Argentina
Iguazu thunder, Buenos Aires tango, Mendoza wine + Aconcagua, NW rainbow valleys + salt flats, Valdés whales
When to Go
Drag across months to filter by season, conditions, and light
Argentina spans climate zones. NW (Salta, Quebrada): dry Apr-Nov, summer rainstorms Dec-Mar. Buenos Aires: temperate, four seasons. Mendoza: dry year-round, hot summers, snow-capped Andes winters. Iguazu: subtropical rainforest, peak flow Nov-Mar. Patagonia (separate destination): summer Dec-Feb only.
Photography Route
Route
Buenos Aires → Iguazu Falls → Salta → Quebrada Humahuaca → Salinas Grandes → Cafayate → Mendoza → Peninsula Valdés
Getting There & Around
Fly Buenos Aires (EZE). Domestic flights connect Iguazu (IGR), Salta (SLA), Mendoza (MDZ), Trelew/Puerto Madryn (REL) for Valdés. NW route by car or guided tour.
Best Windows
Trip Overview
Daily Budget
$100–$350 / day
Permits & Visa
No permits required
Visa-free for US/Canada/EU/UK/most countries (90 days on arrival). Iguazu NP $40. Aconcagua trekking permits $150-1,000 by season + route. Peninsula Valdés entry $30. Most other sites pay-at-gate $5-15. Drones legal with ANAC registration; banned at Iguazu Falls + national parks.
Duration
12-16 days ideal, 8 days minimum
Argentina north of Patagonia compresses five distinct photographic stories into a country that's still 3,000 km long. Buenos Aires is South America's most European city — Recoleta cemetery, La Boca's coloured tin façades, tango on San Telmo cobblestones. Iguazu Falls (NE corner) is 275 cascades spread over 2.8 km — the loudest sound in nature most photographers will ever hear. The NW altiplano (Salta, Quebrada de Humahuaca, Salinas Grandes, Cafayate wine valley) hosts Argentina's densest indigenous communities + rainbow-mineral mountains + lithium salt flats. Mendoza anchors the Andes wine country at the foot of Aconcagua (Western Hemisphere's tallest peak). Peninsula Valdés on the Atlantic delivers southern right whales (Jun-Dec) + Magellanic penguins + orcas. (For Patagonia proper — Torres del Paine, Fitz Roy, Perito Moreno, Tierra del Fuego — see the Patagonia destination.)
Gear Essentials
Itinerary at a Glance
A 14-Day Argentina Photography Arc
Day 1 — Arrive Buenos Aires (EZE). Check into Palermo Soho or Recoleta (Alvear Palace, Faena, Palacio Duhau). Evening tango at Café de los Angelitos or a milonga in San Telmo.
Day 2 — BA culture day. Recoleta Cemetery (Evita’s tomb, marble mauso-leums) at golden hour. La Boca’s Caminito coloured houses mid-morning. San Telmo antique market on Sunday.
Day 3 — Fly BA → Iguazu Falls (IGR), 2 hr. Argentine side first — Devil’s Throat catwalk + Upper Circuit. Sunset from the Sheraton terrace inside the park.
Day 4 — Iguazu Brazilian side + boat tour. Cross to Brazil for the panoramic view + walkway above Devil’s Throat. Macuco Safari Zodiac boat tour straight into the falls (you will get soaked — waterproof everything).
Day 5 — Fly Iguazu → Salta via BA (4 hr total). Check into Legado Mítico Salta or Casa Real. Evening at Plaza 9 de Julio + tortilla + folklore peña.
Day 6 — Quebrada de Humahuaca + Purmamarca. Drive 3 hr N to Purmamarca’s Hill of Seven Colours. Tilcara archaeological site. Humahuaca village. Overnight Purmamarca.
Day 7 — Salinas Grandes salt flats. Drive over the Cuesta de Lipán (4,170m) to the salt flats. Mirror reflections + horizon vanishing point. Return Salta.
Day 8 — Quebrada de las Conchas + Cafayate. Drive south through the Quebrada (red-rock canyon) to Cafayate. Wine tasting at Bodega El Esteco or Piattelli. Evening Cafayate plaza.
Day 9 — Fly Salta → Mendoza (1.5 hr). Wine tour in Maipú or Luján de Cuyo (Catena Zapata, Bodega Trapiche). Sunset on Aconcagua silhouette.
Day 10 — Aconcagua day-trip or Cacheuta. Cacheuta hot springs + Andes drive, or guided trek to Aconcagua viewpoint (4 hr return, no permit needed for non-summit).
Day 11 — Fly Mendoza → BA, then evening flight → Trelew (REL). Drive to Puerto Madryn.
Day 12 — Peninsula Valdés (whales). Boat tour from Puerto Pirámides. Southern right whales mid-Jun to mid-Dec; close encounters are routine in Sep-Oct.
Day 13 — Punta Tombo penguins (only Sep-Apr). 1 hr south for the Magellanic penguin colony (largest outside Antarctica). Return Trelew.
Day 14 — Fly Trelew → BA → home.
