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The granite spires of Monte Fitz Roy glowing pink at sunrise above dark foothills

Plate 01 · Argentina
From the falls at 25°S to the Beagle Channel at 55°S

9 regions, 5 sample journeys

Big-distance Argentina, made easy.

  • 3,436 km Iguazú to Ushuaia
  • Trips start and end in Buenos Aires
  • Every distance checked against the map
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Pampas & Peaks. The grasslands and the Andes: Argentina's two great landscapes. Buenos Aires, Patagonia, the wine country and Iguazú, linked into trips that work. We plan around the distances, the airline schedules and the seasons, so you spend your days in places rather than between them.

Regions.(09)

Nine places, from the subtropical north-east to Tierra del Fuego. Each with its own season, its own airport and its own reason to go.

All regions

Nine stops. One hub.

Almost every domestic flight goes through Buenos Aires. These are the typical times from the capital to each region.

Open the distance check
RegionIn the airDoor to doorDistanceBest time
Iguazú25°41′S · Misiones1 h 55about 4 h 301,065 kmAny month.
Salta & Jujuy24°47′S · Salta and Jujuy2 h 05about 5 h1,284 kmApril to November is the dry season, with clear skies and cold nights at altitude.
Mendoza32°53′S · Mendoza1 h 55about 4 h 30984 kmMarch and April for harvest and autumn colour; October and November for spring.
The Lake District41°08′S · Río Negro and Neuquén2 h 20about 5 h1,345 kmDecember to March for walking and the lakes; late March and April for autumn colour; July to September for skiing.
Península Valdés42°30′S · Chubut2 habout 5 h1,076 kmWhales are usually present from about June to December, at their peak in September and October.
El Chaltén49°20′S · Santa Cruz3 h 15about 9 h2,023 kmOctober to April.
El Calafate & the Glaciers50°20′S · Santa Cruz3 h 15about 6 h2,081 kmOctober to April.
Ushuaia & Tierra del Fuego54°48′S · Tierra del Fuego3 h 30about 6 h2,374 kmNovember to March for long days, boat trips and penguins.
Wide view of the Iguazú Falls cascades pouring into a misty river gorge, framed by green jungle under a blue sky

01 / 09 Iguazú

Misiones

Iguazú

Hundreds of falls pouring off a horseshoe of basalt, with catwalks that take you right to the edge. 1 h 55 flight from Buenos Aires.

Next: Salta & Jujuy, 1,094 km, about 4 h 30 door to door, 1 flight (direct flights not every day).

Iguazú

Red and green striped hills of the Cerro de los Siete Colores rising behind Purmamarca's low houses and garden plots

02 / 09 Salta

Salta and Jujuy

Salta & Jujuy

The Andean north: striped mountains, cactus valleys, salt flats and wine at altitude. 2 h 05 flight from Buenos Aires.

Next: Mendoza, 960 km, about 4 h 30 door to door, 1 flight (direct flights not every day).

Salta

Green vineyard rows in front of snow-capped Andes peaks under a clear blue sky

03 / 09 Mendoza

Mendoza

Mendoza

Vineyards irrigated by snowmelt, long lunches at the bodegas, and Aconcagua on the skyline. 1 h 55 flight from Buenos Aires.

Next: Buenos Aires, 984 km, about 4 h 30 door to door, 1 flight.

Mendoza
Aerial view down Avenida 9 de Julio to the Obelisco, with the city skyline under a cloudy sky

04 / 09 Buenos Aires

Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires

A city of neighbourhoods, each with its own mood. Start and end every trip here. Start here: international flights land at Ezeiza.

Next: The Lake District, 1,345 km, about 5 h door to door, 1 flight.

Buenos Aires

Turquoise lakes and forested peninsulas with distant Andes, seen from the Punto Panorámico on Circuito Chico

05 / 09 Lake District

Río Negro and Neuquén

The Lake District

Blue lakes, forested peninsulas and mountains you can actually walk up, around Bariloche. 2 h 20 flight from Buenos Aires.

Next: Península Valdés, 549 km, about 10 h 30 door to door, 2 flights.

