Compare 11 day Highlights of Argentina & Brazil by Travel 2 vs Wine and Landscapes of Argentina's Northwest by Explore!

Day 1

Arrive Buenos Aires Arrive in Argentina’s capital and transfer to your hotel.

Day 2

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Buenos Aires Sightseeing & Tango Show See the brightly painted houses of the artists’ quarter at La Boca, the gracious parks and statues of Palermo and the chic and fashionable neighborhood of Recoleta, with its tree-lined avenues and exclusive boutiques. In the evening enjoy a delicious dinner and Tango show.

Day 3

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Fiesta Gaucha Tour Experience life on an Argentine ranch and indulge in a mouth-watering barbecue or ‘Parrillada’, with typical folk music and dancing.

Day 4

Meals: Breakfast

Buenos Aires A free day to explore. Take a walk along the riverfront in Puerto Madero or visit the plazas and cafés of Recoleta or Palermo, and Florida Street is great for shopping.

Day 5

Meals: Breakfast

Buenos Aires - Iguazú Falls (Argentine side) Transfer to the domestic airport for you morning flight to Iguazú. On arrival visit the Argentine side of Iguazú Falls and the Devil’s Throat, one of South America’s most impressive natural landmarks. Here, 35 rivers with over 200 hundred rapids finally join to form one of nature’s most surprising spectacles. Numerous rainbows crown the falls and at ground level within the exuberant forest, a wide variety of flowers, exotic birds and butterflies enhance the beauty of this amazing natural wonder.

Day 6

Meals: Breakfast

Iguassú Falls (Brazilian side) A half-day tour of the Brazilian side of the falls to gain a different perspective and to enjoy the stunning panoramic views, with time to take an optional boat ride to get up close to the falls or helicopter flight over them.

Day 7

Meals: Breakfast

Iguassú – Rio de Janeiro Head to the airport for your flight to Rio de Janeiro where you will be transferred to your hotel on Copacabana Beach

Day 8

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Corcovado & Sugar Loaf Mountain Travel by train through the lush Tijuca forest to reach the top of Corcovado crowned by the legendary Statue of Christ the Redeemer. From here you will discover why Rio is commonly referred to as the most beautiful city in the world. After a delicious lunch, travel to the top of the Sugar Loaf Mountain by cable car and marvel at the sight of the city with its countless bays and curvaceous coastline.

Day 9

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Rio de Janeiro Today is yours to do as you wish then this evening; enjoy a typical Brazilian barbecue dinner and Samba show.

Day 10

Meals: Breakfast

Rio de Janeiro Time for some last-minute shopping and sightseeing or simply relaxing on the world-famous Copacabana Beach.

Day 11

Depart Rio de Janeiro Transfer to the airport for your onward flight.

Day 1 Join trip in Mendoza

Our tour starts today in Mendoza, the heart of Argentina's wine country, located in the shadow of the mighty Andes. For those arriving in time, our tour leader plans to meet you in the hotel reception at 6pm for the welcome meeting and for those that wish, there is the chance to go out for dinner. There are no activities planned today, so you're free to arrive in Mendoza at any time. If you'd like an airport transfer, you'll need to arrive into Governor Francisco Gabrielli International Airport (MDZ), a 20-minute drive from our hotel. Should you miss the meeting, your tour leader will inform you of any essential information as soon as you catch up. If your flight arrives earlier in the day, you could explore the lively city by strolling the leafy streets or relax with a spot of people-watching and a coffee in one of the many charming plazas

Meals Provided : None

Day 2 Wine-tasting in Argentina's famous vineyards

Today, we'll head to Lujan de Cuyo, 30 minutes outside of the city. Lujan de Cuyo is a wine-growing region where row upon row of vines grow in neatly ordered lines under the shadow of the Andes mountains. Drinking wine in this landscape is an unforgettable experience, and today we'll be visiting two of the region's wineries. Although this area is home to many varieties of white, it's mainly known for its reds, particularly the ubiquitous malbec. We'll have the chance to taste the multiple varieties of grapes found in the area during our tour, before returning to Mendoza. The late afternoon is free to explore the city, and on our first full day in Argentina, it's a good idea to try some of the local delicacies - visit an afternoon coffee shop for an alfajor (an Argentinian speciality - a cakey biscuit filled with 'dulce de leche') or take a walk around the lively Plaza Independencia.

