How to travel to Argentina?
Passports, visas, flights, taxes, customs, travel insurance, etc.

When to travel to Argentina?
Weather, seasons, clothing, time difference

How to travel to Argentina?
Car rental, tour guides

Shopping in Argentina
Currency, exchange, payment methods, tips, shoppin

Health Care Tips
Vaccines, prevention, altitude sickness, beverages

Other useful tips
Safety, communications, electric power, language, holidays

HOW TO TRAVEL TO ARGENTINA? - Requirements, flights, and insurance

Passports and Visas
Valid passport, even six months after return to your country of origin. For those staying not longer than 90 days, no visa is required for most nationalities. The Argentine Administration has announced that as from January 2009 an entrance tax will be charged to those coming from certain countries such as: US, Canada, Australia (countries that are not EU members).  Get more information on visas.

Argentina Excepción may, should you so requested, keep photocopies of significant documents at its offices in Buenos Aires: passports, flight tickets, health insurance, contact person in case of emergency, etc.  In such case, we will ask you to prepare an envelope and hand it in to our tour guide or operations responsible as soon as you arrive in Buenos Aires.

International Flights
33 air carriers fly to Argentina, either with or without stops. European passengers should be aware of certain rules when selecting an American air line.  Even for just a simple domestic flight, from October 26, 2005, US rules require the presentation of a passport with biometric data with digital photograph or biometric data in electronic chip. In any case, a visa should be obtained. A process that will take time. You will need to have an optical recognition passport issued before October 26, 2005, to enjoy the benefits of the Visa Exemption Program.  Pay attention to the duration of stops that may take 3 to 10-hour of waiting time! WARNING: you get better prices by purchasing quite in advance.

Loss or Theft of Flight Tickets 

If you lose or are stolen your flight ticket, you will have to notify that to the police officers and the air carrier, and assure your return, on your own, by purchasing another ticket. All the effects derived from the loss or theft of the flight ticket will be your exclusive responsibility. This notwithstanding, and according to the criterion applied at the discretion of the airline, you may request reimbursement of any amounts spent by submitting all the relevant original documents (voucher of new tickets acquired, boarding passes, etc.).

Luggage
Each carrier has it own policies on luggage. Usually, maximum weight allowed is 15kg on special flights and 20kg on regular flights. In case of excess luggage, should it be permitted, you shall pay the company an additional amount directly at the airport. The air carrier will only be responsible to the passenger for the luggage entrusted to it, on the conditions pre-established by international standards. 

In case of damage, delay in transportation, theft, or loss of luggage, or any of your purchased items, you shall go to the airline to have the damage, missing, or lost of personal belongings checked out before leaving the airport. Then, you will sign a statement to which you will attach the original copies of the following documents: passport, voucher of luggage check-in, and the statement. We advice purchasing an insurance policy for the amount of such belongings.

Argentine domestic air carriers only authorized carrying 15kg of luggage.

Babies & Kids
Babies (under 2 years old) do not take a seat; you will pay only 10% of the regular fare for their tickets. Kids (from 2 to 11 years old, inclusive), on some flights, may get discounts in fares, except in case of special flights.

Pregnant Women
Air Carriers sometimes deny boarding of pregnant women should they consider that, due to the time of pregnancy, there is a potential premature labor risk during the flight.

Shuttles prior to and after Boarding
If you have arranged prior to and after-boarding shuttles, we recommend reserving changeable tickets, even reimbursable, to avoid any waste of money. Moreover, we suggest not arranging important meetings on your return day or even the following day. The effects of any delays in shuttles prior to or after boarding are at your own cost.

Airport Taxes
The tax payable when departing from Ezeiza International Airport is USD18 (as of December 2008) (in dollars, pesos, or Euros) after having checked in and before going through customs.  For domestic flights, El Calafate Airport’s tax is USD6, and, at Ushuaia and Trelew, airport taxes amount to about USD.

Return Flight
Irrespective of the type of flight, regular or special, return shall be mandatorily confirmed at the place, within 72 hours prior to the scheduled date of departure, with the airline. Please, remember that this process is mandatory and, should you not comply with it, the airline will not guarantee booking of a seat on the plain and may assign it to another passenger.  Moreover, this procedure also allows you to confirm return flights that may have been modified. Argentina Excepción will not be liable in case of passenger’s negligence, unless the passenger has relied on the agency to carry out this process.

