1 Week in Argentina: 7 Itinerary Options (From a Former Expat)

Is 1 week in Argentina enough time?

Short answer: yes, it can be, if you pick one region and stick to it.

One week is enough time to properly experience Buenos Aires plus one other region – a wine area, a stretch of Patagonia, the northern deserts or Iguazú Falls. What one week is not enough time for is combining multiple far-flung regions. Argentina’s domestic distances are deceptively large – Buenos Aires to El Calafate, for example, takes a similar flight time to London to Athens – so every extra region you add eats into your week in flight time alone.

If this is your first trip and you’re wondering how much of Argentina you can realistically fit into seven days, my answer is: about one region, done well. If you want to see more of the country, you’ll need two weeks or more – I’ve written separate guides for 2 weeks in Argentina and 3 weeks in Argentina.

Which 1-week Argentina itinerary is right for you?

All seven of the itineraries below start in Buenos Aires, since it’s the country’s main international gateway and very much worth a few days on its own (it’s one of the best cities in the world, in my opinion!). From there, here’s how I’d think about which region to pair it with:

• Want wine, food and mountain scenery? → Option 1: Mendoza
• Want lakes, forests and a slower pace? → Option 2: Bariloche
• Want dramatic desert landscapes and scenery? → Option 3: North Argentina (Salta, Purmamarca, Cafayate)
• Want whales, penguins and orcas? → Option 4: Peninsula Valdes
• Want serious hiking and a glacier trek? → Option 5: El Calafate and El Chaltén
• This is your first trip and you want one unmissable, iconic sight? → Option 6: Iguazú Falls
• Don’t want to deal with domestic flights, travelling with kids, or on a tighter budget? → Option 7: Buenos Aires + day trips

Out of these, options 3 and 5 are the most ambitious of the Argentina itinerary 1 week ideas – they involve the most moving parts in the least time. Options 1, 6 and 7 are the most relaxed. If this is your first trip to Argentina and you’d rather not feel rushed, start there.

→ READ NEXT: A first-timer’s guide to Buenos Aires

Option 1: Buenos Aires and Mendoza itinerary

Best for: First-time visitors who want a mix of city culture and world-class wine.

Best time to visit

Spring (September to November) and autumn (March to May) are your best bets for this combination. You’ll get mild weather in Buenos Aires and comfortable temperatures in the vineyards. If you can time it for March, you’ll catch Mendoza’s harvest season, with warm days, cooler nights and beautiful colour in the vines (there are also harvest festivals worth building a trip around). Avoid the depths of summer if you can – Mendoza regularly hits 40°C in January and February. If that’s your only availability, book a hotel with a pool.

The itinerary

Days 1-3: Buenos Aires

Spend your first three days getting a feel for the capital. 

• Day 1: Start in the Centro Histórico – Plaza de Mayo, Casa Rosada, the Catedral Metropolitana and the Cabildo – then wander down 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 to properly understand Argentine food culture.
• Day 2: Tour Teatro Colón in the morning, then walk through elegant Recoleta, including the famous Recoleta Cemetery. Finish the day with a tango show – Bar Sur is my favourite for its intimate setting.
• Day 3: Spend the morning in colourful La Boca (Caminito and a walking tour if you can), then head to Palermo for a late lunch and an afternoon of shopping or a street art tour. End your trip with a final steakhouse dinner – Don Julio if you don’t mind booking ahead or La Carnicería for something a little more contemporary (see my full guide to the best steakhouses in Buenos Aires).

For the full breakdown, including restaurant addresses and booking links, see my 3 days in Buenos Aires itinerary.

Days 4-6: Mendoza

Fly to Mendoza (Aerolíneas Argentinas runs multiple flights a day; it’s about a two-hour flight).

• Day 4: Arrive in the afternoon if you can and use what’s left of the day to get your bearings. Wander Plaza Independencia, browse Mercado Central, and settle in with dinner at Fuente y Fonda or the Mercado Central’s food stalls.
• Day 5: The next two days will involve tasting wines across Mendoza’s three wine regions. For your first day, choose either Luján de Cuyo or Maipú (pick one – don’t try to do both regions in the same day, the drive between them eats too much time). Choose two to four wineries and build in a long lunch. If you’d rather not think about logistics, a small-group tour or private driver takes the stress out of navigating tastings and bookings.
• Day 6: Take a day trip to the Uco Valley for the biggest Andes views and the most lavish winery experiences of the trip. It’s about an hour further out than Luján de Cuyo or Maipú, and I recommend taking a private tour or joining the hop-on hop-off Bus Vitivinícola.

