Destination: Argentina

Small group escorted tours to Argentina. Places of interest for like minded travellers who are curious.

Argentina Tours

Crafted Tours for Mature World Travellers

Pre-guaranteed
South American small group tour

25 days

Apr, Sep

South American Small Group History and Culture Tour

Visiting Argentina, Bolivia

Experience the jewels of South America on this in-depth itinerary featuring the dramatic contrasts of this great continent on a small group tour for senior couples and solo travellers. Journey through Chile, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina and Brazil. Marvel at the ancient cultures and natural wonders of the Amazon, the snow-capped peaks of the Andes mountains, the calm waters of Lake Titicaca and the jewel coloured beaches of Rio.

From A$19,795 AUD

View Tour
Dinosaurs, Paleontology, & evolution: 10 best books

17 days

Sep

Argentina Dinosaur dig including Titanosaur small group tours

Visiting Argentina

Small group tour for senior and mature couples and solo travellers to explore the Titanosaurs the largest Dinosaurs to walk the planet. Their skeletons have recently been discovered in Argentina. This program spends 20 days travelling to visit and experience the dig sites where much of Argentina’s paleontological history has been found, Patagonia. With local paleontologists and guides providing an insight into this remote part of the country you get a unique opportunity to learn first hand about the research on the Argentinian Dinosaur collection.

From A$18,425 AUD

View Tour

Articles about Argentina

Spains explorers

Spanish Exploration and Conquest of the Americas

An Antipodean travel company serving World Travellers since 1983 with small group educational tours for senior couples and mature solo travellers. Article summarizes the Spanish explorers and the race against the Portuguese for access to the Americas.

30 Dec 21 · 11 mins read
Read Article
South America small group tour

South America travel advice for touring

South America travel advice for touring The South American continent offers mature & senior travellers limitless opportunities for adventure. Whether you are drawn to the wilds of the Amazon and the soaring Andes, or seek…

5 Apr 18 · 16 mins read
Read Article
South America tours

Argentina & Brazil travel advice

Argentina & Brazil travel advice This article is the third in a series highlighting travel in South America: This is about Argentina & Brazil travel advice for one of the world’s most thrilling travel destinations.…

25 May 18 · 12 mins read
Read Article
coffee tour

Around the World in Six Coffees: Italy, France, Japan, China, Morocco & Argentina

Around the World in Six Coffees: Italy, France, Japan, China, Morocco & Argentina Order a cappuccino in Italy after 11am and expect to receive strange looks. In Argentina, don’t be surprised when your coffee order…

8 Dec 19 · 16 mins read
Read Article
Dinosaurs, Paleontology, & evolution: 10 best books

Dinosaurs and Dinosaur Fossils: The Definitive Guide for Travellers

Dinosaurs and Dinosaur Fossils Knowledge of dinosaurs exploded into the mainstream through Hollywood magic, thanks to Stephen Spielberg’s animated drama adventure Land Before Time (1988, co-produced with George Lucas of Star Wars fame) and the suspenseful Jurassic Park (1993) and…

3 Aug 19 · 10 mins read
Read Article

Touring Argentina

The need to know

Getting around

Odyssey travels by coach and occasionally uses local transport, including trains and ferries. Specifics are always outlined in your tour itinerary. Argentina is well-serviced by numerous bus networks, with bus services criss-crossing the length of the country. Argentina’s train services however are in a dilapidated state, and are not truly a feasible option for travelling around the country.

Accommodation

In major cities, Odyssey stays in centrally located 3-4 star hotels, with easy access to public transport. In smaller towns or rural areas, we usually stay in family-run hotels or guesthouses. On our longstay tours, during which you spend the length of the tour in a single location, we use serviced apartments.

Tour guides

Odyssey always engages local guides with regional knowledge to ensure an authentic experience during which you can learn as much as possible about the history and culture of places you visit.

Geography, Environment, & Weather

Argentina is the second largest country in South America, and covers a total area of 2.7 million square kilometres. The geography of Argentina varies signficantly across its major regions, including the swamps of the Chaco plain, the grasslands of the Pampas, and rugged wilderness of Patagonia.

The climate of Argentina varies with region, ranging from the subtropical climate of the north, to the temperate climate of the Pampas, and to the cold and dry climate of Patagonia. Depending on when and where you intend to travel, check the weather reports and dress accordingly.

World heritage sites

There are 11 properties in Argentina listed on the World Heritage List. You can view the listed properties here: (https://whc.unesco.org/en/statesparties/ar). Argentina’s listed properties include:

Cueva de las Manos, Río Pinturas – featuring ancient cave art and paintings that date back thousands of years
Ischigualasto / Talampaya Natural Park, which contain fossil remains of a wide range of Triassic Period dinosaurs and plants
Península Valdés – home to many rare marine animal species and a conservation ground of global significance.

Festivals & Events

Many vibrant festivals and events held throughout the year in Argentina. One of the most important days on the national calendar is Independence Day. Held on July 9th, celebrations and festivities are held nationwide, with live music and partying filling the streets. In March, Buenos Aires plays host to the Buenos Aires Tango Festival. The largest tango festival in the world, the national dance of Argentina is celebrated through live performances and classes held across the city. Like elsewhere in South America, the Catholic festival of Carnival is celebrated with exuberance and enthusiasm in Argentina. Kicking off with a festival in Gualeguaychu in January, Carnival season carries on acrossthe country until late February, and features many colourful parades, processions and parties.