Customs & Tax Free
If you buy any products at the Duty Free shops when arriving in Argentina, be careful not to make any purchases exceeding USD300. Should you exceed such amount, you will be forced to pay customs 50% of the total amount of your purchase in excess of USD300. Both, in Argentina and Chile, entering vegetal-derived products (fruits, vegetables) or animal-derived products (dairies, cold meat) is prohibited.

At the airport, you will be reimbursed the VAT (21%) amount of any purchases exceeding ARS70. The trader will have to be part of the “Global Refund” system and should have issued a proper bill to you to be later submitted at customs, prior to boarding.

Insurance
Usually, travel insurance consists of: trip cancellation, lost luggage, medical assistance, and repatriation expenses. If you pay your ticket and accommodation with “Premier,” “Gold,” or some “Business” or “Platinum” cards, these four insurance coverage types may be already included. Check it out with your bank. However, top coverage offered by insurance companies is usually quite low, and, therefore, we recommend taking some supplemental or specific insurance. See our Cancellation Insurance and Multi-risk Insurance.

WHEN TO TRAVEL TO ARGENTINA? - Weather, time difference

Time Difference
Argentina is GMT-3 with respect to...
- Paris, Madrid, and Rome: Argentina has 4 hours less from November to March, and 5 hours less from April to October.
- London and Lisbon: Argentina has 3 hours less from November to March, and 4 hours less from April to October.
- New York and Montreal: Argentina has 2 hours less from November to March, and 1 hour less from April to October.
- Los Angeles and Vancouver: Argentina has 5 hours less from November to March, and 4 hour less from April to October.

Attention: the time changes in summer in certain provinces!

1 hour must be added to the values of this website from October 19th 2009 to March 15th 2010, except for the provinces of Salta, Jujuy, Catamarca, La Rioja, San Juan, San Luis, Mendoza, La Pampa, Neuquén, Río Negro, Chubut, Santa Cruz and Tierra del Fuego, Antarctica and Islands of the South Atlantic.

Best time of the year to travel to Argentina
Northern Argentina can be visited all year round, but we suggest coming from April to November to have less humid and not very hot days. Patagonia is most profited from September to April when southern spring and fall colors are always fabulous. Península Valdés has a greater species density from July to December.

Weather and Clothing
In Northern Argentina, temperatures are warm all year round. Take light clothes, but also some polar-fabric jackets for those days you may go climbing or for cooler nights. From December to February, take some water-proof jackets too. 
In Patagonia and for sailing excursions, take a wind-proof and microporous-fabric jackets Gore-tex type. Whatever the season, we suggest taking some warmer clothes.  
In Buenos Aires, winters (from June to August) are not so cold, but you’d better take a warm jacket. Summers are hot and humid, especially in January. Fall and spring times are especially nice, and a light shirt will be sufficient.
Whatever the region you are travelling, take anti-UV sunglasses, a hat, and total sun block lotion.

HOW TO TRAVEL AROUND ARGENTINA? – Car rental, tour guides

Car Rental
Argentina Excepción has a deal with Budget, Hertz, and Álamo in Argentina. If you travel with no tour guide, Argentina Excepción will only pre-pay the rental. At Budget, Hertz, or Álamo, the requirements are: presentation of your driving license (no matter if you have obtained and International license at your city hall office, bring your original license), the voucher issued by Argentina Excepción, and a credit card to secure payment.
Budget, Hertz, or Álamo’s insurance covers practically all damage; however, the amount of the franchise varies depending on the kind of accident. In case of accident, you will have to call Budget, Hertz, or Álamo with no delay and give due notice of the event at the closest police station. Do not hesitate to call any of the emergency numbers d'Argentina Excepción for assistance.

Tour Guide/Private Chauffeur
if you have chosen a circuit with tour guide/private chauffeur, he/she will be a Spanish-speaking person in all cases. However, at your request, we will arrange assistance by an English or French-speaking guide. Depending on the early booking and availability, you may have either a sole bilingual tour guide/chauffeur or two people helping you (a private chauffeur and a bilingual tour guide).
The chauffeur is the only person who is allowed to drive and will be held liable for the fulfillment of this job. The tour guide/chauffeur will stay with you during the whole trip. This person is a qualified professional authorized by regional authorities to carry out his activity. For certain circuits, we have tour guides with specific knowledge, such as paleontology, archaeology, or ornithology.  They are all very knowledgeable on their region’s flora and fauna, as well as the cultural traditions and history of their peoples. Do not hesitate to ask any questions about their specialty subject, they may even help you with the translation of menu dishes at restaurants or in bargaining a price.

