Argentina was good to us! We just had the best time with the best people. It’s also very similar to South Africa in that they are famous for good meat and good wine, so we felt right at home! It is so well run and easy for a tourist to enjoy the good things it has to offer.
We would highly recommend Couchsurfing in Buenos Aires for a couple of days to get a better idea of how the city runs from a local perspective. This was the best thing we did as we really were set up nicely to explore the city as locals after we met Guga. People are very friendly in Argentina though, so even if you don’t Couchsurf people on the street are often very willing to help.
Like Chile, Argentina is noticeably more expensive than the rest of South America, however if you bring US dollars into the country you could get away with spending about a third less. There is an informal dollar market that allows you buy pesos at an exchange rate of $1 to ARS14. This is a much better rate than you will get at any ATM, bank or currency exchange which quote the official rate of $1 to ARS9.30. Bring as many large notes as possible, as a $100 note will get you a better rate ($14.50) than $20 or $50 notes ($14.00).
Transport in Mendoza and Buenos Aires was a dream. You can basically get to anywhere you want to go by public transport. Long distance busses are also extremely comfortable. On one overnight bus we were served lasagna for dinner! We signed up for EcoBici cards while we were in Buenos Aires, which allows you to use the bicycles from any of the almost 50 bike stations around the city for free for one hour (two hours on weekends). Go to www.buenosaires.gob.ar/ecobici to register and then you can collect your card from any information store close to you. If you have a cellphone with Internet you can also just use their app at the bicycle stands to collect a bicycle but we didn’t have Internet so we needed the card.
Many people in Beunos Aires speak English but it is still a good idea to know the basics of Spanish if you are going on a long distance bus and need to speak to bus drivers, etc. Tour operators and hostel staff normally speak English.
So now that we’ve done it what would we say were our top experiences? In no particular order we enjoyed the following:
Wine tasting in Mendoza
Rugby match in Buenos Aires
Empanada cooking class in Buenos Aires
Hanging out with locals and stretching the limits of our Spanish!
Exploring Buenos Aires (details on the Buenos Aires post)
Iguazu Falls
If you would like to see all our photos from Argentina follow the link below:
We took an overnight bus from Buenos Aires to Iguazu falls (ARS760pp, 19hrs) and arrived at about 10am. We checked into our hostel and headed straight for the falls. We took a backpack with some water and snacks as we heard the food at the falls was quite expensive. Busses run from the bus station in Puerto Iguazu every half hour to the falls. It takes about 30mins and costs ARS50 each way. We arrived and purchased our tickets (ARS260pp) at the gate and then went on to the kiosk inside to buy our boat tickets (ARS270pp).
When you enter you get a free map that shows all the marked trails that you can walk. We decided to start with the blue trail, which runs past some smaller waterfalls and to the docking area where we would take the boat at our allocated time. The trails are all on nice paths and its mostly in the shade, which is nice in the heat of the day! We stopped at one of the viewpoints to have our picnic lunch and enjoy the waterfalls from a distance.
Iguazu Falls from the Argentinian side
Iguazu Falls from the Argentinian side
Iguazu Falls from the Argentinian side
We then went down to the boat docking area and packed all our valuables into waterproof bags that are provided. I was lucky to get a rain poncho from someone who had just gone on the boat, which ended up being a great score! You get sopping wet on the boat so bring a poncho or pack a swimming costume as it’s not great to walk around wet afterwards. Also take off you shoes when you get on the boat and pack them in the bag too. The boat ride is 12 minutes long and took us to both sides of the waterfalls. It is thrilling as it goes right up close and basically under the waterfall!
About to go under the falls
Sopping wet after going under the falls!
Afterwards we walked up to the train station and took the free train to Devil’s Throat which is this platform overlooking the incredible, thunderous Devil’s Throat section of the falls. We bought some beers and empanadas (ARS100) and enjoyed the 15min train ride through the park. We first enjoyed a beautiful walk crossing the very wide river on the footbridge before arriving at the Devil’s Throat. One can hear the roaring water as you approach but you can’t see the falls until you get up close. The water just seems to disappear off the edge of the world! It is an absolutely breathtaking view and the thunderous sound of the water plummeting down is almost deafening. One could just stare at the water falling into that cloudy mist all day!
