It’s the city that has climbed to the #1 spot on Nomad List.

The extreme low cost of living while still being able to have a high-quality lifestyle with good infrastructure is one of the most appealing factors of La Ciudad de la Furia. 

Of course, ideally you want to blend in and not hear gringo chatter on every block you walk on, which can be quite the feat in some popular digital nomad neighborhoods.

In this guide you will learn what to avoid, where to party like a local, and how to do things most gringos usually do not get to experience.

Disclaimer: depending on the popularity of this guide, this last statement is subject to change ;)

Buenos Aires, Argentina 🇦🇷

Population:

• Core: 3,120,612

• Metro area: 15 million+

Weather: 

For most of the year, the weather in Buenos Aires is agreeable. Expect a temperature range of about 45°F to 86°F.

Good news is that the temperature is rarely below 38°F or above 100°F — 2023 being an exception, as it was a real scorcher. 

The summer months of December-March, as in most of the Southern Hemisphere, do tend to get quite hot and humid. 86°F and up is standard during the afternoons in the summer months, especially in December and January.

January and February are also the months that most porteños leave the city, and go to the coast to cool off.

This is a positive in the sense that there’s a lot less traffic etc, but the gringo to local ratio will be relatively higher in the city during those months. If you’re staying in BA during the summer, having air conditioning in your rental unit or hotel is an ABSOLUTE must. It’s simply impossible to sleep otherwise, since it doesn’t cool off that much at night. 

In terms of weather, the best months to not complete sweat your ass off and still have very nice weather are in spring — September to November, and Autumn — March to May. 

The winter months of late June to September are not particularly cold, but not that “South American” — if you’re thinking of warm weather and poolside drinks. 

Why Visit Buenos Aires, Argentina?

Buenos Aires, also called the Paris of South America because of the historic buildings from right after the country’s independence, is one of the most beautiful cities to visit in South America. 

The city has a very European vibe in terms of architecture — not so strange if you consider that many of these French-style buildings were completely imported from France and later assembled again in BA in the 1870-1910 era. 

Besides this, there is simply too much to see and do, and you can roam the city like a true “passport bro” without getting bored. Buenos Aires is also the most cosmopolitan city in Argentina, where besides the classic Argentine steak, you can find restaurants with food from all over the world. This is a lot harder in the rest of Argentina, where options usually boil down to:

• Asado/meat dishes

• Pizza

• Empanadas

• Sushi

And of course, the steak prices in Argentina can’t be defeated. Most restaurants will serve you a 400gr bife de chorizo for about $15 USD.

Places that are “haute cuisine” like Don Julio are more expensive, where a bife can set you back $45 USD, but these prices are the exception. 

In general, you will notice that life in Buenos Aires is very cheap compared to other metropolitan areas in South America, aside from temporary rentals which have gone up significantly with the increased inflow of gringos.

A base taxi 20-minute taxi ride is about $3 USD. 

Costs for groceries, gyms, and nightlife are also on par or cheaper than in other capital cities in the region. 

Recommended budget for living well in Buenos Aires is $2500/month — and a lot here really depends on what kind of rental you get, more about that later. 

How to Get to Buenos Aires 🇦🇷

Buenos Aires is one of the most used airports in the region after São Paulo.

Argentina is the 2^nd country, after Mexico, with most international tourism in latin America.

Most of those gringos enter the country through Buenos Aires. This is because there are many cities with direct flights to Buenos Aires: 

Most flights from Europe, except for Amsterdam, London, Paris, Barcelona, Madrid, Rome, Frankfurt will have a connecting flight to get to Buenos Aires. 

For US-based readers, there are 5 direct flights:

• Atlanta

• New York

• Dallas

• Houston

• Miami

So if you are on the west coast you will have to get at least one layover, either through Mexico or Dallas/Houston. 

There are many direct flights from neighboring countries, and the additional plus is that if you’re flying in with Aerolíneas Argentinas from Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay or Chile, many flights arrive at the local BA Jorge Newbery airport, which is literally 10 minutes from Palermo — vs. the Ezeiza airport, which is about 45 minutes outside of the city. 

Best Neighborhoods in Buenos Aires 🇦🇷

Read more

Nestled all the way on the southern tip of South America, Ushuaia has been labeled the “southernmost city in the world” — although that title has been challenged by Puerto Williams, Chile as of late. 

Though many still consider Ushuaia to be the final frontier before Antarctica because Puerto Williams isn’t a “city” really, it’s more like a town.

Either way, Ushuaia is different.

Odd. Like stepping back in time a decade or two. For example, I was walking around downtown Ushuaia one chilly afternoon and I spotted a furniture store. One of those places where you rent furniture until you own it.

My buddy and I decided to walk in because we had sh*t else to do that afternoon. I expected modern furnishing like I’d find in many an Airbnb in Buenos Aires or even Bariloche.

To my surprise, the furniture in this store, supposedly some of the newer available furnishings in Ushuaia, looked like it should be on a 1990’s sitcom. It was like walking around the set of “Friends” in this furniture store.

We laughed.

But that’s to be expected in Ushuaia, Argentina. A city on the outskirts of civilization, far from the modernization of other Latin America cities.

And while visiting Ushuaia feels like stepping back in time, it’s also a damn good time.

The Argentinian city boosts some amazing tourism and is the gateway for visiting Antartica, as well. The spot is well worth a week or two of your life, and I enjoyed myself thoroughly while visiting.

Hanging out with penguins, “mushing” sled dogs, drunken ATV tours, and so much more.

But enough of me fluff, let’s dig into the nitty gritty of Ushuaia travel.

Below you’ll find everything you’d ever need to know about Ushuaia, Argentina 🇦🇷

P.S: For more information on Patagonia, check out my guides on Bariloche and El Chalten and El Calafate.

How to Get to Ushuaia, Argentina 🇦🇷

I could write about the various ways to get to Ushuaia, Argentina.

However, there’s no need to overcomplicate getting to the one of the southernmost cities in the world…

You’ll want to book a flight!

Te lo juro.

Ushuaia is far, far away from the rest of the civilized world. If you want to get here, the absolute easiest way is to book a non-stop flight from one of the following cities:

• Buenos Aires

• El Calafate

• Cordoba

You can also fly from Santiago, Chile and Bariloche, Argentina — both with layovers in Buenos Aires. The flight from El Calafate is quick, quick. It’s about three and a half hours from Buenos Aires depending on the weather.

Flying from Buenos Aires and/or El Calafate to Ushuaia generally cost anywhere from $75-200 USD one-way.

More information about flight routes to Ushuaia.

With how far away Ushuaia, Argentina is, I generally recommend not taking a bus here. You’ll be spending a full day or more on a bus to arrive at this city in the middle of nowhere. Not ideal.

However, it is possible to get to Ushuaia by land. Both by car and by bus.

Here’s how it’s done by bus:

You’ll have to arrive in Río Gallegos, a city nearly 600 km to the north of Ushuaia. You can take buses from El Calafate and Buenos Aires to Río Gallegos. These will be long, long trips — especially the Buenos Aires trip.

Not recommended.

Once you arrive in Río Gallegos, you’ll be able to take a bus to Ushuaia. This bus has to hop over into Chile, which will require passing through customs. Then you’ll pass through the Strait of Magellan.

Eventually, around 10+ hours later, you’ll arrive in the city of Ushuaia.

This is the only way to get to Ushuaia by bus — unless you’re in Chile. In which case, you can travel from Puerto Natales to Puerto Arenas to Ushuaia. This route tends to take over a day, as you have to stop in Puerto Arenas and spend the night. Going through customs is also a concern again.

Here's the bus company you can use to get to Ushuaia, Argentina. 

For individuals driving themselves to Ushuaia, here’s something else to consider. These are the distances from other cities in the region to Ushuaia…

• Río Gallegos, Argentina: 594 km

• Punta Arenas, Chile: 831 km

• El Calafate, Argentina: 914 km

• Río Grande, Argentina: 230 km

• Buenos Aires, Argentina: 3194 km

• Córdoba, Argentina: 3199 km

• Bariloche, Argentina: 2178 km

Ushuaia is off-the-beaten path and hard to get to — no matter how you slice it.

As such, this gringo only recommends flying to Ushuaia. Anything else is simply too much of a pain in the arse.

Read more

After enjoying lovely lake views in Bariloche and some of the best hiking in the world around El Chalten, I wasn’t sure what to expect from El Calafate.

But I knew one thing…

I was ready for a little more amenities and faster Internet speeds than El Chalten had to offer. Just a gringo looking for a few modern conveniences while being in the middle of nowhere in Patagonia.

Luckily, El Calafate didn’t disappoint in this regard. While the wifi isn’t great, there’s enough Internet speed to get some remote work done here too — which is different than El Chalten.

Plus, there’s some damn cool thing to do here, including Perito Moreno in all her glory!

While there’s no denying Perito Moreno draws the tourists in, there’s much more to El Calafate than that stunning glacier. The small town/city in Argentinian Patagonia offers the perfect balance of wild nature and some modern amenities.

I thoroughly enjoyed my week here exploring the nature all around the city during the day and eating at the damn good restaurants by night.

