Perfect Argentina Two Week Itinerary

The Perfect 2-Week Argentina Itinerary

From the thunderous sight of Iguazu Falls to the ice-clad mountains of the Andes, Argentina is a destination that never fails to awe. This is the second-largest country in South America, and with an impressive area of over 100,000 square miles to explore, you’re in for an action-packed 2 weeks in Argentina. 

With just 14 days to spare, you’ll never be able to see all the best places in Argentina. That’s why our itinerary aims to show you the absolute highlights and bucket-list sights that everyone should see at least once in their life. 

This trip is designed for first-time travelers to Argentina who want to start by immersing themselves in the culture and history of Buenos Aires and who have always wanted to tango the night away in La Boca after one too many glasses of Malbec.

Equally, our 14-day Argentina itinerary is designed for the outdoor enthusiast who loves scaling mountains and hiking to glaciers. You’ll visit stunning natural attractions like the Perito Moreno Glacier, you’ll be amazed by the vast landscapes of Patagonia, and you’ll leave Bariloche wonderfully refreshed by the alpine air and German pilsners. 

Yes, there’s a lot of travel involved as you visit both north and south Argentina, but trust us when we say the early morning starts and red-eye flights are going to be totally worth it. This is one destination you’re not going to forget in a hurry, so keep reading as we present to you our perfect 2-week Argentina itinerary! 

Two Weeks in Argentina

The Best Time to Visit Argentina

Things to Know Before Visiting Argentina

If you’re from the Northern Hemisphere, the first thing to account for when planning your Argentina adventure is the reversed seasons. If you’re from the Southern Hemisphere, then just carry on as normal!

December to February is summer in Argentina, while June to August is winter. Given the vast size of the country, though, you’ll find that the climate can vary massively even within the same province. 

In general terms, summer is the best time to visit Argentina if you’re looking for hot weather and constant sunshine. Temperatures in Buenos Aires in December typically reach into the high 60s Fahrenheit (20s Celsius), while in Patagonia, you’re guaranteed excellent hiking conditions. 

In the north, the same summer months can bring high rainfall in the tropical regions. If you want to see Iguazu Falls at its peak flow, though, summer is when the waterfall is at its most powerful!

Summer is busy, and if you’d like to avoid the crowds, then spring and autumn still offer great hiking weather in Patagonia. Winter is a good time to visit the north, but Patagonia and the Andes Mountains are difficult to travel around when the weather is cold and icy, particularly if you’re at altitude. 

If you love a bit of culture, then December is a great time to experience the festive Argentinian Christmas spirit combined with the height of the summer sun. Semana Santa (the week leading to Easter) is a sacred, spiritual event, while in Buenos Aires, the annual calendar is filled with music, film, and tango festivals, so check out what’s happening when you’re in the city!

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Things to Know Before You Go

Immigration

There are a few important things to know when you’re planning your 2 weeks in Argentina. First up is immigration. If you’re a citizen of most South American countries, then you have the freedom of movement to enter and exit Argentina as you like. 

Citizens of the majority of North American and European countries don’t need a visa and are granted 90 days of visa-free access to Argentina on arrival. The same goes for citizens of Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Thailand, Malaysia, and several other countries. If your country isn’t on the list, then you’ll need to source a visa from your nearest Argentinian consulate. 

Spanish in Argentina

The second most important thing to know about is the language. Argentinians speak Spanish. However, the Argentine dialect is heavily influenced by Italian and other European languages brought in by immigrants. 

The pronunciation can be difficult to understand compared to other Spanish dialects you might be used to, while the heavy use of slang makes things even more difficult. English isn’t that widely spoken, so bring a Spanish phrasebook to help!

Money in Argentina

The other thing you need to specifically plan for is the economic situation in Argentina. Unfortunately, massive inflation has resulted in the Argentinian peso devaluing in recent years. Official exchange rates haven’t kept pace with black market exchange rates, so you’ll find your foreign currency is worth more, or less, depending on how you pay for things. 

The official rate for 1 USD is around 220 Argentine pesos at the time of writing. This is the rate you’ll be given at some banks and hotels, including when you use your card to pay for transactions. 

The “Blue Dollar Rate,” as the unofficial exchange rate is called, is almost double this, with 1 USD typically being valued at around 400 Argentine pesos. You can secure this unofficial rate (it’s not illegal to do so) by visiting cambios and Western Union offices, where you can exchange dollars, or other foreign currency, for pesos. You can also wire money to these exchange offices, while increasingly, shops and restaurants will also allow you to pay by card using this unofficial rate. 

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Getting Around Argentina

Getting Around Argentina: The Perfect Two Week Argentina Itinerary

Argentina is sparsely populated and not always that well connected. Almost all international flights arrive and depart from Ezeiza International Airport in Buenos Aires. There are direct connections to most major capital cities in South America, North America, and Europe, with some direct flights to African and Asian countries too. 