Meals Provided : Breakfast

Day 3 Walk in the Aconcagua Provincial Park and visit the Inca Bridge

Today we have a full-day trip to Aconcagua Provincial Park, home to the magnificent Aconcagua - standing at 6,961 metres/22,837 feet it's the tallest peak in the Americas. At the bottom of the permanently snow-covered peaks, we'll find lush meadows and some forested valleys, and our tour leader will take us on a 90-minute hike to the Horcones Lagoon, a glacier-fed lagoon with outstanding views of the mountains. The trail is relatively flat and rocky, with mountains at either side of us and the peak of Aconcagua rising before us in the distance. Before returning to Mendoza, we'll also make a stop at the Puente del Inca, a geologically formed bridge once allegedly used by Incas to cross the river. The reddish oranges of the formation are caused by the minerals in the waters running beneath the bridge, and the remains of a slightly curious-looking stone chapel are still found built into the rock. We'll drive back to Mendoza after our visit. The drive to Mendoza takes approximately three hours each way.

Meals Provided : Breakfast

Day 4 Drive to Barreal; visit El Leoncito National Park

Today we'll set off to Barreal, one of the most beautifully situated towns in this sleepy region of the country. The town is a shot of green in the often desert-like landscapes of the northwest, with seven snow-capped Andean peaks overlooking it. The highlight is the nearby El Leoncito National Park, a protected area with very strict regulations on air pollution. This valley gives us the chance (weather-dependent) to do some night sky watching while enjoying its breathtaking scenery. Our drive today will take around six hours, with a section of unpaved roads.

Meals Provided : Breakfast

Day 5 Drive to Villa Union through the Las Burras gorge

We have a long day of driving today, approximately seven hours, to Villa Union. We'll pass through small villages, ancient prehispanic settlements and the 'Las Burras' Gorge road, winding through the mountains, as well as driving through the impressive Jachal River Gorge. We'll stop at a viewpoint to see the red formations of the enormous Talampaya and Ischigualasto National Parks for the first time, with the late afternoon sun in the background. Villa Union is the jumping-off point for exploring these parks and is a sleepy town with the shadows of the Andes in the background.

Meals Provided : Breakfast

Day 6 Explore the geo shapes and red rock landscapes of Ischigualasto and Talampaya National Parks

A full day exploring weird and wonderful landscapes awaits us as we delve into the moonlike scenery of Ischigualasto National Park, and the red rock towers of Talampaya. Once the kingdom of dinosaurs, these two parks contain the most complete fossil record known from the Triassic Period and have together been granted UNESCO heritage status. Talampaya National Park is up first. The scrub desert boasts fossilised remains of a wide range of ancestral animals and plants. Even for those amongst us who are not scientifically minded, the park is an impressive show of geological wonders. We'll be undertaking an easy hike through the immense red rock canyon of the Don Eduardo Gorge, which is approximately 8 kilometres/5 miles on flat terrain. The dry riverbeds, red dunes and sand plains are more akin to a Martian journey than our expectations of Andean scenery. Popularly known as 'Moon Valley', Ischigualasto National Park, the next stop on our visit, is home to geological oddities that have been formed by water, wind and sun over the last million years. 'Bowling Lane' is one of the most iconic sites, with scores of perfectly polished round balls sitting on a flat surface, with apparently no explanation for their formation. We'll drive through this park by bus, stopping at the most interesting shapes to explore them further. After a thorough exploration of both parks, we'll return to Villa Union.

