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🇦🇷 Itinerary · Argentina · 30 days

1-month Argentina itinerary 2026: the grand tour

30 days in Argentina: Buenos Aires, Iguazú, the Andean North, Mendoza and all of Patagonia. Road trip and domestic flights day by day, distances and costed budget.

🔄 Updated June 1, 2026

📅 See the program 🔄 See variants

In brief

Duration

30 days

Stops

8 places

Average budget

€4,200-6,000

Total distance

~9,000 km

Profile

Grand tour

Season

Oct-Mar

Buenos Aires 4d · Iguazú 2d · Salta & North 4d · Mendoza 3d · Bariloche 4d · El Chaltén 4d · El Calafate 4d · Ushuaia 3d

Itinerary map

The route at a glance

Argentina 1-month itinerary map: Buenos Aires, Iguazú, Salta, Mendoza, Bariloche, El Chaltén, El Calafate, Ushuaia

© OpenStreetMap contributors

Detailed program

8 days, day by day

1

Stage 1

Buenos Aires · Arrival & capital

  • Days 1-4 San Telmo, Recoleta, La Boca, Palermo, tango and asado. Day trip to Tigre or an estancia.
🛌 🛌 San Telmo or Palermo · e.g. Hotel Mine (4 nights)·🚇 Subte and walking·Argentina guide →
5

Stage 2

Buenos Aires → Iguazú · Falls

  • Days 5-6 Flight to Iguazú (1h45). Falls on the Argentine side (Garganta del Diablo, walkways), subtropical jungle and coatis.
🛌 🛌 Puerto Iguazú · e.g. Loi Suites Iguazú (2 nights)·✈️ Domestic flight
7

Stage 3

Iguazú → Salta · Andean North

  • Days 7-10 Flight to Salta (via Buenos Aires). Colonial Salta, Quebrada de Humahuaca, seven-colour hill of Purmamarca, salt flats, high-altitude Cafayate vineyards.
🛌 🛌 Salta · e.g. Legado Mítico (4 nights)·✈️ Flight + 🚗 Andean roads
11

Stage 4

Salta → Mendoza · Vineyards

  • Days 11-13 Flight to Mendoza. Malbec wine route, tastings, lunches at the bodegas, view of Aconcagua.
🛌 🛌 Mendoza · e.g. Park Hyatt Mendoza (3 nights)·✈️ Domestic flight
14

Stage 5

Mendoza → Bariloche · Lake District

  • Days 14-17 Flight to Bariloche. Circuito Chico, Cerro Campanario, Andean lakes, chocolate shops, kayaking, Route of the 7 Lakes day trip.
🛌 🛌 Bariloche · e.g. Hotel Tirol (4 nights)·✈️ Domestic flight
18

Stage 6

Bariloche → El Chaltén · Fitz Roy

  • Days 18-21 Flight to El Calafate then drive to El Chaltén. Laguna de los Tres, Laguna Torre, Fitz Roy viewpoints.
🛌 🛌 El Chaltén · e.g. Hostería El Pilar (4 nights)·✈️ Flight + 🚗 drive
22

Stage 7

El Chaltén → El Calafate · Glaciers

  • Days 22-25 Drive to El Calafate. Perito Moreno glacier, mini-trek, cruise to the Upsala and Spegazzini glaciers, Nimez lagoon.
🛌 🛌 El Calafate · e.g. Hotel Posada Los Alamos (4 nights)·🚗 215 km
26

Stage 8

El Calafate → Ushuaia · End of the world

  • Days 26-30 Flight to Ushuaia. Beagle Channel, Tierra del Fuego park, penguins, End of the World train.
  • Return Flight Ushuaia → Buenos Aires, then flight back to Paris.
🛌 🛌 Ushuaia · e.g. Hotel Los Cauquenes (5 nights)·✈️ Domestic flight

How much

Budget for this itinerary (per person, flight included)

Backpacker

€4,200

per person

  • ✈️ International return: €1,050
  • ✈️ 7 domestic flights: €800
  • 🏨 Hostel: €40/night
  • 🥩 Canteens/asado: €22/day
  • 🎫 Sites + glaciers + wine: €450
Recommended

Comfort

€5,200

per person

  • ✈️ International return: €1,100
  • ✈️ 7 domestic flights: €850
  • 🏨 3-4★ hotel: €100/night
  • 🍽️ Mixed dining: €40/day
  • 🎫 Excursions + bodegas: €700

Premium

€9,500

per person

  • ✈️ Business flight: €2,300
  • ✈️ Flexible domestic flights: €1,100
  • 🏨 Boutique hotels and estancias: €250/night
  • 🍽️ Fine dining: €70/day
  • 🎫 Private tours + VIP tastings: €1,200

Shorter, longer

Other possible durations

1 week

1 week

Buenos Aires and the Patagonian glaciers.