Enough of my fluff, though.

Below you’ll find everything you need to know about El Calafate, Argentina 🇦🇷

P.S: For more information on Patagonia, check out my guides on Bariloche and El Chalten and Ushuaia.

How to Get to El Calafate, Argentina 🇦🇷

El Calafate, Argentina is truly in the middle of nowhere.

This isn’t a ‘hop, skip, or jump away’ type of place. This is a small mountain town in the heart of Patagonia. You’ll be forced to fly into here from an airport in Argentina — unless you have a car.

Or you want to take an awful bus trip through the mountains. Not recommended, but I’ll detail it for you anyway.

The bus from Bariloche that travels to it takes nearly 20+ hours on a bus.  Not my cup of tea, and of course, the bus seems to be seasonal.

If for some reason you want to ride in a bus for 20+ hours, click here for more information about Bariloche-El Calafate. You’ll need to understand some Spanish to book here, but the gist of it is you’ll be spending a full day and night on the bus.

For the rest of us, taking a flight to El Calafate is far more preferable — as the flight is only one-hour and 45 minutes from Bariloche.

From Buenos Aires, you’re looking at a three-hour flight. Usually these flights cost about $150-200 one-way. You’ll can also find direct flights to El Calafate from these airports in Argentina:

• AEP (Aeroparque Jorge Newbery, Buenos Aires)

• EZE (Ezeiza, Buenos Aires)

• BRC (Bariloche, Río Negro)

• COR (Córdoba, Córdoba)

• ROS (Rosario, Santa Fe)

• REL (Trelew, Chubut)

• USH (Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego)

More info on El Calafate flight routes here.

Most of these flights cost $75-200 USD one-way and take anywhere from 1-3 hours in the air. With bus tickets costing $75-125 per person between major cities in Patagonia, you’re almost always better off booking the flight. You’ll save so much time, energy, and hassle.

Driving is also an option. You can get to Calafate by car from any city in Argentina, but again, you’ll be spending at least a half day driving in doing so. Not cool!

Understanding El Calafate Weather & Seasons

Since El Calafate is in the heart of Argentinian Patagonia, it would behoove you to look at some weather data before booking any flights. Why? Because winter will be brutal here.

I came during the tail-end of the summer months and the town certainly wasn’t warm. plus, one of my tours almost got rained out, but we were able to hide in a tent for 30 minutes until the rain stopped.

So make sure you check the weather before booking any tours too.

But, overall…

The absolute best months to visit El Calafate, Argentina are December through March. 

This is because the temperatures will be the warmest, there’s no chance of snow, and you’ll have more things to do. Honestly, this is the ONLY time to come to El Calafate in the opinion of your humble author.

It should also be noted that El Calafate is not a winter sports destination like Bariloche and Ushuaia — so there’s really no reason to visit in the dead of winter.

Oh, and November is the windiest month from what I heard, and the wind is no joke in Patagonia. So I’d recommend avoiding coming before December.

You can avoid some of the crowds by visiting during March and April, but it could be a little colder starting in April. Here’s a detailed climate graphic to help you understand more about El Calafate weather:

Where to Stay in El Calafate

The town of El Calafate is larger than you may think.

My buddy and I booked a nice two-bedroom Airbnb on what we thought was the outskirts of town — within walking distance to restaurants and bars. The place turned out to be a 25-minute walk to the city center, and there was a group of rapid dogs barking outside the place when we arrived.

We didn’t even get out of the taxi…

Those dogs looked aggressive! Instead, we cancelled the reservation and found something in the city center. I recommend you do the same. Stay as close to the city center of El Calafate as possible.  I’m talking right around here:

This is the area you want to stay in, as close to Av. del Libertador as possible. You’ll have access to ATMs, restaurants, bars, shops, and tour guides all close by. Which makes life in Patagonia so much better.

Highly recommended.

If you can find a decent Airbnb with solid wifi in the area, I suggest booking it — as options are more than slim here. If you’re coming in high-season, that may be unlikely. But it’s worth a look.

Best El Calafate Hotels

I certainly found hotels to be preferable to Airbnbs throughout Patagonia. If you need decent Internet and some semblance of customer service, you’ll probably feel the same way.

Patagonian Airbnb hosts are some of the worst in the world. 

Luckily, there’s a number of great hotels found in every city in Argentinian Patagonia. There’s dozens of options available in the city center of El Calafate, but most are older and a bit rundown.

Luckily, I found a few great options for travelers:

• Hotel Posada Los Alamos

This is a stunning hotel with all the amenities you could want — locate just a 1-2 minute walk from the center, Av. del Libertador. Aka this might be the nicest hotel in the center of the city.

Highly recommended.

At Hotel Posada Los Alamos, you’ll find an amazing indoor pool with floor-to-ceiling windows, full spa services, a golf course, and breakfast is included. You’ll also find two bars and a wonderful restaurant right inside the hotel.

If you’re looking to maximize your time in El Calafate, while traveling in luxury, this is the place you want to be. You will not find better amenities combined with a better location.

Just note…

Hotel Posada Los Alamos isn’t cheap, but it’s worth it.

• Madre Tierra Patagonia

The funny thing is this boutique hotel looks way better in person than the photos show!

If you’re looking for a wonderful boutique hotel inside the city center, Madre Tierra Patagonia is your best bet in El Calafate, Argentina. This is where I stayed during my time in the city and I was more than pleasantly surprised with how awesome the place was.

While not a cheap spot, this boutique hotel features modern, Patagonian decor, some of the best Internet I found in the region, and is next door to an amazing bakery.

Oh, and you’re just a minute walk from the center of the city and dozens of great restaurants.

Lastly, the best thing about Madre Tierra Patagonia was that everything just worked. The Internet, the hot water, the cable, the heaters, and the maids did a wonderful job keeping the rooms spotless — even if I came back dirty as could be after a day of outdoor exploration.

Again, highly recommended.

Restaurants in El Calafate, Argentina 🇦🇷

I’m no foodie. Far from it in fact. “Obesity travel” is not my thing. So take this advice with a grain of salt. However, I did eat out almost every meal while I was in El Calafate.

So here’s a few of my favorite spots:

• MAKO Fuegos y Vinos: Some of the best lamb I’ve ever had, and the steaks are damn good too. This is a nicer and more expensive spot in El Calafate — but well worth it. Highly recommended.

• WANACO Bar: The food is pretty good here. I even enjoyed the guanaco burger — aka “llama” burger here. Definitely worth the experience. However, expect the service to be bad and there’s often a 10-20 minute wait because this spot is on the main tourist drag.

• Don Luis Cafeteria: The best value empanadas I’ve ever had in my life. For a little over $1.50 USD, you’d get a chicken to beef empanada filled to the brim with meat and seasoning. They were damn good. Two of them would more than fill me up for breakfast or lunch. Highly recommended grabbing a couple empanadas here before heading out for a day exploring. Just check these bad boys out…

Things to Do in El Calafate, Argentina | Summer Edition

Now we’re getting to the good stuff. The reasons you even want to come to El Calafate, Argentina in the first place. Because there’s a bunch of cool sh*t to do and see here.

Te lo juro.

But there’s tons of information online about what you can do in El Calafate. Dozens of activities. So instead of putting together a massive list, I’m going to give you my top three. Absolute MUSTs while in the city/town.

So, here are three amazing things to do in El Calafate, Argentina:

• Perito Moreno BIG Ice Trek

This tour ranks right up there as one of my favorite things I did in my month in Argentinian Patagonia. Easily the #1 thing to do in El Calafate. Do NOT come to the town and not do the Perito Moreno BIG Ice Trek. That’d be a waste of a trip!

So, what is it?

First, you take a boat across the lake that houses the Perito Moreno glacier. Then you hike up and around a mountain, until you come to one side of the glacier. From here, you strap on ice shoes and trek across the glacier for hours on end.

It’s windy, cold, and hard to stay on balance. You have to wear special gloves to ensure you don’t cute your hands if you fall.

But it’s worth it.

You’ll see a new side of the glacier, search for underground tunnels and streams of water, and more. It’s a truly stunning site to behold. You won’t forget it.

The trek takes 9-10+ hours overall. So it’s an all day thing. It’s also exhausting, so you need to have a decent physical fitness level to complete it. There’s a shorter one, but you don’t get nearly the views the longer trek gets to see.

Highly recommended.

More information here.

• Visit the “Balconies”

You’ll get amazing views of Perito Moreno during your ice trek and I believe you can go to the balconies after the trek too. However, you want to go right when they open. NOT when there’s hundreds of other people.

Aka you need to get to the Perito Moreno balcony viewing area before 8 am in the morning. 

Since it takes over an hour to get from El Calafate to the balconies, you’ll want to leave by 6:30 am. While that’s early, I promise you it’s well worth it.

My tour guide highly recommended doing this before we did the ice trek, as he said it’s magical to look at Perito Moreno without having to deal with hundreds of other tourists.

He was right! Either rent a car or hire a private driver to ensure you get out here early enough.

• Glaciar Sur Pioneers Tour

One of the more expensive tours I’ve ever been on in my life, the Glaciar Sur Adventura tour was well worth it. Te lo juro.

