Advice for a first time trip to Argentina
 

I'm looking at a possible week to week and a half trip to Argentina around September timeframe. This would be my first time in S. America.

I would like to see at a minimum, Iguazu Falls and Tierra del Fuego (possibly using Ushuaia as a base).

Iguazu: Is one day enough to soak up the atmosphere, or am I selling myself short? I would probably try to stay at the Sheraton in the park. That said, is $300/night for a falls view room worth the money (in your opinion)? If only staying one night, I can probably stomach that room rate, but if one day is not enough to realistically see the area sights, I might reconsider.

Ushuaia: Is this a good city to explore the Los Glacieres Park, or is another place better? Expedia shows what looks to be a pretty nice hotel in the town (Las Hayas). I guess the Tren del Fin del Mundo is the best way into the Park? I would be looking at 2-3 days here.

Transport between would obviously be by air. I'm guessing AEP is going to be my major airport for intra-Argentina flights?

September: What is the weather going to be like during this month? Is the south of Argentina going to be snowbound at this time, or is this a pretty good time of year to go?

Any other tips, tricks or advice would be appreciated.

1.5 weeks for what you seem to want to cover is a good timeframe. You wont have a lot of down time, but you will also not be super rushed.

Iguazu-- one night is the minimum, some folks say you need two... but its a coins toss and ultimately depends on what sort of depth you like to cover things with.

Patagonia-- Im not a huge fan of Usuhuaia.... IMHO the place to go is El Calafate. Perhaps you should consider visiting both destinations.

AEP will be your hub for domestic travel.... its the only hub in Argentina (aside from EZE), which is unfortunate but its how it is.

September weather is very nice... its Spring. You may still get snow & cold in the south, especially where youre going but it will not be very harsh.

Please make sure to check out the various sticky threads on this forum as they contain a good amount of information on Buenos Aires.

Thanks, Gaucho. Would a Brazilian VISA be a good idea when visiting Iguazu? A understand that there would be a $100 fee imposed on me due to my home countries idioti...I mean 'good' requirements of foreign visitors.

Obviously, if I don't need one it is better, but if it is worth it to have just in case...I don't plan on doing much of anything in Brazil that isn't associated with Iguazu.

Oh, and no problems crossing into Chile and back if I do go down to Tierra del Fuego and use Ushuaia?

In theory, if you are holding a US passport you require a Visa to enter Brazil. However, in practice, its been reported that if you enter Foz de Iguazu (Brazil) by land from Iguazu (Argentina), you will not be required to have a Visa. Most reports of Visa free entry into Brazil in this fashion are for cases where tourists book a car from the Argentine side, and spend a day over there and then return. It seems that the local economy in Fos de Iguazy doesnt want to miss out on the day tourism.

As for the Chile entry.... Im not sure if Chile is requiring Visa to US citizens, so Im sorry I dont have any details on this. However, border crossings are very normal and I dont know of any special hassles in doing this.

I would say two days and one night is enough to see Iguazu. I did the boat ride, two different walks and a tour on a bus through the jungle. It is a beautiful place and I highly recommend you lash out and stay at the Sheraton. The Sheraton is due for an upgrade but it is in a amazing position.

Weather should be good but be prepared to get very wet when you are around the falls.

Make sure you go to a steak restaurant in BA some of the best tasting meat in the world!

I just got back from Argentina a month ago. On my trip, we went to Buenos Aires, Iguazu, and Colonia, Uruguay. If you're looking to go to Iguazu and Ushuaia/El Calafate, then two days should be plenty up north. You really only need one full day to enjoy the Argentine side of the falls (we did most of the circuit trails and the boat ride through the falls). Getting to the Brazilian side, while certainly beautiful, might be a hassle for your trip. I got a visa and got it stamped, etc, even though I was there for a day, but the way I see it it's just a down payment for a future trip during the next 5 years to Rio. :-)

Don't forget to enjoy Buenos Aires. I really just enjoyed walking through all the various barrios and enjoying all the good (and cheap) restaurants throughout. The neatest thing we went to was a neighborhood milonga: it gave an interesting glimpse of the porteno culture.

Also, beware, not many people speak English!

Are you saying you received a 5-year visa when entering Brazil at the falls? That sounds pretty lucky.

Well, the trip looks like this:

Fly into BA, spend day in town

Fly up to Iguazu and come back the next day to BA

Fly to El Calafate for a day, then on to Ushuaia for 2

Fly back to BA

Fly to Santiago for 2 days of skiing - sightseeing

Back to BA, and back to the US.

It certainly leaves room for a future trip to Argentina. While I use BA for a transit point, I don't plan on spending too much time in the city proper. I don't enjoy big towns and the crowds for the most part. I'm more interested in breathtaking scenery.

I'm planning on renting a car in Iguazu, El Calafate and Ushuaia, but not in BA.