint, which offers views of Brazil and Paraguay.

Where we stayed

Rincón Escondido Iguazú offered a lush and quiet jungle escape for very reasonable prices. There’s a pool and lounge area, but what stood out in particular was the hospitality. The hosts explained very clearly how to best visit the falls, and the included breakfast was incredible and really filled us for our long days exploring the falls.

How to visit Argentinian Iguazu Falls

We took the public bus from town which was cheap and easy, just make sure you have Argentinian pesos in cash to pay for it. Also, go as early as you can to get the bus and the park, as it can be quite crowded even on weekdays in the high season.

Hot Tip: Buy your tickets in advance from the actual park to save time at the entrance.

Iguazu Argentina Logistics

Once you enter the park with your ticket, head straight to the train entrance. You’ll need to show your ticket again and then will issued a NEW ticket that will be for the internal park train that will take you to the top of the park to see Devil’s Throat, the main attraction and the most crowded area. As such, there is a timed interval entry, and the time you get on our ticket might be 45 minutes later then your arrival. You can either wait for the train, grab a snack, and hang out, or you can actually just walk the ~2km to Devil’s Throat. You want to definitely start at Devil’s Throat, at the top of the park, in order to save time and beat the crowds, which will only get worse throughout the day. The walkways to get to Devil’s Throat are quite narrow and get backed up with tour groups, which is another reason to start as early in the day as you can handle waking up for.

After you’ve seen Devil’s Throat, either take the train down or walk to the upper and lowe trails (they start at the same train stop). I recommend walking the upper trails first (takes about 1 hour), then stopping for lunch (there’s a great pay by weight buffet near the train station), and then doing the lower falls.

From there, you can either walk or take the train back to the entrance where you started.

If the logistics of all this seems complicated to you, consider an organized or private tour, many which include pickup so you can avoid taking the bus.

What are other ways to experience the falls?

If you’re tight on time or only in town for one night, I would consider doing a boat tour to get a great perspective of both the Argentinian and Brazilian sides of the falls.

An alternative to the boat tour if you are short on time is to go on a guided Argentina and Brazil tour of the falls. You’d likely cover the highlights of Devil’s Throat and the main viewpoint in Brazil, but not much else.

Finally, if you’re feeling fancy, consider a helicopter ride to view the falls from above.

Visiting Iguazú Falls in Brazil

Brazil has the panoramic viewpoint. Argentina has the “more trails, more options” experience. If you can do both, great. If you only do one, pick Argentina.

Visa requirements

As of April 10, 2025, U.S., Canadian, and Australian passport holders need an eVisa to enter Brazil as visitors. Apply ahead of time, at least 2 weeks. You need to print out 2 copies of the visa once it is approved. The visa costs about $80 and is good for 10 years. Make sure you buy the visa through the official channels, as there are many spammy websites out there charging extra money for it. This is the official website to use.

Logistics for visiting the Brazil side of Iguazu Falls

There are a few things to keep in mind when visiting the Brazil side of the falls, especially if you are spending the night in Puerto Iguazu, the town on the Argentinian side.

1. Buffer at least an hour on each end to the visit, as you have to go through Argentinian customs and then Brazilian customs TWICE. We had to get out of the bus and get our passport stamped as well as show the border guards are visa on the Brazilian side.
2. Taxis from one country won’t drive into the other country and vice versa. That means if you take a taxi from Puerto Iguazu to the border, you’ll have to call a new taxi on the other side, once you’ve gone through customs.

Due to the above logistical issues, while you can take public transit to the Brazilian side, I believe this is well worth paying for a tour to manage some of the logistics for you. It might not save you much in time, but it will in headache. That’s why we opted to go with a guide who picked us up on the Argentinian side, took us over the border, took us around the Brazilian side of the park, and managed all the logistics. We also visited the Parque Das Aves, which was well worth it to view the gorgeous birds of the Amazon rainforest.

Hot take: We visited Brazil side on a very rainy day and got fully drenched. Even on a clear day, the mist near the main viewpoints will soak you. Make sure you bring a poncho (can buy on site if you forget), have waterproof protection for your phone or camera, and quick drying layers. A towel or even change of clothes to leave in the lockers at the front of the park would be recommended.

Days 12-14: Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires is a city of neighborhoods. We mostly walked, ate, and rotated through different areas rather than doing a heavy “attractions checklist.” We stayed at the amazing Hotel Boutique Shoshana in Palermo and loved being in a more local-feeling pocket of the city. The below itinerary days start at the furthest south east side of the city and works itself back towards Palermo.

