When to Go

The fact that the Southern Hemisphere’s seasons are opposite those of the Northern Hemisphere, where most foreign visitors live, adds to Argentina’s appeal. Because Argentina extends from the southern edge of the tropics to the sub-Antarctic in Tierra del Fuego, seasonality can vary according to latitude, but also with altitude. Still, it remains a year-round destination.

Buenos Aires’s appeal is largely independent of the seasons, but summers are hot and sticky; business travelers should avoid January and February in particular. Activities like the theater and special events, most notably the increasingly popular Festival node:17243 link Buenos Aires Tango, resume near the end of February. The spring months of September – November are the most comfortable.

Subtropical Iguazú is an impressive sight at any season, but summers there are even hotter, wetter, and stickier than in Buenos Aires. Nearby Corrientes’s wildlife-rich Iberá wetlands never get really crowded, but the summer heat and humidity can be trying.

Cuyo’s wineries are open at any season, but March’s Festival de la Vendimia (wine harvest festival) makes that the ideal time to visit the provincial capital of Mendoza. Summer is the time for mountaineering on Aconcagua, while winter is ski season at Las Leñas and other provincial resorts. For fossil fanatics, destinations like San Juan’s Parque Provincial Ischigualasto and San Luis’s Parque Nacional Sierra de las Quijadas can get dangerously hot in summer, but the rest of the year is ideal.

Patagonia and its lakes district are traditional summer destinations, it’s also a magnet for fly-fishing enthusiasts from October to April, and the heart of Argentina’s ski industry from June to August.

Elsewhere in Patagonia, the season is lengthening, especially among foreign visitors. Many services in El Calafate, gateway to the Moreno Glacier, now stay open October to April. The tourist season at Península Valdés depends on the wildlife—the right whale’s arrival in July brings the first tourists.

As an extension of Patagonia, Tierra del Fuego is still primarily a summer destination, though it also has a ski season. The city of Ushuaia is the South American gateway to Antarctica, where the spring breakup of pack ice determines the season.

What to Take

Luggage

What sort of luggage you bring depends on what sort of trip you’re planning, for how long, and where you’re going. For shoestring travelers planning months in Argentina and perhaps neighboring countries as well, a spacious but lightweight backpack is the best choice; a small daypack for local excursions is also a good idea.

Even for nonbackpackers, light luggage is advisable. Small but sturdy lightweight locks are advisable for all sorts of luggage, if only to discourage temptation.

Clothing

Because of Argentina's altitudinal and latitudinal variation, clothing could vary from light cottons to heavy woolens. A good rule of thumb is to bring appropriately seasonal clothing for comparable Northern Hemisphere latitudes.

Buenos Aires’s climate is mild in spring and autumn, hot and humid in summer, and cool but not cold in winter. If you're planning to attend the opera at the Teatro Colón, formal clothing is obligatory. Likewise, individuals conducting business in the capital will dress as they would in New York or London, with suit and tie for men and similarly appropriate clothing for women. A compact umbrella is a good idea at any time of year

Travel elsewhere in the country may require different attire, though appropriate seasonality is still the rule. In the high altitudes of Cuyo, or the high latitudes of Patagonia, warm clothing is essential; in southernmost Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego, additional wet-weather gear is imperative, especially for hikers.

Odds and Ends

Since public toilets sometimes lack toilet paper, travelers should always carry some. Some budget hotels have thin walls and squeaky floors, so earplugs can be useful.

Leg pouches and money belts are good options for securing cash, travelers checks, and important documents. Compact binoculars are a good idea for bird-watchers and others who enjoy wildlife and the landscape.

© Wayne Bernhardson from Moon Argentina, 2nd edition