Basics

This trip is a wonderful mix of the best of Buenos Aires and mild adventures in Glacier National Park, Patagonia and Iguazu Falls. Your guides, naturalists, estancias, activities will really be key to a memorable trip. I would recommend that you book up to a year in advance.

December through January is an excellent time to visit Argentina. Buenos Aires bustles with events and concerts during these months, though it can be warm and humid. In Patagonia, temperatures are mild, making summer activities like hiking and kayaking possible, while the Lake District enjoys warm sunny days, fresh nights and low rainfall. Iguazu Falls can be quite hot in summer, and rainy all year round; the butterflies are most abundant October-April.

Argentina is three hours behind Greenwich Mean Time (-3GMT) and one hour ahead of Eastern Standard Time (+1EST). The country does not observe daylight savings; during that time, they are 2 hours ahead of EST.

A passport valid for 6 months is required to enter Argentina. U.S. citizens do not need a visa for visits of up to 90 days for tourism or business. However, as a result of a recent change in Argentine law, if you are a US, Australian or Canadian citizen, you will need to pay a reciprocity fee before you enter Argentina. This fee may vary depending on your nationality. U.S. citizen tourist and business travelers must pay $160 by credit card online at the Provincia Pagos website. Once paid, you must print out the receipt and present it to the Argentine immigration officer at the time of entry. The fee is valid for ten years from the date of payment and multiple entries. Until June 30, 2013, passengers on cruise lines entering the country are exempt from paying the fee. The fee applies only to bearers of tourist passports. Travelers bearing diplomatic or official passports are required to get visas prior to arrival in Argentina but are not charged the reciprocity fee, nor are travelers transiting and not entering Argentina.

Security

Buenos Aires is one of the world's safer cities, and smaller towns are even more safe; however, it's always wise to remain alert and keep valuables hidden.

Health

Altitude sickness, which results in headaches and shortness of breath, can be a problem when visiting the Andes. Symptoms can be relieved by walking slowly, eating lightly and drinking plenty of fluids. If you have heart trouble or high blood pressure, consult your doctor before traveling to high elevations.

No specific vaccinations are required for visiting Argentina. Children should have current inoculations against measles, mumps, rubella and polio.

Local Currency

Argentina's currency is the Argentine peso. Notes come in denominations of $100, $50, $20, $10, $5 and $2. Coins are in denominations of $1, and 50, 25, 10, 5 and 1 centavos. American dollars are accepted at many hotels, restaurants and stores in Buenos Aires, but ask ahead. Dollars are less widely accepted in smaller towns and rural areas.

Changing Money

For the most favorable rates, change money through banks. Though ATM transaction fees are higher than at home, their rates are excellent.

Credit Cards & Travelers Checks

Shopping or buying services by credit card lets you cancel payment or get reimbursed if there’s a problem. Visa is the most widely accepted credit card. American Express, Diners Club and MasterCard are also commonly accepted. Traveler’s checks are best used in cities. Most large stores in Buenos Aires will accept them, but smaller shops or towns are less amenable. Be sure to carry a valid ID for traveler’s check purchases or exchanges.

Tipping

Tips (propinas) range from 10-15% in bars and restaurants. Some restaurants charge a cubierto for table service (not including the waiter's tip).

General Guide:
Casual restaurants: 10%
Smart restaurants: 15%
Taxis: Round up to the nearest peso
Hotel Porters: $1 per bag
Doormen, Ushers: $1
Barbers/Hairdressers: 10%

Dialing Codes

The country code for Argentina is 54. To call Argentina from the US, dial 011 + 54 + city code + local number. When calling from one area code to another within Argentina, add a 0 before the area code, then 1 for Buenos Aires, 2 for the Southern region, and 3 for provinces in the North.

Information & Emergency Numbers

For information, dial 110. For information about international calls, dial 19 or 000. Use the general emergency number 107 if you need an ambulance. For police, dial 101.

Mobile Phones

Many cell phones work in Argentina (with expensive international roaming charges), but check with your specific carrier. Cellular phone rentals are available, ask at your hotel. Phone cards are available at kiosks and pharmacies.