For winery picks, how to get around each region, and where to eat, see my 3 days in Mendoza itinerary and 10 incredible wineries in Mendoza guide.

Day 7: Return to Buenos Aires and depart

Fly back to Buenos Aires in time for your onward or international flight. Give yourself enough buffer time to make your flight home and spend some time doing anything you didn’t get to do in Buenos Aires on your first few days here. My guide to the best things to do in Buenos Aires has plenty of ideas.

Top tip! If your next stop is elsewhere in South America, it’s worth checking Mendoza’s own international connections first – the airport has direct flights to Santiago, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Lima and Panama City, which could save you a trip back through Buenos Aires altogether. I use Flight Connections to see what options could be available.

A note if you have a bit more flexibility: If you can stretch this trip to eight or nine days, add a fourth day in Mendoza for the Andes day trip to Puente del Inca and the Aconcagua viewpoint – it’s one of the most memorable drives in the country and feels like a real shame to miss if you have any extra time at all. You can rent a car and drive it yourself or join a group tour.

Where to stay

Buenos Aires

I always recommend first-time visitors stay in Palermo or Recoleta. Palermo has tonnes of restaurants and bars and more of a residential feel, while Recoleta is more upscale and close to the main attractions.

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

Mendoza

You’ve got a few options for where to stay in Mendoza. You could stay in Mendoza City itself or go a little further out and stay in Chacras de Coria. Chacras de Coria is my preferred base, right in the heart of the Luján de Cuyo wine region. There’s also the Uco Valley, but it’s about an hour out of Mendoza City.

• Mendoza City: Park Hyatt Mendoza (luxury) or Huentala Hotel (great pool and location)
• Chacras de Coria: Lodwine Lodges (self-contained) or Finca Adalgisa Wine Hotel

For the full run-down of neighbourhoods and hotel picks, see my guides to where to stay in Buenos Aires and where to stay in Mendoza.

Option 2: Buenos Aires and Bariloche

Best for: Travellers who want to swap the buzz of the city for lakes, forests and mountain views in northern Patagonia – a great combination for Argentina in a week.

Best time to visit

Aim for spring through to early autumn (September to April) for this itinerary. The lake district is at its best with mild weather, open campsites and services, and (in summer) warm enough days to actually swim in one of the lakes. If you’re set on visiting in winter, Bariloche shifts into ski-town mode around Cerro Catedral so you’ll want to plan a different, ski-focused itinerary.

The itinerary

Days 1-3: Buenos Aires

Follow the Buenos Aires itinerary suggested in Option 1 above.

Days 4-6: Bariloche

Fly to Bariloche (Aerolíneas Argentinas runs daily flights from Buenos Aires).

• Day 4: Get your bearings in town. Wander the Centro Cívico (the centre of town) to see the Swiss-style chalets that are an architectural highlight and visit the Museo de la Patagonia, which has interesting exhibits about Patagonia’s natural history. Don’t leave without working your way down Calle Mitre for chocolate – Mamuschka and Rapa Nui are two of the best-known names – and a submarino (hot chocolate made by melting a whole chocolate bar into warm milk) is a must.
• Day 5: This is your big day: the Ruta de los Siete Lagos, one of the best road trips in Argentina. Doing it as a day trip from Bariloche takes around 10 hours round-trip, so start early. You can self-drive (no 4WD needed) or join a guided tour. For the full breakdown – including which lakes to stop at and tour options – see my complete guide to the Ruta de los Siete Lagos.
• Day 6: Take it slower today. Drive the Circuito Chico, a shorter scenic loop close to Bariloche with lake and mountain viewpoints, or head out to Parque Nacional Nahuel Huapi for a hike. If you’d rather see somewhere different, El Bolsón, a laid-back hippie town about 90 minutes south, is a lovely half-day or full-day trip.

Day 7: Return to Buenos Aires and depart

Fly back to Buenos Aires in time for your onward or international flight.

