Argentina Independently: Buenos Aires, Iguazú Falls & Patagonia (Self-Launched, 10 Days)
10 days · Argentina (Buenos Aires, Iguazú, Puerto Madryn & El Calafate)
Tangol Tours charges £1,960
No-markup version: ~£1,130 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Tangol Tours' 10-day Argentina loop. Instead of pre-booked transfers and shared group excursions, you string together the same highlights using domestic flights, local buses and self-bookable day tours: two nights of Buenos Aires neighbourhoods and steak, both sides of Iguazú Falls, a wildlife day on Península Valdés from Puerto Madryn, and the Perito Moreno Glacier from El Calafate. Flights are the big cost — book them early (Aerolíneas Argentinas, Flybondi or JetSMART) and this trip comes in at roughly half the group tour price. Costs are approximate, per person, based on hostel/guesthouse or budget private rooms and shoulder-season travel.
Day-by-day
Land in Buenos Aires — Palermo or San Telmo base
Buenos Aires
Arrive at Ezeiza (EZE) and take the Tienda León shared shuttle into the city (~£8-10) or an airport bus plus Subte if you're on a tight budget. Check into a hostel or budget guesthouse in Palermo (more cafes and nightlife) or San Telmo (cheaper, more atmosphere). Spend the afternoon on a free walking tour of the Plaza de Mayo / Avenida de Mayo area (tip-based, ~£4-6 tip) and eat dinner at a parrilla — a bife de chorizo with wine runs £10-14.
🚌Ezeiza to city centre shared shuttle ~£9; walk + Subte (~£0.40/ride)
🛏Hostel dorm or budget private double in Palermo/San Telmo (£12-22)
- →Tienda León shared airport shuttle
- →Free walking tour of Plaza de Mayo & Avenida de Mayo
- →Parrilla dinner in Palermo or San Telmo
Fly north to Puerto Iguazú — Brazilian side of the falls
Puerto Iguazú
Morning flight from Aeroparque (AEP) to Puerto Iguazú — Aerolíneas Argentinas, Flybondi and JetSMART all fly this route, roughly £70-110 one way if booked ahead. From the airport take the local bus or a shared remis to your guesthouse in Puerto Iguazú town (~£3-5). Cross into Brazil (bring your passport; most nationalities need no visa but there may be a reciprocity fee for some) and visit the Brazilian side of the falls for the panoramic views of the Argentine cascade, the lower viewpoint of the Garganta del Diablo and the Salto Floriano lift. Bus from the Argentine side to the Brazilian park entrance is cheap and frequent; a GetYourGuide Brazilian-side transfer tour is ~£30-40 if you'd rather not self-navigate the border.
🚌Flight ~£90; local buses and border crossing ~£10
🛏Guesthouse in Puerto Iguazú (£15-22)
- →Domestic flight Buenos Aires–Puerto Iguazú
- →Brazilian side of Iguazú Falls (panoramic trail, Salto Floriano elevator)
- →Border crossing to Brazil
Argentine side of Iguazú Falls — full day self-guided
Puerto Iguazú
Take the early local bus from Puerto Iguazú bus terminal to the Argentine park entrance (~£3 return; entry ~£22 for foreign visitors). The park runs its own eco-train from Central Station to Cataratas Station, so you can walk the Upper Circuit, Lower Circuit and the Devil's Throat balcony at your own pace — no guide needed, signage is excellent and macaques and coatis are everywhere. Bring cash for lunch inside the park (overpriced) or pack a sandwich. Optional: add the Gran Aventura boat ride under the falls (~£45) bookable direct or via GetYourGuide.
🚌Local bus to park ~£3; park entry ~£22
🛏Guesthouse in Puerto Iguazú (£15-22)
- →Eco-train to Cataratas Station
- →Upper Circuit walkway
- →Lower Circuit walkway
- →Devil's Throat balcony (Garganta del Diablo)
- →Optional Gran Aventura boat under the falls
Fly south to Patagonia — Puerto Madryn
Puerto Madryn
Travel day: fly Puerto Iguazú back to Buenos Aires and connect onward to Trelew (REL), the airport for Puerto Madryn — often the cheapest option is a direct Iguazú–Buenos Aires flight plus a separate domestic hop, total ~£120-170 if booked in advance. From Trelew, the local bus (Transporte 28 de Julio or similar) covers the 60km to Puerto Madryn for ~£3-4, or share a remis. Afternoon free to walk the waterfront and see the sea lions at the Ecocentro, then book tomorrow's Península Valdés tour at your hostel reception.
🚌Flights ~£145; bus Trelew–Madryn ~£4
🛏Hostel or budget hotel in Puerto Madryn (£15-25)
- →Domestic flights via Buenos Aires to Trelew
- →Bus Trelew to Puerto Madryn
- →Waterfront stroll and Ecocentro
Península Valdés wildlife day trip
Península Valdés / Puerto Madryn
Join a shared full-day minibus tour to Península Valdés — book direct with a local operator (Flavio Sport, Turismo Pista or similar) or via GetYourGuide for ~£40-55 including the Carlos Ameghino Isthmus interpretation centre, Caleta Valdés, Punta Cantor and Punta Norte, with elephant seals, sea lions and Magellanic penguins (Sept-Apr). Guides here are naturalists and the tour is the practical way to do the peninsula — there's no public transport. Add a whale-watching boat from Puerto Pirámides in season (June-Dec, ~£55-70 paid locally) or snorkelling with sea lions (Oct-Mar).