On this tour, you drive about one-hour outside of El Calafate to a lake. I think the lake is Lago Frias. You board a nice boat for about 20-minutes and get to the other side of the lake. From here, you hike into the Patagonian wilderness for an hour or so — before getting on a tiny boat to cross another lake.

Once on the other side of the second lake, you hike through a ravine for about an hour until you end up at a glacier viewpoint. This glacier is unique because there’s a small lake filled with “ice islands” in it. Pretty unique site. You eat lunch here and then do everything in reverse — finally making it back to El Calafate. This is a full 12-hour day.

The cool thing here? This tour company is the only people allowed into this area of the national park, so you’ll have the place to yourself!

More information here.

Speaking Spanish in El Calafate?

Honestly…

You can easily get away with not speaking Spanish in El Calafate.

The city is a tourist town. Almost everyone living in El Calafate in high-season will speak at least broken English, with many people speaking great English. You’ll have no issues just communicating in English here.

That being said, brushing up on your Spanish before visiting is always a great idea. Argentina is still a Spanish-speaking country and you’ll get far better service when speaking Spanish versus English.

You’re also far more likely to get better prices for tours and such by using Spanish. Speaking English ensures you get the “gringo price” 100% of the time.

Here’s the absolute best way to pick up some Spanish quickly.

El Calafate Nightlife

If you’re coming to Patagonia, no matter what city or two, don’t expect rip-roaring nightlife. This just isn’t the place to party, outside of “student break” weeks in Bariloche.

El Calafate is no different. People come here to see Perito Moreno and enjoy nature — not to wake up at noon the next day with a hangover.

Still, there’s a few spots you can have a beer and maybe enjoy a lil’ nightlife in the town.

Here’s a couple recommendations:

• Yeti Ice Bar: If you’ve never been to an ice bar, this one is worth checking out. Mainly for the experience. After I went to the ice bar in Bariloche, I didn’t have the desire to go again. But you may find a decent number of tourists here in high season.

• Don Diego de la Noche: A pub featuring live music that’s only open in the summer high-season months. Worth checking out if you want to tie one on in El Calafate. Should find a decent number of locals here too. Lots of traditional music and there’s even a dance floor here.

• La Tolderia Restobar: This is probably the best place to truly party in El Calafate in high season. But that’s not really saying much. There’s a dancefloor at night and often live music too. Decent overall.

Overall, just don’t expect much here!

P.S: Same thing for dating…NOT a place to come with dating, mating, and degeneracy on the mind.

Do You Need to Rent a Car in El Calafate, Argentina?

You certainly could rent a car in El Calafate, Argentina to head out to Perito Moreno early and check out a couple hiking spots on the other days.

I did not during my week here, and I don’t think that’s a bad thing.

With so many tour operators in the city, there’s really no reason to go to the hassle unless you have a big group of adventurers with you.

If you’re just coming to El Calafate for a few days to check out Perito Moreno and more, then stick with tours or hire a private driver. It’ll make life a lot easier.

Oh, and remember…

Cell service doesn’t always work when you’re in Patagonia. So you’ll be looking at physical maps when driving around outside of El Calafate. Not exactly ideal!

Is El Calafate Safe?

110%.

El Calafate, Argentina is incredibly safe and there’s little to no threat of any crime, petty theft, etc. You have nothing to worry about here except overpaying for a tour.

Patagonia is a very safe place overall and El Calafate is no different. You can take photos with expensive camera gear and smartphones without worry.

This isn’t Colombia. Or even Buenos Aires. You won’t have a problem here.

El Calafate for Remote Workers

Just like El Calafate isn’t known for its nightlife, the town isn’t known for blazing Internet, co-working spaces, and cafes ideal for working online.

You’ll be lucky to find usable internet, especially at night. Once everyone gets back from their treks for the day, the town’s wifi slows down significantly.

However, during the day, you should be able to find decent wifi at nice hotels and certain parts of El Calafate will get 4G LTE service. So there’s still some hope to get work done here.

Your best bet is to always have a backup source of wifi here and then find a nice hotel restaurant to work from.

El Calafate, Argentina 🇦🇷 Verdict

That about does it!

Everything you need to know while traveling around El Calafate, Argentina — home to one of the most beautiful sites in all of South America — Perito Morreno.

Sure, Perito Morreno makes the trip to El Calafate more than worth it.

But there’s enough to do here to keep most travelers entertained for 4-7+ days. Plus, there’s enough solid restaurants, a gym in town, and some wifi to ensure you can get a little work done.

Here’s why:

The hiking in El Chaltén is some of the best in the world.

Te lo juro.

You can go on three amazing hikes just by stepping outside your front door while in the town. Legit just walk outside and you’ll be at the base of some amazing trails within minutes.

Fitz Roy and the Laguna de Los Tres was absolutely amazing. Well worth the grueling trek to the top. One of the most stunning sites I’ve ever seen. Just look…

The issue?

El Chaltén, Argentina is a town…a small one to boot. The place isn’t modern. The Internet often doesn’t work. You won’t find many amenities in town. Hell, there’s not even a gym to get a solid upper-body pump at.

So while it’s an amazing place to trek around at, the town is horrific if you work online, like to lift weights, and desire some semblance of modern amenities.

Oh, and outside of a few cervecería, there’s legit no nightlife to be found.

Zip. Zlich. Nada.

Which was perfectly fine most of the time, as a night of rumba was the last thing on my mind after hiking 7-8+ hours in a single day. I wanted food. Lots of it. Then sleep.

Me point is don’t expect to find much in El Chaltén outside of stunning nature and world-class hiking. Come for the hiking and treks, stay for the…

Err, just come for the hiking.

Enough of my fluff. Overall, I had a great time in El Chaltén overall and would highly recommend the place for hikers looking to get there fix.

P.S: For more information on Patagonia, check out my guides on Bariloche and El Calafate and Ushuaia.

How to Get to El Chaltén, Argentina

El Chaltén is legitimately in the middle of nowhere.

A small mountain town of 1,500+ people in Argentinian Patagonia, this isn’t an easy place to get to. In fact, there’s really only one way to get to El Chaltén:

Via El Calafate.

There is a bus from Bariloche that travels to El Chaltén, but it takes nearly 19+ hours on a bus. Not my cup of tea. This bus seems to be seasonal. If for some reason you want to ride in a bus for 19+ hours, click here for more information about Bariloche-El Chaltén.

For the rest of us, taking a flight to El Calafate and then getting a transfer to El Chaltén is far more preferable. You’ll find direct flights to El Calafate from these airports:

• AEP (Aeroparque Jorge Newbery, Buenos Aires)

• EZE (Ezeiza, Buenos Aires)

• BRC (Bariloche, Río Negro)

• COR (Córdoba, Córdoba)

• ROS (Rosario, Santa Fe)

• REL (Trelew, Chubut)

• USH (Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego)

More info on El Calafate flight routes here.

Most of these flights cost less than $50-200 USD one-way and take anywhere from 1-3 hours in the air. Once landing in El Calafate, you’ll have two options to get to El Chaltén from the airport.

You can either take the tour shuttle that runs at specific times each day or get a private taxi.

I opted for the private taxi upon landing in El Calafate. We arrived in El Chaltén about two hours after leaving the airport. Pretty quick.

Taxis from the airport have space for four people and luggage. The bus from El Calafate airport to El Chaltén tends to run 2/3 times per day. So you may be stuck sitting in the airport waiting for a bit.

The cost is $20 USD from what I recall, and the bus leaves at 8 am, 1 pm, and 6 pm. So plan flights accordingly.

Honestly…

If you’re in a group of 2-4 people, it’s far better to take a private taxi. While it costs a bit more, the ride is quick and you won’t have to waste time waiting around in the airport. 

Renting a car is another option for anyone looking to get to El Chaltén, but I didn’t look much into it. Seeing as El Chaltén is in the middle of nowhere, that ride is going to be a long one no matter where you’re arriving from.

Understanding El Chaltén Weather & Seasons

Weather plays a unique role in traveling to and hiking in El Chaltén.

On certain days, guides will advise you not to go simply because there’s a few clouds in the sky. You absolutely must pay attention here or you could ruin your whole trip.

But I’ll do my best to break things down for you:

From mid-May through mid-October, El Chaltén is an absolute ghost-town. The sun only shines for 4-5 hours a day and there’s no tourists here whatsoever. Oh, and don’t forget about the insane amounts of snow.

Just look at the weather:

Without tourists and the required service industry help, the town shrinks in size…from 1,500+ to 300-400 people.

High tourist season in El Chaltén is between December through February. 

During this time, you can expect the city to be nearly at capacity. Hotels will be full, Airbnbs book, tours unavailable, and all that jazz. I’m not sure the exact figures, but it seems the town goes from 1,500+ people to 10,000 or more during these times. You’ll see people walking around town at all times of the day when El Chaltén is full.

During March and April…El Chaltén can still be fairly full. When I first arrived here in early March, my Airbnb host said the town was at capacity. Not a hotel room available.

