Argentina is absolutely worth it! I would even forget about the 30+ hours of grueling flight and be ready to rush back to South America in a heartbeat [Praise]. I booked my Ethiopian Airlines ticket one and a half months in advance, with a round trip costing over 12k, including stops in Africa and Brazil.
Don’t forget to register for Air China mileage points before your trip, or you’ll miss out on a significant reward [Facepalm]. Due to the character limit, I’ll share more tips in the comments [Sly Smile]. The last two pictures show the five flights within Argentina; Aerolineas Argentinas can also accumulate Eastern Airline points!
D1-D4: A three-day tour of Buenos Aires, plus a one-day trip to Colonia, Uruguay. Check the previous post for all the details (Picture 2).
D5-D6: Iguazu
D5: We started on the Brazilian side, and I highly recommend getting off the bus at the second-to-last stop and walking to the “Happy Together” filming location. This way, the waterfalls become increasingly breathtaking as you go, culminating in a return to the falls. Everyone got drenched but was ecstatic [Selfie].
The tickets and waterfall experience on the Brazilian side are pricier than on the Argentine side, at 86 and 386 reais respectively, plus 10 reais for a locker. The experiences on both sides are equally stunning! (Picture 3)
D6: The next day, we explored the tri-border area (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay).
The entrance fee on the Argentine side is 10,000 pesos. We were thrilled to see a rainbow 🌈 and even spotted some butterflies and raccoons. We completed all three trails in under 4 hours. The red trail takes you right into the heart of the Devil’s Throat, the blue trail offers the best views of rainbows, and the yellow trail provides a panoramic view of the falls and people enjoying the experience (Picture 4).
D7-D8: El Calafate / Patagonia
D7: We spent the day hiking around Lago Argentino, surrounded by breathtaking scenery (Picture 5).
D8: An 8-hour adventure on the Perito Moreno Glacier. We booked the Big Ice tour with Hielo & Aventura a couple of weeks in advance, which cost over 2k RMB per person. We set off at 7 am, greeted by a pink morning sky and snow-capped mountains, creating a magical atmosphere.
First, we walked along the boardwalk for an hour, then took a cruise to the glacier, where we saw mesmerizing blue ice caves. I loved sitting on the boat, sipping whiskey 🥃, and watching the glacier (Picture 6). In my opinion, Patagonia surpasses Iceland! And we witnessed and captured a massive ice collapse, a truly awe-inspiring moment [Wow] (Picture 7).
D9-D11: Ushuaia
D9: On our first day, we arrived at Tierra del Fuego just after lunch. Surprisingly, admission was free during the winter season. The natural scenery was undeniably beautiful, though perhaps not as breathtaking as I had envisioned (Picture 8).
D10: We had the foresight to book the PIRATOUR lighthouse and penguin island excursion two weeks in advance. At 10 am, we set sail to explore the lighthouse at the end of the world, followed by a visit to Seal Island. We then hiked a bit on a small, moss-covered island that felt like stepping back in time (Picture 9).
Returning at 14:30, we made our way to Penguin Island. Despite the three-hour drive, it was absolutely worth it [Cute]. We spent an hour getting up close and personal with the adorable penguins, who seemed as curious about us as we were about them. The wind on the island was fierce, but the experience was unforgettable.
The entire day’s adventure came at a cost of over 2k RMB per person (Picture 10).
D11: Our final day in Ushuaia was spent savoring local delicacies and picking up some unique souvenirs. As we prepared to leave, we flew to Buenos Aires (BA), where a last-minute gate change almost caused us to miss our flight. We only found out about the change in the final ten minutes, adding a thrilling twist to the end of our South American journey [Facepalm]. From BA, we embarked on a 30+ hour flight back to Shanghai, bringing our incredible adventure to a close.
