Argentina - Trip to Argentina via EZE - family with children

Hello FT Experts,
I am planning to take a trip to South America. For my trip I am planning to go to Buenos Aries. Also I am planning to visit Iguassu Water falls(IGR) in Argentina and also go to the southern part of Argentina to El Calafete (FTE).
Have any one done this trip ? I am planning this trip with my family. My kids are 6 and 7 Years old. They can do hiking as we have done couple of hikes so far.

Please give me some suggestions.

Thanks.

Ive done it, what do you need?

I wanted to fly in AA. If I try to book the ticket from AA it is not letting me book the ticket.
All i can do is from DFW to EZE on AA and back. I can book the IGR and FTE segments seperately in orbitz expedia on Airlineos Argentinas also i can only fly out of AEP in buenos aries.
Is there any other option on the flight ?

What do you suggest to visit in IGR and FTE ? I am planning for a 14 day trip . Will that be enough ?

This isn't the "what to see on my trip" forum. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/argentina-622/

you should see the falls from brazil.... view is much better....

aa & aerolineas argentia haven't had any ticketing agreement for a long time, so you have to book elsewhere....

go from us to the falls in brazil w/open jaw ticket back from eze....

cross over to arg & see the falls from that side....

then do the rest, or reverse the trip...

AA doesn't fly there, you can fly AA to EZE stay some days there. Then fly Aerolineas or LAN. Iguazu and Calafate are opposite sites, both very interesting. If you go to Calafate go to see the Glaciar Perito Moreno and different glacier excursions. You can have a Chivas with glacier rocks sitting right there in the ice. Check for Bariloche and Villa la Angostura.

Please tell me if i can help you with anything else.

This is about Argentina primarily, so it will move to the proper Forum.

AEP / Aeroparque serves most domestic and many short-haul flights; Ministro Pistarini International Airport at Ezeiza / EZE serves long-haul flights to / from Buenos Aires. AA does not fly to IGR / Iguazú (Iguaçu in Brazil) Falls or to El Calafate / FTE; Aerolineas Argentinas does, as does LAN (a member of oneworld, and you ocan earn AA miles).

Spelling the names properly will help you research these places properly on places like Wikitravel (http://wikitravel.org), which can be a useful site.

Iguazú on the Argentine side offers much more to do and longer walks - about two thirds of the falls are in Argentina. Iguaçu is also interesting, but if you are American be aware you will have to have a visa for Brazil ($130 per person, arranged in advance,) and you will have to have a visa on arrival at Argentina as well, due to reciprocity fees charged by the USA. One can hike the five main, paved trails, take the small train, walk in rainforest, walk on pathways over the falls, take small boats into and around the falls (to a small island), take motorized drives through the forest (so-so) and see monkeys and unusual birds. Perhaps the best way for families is to stay at the Sheraton Iguazú. within the park and offering easiest (and earlier) access - pay the park entranyce once, and no queues at the entrance - you can catually have views of the falls from this property and see the "fruit loops" sulfuratus Toucans, etc.

On the Brazilian side, there is less to see and do, though you can visit the small zoological park and take an expensive but beautiful helicopter ride over the falls., the Bosque das Aves (bird park) and Parque Guaraní (small zoo).

(and you will have to have a visa on arrival at Argentina as well, due to reciprocity fees charged by the USA).

You will not need a "visa on arrival." You will pay a reciprocity fee. It is only a fee. It is $160 per head.

Hello FT Experts,
I am planning to take a trip to South America. For my trip I am planning to go to Buenos Aries. Also I am planning to visit Iguassu Water falls(IGR) in Argentina and also go to the southern part of Argentina to El Calafete (FTE).
Have any one done this trip ? I am planning this trip with my family. My kids are 6 and 7 Years old. They can do hiking as we have done couple of hikes so far.

Please give me some suggestions.

Thanks.

What time of year were you thinking of coming?

Some good advice so far.....the falls are a must see with the kids and the views despite what some people say are good from both sides.
Have a look at the South American Airpass (http://www.lan.com/en_us/sitio_personas/southamericanairpass/index.html?otid=421896&s_cid=USEN_interno_2010may10_banner_3_SAA) and see if it meets your needs.

Thank you all so much for the tips and ideas. I am planning to come during the thankgiving week. It is about 15 days trip. I am hoping to visit the southern and northern parts of Argentina.
The weather is Argentina will be ok during that time .. that is what i heard. Are there any must sees in the southern part of the country?
Are there any trains from Buenos Aries to El Calafate or Ushuaia ? I wanted to see the narutal beauty as well.. Thought the train will be a good option.

Any suggestions ?