Optimal timing is October-November — spring across the country, whales at Valdés are peak, Iguazu still high-water, NW altiplano comfortable.
Useful Info & Physical Difficulty
Physical Difficulty
Moderate. Mostly walking + driving:
- Buenos Aires: 5-15 km/day of pavement walking. Good shoes essential.
- Iguazu: 5-10 km of catwalks + jungle paths. Macuco boat tour gets you wet through to the skin.
- Quebrada de Humahuaca: drive-up viewpoints + short village walks (2,500-2,900m altitude).
- Salinas Grandes: drive-up, walk on the salt crust (3,450m altitude).
- Cuesta de Lipán pass: 4,170m crossing — light altitude effects (headache, breathlessness). Don’t linger.
- Mendoza vineyards: flat, level.
- Peninsula Valdés: vehicle + boat-based wildlife viewing.
Climate by Region
- Iguazu (subtropical): 20-32°C, humid, peak rain Nov-Mar.
- NW altiplano (Salta, Quebrada): cool dry Apr-Nov (15-25°C days, near-freezing nights). Summer rain Dec-Mar.
- Mendoza: hot dry summers (35°C), mild winters with Andes snow.
- Buenos Aires: temperate, 4 seasons. Spring (Oct-Nov) + autumn (Mar-Apr) are best.
- Peninsula Valdés: cool dry Patagonian climate. Wind constant.
Cultural Etiquette
- Recoleta Cemetery: respectful demeanour, modest dress. Open daylight hours only.
- Tango milongas: a serious dance culture, not a tourist show. Observers welcome but don’t photograph dancers without permission.
- Indigenous communities (NW): ask before photographing. Small tip appreciated.
- Argentine social schedule: dinner 9-11pm, peñas (folk music) until 2am. Lunch 1-3pm. Breakfast late.
Safety + Currency
- Currency: hyperinflation in recent years has made the peso volatile. USD cash gets a better rate at ‘blue dollar’ exchanges (cuevas) than banks. Major credit cards work but charge official rate.
- Buenos Aires: standard urban precautions. Recoleta + Palermo safe. Avoid La Boca after dark.
- NW: very safe + tourist-friendly
- Drink bottled water outside major cities.
Permits + Access
- Visa-free for most nationalities (90 days)
- Iguazu NP: $40 entry, 2nd consecutive day half price
- Peninsula Valdés: $30 entry + whale boat tour $80-150
- Aconcagua trekking: $150-1,000 by season + route
- Drones: register with ANAC, banned in national parks
Airports, Lodging & Logistics
Airports
- Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) — international gateway.
- Buenos Aires Jorge Newbery (AEP) — central city, domestic.
- Iguazu (IGR) — 2 hr flight from BA, 20 min from falls.
- Salta (SLA) — NW gateway, 2 hr from BA.
- Mendoza (MDZ) — Andes + wine gateway, 1.5 hr from BA.
- Trelew (REL) — Peninsula Valdés gateway, 2 hr from BA.
Lodges + Lodging
- Buenos Aires: Alvear Palace (Recoleta, 1932 grand dame), Faena (Puerto Madero, Philippe Starck), Palacio Duhau Park Hyatt, Sofitel Recoleta
- Iguazu: Belmond Hotel das Cataratas (Brazilian side, inside park), Loi Suites Iguazú, Awasi Iguazú (Relais & Châteaux)
- Salta: Legado Mítico Salta, Patios de Lerma, Casa Real
- Cafayate: Patios de Cafayate, Grace Cafayate Resort, Killa Cafayate
- Mendoza: Cavas Wine Lodge (Relais & Châteaux), Park Hyatt Mendoza, Entre Cielos
- Peninsula Valdés: Estancia Rincón Chico (working ranch), Faro Punta Delgada (lighthouse hotel inside the reserve)
Food
Argentine cuisine = the world’s best beef + grilled meats. Asado (BBQ), bife de chorizo (sirloin), Malbec wine. Top tables: Don Julio (BA, World’s 50 Best parrilla), El Preferido de Palermo (BA), Aramburu (BA, molecular), Florencia (Salta — Andean fusion), Casa El Enemigo (Mendoza, Catena family winery). Yerba mate is the social drink.
Transport
- Domestic flights Aerolíneas Argentinas, JetSMART, FlyBondi — essential given distances. BA ↔ Iguazu/Salta/Mendoza/Trelew all 1.5-2 hr
- NW circuit: rent a car in Salta, drive Quebrada + Salinas + Cafayate in 3-4 days
- Mendoza wine country: hire driver-guide for tastings
- Bus Retiro terminal in BA serves all of Argentina — long-distance cama (sleeper) bus is comfortable + cheap
Side Trips
- Patagonia — Torres del Paine, Fitz Roy, Perito Moreno (separate destination)
- Uruguay (Colonia + Montevideo) — ferry from BA, 1 hr
- Brazilian Pantanal + Bonito — extension from Iguazu
- Bolivian Salar de Uyuni — extension from Salta via Uyuni