Day 1: La Boca and San Telmo

La Boca is the colorful, historically immigrant, touristy corner of Buenos Aires. I personally found it underwhelming, though it does make for some pretty photos in the Caminito area. If you are a big Futbol fan, then the soccer stadium for the Boca Juniors team is also in this area and worth walking by. To round out this area of Buenos Aires, I recommend combining it with a trip to San Telmo market which is great for a meal, and try and go on a Sunday so that you can enjoy the weekly antique market.

In the afternoon, I would walk the areas of political and historical importance in Buenos Aires in Monserrat. These include the Casa Rosada which is the Presidential Palace off of the Plaza de Mayo, which is famous for many rallys and protests in the country. You can also walk to Plaza del Congreso which is where the Argentinian Congress meets, and is an impressive building and plaza area.

Day 2: Centro / downtown core

I’d pick up where you left off and go east and north from Monserrat to visit the Obelisco, a distinctive monument in the heart of the downtown core. This is close to the theater district which has a very Times Square / New York City feel. You might notice the famous Teatro Colon, which you can take a tour of to appreciate the architecture.

Hot Tip: Before you leave Buenos Aires, you must try tango, which was born in the milongas of this gorgeous city. I enjoyed dancing at El Beso during the day, which was in this area. Check the session schedule so you don’t show up at the wrong time and bring cash for the bar and entry fee.

Day 3: Recoleta and museums

Visit Cementerio de la Recoleta, which is where Eva Peron is buried but in general the whole cemetery is fascinating and beautiful. I’d also recommend popping into the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes or the Biblioteca National (bring passport if you plan to go inside) or visit the MALBA (Museo de Arte Latinoamericano) if you want more art. Finally, the Eva Peron museum was quite fascinating.

If you aren’t exhausted, consider visiting the Palacios of the Recoleta neighborhood. Most of these former palaces are now modern day hotel chains like the Four Seasons. Other famous Palacios are San Martin and Paz. You can base yourself at Plaza San Martin and wander from there.

Day 4: Palermo

I recommend a ‘free’ day where you just wander around both Palermo Soho and Hollywood, which each have lots of great street art, cafes and restaurants, some of which are mentioned below.

Buenos Aires food notes

• Try alfajores and anything with dulce de leche
• Steak is amazing, try it at a parrilla like Hierro or Don Julio
• Milanesa is popular (worth trying once; not my personal favorite), like at Peron Peron
• Coffee culture is everywhere, as are super cute cafes. My favorite was Tealosophy, which is hidden in a jungle like alcove in Palermo.
• Drink some Argentinian wines like the famous Malbec from Mendoza.
• Buenos Aires has an enormous Italian population, so you’ll find many pasta and pizza places.
• We had some of the best ice cream of our life in Buenos Aires. My favorite spot was Cadore, which has been ranked one of the best ice creams in the world.
• You have to try mate at least once. You won’t see people drinking it as often in Buenos Aires, but everywhere else in the country you will encounter people with a hot water flask in one arm, and a cup for mate in the other. It isn’t sold in coffee shops as how one prepares mate is very personal. Try and ask a local to share some with you or show you how to brew it at your hotel.

General Logistics for Argentina

Cards vs cash

We paid with credit card almost everywhere. Cash was mostly for:

• Some taxis
• Small tips
• A few vendors
• Bus tickets in Iguazú
• A couple cash-only spots (like certain milongas)

Exchange rates

We brought USD in $20s and $50s and exchanged locally rather than using ATMs/banks (which can give worse rates). Asking your hotel where to exchange was the easiest move to get the ‘blue chip rate’.

Getting around

Uber worked in Buenos Aires, but not really in the other regions. Download Cabify as a backup option for rides.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many days do you need for Argentina if you want Buenos Aires. Iguazú and Patagonia?
Two weeks is ideal. It’s the sweet spot for this exact route because it gives Patagonia buffer days and keeps the travel days from feeling brutal.

Do I need a car for this itinerary?
No. El Chaltén is very walkable and trailheads start in town. A car is only worth it if you’re doing a longer road trip (like continuing into Chile).

Is Argentina safe?
We felt very safe throughout Argentina, including Buenos Aires. Like any big city, be aware of your surroundings and don’t be careless with valuables, but I didn’t feel uneasy.

Do I need Spanish in Argentina?
You can get by without it, especially in Buenos Aires and tourist areas, but a little Spanish goes a long way. People often default to Spanish if they sense you can handle it.

Do I need to book things in advance?
Yes for the big-ticket items:

• Perito Moreno Mini Trekking
• Flights (December is high season)
• buses between El Calafate and El Chaltén if you want specific times
• Restaurants in Buenos Aires can be last-minute unless you’re chasing the most hyped spots, like Don Julio.