Where to stay

Bariloche is a popular tourist town so there are plenty of accommodation options for all budgets.

• Design Suites Bariloche – spacious rooms with lake and mountain views | Check rates and availability on Expedia and Booking.com
• Llao Llao Hotel & Resort – Patagonia’s iconic luxury splurge, about 30 minutes from central Bariloche | Check rates and availability on Expedia and Booking.com
• Huinid Hotel Pioneros – a good, more affordable option with a very good breakfast | Check rates and availability on Expedia and Booking.com

If you decide to overnight along the Ruta de los Siete Lagos instead of doing it as a day trip (worth considering if you can stretch this itinerary by a day), Villa La Angostura and San Martín de los Andes both make lovely alternative bases – see my Ruta de los Siete Lagos guide for hotel picks in both.

Option 3: Buenos Aires and North Argentina (Salta, Purmamarca)

Best for: Travellers who want dramatic desert and mountain scenery, colourful colonial towns and a real change of pace from the rest of Argentina. This is my personal favourite region in the whole country and one of my favourite 1 week in Argentina itinerary ideas.

This is one of the more ambitious itinerary options on this list. To fit the north properly into a week, you’ll need to trim Buenos Aires down to two days rather than three, and the pace once you’re in the north is faster than I’d normally recommend. If you can stretch this trip to eight or nine days, please do – I’ve got a full 9-day North Argentina road trip itinerary that lets you slow down and add the towns of Cachi and Iruya as well.

Best time to visit

April to November is the ideal window for visiting the north of Argentina. We drove this route in early September and had close to perfect conditions – not too hot, not too cold, with the occasional chilly morning. Avoid summer (December to February) if you can, since heavy rain can wash out roads and make some of the unsealed sections impassable (this can even occur into early April).

The itinerary

Days 1-2: Buenos Aires

Follow the Buenos Aires itinerary in Option 1 above and pick the two days that interest you most.

Days 3-7: North Argentina

Get a morning flight to Salta (Aerolíneas Argentinas, JetSmart and FlyBondi all fly this route) and pick up a rental car when you arrive. Self-driving is the best way to experience this region, and you won’t need a 4WD for this particular route. I use DiscoverCars to compare rental companies, pricing, cars and availability. 

• Day 3: Land in Salta, collect your car and drive straight to Purmamarca (around 3 hours). Settle in and take an easy evening walk around the base of the Cerro de los Siete Colores (Hill of Seven Colours) before the light fades. This is one of the most spectacular sights in the north.
• Days 4-5: Base yourself in Purmamarca and explore the surrounding towns. Visit Humahuaca and Tilcara (the Pucará ruins here are worth the stop), and take a day trip out to the Salinas Grandes salt flats – one of South America’s largest, and one of the most surreal things you’ll see in Argentina. You’ll need to hire a guide at the entrance.
• Day 6: Drive back to Salta in the afternoon, stopping in Humahuaca again for lunch if you didn’t fill up on empanadas the first time round.
• Day 7: Spend your final morning in Salta. The Museo de Arqueología de Alta Montaña (with its extraordinary, if slightly eerie, mummified Incan children) is one of the region’s must-sees, or take a walking tour of the city’s plazas and colourful churches. Fly back to Buenos Aires (or straight onward, if that suits your route better) in the afternoon or evening.

If you can spare one (or two!) more days: swap Day 6’s early return to Salta for a detour to Cafayate instead, Argentina’s second wine region and one of my favourite places in the country for a lazy afternoon of tastings. This region is home to the delicious Torróntes varietal. See my guide to the best wineries in Cafayate if you can make the extra day work.

Where to stay

• Salta: Design Suites Salta (where I stayed – modern, spacious, walking distance to the centre) or Legado Mítico for a boutique, estancia-style option
• Purmamarca: El Manantial del Silencio, built in traditional estancia style, with a good restaurant serving local fish and meat

Not keen on self-driving?

There are day tours from Salta that cover Purmamarca and Salinas Grandes if you’d rather not navigate yourself. You can base yourself in Salta for a few nights and travel out to different areas each day, or book a multi-day tour.