Things can also be pretty packed in late October and November. It all depends on the weather. Even if you come during high-season, there’s still some other weather concerns to pay attention to…

Mainly visibility during the hikes.

Hiking is why you come to El Chaltén. If you don’t enjoy a good trek, then this city is an easy pass in Patagonia. There’s just not a ton else to do…except hike.

For hikers, it’s paradise.

But only if you check to confirm there’s solid visibility, no-to-little rain, and no-to-light wind before you embark on a day-long hike.

You don’t want to hike all the way to the top of Fitz Roy…Only to find out you can’t see the “Patagonia logo” from afar because it’s too cloudy.

Or be 4-5+ hours into a long hike only to have rain start coming down hard and the wind pick up. Not fun.  Luckily, it’s pretty easy to avoid…and NO you can’t just look outside.

You need to check this website before going on a hike in El Chaltén:

–> Wind Guru

Pay close attention to wind speed, cloud cover, and precipitation. Cloud cover can be tricky too. Low and mid-level clouds can be an issue. High cloud cover may not be.

Feel free to check that site yourself, but probably best to ask the hotel front desk or Airbnb host before planning a hiking trip.

Where to Stay in El Chaltén 🇦🇷

This might be the shortest section in the whole article.

Why?

Because El Chaltén is a tiny town.

Thus, it truly doesn’t matter what area of town you stay in. You can walk the whole town within 10-12 minutes. From one end to the other. Front to back. Side to side.

Really makes no difference where you are, as the entrance to the hiking trails is never more than a 5-minute walk. Give or take.

So you’re better off simply booking accommodations that best suit your needs and not worrying too much about where it’s actually located in El Chaltén…as long as the place is actually in the town.

There’s also camping sites found at each of the main hiking trails. So if that’s your thing, you won’t have much issue in El Chaltén. Lots of camping options around too.

Best El Chaltén Hotels

There’s dozens upon dozens of hotels, hostels, and Airbnbs in El Chaltén. But you should definitely book something before arriving here.  The town is small and accommodation can get sold out here — often.

Just note that…

El Chaltén is not a “cheap” town for being such a small place in Latin America. Expect to pay anywhere from $50-250 USD for a decent hotel room or Airbnb with subpar Wi-Fi.

I stayed in at an apartment near the start of the Laguna Torre trail on the backside of town called…

• Andino Aparts

Highly recommended.

The place was ideal with hot water, comfortable beds, and hard working hosts. Maid service was included too. They even helped my buddy and I plan our hikes around the days with best visibility.

But the best part?

Breakfast.

The breakfast was included and was dropped off every evening around 9 pm. The food came in a small Tupperware, so you could pack it for the hike next morning. Homemade bread, yogurt, fruit, and more. This benefit made packing food for hikes in El Chaltén so much easier.

It’s worth booking Andino Aparts just for the breakfast! Te lo juro.

Decent value at a little less than $100 USD a night for a two-bedroom, one-bath that included breakfast. One-bedrooms run around $65 USD a night.

The Internet was spotty at best, but that’s to be expected in El Chaltén. I found the connection to be stronger here than almost anywhere else in town except one cafe.

Overall, this is my first pick for places to stay in El Chaltén.

• Rancho Grande

Coming in at around $50-60 USD a night, Rancho Grande is another top pick for hotels in El Chaltén. The place is ideally located, modern, and offers a lot to the intrepid hiker.

The rooms look great and the hostel is located near the start of a few great treks.

But the best part?

This place has a 24-hour restaurant — one of the few in El Chaltén. Super useful when you fall asleep at 6 pm after hiking the whole day…only to wake up at 1 am starving and ready to eat a full cow.

You’ll also get an included breakfast here. The staff speaks English, as well.

Overall, I also highly recommend this hotel in El Chaltén.

• Hotel Poincenot

If you’re looking for something a little bit fancier in El Chaltén, then I’d recommend Hotel Poincenot.

Located right off main street in town, this upscale hotel offers high-end furnishings, a full breakfast included, and stunning mountain views from the room. The service is well-rated and the staff speaks English too.

While the other lodging options listed above are more Airbnb-style or hostels, Hotel Poincenot is a boutique hotel with all the touches you’d expect.

A steal for around $125 a night.

Restaurants in El Chaltén, Argentina 🇦🇷

I only ate at four different restaurants during my whole time in El Chaltén, Argentina.

Why?

Because the first two I tired were horrible. Struggled to finish my meal. Then I found a couple places I really enjoyed…

So I ate these spots the rest of my time in town. Here’s the best restaurants I found in El Chaltén:

• Maffia: Also know as ‘Fabrica de Pastas‘ – this is my favorite place to eat in El Chaltén. The Italian restaurant serves up amazing pasta with hearty portions of meat/protein and authentic sauces. I ate here 4-5 times during my short stay in El Chaltén, as the large portions were ideal after a long hike.

• La Waflería: Great place to grab brunch or breakfast for dinner in El Chaltén, especially when waking up at noon after a long hike. Food here is damn good and the omelets are plenty big. Recommended if you get sick of Italian.

I’m sure there’s a handful of other great restaurants in El Chaltén, but I didn’t try them. I was happy eating at these two spots for my short stay in the town.

Things to Do in El Chaltén, Argentina 🇦🇷

Hike.

If you’re looking for things to do in El Chalten, you better be ready to hike. A lot. For hikers, El Chaltén might be the best town in all of Patagonia. Hell, it might be the best town in all of Latin America if hiking is what you’re after.

You’ll find at least a handful of great hikes along with a couple of other things to do in El Chaltén below:

• Fitz Roy / Laguna de Los Tres

This is the absolute best hike in El Chaltén.

It’s long, grueling at the end, and can get crowded…

But it’s definitely worth it.

Why?

Because the site of Cerro Fitz Roy, the inspiration for the Patagonia logo, is truly stunning. 

Just look:

Highly, highly recommended.

Do note though that you should be in somewhat decent shape to complete this hike. The full trail is around 25 km/15 miles long and can take up to 8+ hours to complete.

The final hour and a half to reach the base of Fitz Roy is basically straight uphill and can be more than tiring. To make things easier, you can pay $1,000 Pesos to take a private taxi to the “Hostel Pilar” about 30 minutes outside El Chaltén. From here, you’ll shave about 4 km off the hike…all on the way there.

Taking this “shortcut” is well worth it and highly recommended.

You should also try to start hiking as early as possible. I arrived about 20 minutes before the hordes did because I took the ‘Pilar’ shortcut and started hiking at 7:30 am.

It was incredibly peaceful and stunning. There were also only 15+ other people around. Less than half an hour later, there were hundreds of people at the base of Fitz Roy.

Start hiking early!

• Cerro Torre Hike

I never thought I’d say a 24 km hike is easy, but here I am…

The Cerro Torre hike is easy, especially when compared to the Fitz Roy hike.

This hike starts in El Chaltén. There’s no shortcuts or anything. Just find the trailhead and start hiking. Everything is well marked.

The hike took me about 5+ hours to complete and was mostly flat, aside from a few steep parts at the beginning. The view at the end was solid overall, but nothing amazing like Fitz Roy. I’d say this is the second best day hike in El Chaltén.

A limp-wristed Argentinian tour guide told me he wanted to kill me if I used my drone here. I called his bluff, which is something I never would do in Colombia or Mexico.

Dick move on my end? Maybe, but so is telling someone you’re going to kill them.

• Hike to Glacier Huemul

It’s not so much a hike, as a quick half-day trip about an hour outside of El Chaltén. You take a shuttle or a private taxi about an hour outside of town and are dropped off at a small farm. You pay an entrance fee and then hike up about an hour or so.

Things get pretty steep the last 20 minutes or so.

Then you arrive at top to stunning views like this…

My buddy and I were the first people here for the day, so we had the place to ourselves at the top. It was stunning.

If you’re coming here, don’t try to take a group tour. Grab a couple other people and pay a private taxi for the trip. It costs around $100 USD.

This allows you to arrive early and enjoy the views with peace and quiet. Highly recommended.

• Lago del Desierto

Next to the Glacier Huemul is Lago del Desierto.

I didn’t do much here, as I wanted to just check the place our after enjoying the glacier. My expectations weren’t too high, either.

But I was more than impressed.

Lago del Desierto was one of the most peaceful places I’ve ever been. The lake is crystal clear and stunningly beautiful.

If you’re going to visit Glacier Huemul, make sure to take an extra 20 minutes and check out the lake. Just look…

• Laguna Capri Hike

This is the one hike I didn’t do in El Chaltén that I wanted to. Just ran out of time.

The hike is “shorter” than the other hikes in the area…coming in at 12 km. However, that doesn’t mean it’s any easier than the others.

The Laguna Capri hike is almost completely made up of steep terrain. There’s no flat, easy parts here like with Cerro Torre.

It’s 3-4 hours up and the same down.

Probably the same difficulty level as the Fitz Roy hike even though it’s 10 km shorter. So make sure you’re in decent shape before embarking on this hike.

Speaking Spanish in El Chaltén?

Yes.

You’d do yourself some good being able to speak Spanish in El Chaltén. After all, the small town is in Argentina…a Spanish speaking country.