On the train to Devil’s Throat
On the walkway to Devil’s Throat
Devil’s Throat – Argentinian side
Devil’s Throat – Argentinian side
Devil’s Throat – Argentinian side
The whole trip from taking the bus in Puerto Iguazu to getting back into town took us about five hours. It was a great day out! That night we treated ourselves to our last Argentine steak and went to bed early.
The next day we woke up bright and early and caught the bus from the bus station to Foz du Iquazu, the town on the Brazilian side of the falls (ARS15pp). The trip takes about 20mins to the border where we stamped out of Argentina. Then the bus continued and dropped us off on the Brazilian side to stamp into the country. They left us there with our ticket and told us to wait for the next bus, which they said would be coming in 30mins. It only came an hour later but nevertheless we were excited to be back in Brazil! From here the bus took us on into Foz du Iguazu town.
Once we were in town we walked five blocks from the local bus station to a travel agent to buy bus tickets for that night to Bonito. They advised us that the quickest way to get there was a 6pm bus to Dourados (R$97pp) that would arrive at 4:30am and then to take the 6am bus to Bonito (R$75pp, 6hrs). We bought the tickets and headed to the Brazilian side of the falls for the day.
Bus 120 runs from the Terminal Terrestre, through the center of town to the falls (called “cataratas”) for R$2,90 and takes about 30mins. We arrived with all of our luggage and so rented a locker just outside the gates for R$30 which was big enough to fit our large backpacks, two day packs and an extra souvenirs bag. We bought our tickets (R$52.50pp) and got on the open-air bus which takes you through the reserve and to the falls. We jumped off at the first viewpoint and marveled at the magnificence of the falls. It’s a completely different experience from the Argentinian side as here you see all the falls from a distance and can see how they all connect.
There are three main viewing points, the last being the viewpoint to see Devil’s Throat. Again the misty falls left us in awe! We got all our money-shots and headed back to the bus stop to get the bus back to the entrance. The whole trip took us about 3hrs. We got back to the bus station in town and took another bus to the regional bus terminal (Rodoviaria) to catch our overnight bus to Bonito.
Iguazu Falls from the Brazilian side
Iguazu Falls from the Brazilian side
Devil’s Throat – Brazilian side
Iguazu Falls from the Brazilian side
Iguazu Falls from the Brazilian side
Iguazu Falls from the Brazilian side
Iguazu Falls from the Brazilian side
We weren’t sure if we should do both sides of the falls but read that both sides are beautiful and should not be missed. We are so happy we did both! The Argentine side of the falls offers a close-up experience (you literally go under the falls) and the trails are fun to explore. The Brazilian side gives you the overall perspective with views from afar, which is spectacular to look at. After seven months of travelling and some amazing sights we aren’t so easily impressed anymore, but the Iguazu Falls were just spectacular!
Now on to Bonito to explore the famed natural springs and the Pantanal!
We have been looking forward to Buenos Aires for a while now! One of the main reasons was that we planned on staying put for a couple of weeks, which we were craving after going quite fast through Bolivia and Chile. We rushed to get to Buenos Aires mainly because we wanted to watch the rugby match between the Springboks and the Pumas, which for South Africans is very exciting! We arrived in Buenos Aires after a 16-hour bus ride from Mendoza. For the first two nights we stayed with a Couchsurfer, Guga, who had organised us tickets to go see the game. That day we just relaxed, got some Argentine-style pizza and then we headed to the stadium – Estadio Jose Amalfitani. Our tickets cost ARS250pp and could also have easily been purchased outside the stadium just before the game. The final score was 26-12 to the Springboks. The game was awesome as our team won! It was also a very unique experience to watch the match in such a foreign environment, where there were probably only 50 South African supporters in the sold-out crowd of 50,000! We have a newfound respect for our players going overseas and performing in front of an away crowd!