🚌Tour minibus included; peninsula entry fee ~£8
🛏Hostel or budget hotel in Puerto Madryn (£15-25)
- →Full-day Península Valdés minibus tour with naturalist guide
- →Carlos Ameghino Isthmus visitor centre
- →Caleta Valdés, Punta Cantor & Punta Norte wildlife viewing
- →Optional whale watching from Puerto Pirámides
Fly south to El Calafate
El Calafate
Travel day to El Calafate: bus or shared transfer back to Trelew, then fly to El Calafate (FTE) via Buenos Aires or, on some schedules, via Comodoro Rivadavia — expect ~£130-180 if booked early. Alternative for slow travellers with time: the long-distance bus from Puerto Madryn to Río Gallegos then El Calafate (~24h, ~£60-80) — considerably cheaper but eats two days. Arrive, check into a hostel, and sort your Perito Moreno excursion for tomorrow (book at reception or online).
🚌Flights ~£155; local transfers ~£10
🛏Hostel or guesthouse in El Calafate (£15-25)
- →Bus to Trelew airport
- →Domestic flights to El Calafate
- →Book Perito Moreno glacier excursion
Perito Moreno Glacier — boat and walkways
Perito Moreno Glacier / El Calafate
Take a shared day tour or the regular public bus from El Calafate to Los Glaciares National Park (~£25-35 return plus ~£15 park entry). Walk the Curva de los Suspiros viewpoint first for the classic first sight, then the multi-level footbridges. Pre-book the Bajo las Sombras boat navigation at the pier (~£30) to get close to the southern wall — book direct with Hielo y Aventura or through GetYourGuide. Optional ice trekking on the glacier (Big Ice/Minitrekking) runs £70-160 if your budget stretches. Back in El Calafate, dinner is lamb-heavy and expensive by Argentine standards — budget £12-18.
🚌Shared bus to park ~£30; park entry ~£15
🛏Hostel or guesthouse in El Calafate (£15-25)
- →Perito Moreno Glacier footbridges and viewpoints
- →Curva de los Suspiros viewpoint
- →Bajo las Sombras boat navigation to the southern wall
- →Optional glacier ice trekking
Fly back to Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Morning flight El Calafate to Buenos Aires (~£80-130), then shuttle or bus into the city. Rebase yourself in a hostel in San Telmo or Recoleta. Afternoon is free: wander the Recoleta Cemetery (free, ~£0) and the MALBA or Bellas Artes museum (Bellas Artes is free), or simply recover with a coffee and medialunas. Evening: book a tango show. The big dinner-and-show venues (Señor Tango, Esquina Carlos Gardel) run £50-90 via GetYourGuide; a cheaper and arguably better option is a milonga entry with a lesson (~£12-18) in San Telmo.
🚌Flight ~£105; Tienda León shuttle ~£9
🛏Hostel or budget hotel in Buenos Aires (£15-25)
- →Domestic flight El Calafate–Buenos Aires
- →Recoleta Cemetery and free Bellas Artes museum
- →Tango show or milonga night
Buenos Aires neighbourhoods by foot and bus
Buenos Aires
Build your own panoramic day: start at Plaza de Mayo and the Casa Rosada, walk to San Telmo for the Sunday antiques market if your dates line up, then take the number 29 or 152 bus out to La Boca and Caminito for the painted houses (go in daylight, stick to the main streets). Afternoon in Palermo — the rose garden, the MALBA, and the Soho boutiques. Use the Subte (SUBE card, ~£0.40 a ride) to link it all. Finish with a long dinner and a bottle of Malbec in Palermo Soho (£14-20).
🚌SUBE card + Subte and local buses ~£4
🛏Hostel or budget hotel in Buenos Aires (£15-25)
- →Plaza de Mayo and Casa Rosada
- →La Boca & Caminito
- →San Telmo market (Sundays)
- →Palermo parks and Soho
- →Self-guided bus/Subte neighbourhood circuit
Depart Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Last morning for a proper Argentine breakfast and any souvenir shopping (yerba mate, leather, alfajores), then take the Tienda León shuttle back to Ezeiza for your international departure. If you have a late flight, leave luggage at the hostel and do one more Palermo coffee crawl. Allow 3 hours at EZE for international check-in.
🚌Shuttle to Ezeiza ~£9
🛏—
- →Breakfast and souvenir shopping
- →Tienda León shuttle to Ezeiza
- →International departure
Self-launched vs. Tangol Tours
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Tangol Tours | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,130 | £1,960 |
| Duration | 10 days | 10 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £830 per person (42%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Tangol Tours-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,130
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Argentina Independently: Buenos Aires, Iguazú Falls & Patagonia (Self-Launched, 10 Days) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,130 per person for 10 days in Argentina (Buenos Aires, Iguazú, Puerto Madryn & El Calafate). This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Tangol Tours?+
Yes — Tangol Tours charges around £1,960 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,130 — a saving of roughly £830 (42%) per person.
How long is the Argentina (Buenos Aires, Iguazú, Puerto Madryn & El Calafate) trip?+
This itinerary runs 10 days, covering 10 day-by-day stops through Argentina (Buenos Aires, Iguazú, Puerto Madryn & El Calafate).
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, wildlife, hiking trip through Argentina (Buenos Aires, Iguazú, Puerto Madryn & El Calafate), self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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