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Seeking advice for trip to Argentina (June/July 2023)

Hi, Fellow Travelers -

I'm resubmitting this post, which seems to have disappeared from the RS website. Thanks to those of you who offered some advice already.

My question is: We are going to Argentina in June/July 2023 to attend an event. (Yes, winter, I know!) We are going to spend about 4-5 days in Buenos Aires (with possibility for side trips). Then I want to go see Iguazu Falls. Questions are:

  • How many days do we want in BA?

  • How many days do we want at the falls? I really want to see wildlife, not just walk the touristy trails, and I've read this is possible. But I still don't know what this means for how long we stay. 2 days total? 3 days? Any suggestions? Has anyone gone on a little wildlife viewing tour in the area who can give some suggestions?

  • For side trip to Uruguay, where's the best place to go visit? Day trip or overnight?

  • Anything else we should see on a trip to Buenos Aires at that time of year? Other side trips near BA? (El Tigre? Other?)

Thanks!

Posted by
1601 posts

For Uruguay, the easiest places to hit are probably Montevideo and Colonia - it has been over 20 years since I was there but I remember it being fairly easy to take the ferry from BA and then move around.

For Iguazu falls, I would assume that you will need 3 days and 2 nights assuming that 1 day is spent visiting the Argentine side of the falls and another day visiting the Brazilian side of the falls. See the responses I got in the Antarctica thread from someone who visited the falls just recently.

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/our-south-america-antarctica-adventure

In October, I went on trip that included Buenos Aires and Iguazu Falls-couple of things: for BA be sure not to miss: the bookstore El Ateneo Grand Splendid, it is amazing and beats Portland's famous Powells bookstore! Also, even though touristy, do go to the the Cemeenterio de la Recoleta, seeing Evita's grave was neat but it was the other that really highlighted it (it was rivaled Pere Lachaise). As for Iguazu Falls: be sure to go to the Jardin de los Picaflores-the hummingbird garden. It was an amazing experience and so worth it. Our tour and hotel stay for Iguazu Falls was set up by Exoticc-so I can't tell you much except that I enjoyed the Brazil side better, but the Argentina side offered more hiking and more wildlife viewing: we saw monkeys and coatis.

Posted by
7146 posts

As I posted previously, we spent 6 full days in BA and never made it over to La Colonia. The link has a few photos from Recoleta cemetery and El Gran Ateneo book store, along with the other places we visited.

Posted by
2 posts

I was in BA in February. I would say 3-4 days is enough. We did a day trip to Colonia on Colonia Express. Colonia was a quaint place but we thought 3-4 hours there was just right. That was summer so I don't know what winter would be like. If I had it to do over again, I would choose Montevideo and stay overnight.