Americas · 8 cities
Things to Do in Argentina
Eight Argentine destinations in one place: why you fly rather than drive, which side of Iguazu to spend the day on, and the months Patagonia is actually open.
3,500 tours listed by Viator 8 cities we cover Free cancellation
Where to go
Cities of Argentina
In the order Viator’s own catalogue puts them — most-booked first, not alphabetical.
Full list
All cities, by region
Grouped by region using Viator’s own map of the country. The first block is the places it files directly under Argentina.
Practical info
Know before you book
The things that change a decision — not a retelling of the guidebook.
The country is 3,700 kilometres long — you fly
Buenos Aires to Ushuaia is a three and a half hour flight, to El Calafate about three, to Iguazu two. Long-distance buses are excellent and take twenty hours or more for the same routes. Domestic flights are the only realistic way to combine regions.
Iguazu has two sides and they are different days
The Argentine side is walkways among the falls and takes most of a day, including the Devil’s Throat. The Brazilian side is the panorama and takes a few hours. Doing both means crossing an international border, so check visas before planning it.
Patagonia has a season and it is short
October to April. Outside it, many operators in El Calafate and Ushuaia close, daylight collapses and the trekking in El Chaltén is not accessible. The glacier itself can be visited year round; almost everything around it cannot.
Prices and exchange rates move fast
Argentina has lived with high inflation for years, so tours are frequently quoted in US dollars and local prices can shift within a season. Check which currency you are actually charged in and what the card rate will be.
The day runs late
Restaurants fill from about nine in the evening and tango shows start later still. Booking dinner for seven means an empty room. Adjust the whole day rather than fighting it — lunch is late too.
The seasons are inverted and January is a holiday month
January and February are high summer, and they are also when Argentines take their own holidays — the coast and Patagonia fill with domestic travellers. Buenos Aires, conversely, empties.
When to visit
Argentina through the seasons
What is open, how busy it gets, and when to book ahead.
Spring
Sep–Nov
- Best for
- Patagonia opening, jacarandas in Buenos Aires, whales at Puerto Madryn.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- The whale season off Península Valdés peaks around September and October.
Summer
Dec–Feb
- Best for
- Patagonia at full access, long days in the far south, wine harvest in Mendoza.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Peak prices and domestic holidays — book El Calafate and Ushuaia months ahead.
Autumn
Mar–May
- Best for
- Colour in Patagonia and Bariloche, Mendoza’s harvest, comfortable city weather.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- March and April are the quiet favourite — Patagonia still open, crowds gone.
Winter
Jun–Aug
- Best for
- Skiing at Bariloche and Mendoza, Buenos Aires indoors, the north at its best.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Southern Patagonia largely shuts; Salta and the northwest are at their driest.
Frequently asked
Argentina: common questions
How many days do you need in Argentina?
Ten days minimum for Buenos Aires plus one other region — Iguazu, Mendoza or Patagonia. Two weeks to combine Buenos Aires, the falls and the far south without spending every other day on a plane.
What does a tour in Argentina cost?
Argentina is not in our fifty-city price index, so we avoid quoting a median. City tours in Buenos Aires are inexpensive by international standards; Patagonian glacier cruises and Ushuaia boat trips are priced in dollars and are among the more expensive day trips in South America.
When is the best time to visit?
November, March and April — Patagonia open, Buenos Aires comfortable, prices below the January peak. December to February for the far south at its most accessible, at a cost. June to August only if you are skiing or heading north.
Which side of Iguazu Falls is better?
The Argentine side, if you only do one — more walkways, more time among the falls, and the Devil’s Throat platform. The Brazilian side gives the wide view in about half a day and is the better photograph. Crossing between them is a border formality.
Are tours run in English?
In Buenos Aires, Iguazu, El Calafate and Ushuaia, routinely. In Salta, Mendoza and the smaller Patagonian towns the choice narrows and the English departure is worth booking rather than assuming.