Many cell phones work in Argentina (with expensive international roaming charges), but check with your specific carrier. Cellular phone rentals are available, ask at your hotel. Phone cards are available at kiosks and pharmacies.

Electrical current is 220v, 50cycles AC. Outlets usually take continental type plugs with 2 round prongs or three flat blades. Be sure to bring a converter and an adapter if you are bringing electrical appliances.

What to Wear

The dress code in Argentina is fairly formal, and locals take pride in their appearance. However, few restaurants require jacket and tie. Shorts are generally not worn outside of Buenos Aires.

Greetings

Argentinians greet each other with one kiss, usually on the right cheek, for hello as well as the goodbye. Even guys "kiss" each other. Women press their cheek with guys and girls and make a kiss sound ("muah"). When guys greet a male acquaintance it is more like a hug, with pats on the back – in business or with people they just met or an unknown elder, a handshake is the usual greeting. If one is greeting a friend or family there is always a warm hug involved.

Meals

In Argentina all social events happen around eating. There is always a good excuse to get together with friends and family and enjoy a great meal while sipping on a marvelous red wine. Sundays are the usual day for enjoying a great "asado" or pasta as a family. Argentinians have four meals a day – breakfast, lunch, tea time, and dinner – and the size of the meals increases throughout the day. Lunch is between 1 and 3pm, and dinner between 9 and 10:30 pm. On weekends these times can shift forward, so you may find yourself enjoying your steak at 11:30 or midnight on a Friday night.

"Sobremesa"

This is the term Argentinians use for the long amount of time they spend chatting, debating passionately after finishing lunch/dinner at the table, usually having coffee or the remains of a bottle of wine. This time can extend to two hours or even more. This is the reason that restaurants don’t have many seatings, as people stay forever, and being asked to leave would be rude – the waiter brings the bill only when requested. During the weekends it is common to start lunch at 2pm and go on for so long you end up "connecting" with tea time, and start eating again and never stop chatting through it all.

Cafés

All towns and cities have numerous cafés (coffee shops). Most people have their favorite in their neighborhood or near their jobs. Friends meet for a "cafecito" (espresso), and many work meetings happen over a coffee. You’ll find traditional cafes, some of them very old, where waiters are very experienced and have worked there probably their whole lives. For many Argentinians, sitting alone or with company for a coffee at some point during the day is sacred.

Mate

Mate is a local beverage, kind of like a green tea, that is traditional in Argentina and some neighboring countries such as Uruguay, Paraguay, and Chile. In the countryside and provinces, people drink mate all day long – in the cities it is more likely to be consumed at breakfast and teatime. It is served in a hollow container, filled with a rustic herb. A metal straw is pushed into the herbs and warm water is poured into the container, then the tea is sipped through the straw. There's a strict etiquette to mate – it is a social thing to do. Whenever you arrive into someone's home, you'll be offered mate as a sign of hospitality, welcome and sharing/comradeship. Mate lovers are very picky about the process of preparing and "cebar" (pouring the water into the container). When drinking it with other people, everything is shared; the same person always guides the round and pours the water (ceba). The mate goes from the "cebador" to one person, who drinks it all and gives it back to the cebador, who pours again and gives it to the next person (in order), always pivoting the mate so the straw points at the drinker. You only say “thank you" to the cebador as you're returning the mate to him on your last round, when you're ready to quit. Drinking mate is a casual thing and all of this happens as you're conversing.

Asado

Asado means barbecue; it is the both the way Argentinians grill the meat and the name of the event itself ("I’m having an asado for some friends tonight.”). Making asados is part of the tradition and has its own etiquette – the person doing the grilling is called the "asador.” Grilling is a long process, where you start the fire early and wait for it to become embers. Meat is only grilled over embers, not fire. Out in the countryside, everyone brings their own "facon," or knife, to use. Gauchos carry their knife tucked into their "faja" (sash). They hardly accompany the meat with any vegetable or sides, just a local salsa called “chimichurri.” After eating the asado, there is always a special clap for the asador.