• This day trip from Salta will have you exploring gorgeous Purmamarca and Salinas Grandes.
• This 7-day tour hits the highlights of north Argentina with a side trip into the Atacama Desert in Chile.
• Driving up to Iruya can be a little hairy, so consider this 2-day trip from Salta which visits Iruya and Purmamarca.
• If you’re all about the wine, this day trip from Salta heads straight to Cafayate for all the vino.

Option 4: Buenos Aires and Península Valdés

Best for: Wildlife lovers. This UNESCO World Heritage-listed peninsula on the Patagonian Atlantic coast is one of the best places in Argentina to see whales, penguins, sea lions and more in their natural habitat.

Best time to visit

This one really depends on which wildlife you most want to see, since different species have different seasons:

• Southern right whales: roughly June to December, with August to October generally considered the best window
• Orcas: February to April
• Magellanic penguins (Punta Tombo): spring and summer, broadly September to April

The itinerary

Days 1-3: Buenos Aires

Follow the Buenos Aires itinerary suggested in Option 1 above.

Days 4-6: Peninsula Valdes

Fly to Puerto Madryn, the usual base for exploring the peninsula (Puerto Pirámides, right on the peninsula itself, is a good alternative if you’d rather be closer to the whale-watching action – see the where to stay section below).

• Day 4: Visit the Ecocentro to learn about the local marine ecosystem, then head to El Doradillo Beach in the late afternoon, one of the few places in the world where you can spot whales from the shore. Catch sunset at Punta Cuevas.
• Day 5: Spend the day on the peninsula itself. If you’re visiting in whale season, book a whale-watching boat tour from Puerto Madryn – it’s the highlight of this itinerary for most visitors. Combine it with a wider wildlife tour of the peninsula to see sea lions, elephant seals and, depending on the season, guanacos (like llamas) and even armadillos further inland.
• Day 6: Take a day trip south to Punta Tombo, home to the largest colony of Magellanic penguins in the world. Alternatively, if penguins aren’t in season during your visit, spend the day in Gaiman instead, a small Welsh settlement known for its traditional Welsh tea houses.

Day 7: Return to Buenos Aires and depart

Fly back to Buenos Aires in time for your onward or international flight.

Where to stay

• Puerto Madryn (easiest base, more accommodation and restaurant choices): Hostería Las Piedras
• Puerto Pirámides (smaller, right on the peninsula, closer to whale-watching departures): Océano Patagonia

Option 5: Buenos Aires, El Calafate and El Chaltén

Best for: Hikers and anyone with “trek on a glacier” on their bucket list.

Like Option 3, this is one of the more ambitious itineraries on this list. You’re covering two very different corners of Patagonia in five days once you subtract Buenos Aires, and the final day involves a fair bit of travel. If the weather doesn’t cooperate in El Chaltén (which happens – conditions here change fast), you’ll have less buffer than I’d normally like. If you can stretch this to eight days, add the extra day to El Chaltén to give yourself more of a chance of good hiking weather.

Best time to visit

Aim for somewhere between November and April, which is the window where both halves of this itinerary work well together. El Chaltén’s best hiking weather runs November to April (December to February are peak season, so book well ahead; March and April are calmer with still-good conditions). If you want to do the Big Ice glacier trek in El Calafate, note that it only runs mid-September to the end of April, so it lines up neatly with the same window. Shoulder months (November, or March/April) give you a good balance of decent weather and fewer crowds.

The itinerary

Days 1-2: Buenos Aires

Follow the Buenos Aires itinerary listed in Option 1, picking the two days that interest you most.

Day 3: Fly to El Calafate

Fly direct from Buenos Aires to El Calafate. Use the afternoon to get your bearings – see the pink flamingos on the shore of Lago Argentino, visit the Glaciarium to learn about the region’s glaciers and grab a drink at the ice bar there.

Day 4: Perito Moreno Glacier

This is the day you came for. You have two main ways to experience walking on the glacier:

• Big Ice tour: The full glacier trekking experience – two hours walking through forest, then three hours on the ice itself in crampons, plus a boat ride. It’s one of the most memorable things I’ve done in Argentina, but it’s physically demanding (and restricted to ages 18-50). Check prices and availability here.
• Minitrekking: A shorter, gentler version (about three hours total on the ice and in the forest), suitable for ages 8-65, and still includes the boat ride and boardwalks. Check prices and availability here.

Both are full-day tours and need to be booked well in advance, especially in peak season (mid-December to February).