That being said…

It is NOT a requirement to speak Spanish while hiking around El Chaltén. This is a tourist town. The town imports tons of bilingual Argentinians from Buenos Aires to work in high-season. Someone around will always be able to speak English here.

Plus, all the trails and national park information is also available in English. So it’s truly not necessary for you to speak Spanish here. It’ll make life a whole lot easier when ordering food and such, but not a requirement like in other areas.

Still looking to learn Spanish? Here’s how to do it properly.

El Chaltén Nightlife

That’s funny. Issa’ town of 1,500+ people, y’all. Ain’t no nightlife in El Chaltén.

A couple of cervecerías sure, but no real nightlife. No clubs. Nowhere to dance and drink the night away. Now, you might be thinking":

“But there’s so many tourists here, how is there no nightlife?!”

Think about why people come to El Chaltén…

People come here to hike all day, enjoy nature, and relax. After a long hike, nobody wants to go party the night away. They want to eat a massive meal and go to bed. So nobody goes out here. El Chaltén nightlife, if you could even call it that, is a waste of time. If you’re looking to party, this isn’t the place for you.

P.S: Same thing for dating…NOT a place to come with dating, mating, and degeneracy on the mind.

Do You Need to Rent a Car in El Chaltén, Argentina?

No.

You definitely do not need a car here.

In fact, the three main trails allow you to start from the town. So you don’t even need to take a taxi or tour for these hikes. Unless you’ve been traveling around Patagonia with a car, I wouldn’t recommend renting one just to come here.

Simply unnecessary in such a small town.

Is El Chaltén Safe?

Yes.

El Chaltén is 100% safe.

I tried to find crime stats, but they don’t seem to exist online. I can’t imagine a scenario where you’d be in any real harm while in El Chaltén. Maybe petty theft might be a concern if you leave something like a laptop out in the open for some reason.

But locals in Patagonia are not looking to steal from unsuspecting tourists, as they’re more concerned with tourist dollars than stealing electronics.

You won’t have a safety issue here.

In fact, there are many solo travelers and hikers who have no issue navigating El Chaltén and the surrounding nature alone.

El Chaltén for Remote Workers

This information about the wifi is from a few years back, but I suspect it still rings true.

This may be one of the first places I’ve been where I wouldn’t recommend trying to get any work done.

The Internet simply does NOT work on a consistent basis in El Chaltén.

Some days you’ll be able to pull 5-7 Mbps download speeds from the Internet connection at your hotel or Airbnb rental. Other days you won’t be able to get a Google search to open.

The Internet in El Chaltén is satellite only and the connection is not strong. Hell, the wifi here is even worse than Ushuaia.

On days when the town is packed, the connection will be horrific after 4 pm…when everyone gets back from their hikes and posts on Instagram.

On days when the connection is good, you can get workable Internet from 5 am to 4 pm. However, if there are too many clouds in the sky, the connection will be sh*t all day. Aka the Internet is too unreliable for working as a digital nomad.

Movistar SIM cards, international hotspots, and the like do NOT work here.

The best connection will be at your hotel or Airbnb. If that’s not working, there’s one cafe in town that offers a reliable connection…

–> Lo De Haydee

The connection will be better the earlier you go, like all Wi-Fi in El Chaltén. But I wouldn’t expect too much.

This is NOT a remote work destination whatsoever.

El Chaltén, Argentina 🇦🇷 Verdict

El Chaltén, Argentina…

Come for the hiking. That’s it. Nothing more, nothing less. The mountain town in Argentinian Patagonia is home to some of the best treks in the world and they’re more than easy to get to.

I had one hell of a time hiking around here and truly cherish the time I spent in El Chaltén. But outside of the world-class hiking, the town leaves a lot to be desired.

Hike for 3-7 days here.

Then get back to civilization. Punto.

I had no clue what to expect. All I knew of the region were pretty pictures online, glaciers, and great hiking.

So stepping off the plane in Bariloche, I didn’t have many expectations…

But that first breath of fresh Patagonia air filled my lungs and I started getting excited about the adventures to be had.

Luckily, the city/town didn’t disappoint.

Bariloche was a “modern” city filled with stunning views, amazing hiking, great food, and way too many chocolate shops. Seriously, if you ever want to buy artesian chocolate every single day and night, just come to Bariloche. There’s legit hundreds of these shops throughout the center.

Why?

No clue, but I’d surmise it’s because Bariloche is more like a mountain town in the Swiss Alps than a city of 150,000 people in Latin America.

Which makes Bariloche the perfect introduction to Patagonia for many a traveler.

From world-class hiking in the summer to amazing skiing in the winters, there’s a whole hell of a lot to do here.

In this comprehensive guide, I’ll breakdown damn near everything you’d ever need to know about Bariloche, Argentina.

Pues…

¡Vámonos!

P.S: For more information on Patagonia, check out my guides on El Chalten and El Calafate and Ushuaia.

How to Get to Bariloche, Argentina 🇦🇷

Bariloche is located in the middle of nowhere.

This is not the easiest city in the world to find. Far from it in fact. As such, it’ll take a little bit of effort and a lot of planning to get to Bariloche.

The absolute easiest, cheapest way to get to Bariloche?

Flights from Buenos Aires.

Punto.

We can talk about taking buses from here and there, international flights, and all that jazz…but the reality of the situation is all those options either suck or are more expensive when compared with a flight from Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina.

My one-way flight from Buenos Aires to Bariloche took a little over two hours and cost me a whooping $73 USD, including my luggage.

That’s cheaper than taking the bus from Buenos Aires!

Why people insist on taking buses when flights are so cheap? I’ll never know ;(

Now, this is pretty easy if you’re in Buenos Aires already. Catch a quick flight and you’ll be in Bariloche in no time.

However, many will be traveling to Bariloche from other places. There are direct international flights to Bariloche from Brazil and Santiago, Chile as of writing. To my knowledge, no other international flights fly into this small Patagonian city.

The main airline that flies into Bariloche is Aerolíneas Argentinas, but you can find a few other carriers too.

You can catch a direct flight from a few other Argentinian cities, including:

• El Calafate

• Mendoza

• Cordoba

• Salta

• Rosario

Most of these flights within Argentina will cost anywhere from $50-150 USD one-way…

Whereas a bus ride to Bariloche from any other decent size city in the country will take at least 8+ hours — if not 12-24+ hours.

Not how I prefer to spend a full day of my life. Cramped up in a bus just sitting around eating junk food and trying to get an hour or two of shuteye.

But if you’re into that sort of thing…

You can take a bus to Bariloche from Buenos Aires, El Calafate, and Santiago on the Chile side — via Osorno. All long, miserable bus rides winding through the mountains.

You’d think mountain views during a bus ride might not be too bad, but then little “Maria” sitting behind you starts getting motion sickness and throwing up all over the floor. Throw up which you’ll be smelling for the next 12+ hours of your wonderful bus journey.

More information on flights routes to Bariloche here.

 Tl:DR – Take a flight from Buenos Aires to Bariloche! 

Understanding Bariloche Weather & Seasons

Before we go any further, I must make one thing clear…

I visited Bariloche during the “summer” months.

There was no snow on the ground when I was here. I didn’t go skiing. Didn’t have to deal with any of those type issues.

But I did run my mouth with a few locals and taxi drivers to ensure I understand a little bit about Bariloche weather, especially with regards to tourist high- and low-seasons.

Here’s what I learned:

Late November through early April is “mid” high-season.

It’s not insanely packed like during the winter ski months in Bariloche, but there’s more than enough tourism during these months to keep locals busy.

Then there’s about a 75 day low-season from early April until mid-June. During this time, you won’t find many tourists in Bariloche. That does NOT make it a great time to visit.

Why?

Because Bariloche weather at the time is too cold and windy to truly enjoy many of the summertime tourist activities, hikes, and such.

Yet it’s not ideal conditions for skiing and snow sports just yet.

But once the snow gets just right by mid-June, the town becomes a madhouse.

As what many consider the premier skiing destination in all of South America, the town of 150,000 people balloons to nearly 450,000 during high-season for skiers…that figure includes tourists.

This high-season tends to last for nearly three months, where Bariloche is poppin’ day in and day out. Then once September rolls around, the town dies back down again.

Bariloche weather is also trash from September until late November, early December.

Then the summertime tourists start showing up again in droves. Ready and willing to trek, fish, and enjoy all the sights *and chocolate* Bariloche has to offer.

Here’s some more information on Bariloche weather…

Where to Stay in Bariloche, Argentina 🇦🇷

I didn’t realize how much of a “city” the town of Bariloche was until I arrived.

Looking on the map, the place looked small enough to walk from one end to the other in about 20 minutes. That was a mistake.

Bariloche is larger than you think.

Sure, the center offers that quaint mountain town vibe you’re looking for through and through…but getting to that area can take a little bit longer than you’d imagine.

Getting from one end of town to the other on foot can take well over 45 minutes…

As such, you’ll want to pay close attention to any Airbnb rentals or hotels you’re booking. Unless coming to Bariloche and planning to stay on a ski resort, I’d highly recommend staying as close to the city center as humanly possible.