Lake District

A whale's tail fluke rising out of choppy dark-blue sea

06 / 09 Península Valdés

Chubut

Península Valdés

Southern right whales close to shore, elephant seals on the beaches, penguins down the coast. 2 h flight from Buenos Aires.

Next: El Chaltén, 947 km, about 14 h 30 door to door, 2 flights.

Península Valdés
The granite spires of Monte Fitz Roy glowing pink at sunrise above dark foothills

07 / 09 El Chaltén

Santa Cruz

El Chaltén

A small trekking village under the granite towers of Fitz Roy. Every trail starts on the main street. Fly to El Calafate (3 h 15), then 3 h by road.

Next: El Calafate & the Glaciers, 121 km, about 3 h door to door, by road.

El Chaltén

The ice wall of Perito Moreno Glacier meeting turquoise Lago Argentino, with forested mountains behind

08 / 09 El Calafate

Santa Cruz

El Calafate & the Glaciers

Stand in front of the Perito Moreno glacier and wait for the ice to fall. 3 h 15 flight from Buenos Aires.

Next: Ushuaia & Tierra del Fuego, 564 km, about 4 h door to door, 1 flight.

El Calafate

A red-and-white striped lighthouse on a rocky islet in the Beagle Channel with mountains behind

09 / 09 Ushuaia

Tierra del Fuego

Ushuaia & Tierra del Fuego

Mountains dropping into the Beagle Channel, a lighthouse on a rock, and the road’s end. 3 h 30 flight from Buenos Aires.

End of the line: 3,436 km from Iguazú.

Ushuaia

How big is Argentina?

Big enough to cover most of Europe. From Iguazú to Ushuaia is about Madrid to Moscow, or San Francisco to Atlanta.

Lay it over Europe or the USA

Journeys.(05)

Routes built around the distances, not against them. Every one starts and ends in Buenos Aires, and every one can be changed.

Compare the journeys

More to explore.

  1. 01

    Buenos Aires by neighbourhood

    The mood of each barrio, when to go, where to eat and where the tango happens.

    9 barrios

    Brightly painted La Boca facades with ornate balconies and wrought-iron railings against a blue sky
  2. 02

    Wine country

    Malbec in Mendoza, wine at altitude in Salta, and the cool south of Patagonia.

    3 regions

    Green vineyard rows in front of snow-capped Andes peaks under a clear blue sky
  3. 03

    Estancias

    Ranches of the pampas, Patagonia and the north: horses, asado and a very big sky.

    3 kinds

    Gauchos in berets on horseback beside a wire fence on open pampas
  4. 04

    Stays

    The kinds of small hotels, lodges and estancias we look for, region by region.

    15 kinds of place

    Turquoise lakes and forested peninsulas with distant Andes, seen from the Punto Panorámico on Circuito Chico
  5. 05

    Journal

    Distances, seasons and the small things that make a trip work.

    3 articles

    Aerial view from a plane over the snow-covered high Andes around Aconcagua, ridges and glaciated valleys stretching to the horizon under a clear blue sky.

Questions before you plan.

Still unsure? Write to us and a real person will answer.

Send an enquiry
Can I see Iguazú and Ushuaia in one week?

You can, but you will spend about half the week travelling. They are 3,436 km apart and there is usually no direct flight. Here is the maths.

Do I have to go through Buenos Aires?

For most domestic flights, yes. A few routes skip the capital, such as El Calafate to Ushuaia, and some only run on certain days or in summer.

How many nights should I give each place?

Two or three nights per stop as a minimum, and more where the weather decides, like El Chaltén. Travel days count as days.

When is the best time to go?

October to November and March to April suit the most regions at once. See the seasons, region by region.

Are the travel times on this site guaranteed?

No. They are typical times for planning, and schedules change by season. Every one should be checked before you book. How we work them out.

The red and white Les Eclaireurs lighthouse on a rocky islet crowded with cormorants in the Beagle Channel, with snowy peaks beyond.

Now join the dots.

Tell us roughly what you have in mind. We will reply with honest advice on what fits.

Plan a trippampasandpeaks@tourground.com