Best of Argentina Tour: Tango, Wine & Iguazu Falls

Your Argentina vacation starts in brilliant Buenos Aires, the chic and charming capital of Argentina and the country’s political, social and cultural center. You’ll be picked up at the airport and escorted to your hotel, where you can drop off your luggage, relax in your comfortable accommodations and get ready for an evening of your first taste of life in Buenos Aires. You can tour the charming neighborhoods of Belgrano and Palermo, breathe in the history of the streets of San Telmo or simply find a local parrilla (grill), where they serve the finest and freshest Argentina beef alongside sumptuous and delicious Malbecs.

In the morning, after a delicious and hearty breakfast, set out with a friendly and knowledgeable guide to discover the many offerings of “the Paris of South America.” Start at the vibrant and bustling streets of Retiro and the serene sidewalks of Palermo before setting out to perambulate along the widest avenue in the world, the famous Avenida de 9 de Julio, in the heart of the capital. You’ll be captivated by the incredible stretch of this thoroughfare as well as the attractions that can be found alongside it, from the towering Obelisk near downtown to the immense and impressive Teatro Colon, the city’s main opera house and one of the five most acoustically superb concert halls on the planet.

Then head to the Microcentro where the heart of Buenos Aires – and, indeed, Argentina – can be found, from the iconic Plaza de Mayo to the unforgettable façade of the Casa del Gobierno, the executive mansion of the President of Argentina colloquially known as the Casa Rosada, or “Pink House.” Stop by the elegant neighborhood of Recoleta—famed for its cemetery which is one of the most beautiful in the world— and the multicolored homes and storefronts of the Caminito in La Boca before turning to the newly restored and renovated Puerto Madero and the posh environs of San Telmo, offering a classy end to your city tour. This itinerary and order of sightseeing varies depending on the location of your stay.

The evening features a true Argentine cultural experience as you head out to one of the city’s famous tango houses. The dancers are sublime, and the food is superb, where the mild tannins and bold notes of a Malbec mix with the fiery passion and pageantry of the tango, and where you’re sure to witness a spectacle unlike any you’ve seen before.

Today is yours to explore Buenos Aires and its environs as you see fit, with a myriad of activities awaiting you. You can experience life as a gaucho on a local estancia, where you’ll learn about the Argentina cattle industry and life on the Pampas before enjoying one of Argentina’s greatest culinary traditions: a classic asado, replete with perfectly prepared meat, satisfying drink and the incomparable accompaniment of local flavor.

Those who might want to sightsee outside Buenos Aires might want to visit the northern city of Tigre and delta of the Rio de la Plata. The banks of the river give way to some of the most beautiful structures in the area. From the belle époque stylings of the Tigre Municipal Museum of Art to the Bavarian overtones of the Argentine Rowing Club.

You can also charter a motorboat or sailing vessel to gain a unique, riverside perspective of these beautiful edifices. Or, if you’re feeling adventurous, you can try your hand at learning the tango from one of Buenos Aires’s many talented instructors, and return to the vibrant tango clubs this evening to practice your new skills.

This morning you’ll be taken to the airport at Buenos Aires to board a flight that will take you to Argentina’s border with Brazil and near the incredible formation of Iguazu Falls. After landing in Iguazu, you’ll be taken to your fantastic accommodations located deep within the park’s boundaries and within eyeshot of some of the Fall’s most famous cataracts.

In the afternoon, you can choose to cross the border and view the immense spread of Iguazu from its shores in Brazil, providing a view of the Falls that many viewers miss and giving you an even greater appreciation for this formation’s undeniable allure (Visa is required for US citizens to enter Brazil). Or, you can spend the rest of the day relaxing within your phenomenal hotel surroundings: visit the sublime spa, where you’ll find a vast menu of available treatments from five indoor boxes and four outdoor tents, saunas and steam rooms, and a gorgeous couples’ whirlpool bedecked with a soothing and stunning pattern of green mosaic. If you prefer, spend some time outside by the pool, where a darling cabana offers cocktails and small bites for you to enjoy while you enjoy the incredible weather. The dining facilities are second to none and offer delicious Argentina grilled specialties and some of the finest seafood around.