Meals Provided : Breakfast

Day 7 Drive to Belen and visit a women's weaving co-operative

We'll get back on the Ruta 40 today, driving towards the small town of Belen and passing through characterful, rural villages en route. Part of the drive takes us on a winding upward journey over the Cuesta de Miranda, perhaps one of the most photogenic and visual climbs in the region - taking us from 1000 metres/3280 feet to 2000 metres/6561 feet above sea level and back down, in just a couple of hours. The highway was originally built in the early 1900s, following the path of the ancient Inca Trail that eventually led to Cusco. That early road was precarious - you could barely fit two cars abreast, with one side of the road dropping into the deep Miranda gorge. Thankfully it was updated in the last ten years, and a new highway was built - we'll pass the old one during the drive for comparison. After the Cuesta de Miranda, it's an easy drive for the final 200 kilometres/124 miles to Belen. There is a women's weaving co-operative in Belen that we've been visiting with groups for the last few years. Weaving, with both sheep and llama or alpaca wool, is an essential part of the economy up here in the northwest, and the co-op is a fascinating way to learn more about the process and its important place in this society. Our drive time today is approximately six hours including stops, arriving into Belen around 2pm.

Meals Provided : Breakfast

Day 8 Wine-tasting in Cafayate and visit to indigenous Quilmes ruins

Setting off this morning to Argentina's northern Winelands around Cafayate, we'll stop at the indigenous Quilmes ruins en route. The Quilmes people, dating back to around AD1000, famously resisted the Incan invasion and lived through over a century of Spanish colonisation. The large site is made up of the remains of terraces rising up the cacti-covered hillside - we can walk to the top for excellent views of the valley and the site. Although not as impressive as other archaeological sites in the Andes, it helps us to understand the indigenous heritage in this part of Argentina. Finally, we'll arrive in Cafayate in the early afternoon for a round of wine tasting in two of the region's rustic wineries, their rows of green vines backed by the spectacular mountains beyond. We might try Argentina's main white wine, Torrontes, famous in this region. Our drive to Cafayate takes approximately six hours.

Meals Provided : Breakfast

Day 9 Drive to Cachi through 'Broken Arrow Gorge'

The Argentina of the Andes is steeped in Inca heritage, and the indigenous populations have retained many of their old traditions - in small towns like Cafayate, local methods of weaving have been maintained since pre-Hispanic times, and during our journey through the Andes, we'll admire their woven clothes, hats, sweaters and ponchos in llama and vicuna wool. Today our journey takes us to Cachi through the 'Arrows Gorge', a spectacular formation of sharp, pointed rocks shooting up through the air at all sorts of different angles; the road that we travel on pierces this dramatic and surreal landscape. It's an unsealed road, and as such the drive will take the whole day, with a number of spectacular scenery stops. We'll arrive in the evening to the tranquil town of Cachi (2,530 metres/8,300 feet altitude).

Meals Provided : Breakfast

Day 10 Drive to Salta through high arid cactus deserts down to fertile forests on the 'Bishop's Hill Road'

This morning, we'll head on to Salta, down the 'Bishop's Hill Road', 20 kilometres/12 miles of hairpin bends that offer views down to the Sierra del Obispo. During the drive, the change in scenery is simply amazing, as we travel from the cactus-filled deserts of the Cardones National Park, down to lush green mountains, blanketed in vegetation and eroded by rippling brooks and streams. We'll stop to discover the spectacular mountain views at the various viewpoints on route to Salta - one of the livelier cities in the north of Argentina, it is a blend of colonial architecture, fascinating museums and buzzing nightlife. Our drive today will take approximately five to seven hours, depending on the number and length of stops and the traffic upon arrival into Salta.