If you’d rather skip the ice trek altogether (or it’s out of your budget), you can visit independently by bus, walk the boardwalks and add a 90-minute boat tour to get close to the glacier without the crampons. 

→ READ NEXT: How to visit Perito Moreno Glacier

Day 5: Travel to El Chaltén

Take the bus from El Calafate to El Chaltén (around three hours; book ahead in high season) or hire a car if you’d rather have your own wheels. Once you’ve settled in, use what’s left of the afternoon for an easy hike. Chorillo del Salto is a good choice, a flat, roughly 1.5-hour round trip through forest to a 20-metre waterfall, and a nice way to stretch your legs after the bus ride.

Day 6: Big hike day

Pick one of El Chaltén’s signature hikes, depending on your fitness and how the weather’s looking:

• Laguna Capri (8km, 4-5 hours): An easier full day out, with the classic view of Mount Fitz Roy framed above the lake
• Laguna Torre (18km, 7-8 hours): A full-day hike to views of Cerro Torre, with a chance of spotting icebergs floating in the lagoon
• Laguna de los Tres (25km, 8-9 hours): The toughest and most famous of the lot, ending at a steep, rocky final ascent to a lookout over Mount Fitz Roy; start early and don’t attempt the final stretch in high wind

Start early no matter which you choose – El Chaltén’s weather can turn quickly, and you’ll want daylight in hand.

→ READ NEXT: The best hikes in El Chaltén

Day 7: Return to El Calafate and depart

Take the bus back to El Calafate in time for your flight to Buenos Aires (or onward connection). This is a long travel day!

Where to stay

El Calafate:

• Hostería La Estepa – sweeping views over Lago Argentino, generous rooms, cosy reading area (where I stayed)
• América del Sur Hostel – good budget option near downtown, also with lovely views

El Chaltén:

• Destino Sur Hotel de Montaña & Spa – close to the trailheads, with a sauna that’s a genuine relief after a big hiking day
• Patagonia Eco Domes – solar-powered dome tents, if you want to feel properly off the grid
• Cóndor de los Andes – good-value option with dorms and private rooms, breakfast included

For more on both towns, see my Perito Moreno Glacier trekking guide and guide to the best El Chaltén hiking trails.

Option 6: Buenos Aires and Iguazú Falls

Best for: First-time visitors who want to see this truly iconic, unmissable natural wonder (Iguazú Falls) without an overly demanding pace. This is one of the more relaxed Argentina itinerary options on this list.

Best time to visit

Iguazú Falls can be visited year-round, but April to September tends to be the easiest to manage – cooler and drier (though still humid!). December to March is wet season, when the falls are at their most powerful and dramatic, but it’s also hot, the busiest time of year (January and February especially, with Argentine and Brazilian summer holidaymakers), and there’s a risk of trail closures during heavy rain. 

The itinerary

Days 1-3: Buenos Aires

Follow the full three-day Buenos Aires itinerary outlined in Option 1 above.

Days 4-6: Iguazú Falls

Fly direct from Buenos Aires to Puerto Iguazú (around a 3.5-hour flight).

• Day 4: Arrive and settle in. Puerto Iguazú is a small, relaxed town, so use the afternoon to wander around or, if your flight is early enough, head to the Argentina side of the falls for a quick visit.
• Day 5: Spend the full day on the Argentina side, which is far larger and more immersive than the Brazil side. Start at the Devil’s Throat (Garganta del Diablo) as early as you can to beat the crowds, then work through the Upper and Lower Circuits. Finish with the Gran Aventura boat ride if you don’t mind getting properly soaked – it’s one of the most memorable things you’ll do at the falls.
• Day 6: Cross the border to the Brazil side for the classic panoramic views you’ll recognise from photos. The Path of the Falls (Trilha das Cataratas) is the highlight, and if you have time afterwards, the Bird Park (Parque das Aves) is a lovely add-on. Remember you’ll need your passport for the border crossing, and depending on your nationality, you may need a Brazilian eVisa. Check requirements before you travel; Australians, Americans and Canadians currently need one.

Day 7: Return to Buenos Aires and depart

Fly back to Buenos Aires in time for your onward or international flight.