If you’re flying domestically, you’ll likely need to make your way to Jorge Newbery Airport in Buenos Aires. While there are regular domestic flights from the capital to most Argentine cities, traveling between different cities other than Buenos Aires is often not an option. More often than not, you’ll find yourself flying back to Buenos Aires and transferring to another flight to get to your next destination. 

Our itinerary covers a lot of ground, so we’ve planned it around taking domestic flights. However, if you have more time, you can try getting around overland. Because domestic flights can be expensive for Argentinians, the long-distance bus network is well-connected and surprisingly good value given the distances involved. 

You can find regular services between all major cities, with night buses offering a long but interesting way to see the country. For the ultimate freedom, why not rent a car or campervan and road trip Argentina? 

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Argentina Itinerary: 2 Weeks to Explore the Highlights of the Country

Buenos Aires – 2 nights

2 Weeks in Argentina Itinerary: Buenos Aires

Where else could your Argentinian escape begin, other than the eclectic capital city? If you’ve always had a burning desire to tango, then Buenos Aires will fill your soul with joy because few other cities in South America can match the Argentine capital for its flair and penchant for the good life. 

Hop On, Hop Off City Bus Tour

Plaza de Mayo

2 Week Argentina Itinerary: Metropolitan Cathedral of Argentina

We hate to break it to you, but with so many more places to see in Argentina, you’ve only got time to see the highlights in Buenos Aires. You’ll want to start downtown, where the Plaza de Mayo is at the heart of the capital’s history and contemporary politics. 

Visit the Major Sites in Buenos Aires

Here you’ll find the Metropolitan Cathedral of Argentina, the Pirámide de Mayo, and the Casa Rosada (the pink residence of the sitting president). There are grand avenues and plazas to explore, and we recommend taking a walking tour to learn more. 

Buenos Aires is packed with culture, and art lovers will want to save time for a tour of the National Museum of Fine Arts. The Teatro Colón is one of the finest theaters in the world, and you can join daily tours that delve into its beautiful interiors, while El Ateneo Grand Splendid is another spectacular theater that’s been repurposed into an unmissable bookshop. 

Enjoy Access to Teatro Colón

Visit Recoleta Cemetery to experience the extravagance of Argentina’s elite families, who have vast crypts and vaults within the city’s most prestigious burial ground. Take a tour of the cemetery to bring Argentinian characters to life, then explore the rest of Recoleta, an affluent part of the city that’s known for its high-end, Parisian-style architecture. 

2 Week Itinerary in Argentina: Recoleta Cemetery

Appreciate the Artwork in Recoleta Cemetery

Palermo

Argentina Two Week Itinerary: Palermo

You’ll want to devote at least one afternoon or evening to Palermo. This is the hippest district in Buenos Aires, and you can spend hours walking through leafy suburbs and plazas, stopping for craft beers or wine tastings as you stroll. 

Soccer fans can’t miss a trip to La Boca, the fabled home of Boca Juniors (especially given Argentina’s win in the 2022 World Cup Finals!). La Boca is a traditionally working-class district that’s become a tourist magnet in recent years, being home to colorful streets and quirky art museums. 

2 Weeks in Argentina Itinerary: La Boca

And, of course, you can’t miss out on a night of tango when you’re in Buenos Aires. In fact, the tango is thought to have developed in La Boca, where you can catch open-air tango performances every evening on La Caminito. There’s a World Tango Museum to visit in Buenos Aires, or you could get yourself into the rhythm with a few expert-led lessons while you’re in the capital.

Tour Around La Boca

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Iguazu Falls – 2 nights

2 Weeks in Argentina Itinerary: Iguazu Falls

Your next stop is one of the top places to visit in Argentina: Iguazu Falls. This thunderous natural sight is considered to be the largest waterfall in the world; so large, in fact, that it marks the border between Argentina and Brazil. 

It’s a two-hour flight north from Buenos Aires, and you’ll be based for the next two nights in Puerto Iguazu on the Argentinian side of the waterfall. This area forms a tri-point between Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay, and from Puerto Iguazu, you can see where all three countries meet (it’s a great place to visit if you love your geography trivia!).

Iguazu Falls is divided into upper and lower sections, and while the tallest drop is a mere 269 feet high, the different tiers extend horizontally for around 2 miles in total. You’ll want to start by exploring the Argentinian section of the waterfall, including the iconic “Devil’s Throat,” which is easily the most powerful drop on the river. 

Argentina Two Week Itinerary: Devil's Throat

Take the quirky “Rainforest Ecological Train” from Puerto Iguazu, which winds through the jungle to hiking trails and viewpoints overlooking the waterfalls. You can also join a tour from Argentina to Brazil, giving you the chance to see Iguazu Falls from another international perspective. 

