A Road Trip In Argentina – The Ultimate Guide
Have you ever thought of taking a road trip in Argentina? Hit the road in this beautiful country and experience the culture to the fullest. Argentina is a large country with so much to do and see. Enjoy the city for late nights that turn into breakfast and mimosas or explore wine country, Argentina has it all. This guide will prepare you for your ultimate road trip in Argentina and give you inspiration of top places you must visit during your visit.
Renting and Driving a Car in Argentina
First you need to rent a vehicle and get the lay of the land. This is fairly inexpensive and quite easy to do, driving on the other hand is another story. Most vehicles are manual transmission so be prepared to drive a stick shift vehicle. If you have never visited Buenos Aires, you will quickly learn that traffic laws and lanes are more or less considered as guidelines. Traffic moves fast with multiple cars occupying the same lane and 2 lanes can easily carry 4 vehicles. Also be aware that traffic lights are different: red is stop, it switches to yellow as a preparation ‘go’ light and then goes to green to go. The green switches directly to red and this catches many off guard, there is no running yellow or red lights in Argentina.
Plan and Prepare for Your Adventure
Be sure to go through a road trip essentials checklist so that you are able to handle any obstacle you may encounter. It is recommended to plot your course ahead of time with some timelines as you can easily fall in love and want to stay in a quaint little town like Cachi for weeks. Argentina is quite large so it is impossible to see everything in one week, but you can easily divide and conquer these destinations little by little.
10 Must See Argentina Destinations
Fin Del Mundo or End of the World
Ushuaia, located at the furthest southern point of Argentina provides tours and expeditions to the glaciers at the end of the world. You can actually get a tour and camp out on the Tierra Del Fuego with the gauchos and drink whiskey with ice carved out from the glacier.
Iguazu Falls
Where the Amazon River cascades towards the ocean. These waterfalls are a true wonder of the world and some of the largest falls in the world. You can even see the falls from 3 countries in a single day since they border Argentina, Paraguay, and Brazil.
Villa General Belgrano
A small city built in the center of Argentina makes you feel like you’ve been transported to Germany. Home to the world’s second largest Oktoberfest Villa General Belgrano provides authentic German culture, architecture, and cuisine.
Purmamarca
A small town located in the northwest part of Argentina, this remote area is unique owning the 7 colored mountains in Argentina. This is one town you could lose yourself into the beauty of the isolation, brilliant starry skies and amazing little hostels. There is one located at the top of the hill that looks out over the town, it’s simply amazing.
Mendoza – Wine Country
Argentina is well known for its Malbec wine and Mendoza is home to many of these amazing vineyards. The city is nestled in the Andes which makes for an incredible background to all of your photos. You may find yourself right at home here, great food and amazing wine, it’s a must visit city.
Tres Bocas Tigre
A short trip outside of Buenos Aires, Tres Bocas resembles Venice, Italy in a way. Where three rivers meet and split into hundreds of streams and canals. This town is built on the islands and is home to a large market only accessible by boat. This tropical area is riddled with walking trails and cute bridges connecting the islands.
Cachi
A city in the clouds, this small town is located at a high altitude in the Salta province of Argentina. The winding roads through the hills provide spectacular views and an adrenaline rush with little to no guard rail or pavement. The town itself is quaint with cobblestone, small markets and traditional adobe and cob buildings.
Mar Del Plata
South of Buenos Aires, Mar Del Plata is one of the most popular beaches and resort towns. This is also one of the best beaches to surf in Argentina. Continuing down the coast you will discover more amazing beach towns like Pinamar for a more relaxed scene and Carílo for a more upscale environment.
La Boca, Buenos Aires
A small colorful neighborhood welcoming tourists from all over the world. This barrio is well known for its vibrant colors. La Boca is home to many souvenir shops and regular tango street performances and is definitely worth exploring.
Buenos Aires
Of course the city of Buenos Aires makes the list. A city that never sleeps, Buenos Aires is rich with culture. Aside from the vibrant barrio of La Boca, BAs is home to cultures from around the world. Here, you can meet people from every part of the world and experience their culture in one incredible city. Each barrio is unique making its own contribution to this vast city. Culturally, dinner is eaten around 22:00 (10PM) and the many clubs don’t get crowded until 03:00 (3AM) and are open until the sun comes up. Be sure to visit a bakery for incredible treats to enjoy with your yerba mate, the choice caffeinated beverage.
Final Thoughts
No matter where you decide to hit the road in Argentina you will fall in love with whatever you discover. There is nothing quite like driving through a desert and being greeted by a rainforest or exploring caves and rock formations on the way to your next destination. Traveling to the end of the world is exhilarating as is encountering the power of Iguazu falls. Argentina is truly a country you can fall in love with, so be sure to have plenty of SD cards for your journey. If you do plan to make a road trip of it, definitely plan more time per location than you originally anticipate, you can’t do it all in one week and most places deserve more than one day of exploring.
Have you ever been on a road trip in Argentina? Share your tips in the comments below
About the Author:
Alex Fisher is an adventure enthusiast contributing to Everything But Stromboli, a bulk supplier of SD Cards and flash drives. He enjoys learning new things and exploring new places in addition to sharing his experiences through photography and his writings. Follow him on twitter @C_Alexndr.
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