If you’re tight on time: It’s possible to do just the Argentina side alone in one day instead of two, which would let you shave a day off this itinerary or add it to Buenos Aires instead. I’d only skip the Brazil side if you genuinely can’t spare the extra day though – the two sides offer completely different perspectives and seeing both is worth the effort.

Where to stay

Puerto Iguazú:

• Gran Meliá Iguazú: Inside Iguazú National Park itself, with the falls’ mist visible from the balcony (where I stayed)
• Puerto Bemberg: A jungle boutique hotel surrounded by trails and wildlife
• O2 Hotel Iguazú: Good mid-range option in town, with a pool
• Iguazu Falls Hostel: Clean, colourful, and has its own pool, for budget travellers

For the full breakdown – including tips on how to spend a day on each side of the falls, entry fees and what to pack – see my complete guide to visiting Iguazú Falls.

Option 7: Buenos Aires and day trips

Best for: Families travelling with young kids, budget-conscious travellers or anyone who’d rather not deal with domestic flight schedules and instead base themselves in one place for the whole week.

This is the odd one out on this list, and deliberately so – instead of travelling elsewhere, you stay in Buenos Aires the entire week and use trains, buses and a ferry to get out into the surrounding countryside (and even across the border into Uruguay) for day trips. It’s the easiest itinerary here logistically, and often the cheapest, since you’re not paying for domestic flights or repacking your bags halfway through the week.

Best time to visit

Buenos Aires itself is best in spring or autumn (September to November, or March to May), which also happens to suit most of these day trips well. A few season-specific notes: Tigre is at its best in summer when the delta is lush (bring sun protection and bug spray), while La Plata, being largely museum and architecture-based, is a good choice if you happen to be visiting in winter. Colonia del Sacramento and the gaucho/estancia day trips work well year-round.

The itinerary

Days 1-3: Buenos Aires

Follow the full three-day Buenos Aires itinerary in Option 1 above.

Days 4-6: Day trips

Buenos Aires has plenty of good day trips, so pick whichever three suit you best from the five below. Here’s the mix I’d recommend for a first-timer:

• Day 4 – Tigre and the Paraná Delta: The easiest and most rewarding day trip from the city. Take the scenic Tren de la Costa from Retiro station, and spend the day on a boat ride through the delta’s waterways, browsing Puerto de Frutos market and having a long lunch by the water. You can easily do this trip independently or join a guided group tour.
• Day 5 – Gaucho day at an estancia: A relaxed day out on the pampas – a warm welcome with empanadas, an asado lunch, and usually some horseback riding or a folklore music and horsemanship show. A gaucho day tour is the easiest way to do this, since it takes care of transport and language for you. If you’d rather skip the staged show and do something a little more independent, San Antonio de Areco (a charming gaucho town famous for its silverwork) is a lovely alternative – see below.
• Day 6 – Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay: Add a new country to your trip! The ferry crossing from Buenos Aires takes about 1 hour 15 minutes (Buquebus and Colonia Express both run the route), and you’ll spend the day wandering Colonia’s UNESCO-listed cobblestoned old town, including the famous Calle de los Suspiros (Street of Sighs). Aim for a mid-morning departure and a late-afternoon return so you’re not rushing. Bring your passport.

Alternative day trips to swap in: San Antonio de Areco (gaucho culture without the staged estancia experience – great for a more independent day) and La Plata (an easy, off-the-beaten-path city day, especially good for families thanks to its excellent natural history museum) are both worth considering if you’d rather swap out one of the three above. You can read the details of all the day trips – including restaurant picks, ticket links and more detailed logistics – in my day trips from Buenos Aires guide.

Day 7: Free day and departure

Since you haven’t been living out of a suitcase all week, use this last day as a buffer. Revisit a neighbourhood you loved, pick up last-minute souvenirs or simply have a relaxed morning before your flight.

Where to stay

Since you’re based in Buenos Aires for the entire week, it’s worth picking your neighbourhood carefully – see the hotel recommendations in Option 1 above (Palermo or Recoleta are my recommendations for first-time visitors) or my full where to stay in Buenos Aires guide. If it were me, I’d find somewhere in Palermo, probably a place with a small kitchen so I could feel like a local.

What to know before you go

Whichever of these seven options you choose, here’s what you need to sort out before you land.