Enjoy a Boat Ride in Iguazu Falls

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Salta – 2 nights

2 Weeks in Argentina Itinerary: Salta

Your next stop is Salta, a colonial-style city dating back to the late 16th century that’s in Argentina’s northwest. There are several direct flights a week from Puerto Iguazu to Salta, and you’ll prefer the short hop on a plane to the 20-hour drive. 

Salta’s drier climate is a sharp change from the tropical jungles of Iguazu Falls, and the province is best known for its desert-like scenery and stark mountain ranges. Take a historical tour of the city first, where you can learn about the Spanish founding in 1582 and the Inca culture that existed here long before Europeans arrived. In the excellent Museum of High Altitude Archeology, you can even see the eerily well-preserved remains of Inca mummies found in the Andes. 

2 Week Argentina Itinerary: Desert Like Scenery and Stark Mountain Ranges

See the Historical and Natural Sights of Salta

Cafayate

2 Week Itinerary in Argentina: Cafayate

With limited time, you’ve now got to make a choice. Salta is famed for both its wine and its salt flats, but you’ll only have the chance to see one unless you can extend your 2-week trip to Argentina. To the south, you’ll find Malbec-growing wineries in Cafayate. The beautiful valleys and ranches are the quintessence of Gaucho culture, and the scenery is almost as stunning as the wine and food. 

Taste the Best Wines from Salta

To the north, you’ve got the Salinas Grandes, the third-largest salt flats found anywhere in the world. With the Inca culture and salty scenery, this part of the country is more like Bolivia or Chile than Argentina, but it’s easily one of the most astounding sights you can add to your Argentina itinerary. Nearby, you can also visit the unusually colorful mountains of Quebrada de Humahuaca, which is best described as a rainbow in the desert.

Explore Salinas Grandes & Quebrada de Humahuaca

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Mendoza – 2 nights

2 Weeks in Argentina Itinerary: Mendoza

For wine and food lovers, Mendoza is one of the best places to visit in Argentina. This is Argentinian wine country, and for the next two days, you’ll have little time for anything other than eating and drinking!

Discover the City of Mendoza

Museums and Galleries

2 Week Argentina Itinerary: Museo Nacional Del Vino

Founded by the Spanish in 1561, Mendoza is one of Argentina’s oldest cities. The colonial-era architecture still dominates the city center, and you can learn more about Mendoza’s history by visiting the Museo de Área Fundacional or the Museum of Natural Sciences and Anthropology. In Maipu, just outside the city center, you can also visit the excellent Museo Nacional del Vino, where you’ll delve into the long history of wine production in Argentina. 

Wine Route of Mendoza

This museum is a great introduction to Mendoza’s wine scene, but nothing beats the real thing. In the city proper, you can join a tour of the best bodegas and wine bars but save space for a trip along the Wine Route. The best wineries are renowned for their Malbecs, and there are many to choose from, including The Vines of Mendoza, Botega Catena Zapata, and El Enemigo

Taste the Best Wines of Mendoza

Cerro Aconcagua

2 Weeks in Argentina Itinerary: Cerro Aconcagua

Mendoza is also located in the foothills of the Andes, which means there’s plenty of excellent hiking nearby. You won’t have time to climb it on this trip, but Mendoza is the launch pad for mountaineers tackling Cerro Aconcagua, the tallest mountain in South America. You can visit Parque Provincial Aconcagua on a day trip, though, for a glimpse of the peak on the Chilean border. 

Enjoy Views of Aconcagua

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San Carlos de Bariloche – 2 nights

2 Weeks in Argentina Itinerary: San Carlos de Bariloche

After overindulging in red wine and red meat in Mendoza, you’ll appreciate the replenishing mountain air of San Carlos de Bariloche, the next stop on your 14-day Argentina itinerary. Bariloche (as the locals prefer to call it) is found in Rio Negros province, and given it’s a 20-hour bus ride south of Mendoza, you might prefer to fly via Buenos Aires!

Tour the Road of the Seven Lakes

Lago Nahuel Huapi

2 Week Argentina Itinerary: Lago Nahuel Huapi

Bariloche is where Argentinian Patagonia really begins, and you’ll love the alpine climate, the lakeside location on the banks of Lago Nahuel Huapi, and the small-town vibes of this provincial city. Bariloche is known for being beautifully nestled on the slopes of the Andes, and the mountainous scenery and Swiss-inspired architecture ensure that you’ll often hear it referred to as Argentina’s Switzerland. 

Throw in some fantastic chocolatiers – including Rapa Nui, which was established here by Italian immigrants in the early 1900s – excellent cafes, and authentic pilsner beers brought in by German settlers, and there’s a seriously European feel to Bariloche. 