The closer you are to the center, the easier life will be. Bariloche center is filled with restaurants, tour agencies, hotels, cafes, and chocolate shops galore. Chocolate shops everywhere!

You can walk all over the place in this area and will make life so much easier as a tourist.

Highly recommended.

This is the center area I recommend:

If you can find an Airbnb in this area that meets your needs, I’d suggest you take it. You won’t find anything better in or around the city.

Options are slim in Bariloche, but there’s a few decent rentals around the center.

Best Bariloche Hotels

I booked an Airbnb on the outskirts of Bariloche for my full week in town. However, the host was absolutely clueless and I ended up having to cancel due to his ineptitude…

“No, it’s not acceptable that there wasn’t sheets on my bed and cases on the pillows. Or that you showed up 4+ hours late to check in and I stood outside with my luggage! Oh, and Google won’t even load with this wifi — that you claim is the fastest in Bariloche!”

I didn’t realize at the time, but this Argentinian Airbnb host was just par for the course in 🇦🇷

Luckily, I got my money back and had absolutely zero issue finding a solid Bariloche hotel in the city center. In fact, there were dozens of Bariloche hotels available at moments’ notice.

I stayed here during my trip:

Hotel Bariloche City

The place wasn’t fancy by any stretch of the imagination, but I payed around $45 USD per night and that included an *average at best* breakfast.

Oh, and the Internet was also *average at best* at Hotel Bariloche City.

But the location is absolutely ideal.

This Bariloche hotel is in the perfect location. Right on the outskirts of the city center, the place was a 30-second walk to dozens of restaurants and cafes. But it was also quiet!

I slept like a baby here and didn’t have a single noise complaint during my time in Bariloche.

The rooms aren’t fancy, but they’re large. The beds are seemingly brand new and comfortable as hell:

The hot water works well. There’s a large lock box to ensure your valuables stay safe while you’re off enjoying tourism.

Overall…

Hotel Bariloche City is an ideal budget hotel in the city center. It’s not fancy, but it is clean, comfortable, and more than well-located.

There are some other options when looking for a hotel in Bariloche, especially if you’re looking for a little more luxury, including:

• Hotel Concorde

Just over $50 USD a night, the place features modern decor and the perfect location in Bariloche. Many of the rooms also feature stunning lakes views and breakfast is included.

I wish I would have stayed here during my time in Bariloche. Te lo juro.

One of the best value options you’ll find in Patagonia.

• Llao Llao Resort & Hotel

When President Obama visited Argentina years back, this was the hotel they put him up at in Patagonia. A world-class establishment and golf course, Llao Llao Resort is the nicest hotel I encountered in Bariloche.

Costs between $200-300 USD a night, but many say the views more than make up for the cost…although this hotel is far from the city center. You’ll find amazing amenities, world-class cuisine, and so much more here.

This is the BEST hotel in Bariloche…by far!

Restaurants in Bariloche | My Favorites

The food in Bariloche wasn’t bad. I wouldn’t call the place a “foodie” paradise unless you *really* love chocolate.

Alas, I never went hungry in Bariloche.

Hell, I was more than pleased with most of my meals in the small Patagonian city…except for the service.

The waiters in Bariloche were a bit odd – to put it nicely.  Here’s a few of the restaurants in Bariloche I enjoyed:

• I’Italiano Trattoria: Italian restaurant in Bariloche. The food was pretty good, but I wouldn’t say great. However, the 3-course dinner special or whatever it was for like $9 USD was a great deal. Located in the center.

• El Mexicano: The only decent Mexican restaurant in Bariloche. The food was actually pretty great for Mexican food in Argentina, but the service was absolutely horrific. Bafflingly bad. Still recommend for decent Mexican food.

There’s also a number of good steakhouses — it’s Argentina after all. Just can’t remember the names.

Things to Do in Bariloche, Argentina | Summer Edition

There’s a whole hell of a lot of things to do in Bariloche, Argentina…both in the summertime and winter months.

However, I didn’t spend a lick of time here during the winter months.

I’m sure the skiing is dope. There’s a reason Bariloche is a well-known ski spot in South America, but I can’t comment on all that. So this list is all about “summer” in Bariloche, which feels more like spring to me.

Here’s some of the top things to do in Bariloche during the summer months:

• Cerro Campanario

You can hike here, but I’m not sure how long it would take to reach the top. Or you can take a ski lift to the top and enjoy the view, which is what I did.

But no matter what you do…

Make sure you visit Cerro Campanario while in Bariloche.

While the city offers tons of tours and fun stuff, this is one *must* when talking things to do in Bariloche. Seriously, the views here are absolutely amazing.

But you need to get here early in the day. If you don’t, you’ll find the viewpoints more than crowded…which is never fun. The taxi from Bariloche is about 20-30+ minutes depending on traffic and road conditions.

• Hike Refugio Fray

I’d never been on a “real” hike before hitting Refugio Fray. Never hiked 8+ hours up and down a mountain in a single day. Sure, I’d done some 2-4+ hour hikes in a couple other countries, but nothing legit.

Nothing serious like the Refugio Fray hike.

Suffice to say, I didn’t come prepared or correct. The nearly 8 hours it took me to hike up and down damn near killed me. I was huffing and puffing. My legs were sore the next couple days.

But…

It was worth it. At the top of this hike, there’s a small “refugio” area with a lake and stunning views. Once you see the stunning nature and the small lake at the top, you’ll quickly realize it was definitely worth the time and effort to make it to the top.

Highly recommended.

To start the hike, have a taxi driver drop you at the bottom of the mountain. The drive takes about 20 minutes.

The trail is well marked and you shouldn’t have an issue getting lost, as there’s also a good amount of other hikers. No need for a guide.

However, you should have good hiking shoes and one more thing…hiking poles.

Te lo juro.

• Llao Llao Trail Hike

Around Cerro Llao Llao there is a small trail that takes about an hour to walk. It’s flat and relaxing, but offers some stunning views of the surrounding nature. If a long hike isn’t up your alley, then I highly recommend this short trek.

You can take a combined tour and check out Cerro Campinario, this Llao Llao trail, and the Cervecería Patagonia all in one….among a few other stops.

Highly recommended.

Usually takes about a full day and should costs maybe $100 USD. Or you can take a taxi out here and have the driver wait for you as you walk the trail.

Either way, this trail is definitely worth it for the stunning lake views. I’m talking great views like this bad boy…

• Visit an Ice Bar

Won’t lie, this is probably the most *basic* thing to do in Bariloche…but I went and had a damn good time drinking at the ice bar.

Ice Bariloche is the only ice bar in town. It’s located in the center of the city and is exactly what the name implies, a bar made of ice.

It costs about $10 USD to enter Ice Bariloche and that includes one mixed drink with your ticket. It’s more of an experience to visit the place, put on all the ice “gear” they require – then have a drink or two and bounce. Not a place to spend the whole evening drinking.

• Cervecería Patagonia

Located in the mountains with a great view, Cervecería Patagonia is the most famous place to have a beer in all of Patagonia.

Sadly, I didn’t get to go here. We went on a Sunday and there was a 45-minute wait just to get inside…much less get your hands on some brews and food. I was way too hungry to wait for over an hour to get some grub.

That being said…

Cervecería Patagonia is well worth a visit while in Bariloche, and is often include in the all-day tour I talked about above.

The place offers stunning views, great beer, and decent food too. My buddy checked it out and said it was a great place to watch the sunset and grab dinner.

• Lago Nahuel Huapí

Last, but certainly not least we have…

Lago Nahuel Huapí.

If the weather is nice, this stunningly beautiful lake offers a handful of great activities to do.

Kayaking. Fishing. Swimming. Cruises.

There’s tons of stuff to do here, and the views from Bariloche of Lago Nahuel Huapí can be spectacular. That being said… The waves and wind on this lake can be rough. Like “ocean-esque” rough. Waves that could topple a smaller boat or kayak.

So make sure to look at the weather for the lake before booking any activities here. There were a few days during my time in Bariloche, Argentina where the waves looked pretty dangerous from afar.

Speaking Spanish in Bariloche?

While Bariloche is a popular tourist destination, most visiting the area are from Argentina. You’ll also find a few Brazilians around and some Chinese.

What you won’t find a ton of?

Gringos.

As such, English is not *that* common in Bariloche. That being said…

The people that spoke English in Bariloche seemed to be far more conversational with the language than those in other tourist places, which was a bit odd.

Still, you should learn a little Spanish before you visit Bariloche – or anywhere in Patagonia. You’ll find the experience far more enjoyable and the people friendlier if you do.

Here’s how to start learning Spanish.

Bariloche Nightlife

Outside of having a drink or two at the ice bar, I didn’t enjoy a big night out in Bariloche. So I’m not the foremost expert on nightlife in Bariloche.

But I will say that I saw a couple large clubs in the city while walking around, so I’d have to assume there’s some rumba here from time to time.

There’s also dozens upon dozens of cervecerías in the city if you’re just looking to have a beer. For the big clubs, these are three spots I walked by during the day and went, “Damn! That looks like a massive place to party.”