Is a tour guide required?
If you are used to travelling, if you have had enough time to properly plan your itinerary in advance, and if you speak Spanish, you will probably not need the assistance of a tour guide.
Given his/her expertise, the tour guide will take you directly to the main spots to be visited, depending on your own interests. He also manages the time, knows about itineraries, and is aware of any difficulties to be encountered along the roads. In some way, the tour guide will help you feel safer and at ease: just relax, he will take care...
Our "Fly & Drive" plan includes everything you trip requires: itineraries, hotels, car rental, and flights. You will be given road maps and itineraries. We will be totally available to provide any assistance you may need. You will feel no constrains to fully enjoy your trip.
We insist on the fact that The Andean mountain range may pose some unusual difficulties related to height, topography, isolation, and the weather.
Lastly, you need to know that there are some places that can only be visited if accompanied by a tour-guide; in general, they are available at the entrance of the place.

Taxis
There are plenty of taxis in Buenos Aires; they are black and yellow. They are equipped with a taximeter. Ask the hotel or restaurant clerk to call a taxi for you. In the provinces, the color of taxis will vary.

SHOPPING IN ARGENTINA – Currency, exchange rate, payment methods, tips, shopping malls

Currency
Local currency is the Argentine peso ($, ARS, or AR$), divided into 100 cents. Many businesses and hotels take American dollars, and even euros. Financial and exchange banks operate Mon to Fri, from 10 AM to 3 PM. By the end of 2008, the euro-dollar exchange rate was about €0.23 = ARS1, and USD0.30 = ARS1, that is, ARS4.30 per euro, and ARS3.40 per USD1. There are Argentine peso notes of: 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100.

Payment Methods
Many stores accept credit card payments in Buenos Aires, not so much or even not at all in the provinces. In the provinces, cash is much more frequent.
There are 24/7 ATM machines practically everywhere. Some of them will also provide American dollars. Argentine banks take all American Express, VISA, Diners, and Master Cards for money withdrawal purposes. However, be aware that: most ATM machines only give ARS1000 per day, a maximum of USD300 per withdrawal, irrespective of any top withdrawals authorized by your bank. We suggest you take some money (American dollars or euros) to exchange as soon as you arrive at destination.
Traveler checks are not advisable since they are not easy to cash and may entail expensive exchange charges.

Tips
Usually 10% of the total amount at bars and restaurants, but not more than ARS30. Some cents for the taxi-driver per trip. ARS5 to a chauffeur taking you to the airport/hotel. ARS40-60 for a whole day or per vehicle with tour guide, at your discretion. ARS2 for bellboys.

Purchases
Argentina and, especially Buenos Aires, has plenty of options to go shopping: high-quality and relatively well-priced leather products, trendy clothes, premium brands, craftworks. In general, craftworks are better priced outside the capital city. In Buenos Aires, you will find stores specialized on gaucho and polo-style clothes and accessories, silver workshops and antique shops along Defensa street, in the neighborhood of San Telmo.  See our store selection in Buenos Aires.

HEALTH ADVICE – Vaccines, prevention, altitude sickness, beverages

Health Care and Prevention
We recommend travelers receiving regular treatment to take sufficient medicines for the whole duration of the trip.

Health infrastructure is quite satisfactory in the big cities, where you will find a solution to any medical or surgical issue previous communication with your traveler assistance and eventually with the consular services of your country of origin.  Medical and hospital charges may be quite expensive at private health institutions. Medical doctors and hospitals require foreigners to pay the total amount of expenses in cash prior to undergoing any surgery. For such reason, tourists are recommended, before departure, to take up medical insurance covering all type of expenses as well as repatriation costs.

There is no mandatory vaccines requirement to enter the country. As in any other trip, we recommend you to have such vaccines as diphtheria, tetanus, poliomyelitis, A and B hepatitis, eventually typhoid fever and yellow fever (there may be some cases at the Northeastern tropical regions).

As regards malaria, the risk is very low and it is limited to certain rural areas of the provinces of Jujuy and Salta, along the border with Bolivia, and those areas of Misiones and Corrientes limiting with Paraguay. Recommended medicine: chloroquine.

