Argentina
Last updated: December 2023
Overview:
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Key Facts Cycling
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​​18 days in the country, from 24/02/2023 to 26/02/203 ; 11/03/2023 & 06/05/2023 to 22/05/2023
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308 km / 191 mi cycled
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Three cycling days
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Overnight stays:
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Wildcamping: 1
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Other free camping (villages, etc.): 1
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Paid campsites: 1
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Hosts: 0
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Paid accommodation: 16 (13 nights in Ushuaia)
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Other (bus, ferries, etc.): 0
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The Route: San Sebastián - Río Grande - Tolhuin - Ushuaia
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In February / March 2023 we had a bike free two-week-vacation in Buenos Aires & Uruguay with Louisa's parents (Return flight Santiago - Buenos Aires)
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Our Cycling Highlights: Tierra del Fuego (the only part in Argentina that we cycled)
Note: On this page you will mostly find general information about Argentina. If you want to learn more about cycling Patagonia & Tierra del Fuego click here.
Key Facts Country
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Official name: Argentine Republic
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Population (2023): 46,621,847
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Capital: Buenos Aires
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Official language: Spanish
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Currency: Argentine Peso (ARS)
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Dialing code: +54
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Covers 2,780,400 km² / 1073518 mi², making it the second largest country in South America & eighth largest in the world
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Bordering countries: Chile, Bolivia, Paraguay, Brazil & Uruguay
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One of the most biodiverse countries in the world, hosting one of the greatest ecosystem varieties in the world: 15 continental zones, two marine zones and the Antarctic region
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Right-hand traffic
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Camping & Accommodation
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In the Argentine part of Tierra del Fuego there are no refugios (shelters) provided, apart from the one at the border crossing San Sebastián
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Wild camping in Tierra del Fuego is difficult due to the vast open landscapes that don't provide any kind of shelter from the strong winds
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Once you get into the more mountainous region in the south of TdF, wild camping becomes a bit easier
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You can check iOverlander for spots to camp
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Many villages/towns offer some type of accommodation
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In Ushuaia we stayed almost two weeks in an affordable apartment (~16 EUR/night) a few kilometers from the center
Infrastructure
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Argentina generally has good infrastructure
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The roads we cycled in Tierra del Fuego were nicely paved
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The tap water in most of the country is potable; we always carry chlorine tablets to disinfect water if necessary though
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Options for leaving (or arriving in) Ushuaia:​
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Fly out (or in) via Ushuaia International Airport Malvinas Argentinas / Tierra del Fuego - Argentina (USH)
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Take a bus to Rio Gallegos (AR) or Punta Arenas (CL):
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Tecni Austral - we went with this company from Ushuaia to Punta Arenas and everything went well
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Take a ferry from Puerto Williams to Punta Arenas
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Company: Transbordadora Austral Broom
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Puerto Williams is a Chilean village on the southern shore of the Beagle Channel
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To take the ferry, you first have to take another boat from Ushuaia to Puerto Navarino and then a van ride Puerto Williams (usually combined in one offer)
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In May 2023, we’ve been told that these connections still weren’t offered due to Covid-19
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It seems like there are some options again now, but the price starts at 120 USD per person
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We met some other travelers (two of them cyclists) who organized themselves a crossing with a private boat, which also cost them over 120 USD per person
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Spare Part Availability
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Outside of bigger towns you probably won’t encounter any bike shops
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El Calafate, Río Gallegos & Río Grande have a few good looking shops (judging from photos, we didn't visit any of these towns)
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In Ushuaia you'll find some bike shops as well
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At Home Bike we bought several spare parts and had some parts of our drive trains changed
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We also got two bike boxes from DTT for the bus ride to Punta Arenas and the flight to Australia
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Sim Card & Internet
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Network providers: Claro, Movistar & Personal
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We didn’t buy a sim card in Argentina, so we can’t speak from experience
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Claro seems to be a good option especially for Patagonia; apparently there is even good connection in rather remote parts of the region
Climate & Weather
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Due to it’s massive size, Argentina boasts lots of different climate zones & habitats
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Four general climate zones:
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Warm & humid
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Moderate
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Arid
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Cold
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Four seasons, becoming more distinctive the further south you go:
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Spring (September - November)
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Summer (December - February)
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Autumn (March - May)
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Winter (June - August)
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We visited Buenos Aires in February/March and it was incredibly hot and humid there
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We stayed in Ushuaia for three weeks in May and it was cold, often around 0°C / 32°F, but we didn’t have snow (unfortunately, that would have been nice)
Border Crossings
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Chile to Argentina: San Sebastián - fast & easy (this border has a warm waiting room where cyclists can spend the night!)
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Airport Buenos Aires: Ezeiza International Airport
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Argentina to Uruguay (round trip):
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Ferry Buenos Aires - Colonia del Sacramento with Buquebus
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Ferry Montevideo - Buenos Aires with Buquebus
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These are only the border crossings we took, there are of course many more
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With our German passports we got 90 days without having to apply for a visa
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No costs
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Always check regulations before entering the country as they might change on short notice
Safety
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Generally we felt safe, but we always try to stay hidden when camping
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Big cities are potentially more dangerous, just be cautious and inform yourself about areas you better avoid; we didn't have any dangerous situations
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In Buenos Aires we were warned about pickpockets, especially in the touristy areas
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We didn’t have any dog problems, but we only cycled a few days in Argentina, so we can’t speak for most of the country
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Only on the last part between Río Grande and Ushuaia we were often overtaken carelessly with too little distance and too much speed
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Emergency numbers:
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Central Emergency number (Central de Emergencias Nacional): 911
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Ambulance (SAME): 107
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Firefighters (Bomberos): 100
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Cash & Expenses
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Argentina had an inflation of over 100% when we were there (May 2023)
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Two rates:
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Official rate, applies when you pay with card
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Exchange rate Oct. 2023: 1 EUR = 369 ARS / 1 USD = 350 ARS
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Unofficial blue rate:
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This rate applies when you exchange USD (or EUR) for the ARS
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In May 2023 we got twice the amount of ARS compared to the official rate, so you can save a lot of money
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You even get this rate when sending money for cash pickup via WesternUnion (which we can definitely recommend)
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Blue exchange rate Oct. 2023: 1 EUR = 1,030 ARS / 1 USD = 975 ARS
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Means you have to carry huge packs of cash around with you though
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ATMs are called Cajero Automático in Spanish​
Tourism
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Nationalpark Los Glaciares, Argentina:
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One of Argentina’s biggest tourist attractions
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Features several glaciers that originate in the great Patagonian Ice Field, the second largest ice sheet in the world (after Antarctica), which occupies almost half of the Park
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Highlights:
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Glacier Perito Moreno, accessible from El Calafate
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Mount Fitzroy, accessible from El Chaltén
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Entry fee (Oct. 2023): 12,000 ARS
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Opening times:
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Summer (01. Sept. - 30. Apr.): 8 am to 6 pm
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Winter (01. May - 31. Aug.): 9 am to 4 pm
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Ushuaia:
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'El Fin del Mundo' / 'The End of the World'
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A touristy, but nice town
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Depending on the season, you can do different (boat) tours in the area
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May 2023: We did a boat tour in the Beagle Channel and were lucky to see several humpback whales (even though it wasn't a designated whale watching tour)
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We stayed two weeks in a really affordable Airbnb, 3 km from the center​
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