3 Weeks in Argentina: Two Detailed Itinerary Recommendations

If you’ve got 3 weeks in Argentina, you can see a lot of the country without feeling like you’re rushing it. Here are two itinerary ideas that are great for first-time – or return – visitors.

“How should I spend three weeks in Argentina?” is one of the questions I often get asked by readers or people who message me on social media, and it never has one neat answer.

This is a big, varied country, and the right three weeks looks completely different depending on whether you want to stand on top of a glacier, taste your way through vineyards with the Andes as a backdrop or drive through deserts painted seven colours.

I lived in Buenos Aires for two years, and I’ve spent the years since building and refining itineraries for this website, for friends and for my own return trips. Rather than hand you every possible combination of regions, I’ve landed on two complete routes that I keep coming back to – the two I’d actually recommend, depending on the kind of trip you’re after.

One is an exploration of the southern part of the country – think lakes and mountains, wine and glaciers. The other itinerary is a self-drive adventure through the north of the country, with wineries (of course!), dramatic desert landscapes and scenery I don’t think most people associate with Argentina.

I’ve polished them up so they’re both exactly 21 days. Both run on direct flights for every leg, with as little backtracking through Buenos Aires halfway through your trip as possible (unless you visit out of season).

I won’t pretend either option lets you do it all – this guide won’t tell you how to fit Patagonia, the north and Iguazú into one three-week trip, because doing that properly needs a fourth week. Instead, here are two ways to see this massive, diverse and incredible country – both of which I’d happily do time and time again.

Panoramic view of Nahuel Huapi Lake near San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina, showing forested islands, calm blue water, distant mountains, and a clear sky. Bariloche is one of the many places you can visit if you have 3 weeks in Argentina.

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Is 3 weeks in Argentina enough time?

Short answer: yes, if you pick one of these two routes rather than trying to do everything.

Argentina is the eighth largest country in the world, and no amount of time will let you see all of it properly. But three weeks is a great amount of time to see more than just the main highlights. The biggest decision now is deciding whether to go to the south or north of the country.

At a glance: The 3-week Argentina itineraries

Here’s a summary of each of the two 3-week itineraries.

Option A – Patagonia and Mendoza wine country

Days 1-3: Buenos Aires
Day 4: Fly to El Calafate
Day 5: Perito Moreno Glacier
Day 6: Transfer to El Chaltén
Days 7-9: El Chaltén hiking
Day 10: Transfer/fly to Bariloche
Days 11-14: Bariloche
Day 15: Fly to Mendoza
Days 16-19: Mendoza
Day 20: Fly to Buenos Aires
Day 21: Depart

Option B – Northern Argentina and Iguazú Falls

Days 1-3: Buenos Aires
Day 4: Fly to Mendoza
Days 5-8: Mendoza
Day 9: Fly to Salta, Day 10 Salta
Days 11-12: Purmamarca/Tilcara/Humahuaca
Day 13: Drive to Cachi
Day 14: Drive to Cafayate
Days 15-16: Cafayate
Day 17: Return to Salta/fly to Iguazú
Days 18-19: Iguazú Falls
Day 20: Fly to Buenos Aires
Day 21: Depart

How to choose between these two itineraries

Both routes below are exactly three weeks, both use direct flights throughout and both are complete trips rather than a compromise. The decision between them comes down to what kind of three weeks in Argentina you want, more than which is objectively better.

Choose Option A (Patagonia & wine) if:

This is your first trip to Argentina
Glaciers, hiking and lakes appeal to you more than desert landscapes and colonial towns
You’d rather move between fewer bases at a steadier pace than tackle a multi-town road trip

Choose Option B (the North & Iguazú Falls) if:

You’re comfortable self-driving in a foreign country, or you’re happy to swap in guided tours for the north’s driving days (both are covered below)
Dramatic desert scenery, colonial architecture and one of the world’s great waterfalls matter more to you than glacier trekking and hiking
You’re interested in doing something that’s a bit more “off-the-beaten-track”

Option A: Patagonia & Mendoza wine country

Best for: First-time visitors who want glaciers, hiking, lakes and wine country without needing to get behind the wheel on unfamiliar roads (although you certainly can self-drive a lot of this 3 weeks in Argentina itinerary if you wish).