No idea if they’re any good, but here’s some of the more popular places to enjoy Bariloche nightlife:

• Genux

• Roket

• Cerebro

All three of these clubs were located near the lake to the west of the city center. All walkable for people staying anywhere in the center.

Maybe not the best Bariloche nightlife advice, but should get you started. As always, the best thing to do is ask locals upon arrival and they’ll set you straight.

Dating in Bariloche 🇦🇷

Did not partake myself, as tourism and chilling with the broski was the main priorities in Patagonia for me. And staying on top of work.

That being said…

You could probably get the job done here during high-season.

Would I recommend it?

Not particularly.

You visit Patagonia for the nature, hiking, skiing, and all that jazz. You don’t come to Bariloche for degenerate behavior…specifically.

I would not recommend coming here if dating is your priority. Still, the girls here are of typical Argentina stock and do look good.

Do You Need to Rent a Car in Bariloche, Argentina?

NO!

Absolutely not.

There’s no need to rent a car in Bariloche, Argentina.

Could it be beneficial to have a car here?

Sure.

But it’s absolutely not necessary. You can still enjoy your time in the Patagonian city without a car. Most of the fun things to do in Bariloche are only a short taxi ride outside of town. However, if you’re interested in renting a car here…

I did see a number of companies in the city center that had them available. I’d probably recommend just walking around the center your first day and getting quotes if that’s something you’re interested in.

Is Bariloche Safe?

Yes.

110% safe.

Bariloche is one of the safest cities I’ve been to in Latin America.

Hell, it might be the *safest* period…not just one of them. People walk openly and freely around the city center. Smartphones used in public and at all tourist spots. This isn’t Colombia where your phone can get snatched from someone on a moto while snapping a photo.

I didn’t notice any menacing looking people in the city during my whole week.

Here’s how I’ll put it, as I can’t find any reliable crime stats…

While there many be a few bad apples here, crime in Bariloche is far from prevalent. Bariloche is quite safe overall.

Bariloche for Remote Work

I’ll be real here…

Patagonia is NOT a remote work hotspot for a reason.

Hell, for a lot of reasons. Mainly because the region is somewhat expensive and the Internet is spotty at best.

Now, you can find a decent connection in the center of Bariloche. This is especially true if you use a local Movistar SIM card on a mobile hotspot.

I was able to pull 23 Mbps download speed from the Movistar SIM card on my hotspot at times, which was the fastest connection I found in Bariloche. Hell of a lot better than El Chalten.

But still…

Not a place to base up if remote work is a priority.

Bariloche, Argentina 🇦🇷 Verdict

Overall…

I’d highly recommend this city as a starting point for a trip to Argentinian Patagonia.

Flights are easy, the city is modern, Internet kinda works, and there’s a whole hell of a lot to do. If you get bored in Bariloche, that’s on you!

Enjoy the Lago Nahuel Huapi.

Hike Refugio Fray.

Take a few tours outside the city. Enjoy the stunning nature. Oh, and don’t forget to eat some chocolate…it shouldn’t be hard to find.

Just don’t expect the place to have world-class nightlife, dating options, or Internet.

Bariloche is for nature.

Situated on the outskirts of Patagonia and filled with stunning mountains, lakes, and insane views.

For nature, Bariloche is hard to top.

For getting great service in hotels, bars, and restaurants – Bariloche is not going to win any awards.

And after spending a week in this lovely mountain town, I could only conclude one thing…

Argentinians HATE Money

See what had happened was…

Me and a good buddy had just went on a sick hike, trekking through Patagonia for 4-5 hours one afternoon.

After the stunningly beautiful, yet exhausting hike, we were starved.

We got cleaned up at the hotel and immediately hit the town to find some steaks.

Now, Argentinian steaks are insanely overrated. Paraguay and Mexico both have better cuts than Argentina.

But Argentina steak is still damn good.

So we see this massive steakhouse across the street from our hotel and immediately walk over.

Now…

Before we dig into this story, it’s important to understand Argentinian culture.

Locals go to dinner at 9:30PM…at the earliest. It’s common to sit down for dinner at 11:00PM and drink wine, have apps, eat a steak, and chat until the wee hours of the morning.

So…

Me and my buddy were walking into this steakhouse at 7:00 on a weekday.

The place is huge. 100+ tables easily, and maybe 5 of them are filled.

The place is set up so that there’s 25-ish booths on the outside of the restaurant and tables in the middle.

We walk in and ask for a table of two. The host is like sure, but then I say: “Can we have a booth please?”

He looks at me: “How many people are in your party tonight?”

Me: “Just us two”

Waiter: “Ohhh, well the booths are for groups of 3-4 people only”

Me: “Ummm, yeah, but it’s 7:00PM and we’re gonna eat quick and then leave. You’ve got 20+ booths open.”

Waiter: “No, we can’t do that”

Me: “You can’t?”

Waiter starts getting snappy: “If you only have two people, you have to sit at a table for two people. You cannot have a booth for two people”

Me: “You know what…go fuck yourself”

We turned to walk out and the waiter ran after us trying to get us to stay…

Get the fuck out of here.

Dude lost out on a $10 USD tip, which would have actually meant something to him, because…

Argentinians hate money.

It Gets Interesting…

Fast forward a few days and this is where it really gets good…

I thought the prick at the steakhouse couldn’t be topped.

I was wrong.

It’s almost 10:00PM in a nice, but very small Italian spot in Bariloche. My friend and I have finished our meals, which were fantastic, and are now just waiting on the check.

The only issue is…

We can’t find any waiters to get the check from.

Five minutes go by.

Ten minutes go by.

Fifteen minutes go by.

Twenty minutes go by.

We’re just sitting and waiting. The only customers in the place. Not a waiter to be found for 20 minutes.

I finally get up and go back towards the kitchen to see if we can find anybody. Because we’re just about to walk out on this meal.

We weren’t going to spend all night waiting for the damn check.

So I turn the corner into the kitchen area only to see…

Our waiter zipping up his pants, while his co-worker, a cute Argentine female, is buttoning up her blouse with a hair pin in her mouth and her hair all messed up.

They see me and literally jump in the air.

I start to smile.

They both turn bright red, blushing about as much as one can.

Me: “Ummmm, we’re trying to pay the check and go home”

Our waited can barely get a word out: “Ummmm, ok sir. I’ll have the check out in a second.”

I walk back to my table with a huge grin on my face.

I had always thought Brazilians were too horny to be a normal functioning society, maybe Argentina is the same way ;)

My buddy looks at me grinning and was like, “What the fuck is going on? Where’s the waiter?”

I laugh, “Broooo, you know the cute waitress we saw earlier?”

My buddy looking at me funny, “Yeah…”

Me: “So, yeah. Her and our waiter were for sure just smashing while we waited for the check.”

I breakdown the whole story and we’re rolling in laughter as the waiter walks over with the check.

He still looks as red as the Kool-Aid Man.

But of course, I cannot hate on the player, only the game, sers. So we tip him 20% still even though the service was horrific and…

Argentinians hate money.

Beautiful city on the river. Boating is commonplace here. Girls are cute. Tons of great nature all around. 

You’ll find a laid-back lifestyle for pennies on the dollar. The nightlife is decent. The food didn’t impress me.

This is not a spot for the bros who love mega-cities, but for those who enjoy a small-city with friendly locals…

You might like it, especially if you’re a “southern cone” enjoyor. 

Oh, and you’ll certainly be one of, if not, the only gringo in town. Which bodes well, sers.

I’ve been aching to go back here and spend more time ever since my short trip here a few years back. Many memories made.

Where is this “Hidden Gem” city in Latin America?

Posadas, Argentina 🇦🇷

Population: 

Almost 400K in the metro

Weather:

I visited Posadas, Argentina in June one year. One of the “coldest” months of the year. The climate was incredibly pleasant with temperatures in the mid-60s to low 70s. Tons of sunshine. Little rain. 

I loved it.

The city basically gets 10 days of light to mid rain each month. Then it’s sunny the other 20+ days each month.

There’s really no bad months here. You could live in Posadas year around without weather issues. It gets a little cold in the winter, June and July. It gets a little warm in the summer, December through February. 

Why Visit Posadas, Argentina?

Pretty hot women.

No other foreigners.

Actually a pretty aesthetic European-style city.

Very walkable.

Good nature nearby with the river, waterfalls, and even some hiking.

Honestly…

This city surprised me. I expected it to be a full-fledged shithole. You never see Posadas on any Argentina travel guides.

So when I crossed the border from Paraguay to spend some time here, I was pleasantly surprised. Posadas was kind of a nice city.

Beautiful river malecon area. High-rise buildings all around. Great sunsets. Perfect weather. The women were wonderful too.

There’s a mall here and the city center was exceptionally lively as I walked around. Almost a European vibe, where everyone walks everywhere.

I was expecting third-world shithole and I got pleasant small European city vibes.

This video gives you an idea of how pleasant the city is.

Surprising.

Now, this is a small city in the middle of nowhere. I wouldn’t recommend it to everyone. In fact, there’s a lot of bros that would hate it here.

I’d say it’s damn near impossible to “hit quota” here. The city is just too small. Less than 400K people.