Sail Down the Nahuel Huapi Lake

Isla Victoria

2 Week Itinerary in Argentina: Isla Victoria

On the other side of history, though, you can learn more about the indigenous Mapuche culture at the Museo de la Patagonia or by joining a fascinating “Indigenous Peoples in Patagonia Walking Tour.” Visit Isla Victoria, and you can even see millennia-old cave paintings made by Patagonia’s first inhabitants. 

Take a Boat Tour on Isla Victoria 

Parque Nacional Nahuel Huapi

Argentina Two Week Itinerary: Parque Nacional Nahuel Huapi

While you could spend the next 2 days eating chocolate and drinking beer, Bariloche is also a wonderful place for your first taste of Patagonian nature. Parque Nacional Nahuel Huapi protects the spectacular glacial lake you’ll see from Bariloche, and there are fantastic opportunities for hiking, mountaineering, and, in winter, skiing. 

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El Calafate and El Chalten – 3 nights

El Calafate

2 Weeks in Argentina Itinerary: El Calafate

Your Argentinian journey now takes you south, and we mean far, far south because your next stop is Patagonia. From San Carlos de Bariloche, you’ll need to hop on a flight to Buenos Aires, then transfer to another flight in order to reach El Calafate. 

Located in southern Santa Cruz Province – right on the border with Chile – El Calafate is your gateway to the classic mountain peaks and glaciers of the Andes. This is Argentinian Patagonia at its best, and the only negative is that you’ve only got 3 days to enjoy it!

Discover the Beauty of El Calafate

El Chalten

2 Week Argentina Itinerary: El Chalten

You could spend weeks hiking in Patagonia, but without the luxury of time, you’ll want to make straight for the highlights. First up is El Chalten. It’s a 3-hour car ride from the airport at El Calafate, which takes you along the banks of Lago Argentino and then Lago Viedma and into the heart of Los Glaciares National Park. 

Enjoy a Day Trip to El Chalten

Your next 2 days are all about absorbing the spectacular mountain scenery, and there are hikes and tours from El Chalten that are suitable for all ages, abilities, and levels of fitness. The icy jewel in Patagonia’s crown is Mount Fitz Roy, a distinctive peak that rises high above El Chalten. 

The tough Monte Fitz Roy Trek takes you to beautiful viewpoints at Laguna de los Tres and can be tackled in a long day. The easier Cerro Torre Trek takes around 6-8 hours and offers spectacular views of the distinctive peak from further away. 

Head back to El Calafate once you’ve had your fill of the hiking in Los Glaciares National Park. From El Calafate, you’ll then join a tour of the Perito Moreno Glacier, one of the ultimate must-see places in Argentina. This huge, rumbling glacier straddles the border with Chile and is the focal point of the Perito Moreno National Park. You can sign up for a boat tour, or you can book a “mini-trekking tour,” which takes you onto the ice itself. 

Join a Trekking Tour

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Buenos Aires – 1 night 

Tierra del Fuego

2 Weeks in Argentina Itinerary: Tierra del Fuego

El Calafate is a long way south of Buenos Aires, but if you’ve got a few extra days to spend in Argentina, then you’re in a prime position to extend your trip by visiting Tierra del Fuego. Literally translated as the “Land of Fire,” this is the southern extremity of Argentina. Beyond this, there’s nothing but churning ocean waves until you reach Antarctica. 

Tour Tierra del Fuego National Park

Puerto Madryn

2 Week Argentina Itinerary: Puerto Madryn

You could also visit Puerto Madryn on the coast of Chubut Province for penguins, whales, and sea lions, see the beaches of Mar del Plata, or road trip through the Patagonian Steppe in northern Santa Cruz. 

Whenever your trip draws to a close, we always recommend spending at least one extra night in Buenos Aires before flying home. That’s because Buenos Aires’ international airport is located some drive away from the domestic airport, and you can’t always count on flights arriving on time. So rather than cutting it close with short connections, why not just spend an extra evening tangoing in Buenos Aires? 

Explore Puerto Madryn

There you have it! That’s our perfect 2-week Argentina itinerary. Where will you be traveling during your trip to Argentina?


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About the Author:

  • Richard Collett

    Richard is an award-winning travel writer based in Southwest England who’s addicted to traveling off the beaten track. He’s traveled to 75 countries and counting in search of intriguing stories, unusual destinations, and cultural curiosities.

    Richard loves traveling the long way round over land and sea, and you’ll find him visiting quirky micronations and breakaway territories as often as he’s found lounging on a beach (which is a lot).

    When he’s not writing for BBC Travel, National Geographic, or Lonely Planet, you can find Richard writing for the Wandering Wheatleys or updating his off-beat travel blog, Travel Tramp.

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