Best time to go: October to March, although the months of October, November or March are my top picks. The summer months (December to February) are the busiest with both foreign and domestic tourists. March means Mendoza’s grape harvest season, and these months are the nicest weather – although it’s always hit and miss with Patagonia!

Days 1-3: Buenos Aires

A pink historic building with arches and ornate details stands behind a fence. The Argentine flag flies above the structure under a partly cloudy sky. The Casa Rosada is a must-see when planning things to do in Buenos Aires.

Every version of this trip should start with a proper few days in the capital – it’s Argentina’s main international gateway and arguably one of the world’s best cities and well deserving of your time. It’s very easy to fill three days in Buenos Aires:

Day 1: Start in the Centro Histórico to explore the city’s history and main centre. I’d recommend a free walking tour here so you can get context about buildings like Plaza de Mayo, Casa Rosada, the Catedral Metropolitana and the Cabildo. Afterwards, wander into bohemian San Telmo for lunch and an afternoon browsing antique stores and street art. In the evening, book a food experience like The Argentine Experience or a home-style asado with Betty and Marcelo.
Day 2: Tour Teatro Colón in the morning (make sure you book well in advance for the English guided tour), then walk through elegant Recoleta. Spend some time inside the famous Recoleta Cemetery to see where some of Buenos Aires’ most famous and influential people have their final resting place. Finish with a tango show – Bar Sur is my favourite for its intimate setting, but the Secret Tango Society is also an excellent option.
Day 3: Spend the morning in colourful La Boca. I recommend taking a free walking tour here so you can learn about more than just the painted buildings of the Caminito – there’s a lot of history in this neighbourhood. Head to Palermo for a late lunch, some shopping or a street art tour, and then a final dinner of steak.

For the full breakdown, see my 3 days in Buenos Aires itinerary.

Where to stay

My recommended neighbourhoods for visitors are Palermo and Recoleta. Palermo has great restaurants, bars, shopping and a neighbourhood feel, while Recoleta has stunning architecture and is close to the city’s main attractions.

Palermo: Home Hotel or BE Jardín Escondido by Coppola
Recoleta: Hotel Club Frances (mid-range) or Alvear Palace Hotel (splurge)

Full picks in my where to stay in Buenos Aires guide.

Day 4: Fly to El Calafate

After a few days in Buenos Aires, it’s time to head south for Patagonia. El Calafate sits on the shore of Lago Argentino, Argentina’s largest lake, and it’s the gateway to Los Glaciares National Park – a landscape of ice fields, granite peaks and turquoise water that looks like nowhere else in the country. Fly direct from Buenos Aires (around three hours).

Use the rest of the day to get your bearings: wander the shore of Lago Argentino, spot the pink flamingos, or visit the Glaciarium and its ice bar.

Where to stay

Hostería La Estepa has sweeping views over Lago Argentino and is where I stayed | Check rates and availability on Booking.com
America del Sur Hostel is a great budget option near downtown | Check rates and availability on Booking.com

Day 5: Perito Moreno Glacier

A vast glacier front with deep blue ice extending into a lake, flanked by forested hills and mountains under a partly cloudy sky, with tourists on a viewing platform to the left. This is Perito Moreno Glacier in Argentina.

One of the best things to do in Argentina is visiting Perito Moreno Glacier. Perito Moreno is a staggering sight: a river of ice 250 square kilometres in size and 30 kilometres long, with walls of blue-white ice rising up to 70 metres above the water. The sounds of the glacier are extraordinary – deep cracks and booms as huge chunks calve off and crash into Lago Argentino.

If your budget allows, book the Big Ice trek or the gentler Minitrekking tour. Both include a boat ride across to the glacier and several hours actually walking on the ice itself in crampons, weaving between crevasses and pools of impossibly blue meltwater. Book well ahead in peak season as both sell out.

You can also see the glacier independently. Spend a couple of hours on the park’s boardwalks with front-row views of the ice face or you can book a boat tour that gets you close enough to feel the spray without setting foot on the ice.

