Travelling to Argentina? Here’s 7 last minute travel tips

You could say that my decision to go to Argentina – the country known for the Tango, was a quick one. I was already booked to go on an Antarctic cruise which left from Ushuaia but had no plans to stay there long. I can definitely say now that i’m really glad I decided to extend my trip, even if it was at the last minute!

Here’s what I learnt:

1. One of the first things I learnt is that Argentine’s love their meat! It’s a staple on every menu at every restaurant. If you are vegan or vegetarian or even a fussy eater like me, you will have a hard time. The good news is, they have amazing desserts, chocolates and icecream! Dulce de leche basically translates to caramel, so you know you’re going to have a good time 😉 

2. I learnt very quickly that I don’t know enough Spanish. So the most basic thing like reading a menu or map proved to be very difficult. Luckily I met some awesome travelers at The Antarctica Hostel who put me onto the app that saved my sanity – Spanish Dictionary. You can enter a word in Spanish or english and it will translate it for you and also sound out the pronunciation. The most common (and important!) words you need are:

Cerveza = beer
Jamón y queso = ham and cheese
Papas fritas = fries
Aeropuerto = airport

3. Here in Australia, it’s normal for us to flush toilet paper down the toilet. A LOT of places in Argentina ask you to put the toilet paper in the bin next to the toilet due to the poor sewerage systems they have.  This took me a long time to get used to, even with the signs reminding you on the back of the toilet door.

4. They have a lot of glaciers! 48 in total which are part of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field in the Andes which is also shared with Chile.

Argentino Lake/Lago Argentino is glacier fed and you’ll often see some bergy bits floating around!

I didn’t have anything planned for one of the days in El Calafate so I booked a quick day trip to see the Perito Moreno Glacier which is the world’s third largest reserve of fresh water, it’s huge! You can get really close to the mouth of the glacier from the lookout points, and you’ll probably see the glacier calve (bits breaking away) as well, which is so cool! If you want to get even closer, boat trips are also available.

Perito Moreno Glacier – 60m high and 30km wide!

5. If you are in southern Argentina around El Calafate or especially Ushuaia, you will bump into lots of Antarctica travellers. Stop and talk to them! They have the most amazing stories about what they’ve seen and what they did down there. Everyone in town will be talking about the trip and there will be such a buzz in the air. If you want to read about my trip – click here.

Finally going through my photos from Antarctica! #antarctica #expedition #photographer

A photo posted by Bel Scott (@_belindakate) on Jan 3, 2015 at 10:43pm PST

6. Iguazu falls is all it’s made out to be – AMAZING! I stayed at the Sheraton Iguazu Resort & Spa which is so close to the falls, you can hear them from your room. I was completely awestruck when I first saw them from the plane but seeing them in person from the boardwalk is next level. The amount of power and water that flows over the falls is incredible, it leaves you feeling amazed at what mother nature is capable of. I also learnt that coming from an the Antarctic to Iguazu is quite a shock to the system – Iguazu is very hot and muggy!

If you get the chance to see Iguazu Falls, do it! You will not regret it.

7. Patagonia is the place to be if you love hiking. From the infamous W-trek in Torres del Paine, Chile to smaller, easier treks like Mount Fitz Roy in El Chalten. Almost everyone you come across will be hiking at some point during their time in Argentina and will be more than happy to answer any questions you have about the hikes. My recommendation is to talk to an experienced tour guide if you want to do a bigger trek as the conditions can get pretty tough.

Tierra del Fuego National Park – Ushuaia

I survived my extended Argentina trip with a few embarrassing laughs along the way! Needless to say, next time I will be more prepared and do my research – even if it’s another last minute trip! 😉

 Have you been to Argentina? Share your tips and stories below!

• Flights to Buenos Aires
• Flights to Iguazu
• Hotels in Ushuaia
• Hotels in El Chalten
• Hotels in Argentina
• Activities in Argentina