Argentina travel guide
Tango in Buenos Aires, hike the Andes, spot penguins on the Atlantic coast and ride horses in Patagonia and the Argentine pampas – Argentina, on the move
Vast and inscrutable, Argentina's magnificent landscapes stretch from spectacular waterfalls in the north across expansive drum-flat pampas, fringed by the Andes on one side and the Atlantic on the other, to the glaciers, lakes and mountains of the deep south. The biggest problem you’ll have when travelling Argentina is fitting everything in.
City slickers love the pace of Buenos Aires, where handsome locals jostle for your attention with the Parisian-style architecture. An airy and open cafe culture co-exists with a lively art scene. Head down to the port area of La Boca, where tango started. The colourfully painted local buildings have been newly gentrified but the area still maintains an edge: when asked if you're British, 'New Zealand' is a good answer.
In Mendoza you can ski down the foothills of Aconcagua (South America’s highest peak) before dropping in to a local winery and perfecting a giant steak with a glass of fine red.
In the Austral winter (June to October) the Lake District town of Bariloche is a ski resort: at other times of year it is the place to go hiking through ancient rainforest around lakes of peppermint green. Go east to Ushuaia and the Atlantic coast: penguin and seal abound.
For the ultimate wilderness experience, head south to Patagonia. The Tierra del Fuego National Park adjoins Chile's Torres del Paine, a dramatic barrier of jagged, glaciated mountains that stand guard at the bottom of the world.
Wanderlust recommends
- Deal with the Dead. In La Recoleta is a cemetary like no other: the mausoleums of Buenos Aires' great and good are larger than many inner-city dwellings, with tree-lined avenues and stray cats galore. Pay a small child and they'll show you Evita's grave too.
- Find your Inner Gaucho. Become part of cattle country by staying at an estancia, where you can saddle up for games of polo or run cattle drives across huge estates.
- Pampa Yourself. The Argentine Pampas are stunning, stretching flat as a lake to a curving horizon of clouds, or the faint outline of the snow-capped Andes. Drive or ride, don't fly, across this unique landscape.
- Wine is Fine. Drive around the colonial towns and rolling vineyards of Argentina’s unexpectedly civilised north-west. Tasting opportunities abound
- Sunbathe on Ice. The Perito Moreno Glacier in Los Glaciares National Park is one of the world's greatest sights, an 18-mile river of ice that calves and fractures into the water nearby. Go in summer and you might be able to sunbathe - but not for long
- Learn to Tango. This sultry, moody dance was born in Buenos Aires and there are plenty of places you can learn. Or strut your stuff in the informal clubs in Recoleta or Palermo districts
- Wow at Water. Head north to the Brazilian border to see the churning torrents of rainbowed water that is the Iguacu Falls. Butterflies feast on the mist in the surrounding National Park
Wanderlust tips
For an authentic day out, take your own meat to the countryside: public barbecues are dotted around beauty spots where you will be joining an army of happy Argentinians grilling meat in the great outdoors. Bookworm or music fan? Allow a day for some aimless pottering around the many book and record stores in Buenos Aires.