Also I am not planning on getting a Brazil visa ? Do i need a visa to vist the Iguazu falls ? Thanks for the tip on the argentina visas. As a US Citizen i dont need to get the visa early. It in on arrival visa.. Is my understanding correct?

Also I am not planning on getting a Brazil visa ? Do i need a visa to vist the Iguazu falls ? Thanks for the tip on the argentina visas. As a US Citizen i dont need to get the visa early. It in on arrival visa.. Is my understanding correct?

Once again, it is NOT a visa. It is simply a fee - we (USA) are charged $160 to enter Argentina, because this is what the USA charges Argentines to apply for a US Visa. It is not a visa. It is not a visa. It is an entry fee.

You need a Brazil visa to go to the other side of the falls. Family of 4? $640 for Brazil (plus the hassle of getting the visas) plus $640 for Argentina.

You do not need a visa as a tourist to visit Argentina. You need to pay a fee.

Thank you all so much for the tips and ideas. I am planning to come during the thankgiving week. It is about 15 days trip. I am hoping to visit the southern and northern parts of Argentina.
The weather is Argentina will be ok during that time .. that is what i heard. Are there any must sees in the southern part of the country?
Are there any trains from Buenos Aries to El Calafate or Ushuaia ? I wanted to see the narutal beauty as well.. Thought the train will be a good option.

Any suggestions ?

There are no train services from Buenos Aires down to Patagonia. There are numerous bus services but the distances are HUGE - from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia you would need to take a bus to Rio Gallegos (approx 38 hour journey) and then connect to another bus to take you to the final 220 miles or so to Ushuaia. Flying is really the only way to go.

Visiting Buenos Aires and the southern and northern parts of Argentina is a lot to pack in to a 15-day trip. You may be better off choosing north or south on this trip otherwise you will be spending a lot of time travelling within Argentina. All air travel goes via Buenos Aires so if you flew Bs As - El Calafate and then wanted to head up north to Mendoza for example you'd have to fly back to Buenos Aires and connect to another flight.

Once again, it is NOT a visa. It is simply a fee - we (USA) are charged $160 to enter Argentina, because this is what the USA charges Argentines to apply for a US Visa. It is not a visa. It is not a visa. It is an entry fee.

You need a Brazil visa to go to the other side of the falls. Family of 4? $640 for Brazil (plus the hassle of getting the visas) plus $640 for Argentina.

You do not need a visa as a tourist to visit Argentina. You need to pay a fee.

Oh calm down and stop nitpicking we've got the message. :D

You're right though any US citizen can get in to Argentina paying the fee whereas not every Argentine can get into the US.

OP.....britenbsas is right you have a lot to squeeze in but it is doable if you've got the cash to pay for flights.....the only sensible way to travel on such long distances. You can use coaches but most travel overnight so you won't see anything and they although very modern and comfortable they are slow.
The weather down south could still be cold so bring some winter clothing.

I can book the IGR and FTE segments seperately in orbitz expedia on Airlineos Argentinas also i can only fly out of AEP in buenos aries.
Is there any other option on the flight ?

What do you suggest to visit in IGR and FTE ? I am planning for a 14 day trip . Will that be enough ?

There may be but this was definitely the best way when I did it. AEP is not a bad airport IMHO.

The falls are great from both sides but the Brazillian side is best IMHO. If you go on the Brazillian side try and see the worlds largest (2nd largest now as the Chinese dam has opened) Hydroelectric dam between Brazil and Paraguay.

Since I see you are a Starwood Platinum, The Iguazu Sheraton is absolutley outstanding as is the one in downtown Buenos Aires. I have stopped in them both.

Once again, it is NOT a visa. It is simply a fee - we (USA) are charged $160 to enter Argentina, because this is what the USA charges Argentines to apply for a US Visa. It is not a visa. It is not a visa. It is an entry fee.

You need a Brazil visa to go to the other side of the falls. Family of 4? $640 for Brazil (plus the hassle of getting the visas) plus $640 for Argentina.

You do not need a visa as a tourist to visit Argentina. You need to pay a fee.

Is this not the same as a visa-on-arrival? They reserve the right to not let you in, after all, even if never / almost never enforced.

Is this not the same as a visa-on-arrival? They reserve the right to not let you in, after all, even if never / almost never enforced.

That has nothing to do with the fee. Any country has the right to refuse your entrance whether or not a visa is required, and can even refuse you entry if a visa is required and you have one.

Since I see you are a Starwood Platinum, The Iguazu Sheraton is absolutley outstanding as is the one in downtown Buenos Aires. I have stopped in them both.