→ READ NEXT: How to trek on Perito Moreno Glacier

Day 6: Transfer to El Chaltén

Take the bus from El Calafate to El Chaltén (around three hours – book ahead in high season). With some afternoon left, ease in with an easy walk to Chorrillo del Salto, a flat, 4-kilometre round trip to a 20-metre waterfall on the edge of town.

Where to stay

Destino Sur Hotel de Montaña & Spa is close to the trailheads with a sauna for after a big hiking day | Check rates and availability on Booking.com and Expedia
Patagonia Eco Domes is a memorable, fully off-grid option | Check rates and availability on Booking.com and Expedia
Condor de los Andes is a solid budget base | Check rates and availability on Booking.com

Days 7-9: Hiking in El Chaltén

A majestic mountain range with sharp peaks, partially covered in snow, towering over a valley with orange and green foliage under a cloudy sky. This is Mount Fitz Roy in El Chalten, Argentina.

El Chaltén is the trekking capital of Patagonia, and arguably of South America. This tiny town exists almost entirely because of the mountain looming over it: Mount Fitz Roy, one of the most striking granite peaks on earth, with Cerro Torre’s needle-like spire not far behind.

It’s the kind of place people build entire Patagonia trips around. I recommend at least three days here, since the weather is unpredictable and a spare day gives you a much better chance of an actual clear view of Fitz Roy rather than cloud. Spend your three days hiking:

Laguna de los Tres (25km, 8-9 hours round trip, moderate-difficult): The classic, unmissable hike. Start early, and do this on whichever day has the best forecast.
Laguna Torre (18km, 7-8 hours round trip, moderate): Views of Cerro Torre and the Torre Valley, with a chance of icebergs floating in the lake.
Your third day: A weather buffer – shift a hike here if a storm rolls in, or use it for the easier Laguna Capri trail (8km, 4-5 hours) if the weather’s held.

→ READ NEXT: The best El Chaltén hiking trails

Day 10: Transfer and fly to Bariloche

You’ll need to take a bus back to El Calafate (three hours) then fly direct to Bariloche.

Days 11-14: Bariloche

Bariloche swaps Patagonia’s glaciers for its lakes – northern Patagonia’s Lake District, where turquoise water, dense forest and snow-capped peaks sit around a town with an oddly Alpine, chocolate-box feel (the Swiss and German influence on the architecture is real, and so is the chocolate).

I’d spend the four days here like this:

Day 11: Explore the city. Wander the Centro Cívico, visit the Museo de la Patagonia, and work your way down Calle Mitre for chocolate – Mamuschka and Rapa Nui are two of the best-known names. Slurping down a submarino (hot chocolate made by melting a whole chocolate bar into warm milk) is a must. For dinner, La Fonda del Tío is a local favourite for a proper milanesa or Familia Weiss is famous for regional Patagonian dishes like venison and trout.
Days 12-13: Drive the Ruta de los Siete Lagos. This 110-kilometre drive between Villa La Angostura and San Martín de los Andes passes a string of impossibly turquoise lakes and is one of the best road trips in the country. Rather than the rushed 10-hour round-trip day version, take two days: drive south stopping at lakes along the way, overnight in San Martín de los Andes, then take the return drive slowly the next day, picking up the viewpoints you missed. If you’d rather not drive at all, several full-day guided bus tours run the route from Bariloche with no self-driving required.
Day 14: Hit Circuito Chico, a shorter, 25-kilometre loop road right outside town, and an easy way to see a lot of Bariloche’s scenery without much driving at all. The highlight is Cerro Campanario – either a steep 30-40 minute hike or a short chairlift ride up to a viewpoint that’s been ranked among the best in the world by National Geographic, with a café at the top. The loop also passes the iconic Llao Llao Hotel, the San Eduardo Chapel and Puerto Pañuelo, where boats depart for Isla Victoria and the Arrayanes forest if you’d rather swap the drive for a lake crossing instead.