If you need a big city with dozens of neighborhoods to explore, you’d hate it here.

However, if you’re happy dating a cute girl or three in a walkable city with solid weather – you might love Posadas, Argentina.

I know I did.

How to Get to Posadas

In. The. Middle. Of. Nowhere.

Posadas is in northern Argentina on the border with Paraguay. The Parana River separates these two cities. 

As such, you basically have two options to get here:

From Argentina or from Paraguay.

I do NOT recommend taking the bus either way.

This city is far off-the-beaten-path and a bus ride would take forever to get here.

I’ll tell you how I arrived from Paraguay and show you how to get here while in Argentina.

To get to Posadas, Argentina from Paraguay, you’ll need to be in Encarnacion.

Getting to Encarnacion is not easy. You’ll need to take a flight on a 12-seater plane from Asuncion or take a 6-7 hour bus ride from the capital.

I took the plane. It was like $80 USD each way. 45-minutes in a turboprop and you land in Encarnacion. 

Once in Encarnacion, you can hail a taxi to help you cross the Parana River and get into Argentina. If you do this during rush hour or in the afternoon on a weekend, expect to spend hours waiting to cross the border.

When there’s no traffic, border crossings should take 10-20 minutes.

This is an easy to get to Posadas if you’re in Paraguay.

If you’re already in Argentina, you can take a flight from a few cities in the country to this small city:

• Buenos Aires

• Cordoba

Yes, this city is so small only two cities in the world have flights to it ;)

Learn more here.

Best Neighborhoods

Being such a small city, there’s really nowhere that would be horrible to stay. Nothing is that spread out here, as it’s a small city filled with high-rise apartments.

After my short trip in the city, I dialed in on two locations I would stay when I returned:

• Centro

• La Costanera

The centro area is by far the most lively I found in Posadas. People are walking everywhere. There’s tons of restaurants and bars. There’s a few nice plazas around. 

Overall, it’s a very pleasant area. I also stayed at a decent hotel here, but there seemed to be a couple other good choices.

For more high-end Airbnb apartments, I think La Costanera is ideal. This is the river malecon or boardwalk in the city. You’ll find great views here, along with people walking and hanging out, drinking beers, and playing some music on weekends.

This picture shows both the centro, which is the area in yellow, and La Costanera area which is the pathway along the river.

Overall, anywhere near those two areas will be ideal when checking out Posadas, Argentina.

Where to Stay in Posadas, Argentina?

There are a number of hotels and Airbnb apartments in Posadas.

Personally, I would only stay in a handful of them. The city is small and with only a few best areas to stay – there are only a couple hotel options I like:

• Hotel Continental

This is where I stayed while in Posadas. The location is ideal, right in front of the Plaza 9 de Julio. Within walking distance to restaurants, cafes, and bars.

The rooms were clean and spacious. Not five-star by any stretch of the imagination, but more than acceptable.

• Hotel Urbano

This appears to be one of, if not, the nicest hotel in Posadas.

Nice pool, decent gym, and a full-service spa. The location is right in the center of the centro area too, making everything very walkable from here.

If you’re looking for Airbnb options, I’d try to find something close to La Costanera and with decent views. 

There’s some options, but the quality of the furnishings varies drastically.

Here’s some options:

• Beautiful views in a modern apartment

• Large, well-decorated apartment

Both of these apartments seem way overpriced to me. Make sure to negotiate if you plan to stay 2-4 weeks. 

These are some of the fanciest spots in the city and are still around $1,500 USD a month. You can find apartments with no pool for around $500-1,000 a month in the center.

P.S: Bring physical USD here. Don’t book anything online. Far cheaper prices to be had on the ground.

Cost of Living

Posadas, Argentina is a very cheap city.

You can find an apartment in the center for $500-700 a month with ease.

And that’s online options! If you plan to stay a month or two, you could take USD and get something for $200-400 that would be legit.

Food in restaurants and cafes is far cheaper than you’d expect, especially if you bring USD into the city and exchange it on the black market.

Bars are dirt cheap with the current exchange rate too.

You could easily bring $3,000-4,000 USD into this city from Paraguay, exchange it, and live for 3-4 months. 

When I was here, the exchange was not anything like it is now – and it was cheap back then. Far cheaper than Paraguay.

I’m not even going to put a full breakdown of costs here right now, as the current exchange rate and the difference between dollars on the black market is vast.

However…

There’s no doubt in my mind you could live an amazing life here for less than $1,000 USD a month right now.

Is Posadas, Argentina Safe?

Super safe.

Argentina is one of the safer countries in all of Latin America. If we’re looking at the statistics, this is the third safest country in all of South America.

Low murder rate, low street crime.

Posadas is a small city in a safe country with little crime.

While I would stay in a safe hotel or an apartment with a doorman and security, I do not think anything else is required to stay safe in Posadas. 

This is a peaceful place.

Dating in Posadas, Argentina

You will be one of, if not, the only gringo here. This bodes well.

The women here are of Argentinian stock – with a little extra native blood. You’ll even find many blonde latinas here.

Yes, the women look good.

As such…

You should have fantastic dating options while in Posadas. 

During my short time here, I met a super cute girl that worshiped the ground I walked on and spent a majority of my time here with her – when not trying to continue my creeping.

She was such a sweet girl, I’m actually inclined to believe you could meet a girlfriend here if you wanted to.

The only issue with dating here is this:

It’s a small city.

You will not be able to go on a new date every single day here, like you could in Buenos Aires.

But for men looking to meet a cute girl, or three, and have a little mini-LTR, you will love it here. The girls are sweet and look good.

I’d go back here if I was single, so that should tell you something.

Nightlife in Posadas, Argentina

I did go to a handful of bars in the city center. I did not actually step foot in a club here, but I’ll do my best to break things down. 

As with any city, these things change constantly. So it’s hard to give recommendations based on the past.

…The best thing to do?

Start talking to girls online before arrival and ask them about the best clubs in the city. Young women between 18-26 will always know where the hotspots are, even if they don’t party much themselves.

Here’s a few options that look decent:

• Metropolis

Appears to be the biggest club in town by far. If I was rolling in Posadas with no other options, I’d probably plan to go here.

• Flynn Irish Bar

Classic Irish bar. You should be able to meet some locals and get the inside scoop on where to go for clubbing here.

Cool Tings’ to Do

Posadas, Argentina is NOT a tourist hotspot. If you come here expecting to do a bunch of different activities everyday, you’ll be sorely disappointed.

That being said…

There’s a couple things to do in Posadas, Argentina to keep you entertained. Here’s a few of my favorites:

• Stroll the Coast

La Costanera is pretty here. Situated along the Rio Paraná, the long boardwalk is the absolute best area of the city to enjoy a early afternoon stroll.

Here you’ll find stunning river views, tons of people talking and drinking tereré, and an outdoor gym — plus, there’s some great restaurants and bars too.

This is the first thing I’d do when visiting Posadas, Argentina. Take a nice little stroll here!

• San Ignacio Mini

The 17th-century ruins of San Ignacio Mini are one of the biggest attractions in the region. The site, which lies about an hour north upriver from Posadas, features impressive red sand brick architecture in a mix of both Jesuit and Gurani styles.

If you see just one Jesuit ruin in South America, then let this be it.

• Parque Nacional Iberá

With enough reptiles and birdlife to rival the Brazilian Pantanal, the Iberá Wetlands are a wildlife spotters dreamscape.

The fact that the marshland is almost completely devoid of trees makes it super easy to see the creatures that lurk within.

Remember, you’ll want to stay in Carlos Pellegrini, or nearby, to make this feasible.

Martial Arts in Posadas, Argentina

I did not train here on my short trip, however, martial arts seems to be popular here.

Being a small city with not a lot going on and close to Brazilian, jiu jitsu is especially popular.

There are two gyms close to the center that look legit:

• Renzo Gracie Posadas

• Gracie Barra Posadas

I imagine the level will be solid. Both of these BJJ gyms should also be able to point you to the best MMA/striking gyms too.

Medical Care in Posadas

Argentina has very good public hospitals and healthcare – which are available to foreigners.

I would not be worried about medical care here, especially on a short stay. I also probably wouldn’t want to have any surgeries here, but for minor stuff, you’ll be more than covered.

Hospital Posadas seems to be a solid facility.

Recommended Length of Stay

You could stay here for as little or as long as you’d like.

One week is more than enough to cover all the basics, see the whole city, and visit all the tourist sites.

On the flipside, you could stay here 2-4 months, get a smokeshow Argentinian girlfriend, and live for less than $1,000 USD a month

All depends what you’re looking for.

I’d say the place would get boring after 3-4 months, but the vibes here make me want to go back and find out.

Other Notes

If you’re living here for a few months, you could for sure go check out Encarnacion, Paraguay for a bit too.

Encarnacion is not nearly as nice of a city, but there are some pretty river beaches there. Worth a weekend trip I’d suppose.

Posadas 🇦🇷 Overall

Small, but pleasant city in the “southern cone” area of South America.

Not for everyone, but for men looking for a slower pace of life and cute latinas, you might enjoy a few months here.

I plan to go back and spend some more time one day. It’s that pleasant of a place.