Just to clarify, you are talking about the main Sheraton and not the Sheraton Libertador, correct?

Hello FT Experts,
I am planning to take a trip to South America. For my trip I am planning to go to Buenos Aries. Also I am planning to visit Iguassu Water falls(IGR) in Argentina and also go to the southern part of Argentina to El Calafete (FTE).
Have any one done this trip ? I am planning this trip with my family. My kids are 6 and 7 Years old. They can do hiking as we have done couple of hikes so far.

Please give me some suggestions.

Thanks.

It might be hard to see both north and south of Argentina as it is the eight largest country in the world in land area. It is pretty well spread out.

I definitely recommend Iguazu. Brazil side has better photos but that's because you aren't immersed in the falls like you are on the Argentine side. We only spent 2 nighs in Iguazu, 1 full day and 2 half days, to walk around the entire park with my brother. We saw everything but we walk rather fast.

You are bringing your kids so I would set about 3 full days in the park depending on how interested you are in being there. It is a massive park and has tons of amazing falls and critters to see during your stay.

With children you would also prefer to take planes to get around the different provinces. The Bed Bus that is popular in Argentina are a nice product but they eat up a lot of your time you could spend at your destinations.

I took them three times and they are comfortable as long as you avoid the bottom level and don't mind spending the extra hours traveling.

Calafate is a good choice as well, tons of trekking and outdoors stuff. A good change from crowded city life of Buenos Aires.

If you have BA Avios, or AMEX MR to transfer, I would consider this. You can get IGR-AEP for 15k miles instead of paying ~$330 per person.

Good Luck and enjoy your trip.

We did this trip after Christmas last year. We flew AA into EZE and spent a week in Buenos Aires. Then we flew to El Calafate for 3 days and back to Iguazu for the last 3 days. The flights within Argentina were long. To get from El Calafate to Iguazu, we had to fly back through BA. We flew home from Sao Paolo Brazil.

My family loved BA and El Calafate but not so much Iguazu. We had intended to see the falls from both sides but after the first day on the Argentine side, no one wanted to go back. It was super hot in January and super crowded. The main lookout points were so packed that it wasn't fun, just claustrophobic. We did, however, enjoy a nice day of swimming at our pool. ;)

El Calafate was absolutely amazing. I wish we had more time there. We did a boat trip and an ice trekking day. The town is charming, think ski resort area in the US.

Our week in BA was just enough. We walked alot, ate alot, saw the tango, visited just about every museum and had a New Years Eve to remember.

Deb

Thank you all so very much. Based on all your replies here is what i am planning to do..

Arrive in EZE and stay couple of days then go to IGR ( Argentina side) . I am not planning to go to Brazil side of the falls( Because of the visa issues). Stay 4 days and 3 nights in the Sheraton Iguazu falls . Also planning to do the hikes. Then book a flight from IGR to FTE and stay there 5 nights ( I still need to plan the trip, stays and tours) . Then come back to EZE and stay 3 days and get back to Dallas.

Any suggestions on stays in El Calafete and Tour trips ?

Thanks a bunch.

You might contact the Sheraton Iguazu Falls re: easy ways to visit the Brazilian side, like booking a car with driver over there. The view from the Brazilian side is super.

In BsAs, I recommend taking the free walking tours offered by these folks, one in the morning which takes in the government buildings, the other in the afternoon which visits the Recoleta area and some of the beautiful architecture. Buenos Aires Free Tour (http://www.bafreetour.com/english-home) These would probably work well with the kids, as you could just drop out of the walk if they get tired - total distance about 1.5 miles each walk. TripAdvisor (http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g312741-d1177689-Reviews-Buenos_Aires_Free_Tour-Buenos_Aires_Capital_Federal_District.html)

Just finishing up my 7 days in BA and IGR. Will put up a post my experiences over the next few days. Three nights and four days in Iguazu especially if you aren't crossing over to the Brazilian side may be a bit too much IMHO. Even with kids unless they are really young.

Any suggestions on stays in El Calafete and Tour trips ?