→ READ NEXT: How to visit the Ruta de los Siete Lagos

Where to stay

In Bariloche: Design Suites Bariloche for spacious lake-and-mountain views, Llao Llao Hotel & Resort for an iconic Patagonian splurge or Huinid Hotel Pioneros for a more affordable and comfortable option.
In San Martín de los Andes: Hotel Antiguos (mid-range) or Antares Patagonia Suites & Eventos (modern, with a pool and spa).

Day 15: Fly to Mendoza

Fly direct from Bariloche to Mendoza. This route runs only a couple of times a week, so check it against your dates early when you’re building your itinerary.

Where to stay

Mendoza City is easiest without a car (Park Hyatt Mendoza for luxury, Huentala Hotel for a great pool and location)
Chacras de Coria, in the heart of Luján de Cuyo, is my preferred base (Lodwine Lodges or Finca Adalgisa Wine Hotel).

Full picks in my where to stay in Mendoza guide.

Days 16-19: Mendoza

Hand holding an empty branded wine glass in front of vineyard rows and mountain views under blue skies. A classic wine tasting in Mendoza experience.

Straight pathway leading through rows of vineyards toward a winery building with mountains and clouds in the distance. There are so many amazing spots for wine tasting in Mendoza.

Mendoza is one of those places that makes you fall hard for Argentina. Yes, it’s wine country – Malbec country, specifically – but it’s also big skies, dusty roads lined with vines and the Andes sitting dramatically on the horizon in a way that makes even a simple lunch feel cinematic. With four full days for a Mendoza wine itinerary, you can explore all three of the region’s wine areas as well as get out into the Andes:

Day 16, Luján de Cuyo: Big names like Catena Zapata and Bodega Vistalba. A guided tour or private driver takes the logistics out of it or hire an e-bike if you’d rather do it yourself (my recommendation – it’s a fun way to spend the day!).
Day 17, Maipú: Mendoza’s most accessible wine area, with wineries like Santa Julia and Trapiche and a side of olive oil tasting.
Day 18, Valle de Uco: Further out (about an hour from the city) but worth it for the biggest Andes views and the most architecturally striking wineries – Zuccardi’s Piedra Infinita and Bodega Salentein are both worth building a lunch around. You can take a group tour here or arrange a private tour.
Day 19, Andes day trip: Swap vineyards for mountains with a drive out towards Uspallata, Puente del Inca and the Aconcagua viewpoint – the tallest mountain in the Americas. You can either rent a car and drive the route yourself or join a group tour. Not into a road trip? Termas Cacheuta’s thermal springs are a good alternative.

For winery specifics and a full breakdown of how to spend your time in Mendoza, see my guide to 3 days in Mendoza itinerary and the best wineries in Mendoza.

Day 20: Fly to Buenos Aires

Fly direct back to Buenos Aires. With an evening back in the city, use it to revisit whichever neighbourhood you loved most from your first three days, or catch up on anything you didn’t have time for the first time round – that steakhouse you didn’t make it to, one more wander through San Telmo’s antique stalls or a tango show if you skipped it earlier in the trip.

Tip: If your onward trip continues elsewhere in South America rather than heading home, check Mendoza’s own international connections before booking this flight. There are direct flights from Mendoza to Santiago, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Lima and Panama City, which could save you the trip back through Buenos Aires altogether. It could save a lot of time! Use Flight Connections to check the options.

Day 21: Depart

Head home or onward to your next destination. And start planning your return trip to Argentina!

3 Weeks in Argentina, Option B: The North & Iguazú Falls

Best for: Travellers who are comfortable self-driving abroad (or happy to swap in guided tours), and who want dramatic desert landscapes, colonial towns and one of the world’s great waterfalls in their three weeks.

Best time to go: April through November, and ideally September to November specifically. The north’s unsealed roads – including the Purmamarca-to-Cachi-to-Cafayate stretch this itinerary relies on – are best avoided during the December-February wet season, when they can wash out. Within the dry season, I’d lean towards the shoulder months rather than the depths of winter (June-August): days are still warm enough for Mendoza and comfortable in the north, without the sometimes-freezing overnight temperatures Cachi and Purmamarca can get at altitude in winter. Iguazú Falls works year-round, though it’s a little easier to enjoy outside the hottest, most humid summer months (December-February).