Springboks vs Pumas
At the rugby with our couchsurfer
Springboks vs Pumas
Springboks vs Pumas
The next day Guga kindly took us on a sightseeing trip around the city. Our first stop was Boca where there is a market with lots of little restaurants with people dancing tango in the streets. Here we had our first taste of the delicious Choripan – a hot dog with Chorizo sausage! We then headed to Puerto Madero, which is an area of reclaimed land and looks like a waterfront. There are many high-rise buildings and it feels very modern. Afterwards we visited the famous San Telmo market where there is an antique market with all sorts of random treasures every Sunday. It was a great fun filled day out.
Boca
Boca
Boca
Churipan
Boca
Boca
Puerto Madero
Puerto Madero
San Telmo Market
San Telmo Market
San Telmo Market
San Telmo Market
The next day we headed to Monserrat, the area where we had rented a flat for nine nights. We booked our flat through Airbnb and were so surprised with what we got and how little we paid. Any hostel in Argentina will charge at least ARS300 for a private room. We got the entire flat for ARS277 per night. We were very lucky and thoroughly enjoyed the privacy and freedom the flat allowed us. If you would like to check out a flat for yourself if you are also travelling use the following link www.airbnb.com/c/rbotha4?s=8 and you will receive $25 off your first stay. We also get $25 for every successful referral so please book away!
Bedroom
Kitchen
Lounge
Bathroom
We spent the next nine days exploring the city as locals. We even got ourselves EcoBici cards, which allowed us to swipe our cards at any bicycle station and use the bike for one hour for free (two hours on weekends)! Needless to say we made use of this great service quite often as well as the well-organized Subte (Metro), which was only one block from our flat. One day we took the bikes from Jardin Zoologico (the zoo) to Parque 3 de Febrero. They close the roads around this Parque over the weekends so cyclists, runners and skaters can enjoyed the roads in peace. Jardin Japones is also right there, which is a really peaceful Japanese style garden (entrance is ARS50pp). We then had a picnic just outside on the lawn. We also cycled back to San Telmo market the following Sunday and down to Puerto Madero where there was another food market.
Riding around Parque 3 de Febrero
Riding around Parque 3 de Febrero
Parque Japones
Parque Japones
Parque Japones
Parque Japones
Picnic in the park
One night we decided to go for a cooking class that came highly recommend on TripAdvisor. We have wanted to do a cooking class the whole trip and decided it would be great to learn how to make Empanadas. The class was three hours long and included a wine tasting of three different organic wines. We learnt how to make two different types of empanadas, flan with caramel and dulce de leche. It was such a great night out with great people. The class is $68pp and their website is www.tierranegragourmet.com.
Cooking class
Cooking class
Cooking class
Cooking class
Cooking class
Monserrat is very close to the Obelisco, a needle-like statue right in the middle of Avenida 9 de Julio and an icon of Buenos Aires. We also decided to do the touristy thing and visited Evita’s museum (ARS50pp, ARS25pp with student card) and her grave. Her museum is near the Jardin Zoologico. It was interesting to see some videos with her giving speeches, some of her possessions which are on display and to understand the impact her and her husband had on Argentine politics. We then went to the Cementerio de la Recoleta where many high powered, rich people are buried, including the humble Evita. The graves are all small buildings with ornate statues all around. It was quite something to walk around and explore. Evita’s grave is definitely why most people visit the cemetery and there are still people who leave flowers and letters for her, including a letter in Spanish thanking Evita for helping them buy their house.
Obelisco
Evita Museum
Evita’s grave
Letter to Evita at the her grave
Recoleta Cemetary
Building with coffins
Another monumental place we visited is Plaza de Mayo where many workers protested for the release of Juan Domingo Peron, who later became president and married Evita. In 1955, in an attempt to overthrow Peron, the plaza was bombed, killing 364 people. Casa Rosada (Pink House) is in front of the Plaza, which is the House of Government.