Visa and entry requirements

Most tourists – including citizens of the US, Canada, Australia, the UK and most EU countries – can enter Argentina without a visa for stays up to 90 days. Requirements do vary by nationality and can change, so check with your local Argentine embassy or consulate before you travel, and be aware that some nationalities need to pay a reciprocity fee.

One important, easy-to-miss requirement: the Argentine government requires foreign visitors to have travel insurance covering medical emergencies and hospitalisation. In practice, checks at the border are inconsistent, but it’s a legal requirement, not just good advice, so don’t treat it as optional.

Money and payments

Argentina’s currency situation has settled down in recent years. The official, blue market and MEP (foreign card) exchange rates are all sitting close together, which is a big change from the wild gaps of a few years ago. That said, here’s what I’d recommend bringing:

• A Visa or Mastercard (skip American Express – it’s rarely accepted) for hotels, bigger restaurants and shops
• A backup debit card, like a Wise card, for places that charge a surcharge on credit cards or don’t accept them at all
• US dollars in cash – clean, crisp US$100 notes get the best exchange rate – for smaller restaurants, markets and anywhere that’s cash-only
• An ATM card as a last resort only (I use my Wise card if I need to get cash); withdrawal limits are low and fees are high, so don’t rely on ATMs day to day

Cash is still king in Argentina, even though the exchange-rate chaos has calmed down. For the full picture on cuevas, the blue market and exactly how much cash to carry, see my complete guide to money in Argentina.

Safety

Argentina is a safe country to visit, and most trips here go off without a hitch. The biggest real risk is petty theft (pickpocketing, phone and bag snatching) in busy tourist areas of Buenos Aires, rather than anything more serious. The usual safety tips apply:

• Keep your phone out of sight when walking, and never leave it on a café table even if you’re sitting there and eating
• Keep bags on your lap, not hanging off a chair or slung on your back, especially in San Telmo, La Boca and Palermo
• Use licensed taxis or a rideshare app (Uber and Cabify are both widely used and inexpensive) rather than hailing cabs off the street, particularly at night
• Avoid flashing expensive cameras, jewellery or electronics unnecessarily

None of this is specific to Argentina – it’s the same common sense you’d use in any big city – and it shouldn’t overshadow what is, overall, a very safe and welcoming country to travel in. For the full breakdown see my safety in Argentina guide.

What to pack

Argentina’s size means your packing list depends a lot on which of these seven itineraries you choose, but a few essentials apply no matter what:

• Comfortable, already-worn-in walking shoes – you’ll do a lot of walking, especially in Buenos Aires, where footpaths can be uneven and slippery after rain
• A bag that fully zips shut, to make pickpocketing harder (this Pacsafe cross-body bag is a good one and actually looks nice)
• A reusable water bottle (tap water is safe to drink in Buenos Aires and most cities)
• A power bank, especially useful in Iguazú and Patagonia where you’ll be taking photos all day
• Layers – even in summer, Patagonia and the Andes can turn cold and windy fast
• Travel insurance details and a printed copy of your passport

If your itinerary includes Patagonia or El Chaltén, add proper hiking gear (hiking boots, moisture-wicking layers, a packable waterproof jacket). If you’re headed to Iguazú, pack light, breathable clothing and something to protect your phone from spray (like this waterproof phone case). 

For the full region-by-region breakdown, see my Argentina packing list.

Budget for one week in Argentina itinerary

Costs vary a lot depending on which of these seven itineraries you choose. Mendoza wine tastings and Patagonia glacier treks are going to cost considerably more than a week built around staying in Buenos Aires and taking day trips. To give you a sense of what things cost in Buenos Aires – so you can plan out a rough budget – here’s a quick list of what you can expect to pay:

• Accommodation: Hostel dorms from around US$15-$21/night; boutique hotels roughly US$250-$300/night; splurge hotels US$500+/night
• Food: A coffee costs around US$4-$6, an empanada around US$3, and dinner for two with wine at a good parrilla runs roughly US$75-$100
• Transport: A short rideshare trip across the city with Uber or Cabify costs around US$5-$8; the subte (metro) is just over US$1 a ride (check out my guide to public transport in Buenos Aires)
• Activities: A food tour or asado experience runs US$100-$230 per person, and a tango show ranges from around US$75 for a table seat to US$260-$330 with dinner

As a very rough guide, budget travellers might expect to spend somewhere around US$70-$100 per day in Buenos Aires, mid-range travellers US$150-$250 per day, and those going all-in on tango shows, fine dining and boutique hotels considerably more.

