Argentina Travel Information

Argentina Visas, Language, Airports, Safety, Weather, Money, Maps, Food, Water

Argentina travel information: Tips about visas, language, airports, safety, health, etc. are listed below.

Some of the most common questions travelers ask about Argentina. Is it safe to travel to Argentina? Can I drink the water? What money do they use?  For travel pictures, see Argentina home.

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Information on Argentina Travel

Do I need a Visa for Argentina? Maybe: See Links for specific country entry and tourist visa requirements. Double check with the Argentine Embassy, consulate or trade office in your country, or use the search box on the Do I need a visa page.

Reciprocity Tax : Like a visa, but not, this reciprocity tax is charged to visitors from America ($130 USD), Canada ($100 CAD), and Australia ($70 AUD). The amount for Americans, Canadians and Australians is based on what their respective governments charge Argentinians to enter their countries. You pay the fee when arriving at Buenos Aires Ezeiza International Airport, and it covers multiple entries for ten years. Check before travel to see if you have to pay in cash, and what currency, or if you can use a credit card.

What do hotels cost in Argentina? Check hotel rates at hotels in Argentina and check Argentina travel specials or see recommendations on city pages this site.

Argentina Weather and Climate Best time to travel is usually the shoulder seasons in spring and fall (opposite months to northern hemisphere) for fewer crowds and better prices. If you want to ski the Andes, plan to travel in June, July, August. The antipodean summer months of November, December, January, February can be very hot, especially in the north. Layer, layer, layer. (See Travel Packing clothes and other travel packing tips).

What to Pack for Argentina See my Travel Tips for recommendations on general packing tips and what to wear. If you''re traveling to Buenos Aires and Iguazu on the same trip, like I did, you'll need to pack different clothes than if you are going to be spending all your time down south in temperate, chilly at times Ushuaia, Tierra Del Fuego. If you are travelling in hot weather, and to the northern beaches areas, you can use my Holidays to Dominican packing list for hot climates.

I traveled from Ushuaia (at the southern tip of South America) to tropical Iguazu Falls, on the border with Brazil. It took some good travel plannng, but I still managed with one small suitcase and had everything I needed for both types of climate. NOTE If you are spending most of your time down south, or heading for an Antarctic tour, the tour group company will advise you on specific travel clothing.

Argentina Airports I came to Buenos Aires via Ushuaia in the far south, so I arrived at the domestic airport, Aeroparque Jorge Newbery (AEP). International arrivals come to Ministro Pistarini International Airport, known as Ezeiza (EZE), for the district in which it's located, about 40 minutes driving time from downtown (see Airport Information), though it only took my driver 20 minutes to get to my hotel.

At each of my stops, since time was short and my Spanish sporadic, I arranged to be met to transfer to the hotels. (Reggie at LATA Canada arranged every detail for me. I simply told her where I wanted to go, when, and for how long, and she made it happen. She says she can do the same for anyone, anywhere traveling to South America.)

What Money (Currency) do they use in Argentina? Argentine Peso (ARS) $1 ARS = $.30USD OR $1USD=$3 ARS (See travel currency tips for how to carry travel money safely, wallets etc)

What side of the road do they drive on? In Argentina, they drive on the right.

Argentina Travel Maps and Guidebooks Airports and hotels have usually will have tourism maps in brochures, and they might be all you need. Or get a travel guidebook, now -- like the Lonely Planet Argentina, Insight Guide, or Frommer's Argentina and Chile. There's also a new Fodor's Argentina.

What is the food like in Argentina? Similar to foods in North America and Europe, but with Argentina's own special touches. I wish I'd had my copy of Food and Drink in Argentina before I traveled. It's a small book that's geared to tourists and residents, and fits into a purse or pocket. I've posted specific food information and pictures on the Argentina cities pages. See also my Blog post about chimichuri.

What Language do they speak in Argentina? The official language of Argentina is Spanish, but with their own Argentine style. For example, consider the word 'llama': in English, it's pronounced 'lamma'; in Santiago, Chile, it's pronounced 'yamma'; in Patagonia, South Chile, it's pronounced 'jamma'; here in Argentina, they say 'shamma'.

Get a copy of the Spanish (Latin American) Phrasebook! English is commonly spoken (especially in larger centers), as well as German and Italian, but I heard little French (Many South American tourism people expressed a desire to learn French, but said they found French pronunciation, especially the 'G' sounds, very difficult)

Is it safe to travel to Argentina? Generally, yes, taking normal precautions as you would at home. See my Disclaimer page for links to UK, USA, Canada, Australia government travel advisories pages, and check for any current issues.

Travel Health and Vaccinations for Argentina Consult a travel health clinic once you know where you'll be going. Argentina is a long country, north to south, and what is a risk in tropical areas like Iquazu Falls is likely non-existant in Ushuaia and Tierra Del Fuego. Generally, the tap water is potable (safe to drink) though once, in Iguazu, recent floods temporarily mandated bottled drinking water. Check current World Health Organization Argentina and make sure your regular vaccinations (see tips here) are up to date.

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Argentina Iguazu Falls ~ Click on a Picture and Go!

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