Plaza de Mayo
Casa Rosada
Casa Rosada
While we spent our days exploring the city, at night we tried as hard as we could to act like Argentines and participate in their late-night antics. Although we never went to an actual club, we did manage to stay out well past midnight a couple of times (we are not late night people so this is an accomplishment for us!). Porteños (people from Beunos Aires) do everything 3 or 4 hours later than normal. Dinner will always be at 9/10pm, sometimes even later! We had Guga over with another Couchsurfer for some pizza one night and we went to his house for a Arg-Mex night of Argentinian style Mexican. It was great to spend the night with locals and girls from Mexico and Venezuela. We all ended up dancing in his lounge, showing each other what dances are typical from our respective countries.
Arg-Mex night at Guga’s
Our stay in Buenos Aires is one we will never forget! We loved every second of it! We have definitely also gained a few kilos, as the food here is just amazing! We totally overindulged but that is what holidays are for!
Our top places to visit, or things to do, while you are in Buenos Aires are:
San Telmo Market on a Sunday
Boca waterfront on a Sunday
Puerto Madero to see the waterfront and the reserve
Palermo for Parques 3 de Febrero, Jardin Zoologico and Jardin Japones
Plaza de Mayo and Casa Rosada
Visit the Evita museum and her grave at Cementerio de la Recoleta
Do an Empanada cooking class
Go to a rugby or football match (rugby is easier and cheaper!)
We are now heading up to Iguazu Falls which we are also super excited for, so there’s no time to be depressed about leaving this beautiful city behind!
After 34hrs of travelling from Chile to Argentina we were super excited to be in Mendoza! As we got off the bus we heard a man shouting out “cambio” which means change. Finally we found somewhere to change our dollars! For our $100 notes we got ARS14.50 per dollar and for the smaller notes we got ARS14. Just be careful if you change money at the bus stop. Wear a money belt and be aware of your surroundings when going into town.
We checked into our hostel, Campo Base International (private room with bathroom ARS300per night) and had a long awaited shower. Once we felt human again we braved the cold and headed straight to the nearest steak restaurant. To say our mouths left earth and went to heaven is an understatement! Wow, the meat was just out of this world! Mouthwatering, melting goodness! We both went for the buffet option and filled our plates with all the different types of meat, from ribs to fillet to chorizo sausage. The sides were also good, but not the star of the show! We also sampled some of the famous Mendoza Malbec. The whole meal with two bottles of wine was only ARS350, crazy value for money!
Wide streets of Mendoza
Delicious steak!
The next day we had a night bus to get to Buenos Aries in time for the Springboks rugby game against the Pumas, so we only had the day to explore the wine region. Most wine farms are not actually in Mendoza but in the neighbouring suburb of Maipú. You can get there by doing a day tour through any hostel, by taking the train or by local bus. We decided to take the local bus, which costs ARS5pp and takes between 1-1.5hrs (bus number 171, 172 or 173 from just outside Terminal Sol). You need to buy a bus card inside the terminal as the busses don’t accept cash. We decided to first visit Trapiche Wine farm and luckily arrived just at the end of a Spanish tour, as we otherwise would have had to wait an hour for the next tour. As we arrived late though we didn’t get to see the wine making process but we did participate in the wine tasting (ARS50pp), which is what we were really interested in doing anyway! We also got a free bottle of wine to drink afterwards as we missed out on the tour – score!
Wines we tasted
Wine tasting
Wine tasting
Trapiche Wine Farm
We took longer than we realized at the tasting so ran out of time to go to another farm. We ran to the Cerveceria and enjoyed some craft beer and pizza before we had to bolt for a bus back to the terminal to get our night bus. We realized there was no way we would make it in time and decided to hitch-hike back to Mendoza in the hope we wouldn’t miss our night bus. We got lucky and a very friendly Argentian picked us up and took us straight to Terminal Sol with an hour to spare before our bus! We loved seeing the wide streets of Mendoza and the vineyards in Maipú. As it is currently winter in Argentina it wasn’t very pretty though! We can just imagine how beautiful it must be in summer when everything is green and lush. We took the 4pm overnight bus to Buenos Aires (ARS700pp) and arrived at 9am.
Chris and Ro go... 