Reading list

The Argentina Reader: History, Culture, Politics, by Gabriela Nouzeilles and Graciela Montaldo
Argentina: A Modern History, by Jill Hedges
On Argentina, by Jorge Luis Borges
The Motorcycle Diaries, by Che Guevara.

Eating & Drinking

Argentinan cuisine is a mix of Mediterranean influences (specifically Spanish and Italian) and native agricultural products. Asado (barbeque) is of national importance in Argentina, with many friends and families gathering around an open fire for a grill. Grilled meat in Argentina is often accompanied by chimichurri, the tangy green salsa made from parsley, oregano, onion, garlic, chilli flakes, olive oil and lemon juice. Empanadas are a favourite of Argentinians – a pastry filled with meat, potato, and boiled eggs, empanadas make for a very popular street food. The history of Italian migration into Argentina has left its mark on Argentinian cooking, with pizzas, pastas, and other Italian-inspired dishes such as milanesa (fried veal or chicken topped with an egg) staples of Argentianian cuisine.

Traditional beverages in Argentina include fernet (a dark-brown liqueur made from herbs) and yerba mate (a form of herbal tea made from the mate leaf).

Health & Safety

Generally speaking, Argentina is safe to travel in, though always exercise common sense while travelling. Be advised that yellow fever, malaria, dengue fever and other mosquito-borne viruses are risks in Argentina.

Electrical Supply

Whenever you travel overseas, it’s always wise to take an appropriate travel adaptor. The electricity supply in Argentina runs at 220V and 50Hz. Argentina uses Type C and Type I electric plugs, so make sure you have the right travel adaptor with you.

Tour Reviews

Well balanced with city vs country, visits to remote dinosaur sites, town museums, a winery. The hands-on dinosaur dig and fossil preparation live-in at Lake Barraleas was superb and I could have spent more time there as we went out a lot. It was excellent with a great Argentinian team looking after us..

Participant 2017

Argentina Dinosaur dig including Titanosaur small group tours

Well balanced, with a great group leader in John Pickrell. He was extremely informative and had great contacts so we saw behind the scenes at museums.We covered a lot of distance but with 2-3 nights in a number of places had plenty of free time to do your own thing.

Participant 2017

Argentina Dinosaur dig including Titanosaur small group tours

All guides were excellent. Each had done a lot of research on dinosaurs before we arrived and had a good sense of what we were after.

Participant 2017

Argentina Dinosaur dig including Titanosaur small group tours

We were privileged to go where many tourists could not go but some of that was due to the presence of John Pickrell still we saw more and met more senior paleontologists that I had expected. All museums and other sites were a marvelous experience

Participant 2017

Argentina Dinosaur dig including Titanosaur small group tours

Accommodation exceeded expectations in most cases.

Participant 2017

Argentina Dinosaur dig including Titanosaur small group tours

FAQs

What is the time zone?

Argentina has a single time zone, Argentina Time (UTC-3). Daylight savings are not observed in Argentina.

Is tipping customary in Argentina?

If you’re on an Odyssey tour, we take care of tipping so you don’t need to give it a second thought. However, in your free time, or if travelling independently, it’s essential that you tip an appropriate amount for services. Tipping is not customary in Argentina, though tips are appreciated. As a rough guide, a tip of 10-20% should be suitable for tour guides and restaurant servers, while hotel staff should be tipped 2-3 pesos a day.

What is the internet access like in Argentina?

Wifi should be widely available in the hotels, cafes and restaurants of Argentina’s cities, though internet access may be more sporadic in remote, rural reas.

Can I use my mobile/cell phone while in Argentina?

Check with your cell phone provider to see whether you’re able to make calls and use data while in Argentina. Many providers will allow you to pay a daily fee that allows you to make calls and check the internet while only being charged your regular rates. However, be certain to inform your provider that you’re heading overseas, because just like a bank they can turn off your service as a result of unusual activity.

Responsible travel tips for Argentina

  • Learn at least the local greetings to break the ice. Although some locals speak English, the more you know of the native language, the greater your experience of the country will be.
  • Carry a business card in your wallet or purse from your local hotel, to assist you with the return journey if you do become lost.
  • Always ensure that you are covered by travel insurance. If you need advice on this feel free to contact Odyssey and we’ll be able to help.
  • Before departing, make sure you have a number of pesos in a range of denominations. You don’t want to be carrying around enormous amounts of cash, but take enough to make it easy to pay in locations that might not accept credit card. It will also help you avoid card transaction fees, and it makes tipping a breeze.
  • When travelling independently, make sure you check the opening hours of shops and museums so that you don’t miss out! Also be certain to check whether your trip coincides with any public holidays, so you can plan accordingly.
  • Before departing on your trip, contact your bank to inform them that you may be making purchases overseas. Otherwise, they may flag any activity on your account as suspicious. Also, check which ATMs and banks are compatible with your cards, to ensure you can withdraw cash with minimal fee

Join 22,383 like-minded travellers receiving our weekly newsletter.

Special offers and promotions
A$350 AUD first trip travel voucher
The latest tours and articles