For a fuller breakdown of Buenos Aires-specific pricing, see my Buenos Aires travel budget guide.

Final thoughts: One week in Argentina

If there’s one thing I want you to take from this guide, it’s this: don’t try to see too much. Argentina rewards travellers who pick one region and actually spend time in it, over travellers who try to tick off the whole country in seven days and end up spending half that time in airports.

Whichever region and itinerary you choose, I hope this guide has helped you build a week in Argentina that feels complete but also makes you want to come back to see more! 

FAQs: One week in Argentina

Is one week enough time to see Argentina?

Not to see all of Argentina, no. It’s the eighth largest country in the world, and trying to cover too much ground in a week usually means spending more time in airports than actually enjoying the place. But one week is enough time to properly experience Buenos Aires plus one other region, whether that’s a wine area, a stretch of Patagonia, the northern deserts or Iguazú Falls. Pick one region and do it properly rather than trying to see a bit of everything.

Do I need to fly within Argentina or can I do a week without domestic flights?

You can absolutely do a week without domestic flights – see Option 7 above, which is built entirely around Buenos Aires and day trips using trains, buses and a ferry. Every other option on this list does involve at least one domestic flight, since Argentina’s regions are too far apart to reach by road within a week.

How far in advance should I book a one-week trip to Argentina?

It depends on your itinerary and when you’re travelling. If you’re visiting in peak season (December to February, or around Easter and other Argentine public holidays), book flights, key hotels and any in-demand tours – the Perito Moreno Big Ice trek, wineries in Mendoza’s Uco Valley, for example – several months ahead, as these do sell out. Outside peak season, a month or two ahead is usually enough for flights and hotels, though it’s still worth locking in specific winery tastings or glacier tours as soon as you know your dates, since some operate on limited availability regardless of season.

Do I need travel insurance to enter Argentina?

Yes. The Argentine government requires foreign visitors to have travel insurance covering medical emergencies and hospitalisation. Checks at the border are inconsistent, but it’s a legal requirement, not just sensible advice. And given how much ground some of these itineraries cover, from city streets to remote glaciers, it’s worth having regardless.

Should I bring cash or rely on cards in Argentina?

Bring both. Argentina’s currency situation has settled down considerably in recent years, but cash (specifically clean, crisp US dollars that you can change into pesos) is still useful for smaller restaurants, markets and anywhere that doesn’t accept cards. Bring a Visa or Mastercard for bigger purchases, a backup debit card or travel card like a Wise card for places that surcharge credit cards, and treat ATMs as a last resort only, since withdrawal limits are low and fees are high. 

Can I combine Argentina with Chile, Brazil or Uruguay in one week?

A little, yes, but only as a small add-on rather than a full second country. Two of the options above already build this in: Option 6 (Iguazú Falls) includes an easy day crossing into Brazil to see the falls from that side and Option 7 includes a day trip across the Río de la Plata to Colonia del Sacramento in Uruguay. Mendoza’s airport also has direct flights to Santiago, Chile, which is worth knowing if you’re continuing on rather than flying home via Buenos Aires. Anything more ambitious, like properly exploring Chilean Patagonia or Santiago or heading to Rio de Janeiro, would need more than a week.

What’s the best time of year for a one-week trip to Argentina?

This depends on which of the seven options you choose, since Argentina’s regions have quite different climates and seasons. As a general rule, spring (September to November) and autumn (March to May) work well across most of the country, including Buenos Aires, Mendoza and the north. Patagonia is best from around October/November through to April, while Iguazú Falls can genuinely be visited year-round. 

Which of these 1 week in Argentina itinerary ideas is your favourite? Drop any questions in the comments section below.

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Read next

Before you go, you might like these Argentina travel articles:

• How to Spend 2 Weeks in Argentina
• The Perfect 3 Weeks in Argentina Itinerary (COMING SOON)
• A Month in Argentina? Here’s a 4-Week Argentina Itinerary (COMING SOON)
• The Best Places to Visit in Argentina
• How to Plan a Trip to Argentina: Step-By-Step Guide

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