Today set out to uncover the inimitable majesty of the Argentine side of Iguazu Falls, one of the largest waterfalls in the world and a recently proclaimed member of the Seven Wonders of Nature. You’ll be dazzled as you’re led along the paths that line this impressive formation and get you within yards of the rippling waters, casting themselves over a series of up to 300 cataracts.

After your own explorations, have lunch before embarking on the optional Great Adventure Navigation, boarding a boat that cruises past many of the larger falls and even passes under a driving sheet of falling water. The afternoon is dedicated to viewing the largest cataract of Iguazu: the monumental Devil’s Throat, where fully half of the flow of the Parana River descends to the depths below. Upon viewing this towering and massive formation—it rises more than 250 feet above the water below and stretches for nearly half a mile—you’ll find yourself understanding why Eleanor Roosevelt purportedly exclaimed “Poor Niagara!” when she visited Iguazu herself. The evening sees you back at your hotel.

After breakfast, you’ll be transferred to the airport in Iguazu and board your flight to the foothills of the Andes and the magical metropolis of Mendoza, the center of Argentina’s burgeoning wine industry and one of the most up-and-coming cities in its own right. Your accommodations while in Mendoza are at a quaint and quiet bed and breakfast or, should you so choose, an elegant and luxurious wine lodge.

Today is dedicated to discovering the secrets of the largest wine region in all of South America. The altitude, temperature, and precipitation all combine in a gloriously unique way to produce the finest Malbecs in the world, as well as lesser-known varietals like Bonarda and white-wine grapes like Torrontes. You’ll get the chance to visit a number of famous bodegas along the Argentine Wine Route, which covers more than 1,000 square miles and features nearly 2,000 different wineries, each with their own charm and style, and each producing unique, delicious and delectable wines. With such an eclectic and engaging mix of bodegas, by the end of the day, you’ll find it almost impossible to say which was your favorite.

Lunch is a gourmet affair with multiple courses of fine Argentine food, each with a wine that perfectly complements these culinary offerings. With incomparable vistas overlooking this incredible area, and engaging and knowledgeable guides leading your adventure in wine tasting, this is sure to be one of your favorite memories of the entire trip.

A wide array of possible activities greets you for your final day in Mendoza. You can return to wine country to tour more of the region’s wonderful wineries, or you can head out into the rugged and untamed foothills of the Andes. Take a light and delightful half-day hike up Cerro Arco, or venture on more ambitious treks deeper into the mountains, where you can glimpse the soaring peak of Aconcagua, one of the Seven Summits and the tallest mountain in the world outside of Asia.

Urbanites, meanwhile, will enjoy spending their time in the enthralling squares and fascinating museums of Mendoza itself. Plaza Independencia, with its elegant wrought iron gates and its stirring Monument to the Army of the Andes, is a must-see. Another favorite is the gorgeous and inspiring Plaza España, filled with artwork and decorations that celebrate the relationship between Argentina and Spain. Museumgoers will want to check out the exhibits at the Mendoza Museum of Modern Art near Plaza Independencia and at Casa de Fader, a historic house museum that was once home to artist Fernando Fader and which now houses much of the artist’s work.

After breakfast, you’ll be taken to the airport at Mendoza to return to Buenos Aires for one final night in Argentina. Get some last-second shopping done on Florida Street in the Microcentro,  Recoleta or Palermo where some of the city’s finest goods are always on display. You’ll also want to visit the spectacular El Ateneo Grand Splendid, a former theater that has been converted into one of the most beautiful bookstores on Earth. Enjoy dinner at one of Buenos Aires’s best parrillas, such as Don Julio in Palermo or Pobre Luis in Belgrano.

You will depart Buenos Aires and the magical country of Argentina today. You are filled with memories, stories, and the longing to return. From the hustle and bustle of Buenos Aires to the stirring puissance of Iguazu to the high-style living at Mendoza, this is truly a vacation you will not soon forget.