The tours are limited. For example, there is only one company that does the trekking tours. They are wonderful but there are age limitations.

www.hieloyaventura.com

There are a couple of companies that do boat trips, hikes, etc.

http://www.interpatagonia.com/elcalafate/paseos_i.html

We chose to stay in a 3br cottage so our family would all be together. You will find various options at tripadvisor.com. We stayed at Blanca Patagonia. The 3br cottage was lovely but not walking distance to town. Still, the price was right.

http://blancapatagonia.com/

Deb

Are you going to use any miles for your trip?, you can do (with 16 days)

DFW-SCL(AA)-MDZ(LA) for 20k/50K AA miles(J/Y), spend 2 night in MDZ and avoid the fee ;)

MDZ-IGR with AR($) (Aerolineas Argentinas), spend 3 nights

IGR-AEP-USH with AR ($) or LAN Argentina (6k AA miles), spend 2 nights

USH-FTE with AR ($) or LAN Argentina (6k AA miles), spend 3 nights (or 4)

FTE-REL with AR ($), spend 2 nights (whales/penguins)

REL-AEP with AR ($), spend 4 nights


or with 14 days

DFW-EZE-USH 2N AA/LA
USH-FTE 3N LA or AR
FTE-REL 2N AR
REL-IGR 3N AR
IGR-AEP 4N LA or AR
EZE-DFW AA

Are you going to use any miles for your trip?, you can do (with 16 days)

DFW-SCL(AA)-MDZ(LA) for 20k/50K AA miles(J/Y), spend 2 night in MDZ and avoid the fee ;)

MDZ-IGR with AR($) (Aerolineas Argentinas), spend 3 nights

IGR-AEP-USH with AR ($) or LAN Argentina (6k AA miles), spend 2 nights

USH-FTE with AR ($) or LAN Argentina (6k AA miles), spend 3 nights (or 4)

FTE-REL with AR ($), spend 2 nights (whales/penguins)

REL-AEP with AR ($), spend 4 nights


or with 14 days

DFW-EZE-USH 2N AA/LA
USH-FTE 3N LA or AR
FTE-REL 2N AR
REL-IGR 3N AR
IGR-AEP 4N LA or AR
EZE-DFW AA

Thank you for your suggestion.
No I am booking the ticket with AA / LAN . My total fare is coming around 6.6K.
Does it worth to book the flight using miles ? I wont be able to do 16 dat trip. I would need to pull my kids for a week to do this.
What is the REL Airport ? Any other things i should know ..

Just finishing up my 7 days in BA and IGR. Will put up a post my experiences over the next few days. Three nights and four days in Iguazu especially if you aren't crossing over to the Brazilian side may be a bit too much IMHO. Even with kids unless they are really young.

Even though i have 3 nights and 4 days I only have 2 full days there in IGR. So i thought it would be good to do the hike to the falls or do what ever can be done in the area.

I am also going to ask the hotel to see i can get any guided tour to the brazil side with out too much hassle.

Thanks.

If is 6.6k for the international flights only, using miles is a better deal because it will cost you 40k R/T (4 cpm) but AA is not releasing many AASaver for EZE (only few).

REL is Trelew, you take a Bus to Puerto Madryn and then decide for whales or penguins :D, November is a good month ^

but AA is not releasing many AASaver for EZE (only few).

You can say that again....never seen AASaver availability so bad.

However they do seem to release more seats closer to departure....7 seats available to MIA from here on both the 12/13th June. Tuesdays and Wednesdays seem to be the best days.

If is 6.6k for the international flights only, using miles is a better deal because it will cost you 40k R/T (4 cpm) but AA is not releasing many AASaver for EZE (only few).

REL is Trelew, you take a Bus to Puerto Madryn and then decide for whales or penguins :D, November is a good month ^

6.6K for the whole trip ( 2 adults and 2 kids)
DFW -EZE-AEP-IGR-AEP-FTE-AEP (EZE)-DFW

I thought it was a better deal.. anyway i have booked the ticket.

6.6K for the whole trip ( 2 adults and 2 kids)
DFW -EZE-AEP-IGR-AEP-FTE-AEP (EZE)-DFW

I thought it was a better deal.. anyway i have booked the ticket.

That's not too bad actually.

Now another question came up. I was originally planning on staying in FTE for 3 nights.
But now LAN cancelled the flight on the day i am traveling. So I need to move one day out or day in. Would it be enough to stay in 2 full days and one partial day in FTE ? Will that be enough ?

How many days i need in BA? I have 4 days in BA or Do I need one more day ?

Thanks.

Now another question came up. I was originally planning on staying in FTE for 3 nights.
But now LAN cancelled the flight on the day i am traveling. So I need to move one day out or day in. Would it be enough to stay in 2 full days and one partial day in FTE ? Will that be enough ?

How many days i need in BA? I have 4 days in BA or Do I need one more day ?

Thanks.

Four Days in BA should be OK unless you want to do everything in-depth... its good enough for a 1st Visit.

What are the things to do in El Calafate ?
Do I need to rent a car ? Or I can use taxis ? Anything in particular that i need to be aware of while in El Calafate?

Calafate: You can use taxis. You have to see the Glaciares. Glaciar perito moreno.

Thank you for your advise.