2 weeks

2 weeks

Buenos Aires, full Patagonia and Bariloche.

You're here

1 month

1 month

The grand tour: Patagonia, Iguazú, the North and vineyards.

How to get around

Itinerary logistics

Over a month, this trip covers ~9,000 km across the whole country, from subtropical Iguazú to the deep South of Ushuaia. It relies on 7 domestic flights: without them, Argentina is too vast. Buenos Aires serves as the central hub for most connections.

✈️

Domestic flights (×7)

€100-150 each · Aerolíneas Argentinas, Flybondi · Buenos Aires as hub

🚗

Andean roads (Salta, El Chaltén)

Quebrada de Humahuaca, El Calafate-El Chaltén · car or bus

🍷

Wine route (Mendoza)

Malbec bodegas · bike or shuttle between estates

⛴️

Cruises (Beagle, glaciers)

Beagle Channel at Ushuaia, Upsala glaciers from El Calafate

Adapt by season

Austral summer, from the hot North to the cool South

Over a month crossing the whole country, November to March (austral summer) remains the best window: open Patagonia, long days in the South. But the North (Salta, Iguazú) is then hot and humid. Austral spring (October-November) or autumn (March-April) offer a better compromise to combine North and South: bearable Iguazú, Mendoza vines in harvest (March), still-walkable Patagonia. Avoid deep winter for the far South.

Author tips

What I would redo (and change)

✅ Would redo

  • • In March 2022 I lunched at a Mendoza bodega during the harvest: malbec by the glass, view of the snowy Aconcagua, grapes picked 100 m from the table. Aim for March for the wine route, it's harvest season (the Fiesta de la Vendimia animates the whole region).
  • • Combining the North (Salta, Iguazú) and the deep South, total contrast.
  • • The 7 domestic flights, without them this trip would take months by bus.
  • • The Andean North and the Quebrada de Humahuaca, underrated next to Patagonia.
  • • Finishing in Ushuaia, the end-of-the-world feeling after everything else.

⚠️ Would change

  • • Aim for October-November or March-April to better balance the hot North and cool South.
  • • Book all domestic flights early, prices climb in high season.
  • • Don't rush the North: Salta and the Quebrada deserve their 4 days.
  • • Pack for all climates, from subtropical to Tierra del Fuego.

FAQ

Itinerary FAQ

Is a month necessary for this trip? +
Yes to cross the whole country, from subtropical Iguazú to the Andean North, Mendoza and all of Patagonia, about 9,000 km and 8 major stops. In 2 weeks, you limit yourself to Patagonia (see our 2-week format).
How many domestic flights are needed? +
Seven on this trip. Argentina is too vast for the bus over a month if you want to cover North and South. Expect €100-150 per flight on Aerolíneas Argentinas or Flybondi. Buenos Aires serves as the hub for connections.
When is the best time to go? +
An ideal compromise to combine North and South: October-November (austral spring) or March-April (autumn). In peak austral summer (Dec-Feb), the South is perfect but the North (Salta, Iguazú) becomes hot and humid. March coincides with the Mendoza harvest.
Are Iguazú and the North worth the detour? +
Yes: the Iguazú Falls are among the world's most impressive, and the Andean North (Salta, Quebrada de Humahuaca, seven-colour hill, salt flats) offers landscapes radically different from Patagonia. That's what makes a full month rich.
Do I need a visa for Argentina? +
No for French citizens: no visa for tourist stays up to 90 days. Passport valid for the whole stay. No entry fee currently.
Is Mendoza worth a stop if you're not a wine lover? +
Yes: beyond the bodegas, the region offers Aconcagua (the highest peak in the Americas), rafting, paragliding and beautiful mountain roads toward Chile. But the malbec wine route remains its flagship draw.

Marie Laurent ✓

·

Southeast Asia specialist · itinerary personally tested.

Last updated: June 1, 2026.

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