Meals Provided : Breakfast & Dinner

Day 11 Discover Humahuaca Gorge

Today we'll set out to explore the UNESCO Heritage area of the Humahuaca Gorge, a highlight of any trip to the northwest of Argentina. Our first stop is three hours north, at the colourful desert town of Purmamarca. This town has an incredible backdrop - a mountainside named the 'Seven-Coloured Hill' for its bright shades of yellows, oranges, reds and greens. This town is well worth visiting in depth, and we'll spend a couple of hours here hiking on the Los Colorados path, an easy trail of 2.5km / 1.5 miles, exploring the town and taking our lunch stop. From Purmamarca we'll move to the traditional village of Tilcara, with its charming village square, market and church. The rest of the day's journey is awash with colour and scenic roadside lookouts; another appropriately named mountain is The 'Painters Palette', which we'll see over the town of Maimara. It's interesting to see once again the heritage from the pre-Columbian period which gives this area of northwest Argentina a very distinct sense of cultural identity. This is not only manifested in the woven items that we've spotted in other towns but also in the local diet, with northern food including llama stews and corn dishes on offer. After a day exploring, we'll return to Salta and will get a taste of its music scene at a 'pena', a traditional folk music hall where locals come with guitars and take turns to play and sing. Dinner is included.

Meals Provided : Breakfast

Day 12 Fly to Buenos Aires

This morning, we'll say goodbye to the northwest and catch our flight to cosmopolitan Buenos Aires. Here we'll find ourselves amid Argentina's capital, located on the southern shores of the Rio de la Plata. Since its founding by Pedro de Mendoza in the 1500s, the city has thrived on trade and its vibrant streets are filled with an eclectic mix of European architectural styles, with Spanish, French and Italian classicism rubbing shoulders with remnants of Victorian grandeur. The afternoon is free to settle in. Tomorrow we'll visit the eclectic and bohemian south of the city, so this afternoon you might want to visit the elite north, home to the embassies, the richer neighbourhoods and many of the city's green spaces. Its main site is the famous Recoleta Cemetery, the final resting place of some of Argentina's most revered figures, including Eva Peron. Or perhaps go to Palermo Park, an urban oasis in the madness of the city. This evening or tomorrow we'll have an opportunity to enjoy Buenos Aires' dazzling nightlife and soak up the pulsating rhythms of one of South America's most captivating cities.

Meals Provided : Breakfast

Day 13 Walking tour of La Boca and Plaza de Mayo; free afternoon

We're experiencing the city as a Porteno (a Buenos Aires native) today, using the local buses and exploring on foot. Each neighbourhood of Buenos Aires has a distinct character, with grand Italianate architecture rubbing shoulders with winding cobbled streets or tree-lined avenues. To get a feel for the heart of the city, we'll stroll towards its founding point at the Plaza de Mayo, where the President's dusty-pink mansion is located. Every big event in Buenos Aires's history has been witnessed by the Plaza, from the continued protests of the Madres de la Plaza de Mayo back to Eva Peron's mass demonstrations in 1945. From here, we'll hop on a bus towards the colourful neighbourhood of La Boca. Settled originally by Italian migrants, the area is famed for its bright houses, a ramshackle affair of corrugated iron, and the tango dancers who perform in the streets. We'll visit a local Cafecito during our tour, taking a traditional Porteno elevenses of coffee and pastries. We end our morning in bohemian San Telmo, with its small one-way streets, historic mansions and walls covered with street art. Our Tour Leader will suggest lunch at a traditional Bodegon, sampling specialities that an Argentinian grandma would be happy with. Empanadas, locro (corn and pumpkin stew) or a delicious choripan (a fat chorizo sausage in bread, with chimichurri sauce) may be on the menu. The afternoon is free to explore with much on offer. You could stay and see more of San Telmo, which is particularly interesting when the antiques market takes over the cobbled streets. For book lovers, the Ateneo Grand Splendid, set in a converted theatre, is one of the most impressive bookstores in the world. This evening, we'll have the opportunity to enjoy Buenos Aires' nightlife, perhaps going to a tango show and soaking up the pulsating rhythms of this most Latin of dances.

Meals Provided : Breakfast

Day 14 Trip ends in Buenos Aires

Our trip ends after breakfast at our hotel in Buenos Aires. There are no activities planned today, so you're free to depart from Buenos Aires at any time. If your flight is departing later in the day, luggage storage facilities are available at our hotel. If you'd like an airport transfer, you'll need to depart from either Aeroparque Internacional Jorge Newbery (AEP) or Ezeiza International Airport (EZE).

Meals Provided : Breakfast