We would like you to be aware that in certain northern provinces (Corrientes and Chaco), there are some risks, though quite uncertain, to be beaten by snakes (rattlesnake or cobras). This info is not for you to be alarmed, but warned.

Altitude Sickness
Most people enjoying good health will easily acclimate to altitude provided they follow some simple rules, however: be careful not to take unnecessary risks. When you are at high altitudes, the atmospheric pressure falls as well as oxygen pressure: this means, there are less oxygen molecules the body can take in the same air volume. The body reacts to this lack of oxygen or hypoxia by: increasing ventilation and heart rate to try to get more oxygen from the air and take it as faster as possible to the organs that so require it. This reaction—that will last for a few days—has a substantial effect on the body as to the energy level given that respiratory and heart muscles will have to work harder. However, this procedure will be completed or replaced by another more cost-effective one: an in increase in the number of oxygen transporters, i.e., blood cells produced by the bone marrow. Production time denotes that, at least, one week at sufficient altitude is required for an increase in the blood to be actually observed. Ventilation and heart rate may then diminish but not necessarily to base values, mainly if ascent is to continue.
There will also be complex changes in hormones that help prevent body’s fluid retention, an important sign of improper altitude acclimation.

The main factor that causes altitude sickness is a sudden ascent. It usually appears around at 3,500m, but sometimes as from 2,000m when exercising or 3,000m when not exercising. Age is not a factor here. However, youngsters and sport people are generally more affected since they tend to climb up at greater speed. Risk increases over 1,800m for babies under 12-month old. Training is good, but not necessarily a prevention. The sole essential factor is the genetics of each individual.

The symptoms are: headaches (96% of the cases), lack of appetite (38%), nauseas (35%), disturbed sleep (70%), dizziness, vomiting, short of breath while sleeping, abnormal or excessive fatigue, and decrease in urine production. The test for early detection of this disease is to walk placing a foot aligned with the other over a straight line drawn on the floor, or close your eyes with your arms lying down to both sides of the body. If you can not stand still, you are definitely suffering from altitude sickness. Most serious symptoms are vomiting, lack of balance, changes in behavior, signs of lung or brain edema with fatal consequences.

Mountain sickness prevention: Not going up so high so quickly in case of climbing on foot:
300-500 m a day over 3,500 m. Avoid unnecessary or excessive physical efforts such as: hurrying to take photos. Drink lots of water. Drink water regularly to remain properly hydrated and urinate regularly since edema is caused by fluid retention. Avoid depressants that favor breath breaks while sleeping, causing a more serious hypoxia. Do not ignore symptoms: the ventilatory response to hypoxia is genetically determined; thus, within the same group, some people may find it easier to acclimate. Avoid any paracetamol-alcohol mix. Aspirin, however, has no contra-indications. Drink coca tea, a coca leave-based beverage that is highly effective to prevent “apunamiento” or altitude sickness.

Mountain sickness treatment: descent is always simple, provided the waiting period is not very excessive. Taking long breaths for some minutes will usually help you feel better prepared to start the descent. Taking of oxygen does not work as stimulant, but enables a more suitable descent. For lighter symptoms: aspirin and/or paracetamol, a maximum of 3 g/day, either cumulative or alternated.

Beverages
L'eau du robinet est potable dans beaucoup d'endroits mais, par précaution, nous conseillons la consommation d'eau minérale. On en trouve dans tous les villages.
Il existe de nombreuses boissons typiques, dont le licuado, mélange de fruits (banane, pêche...) et de lait, ou encore le , véritable institution en Argentine. Le pays est le cinquième producteur de vins au monde, avec un vignoble qui s'étend le long de la Cordillère des Andes: , San Juan, La Rioja, Neuquén, Río Negro et . En savoir plus sur le .
Running water is safe in many places but, as precaution, we suggest taking mineral water that you may get at any town or city.
There are several traditional beverages such as "licuados" (smoothies), that is a mix of fruit (banana, peach, etc.) blended with milk, or even mate, a well-spread tradition throughout Argentina. This country is the fifth wine producer worldwide having vineyards that extend along Los Andes mountain range: Mendoza, San Juan, La Rioja, Neuquén, Río Negro, and Salta. Get to know more about argentine wine.

OTHER USEFUL ADVICE – Safety, communications, electric power, language, holidays

Safety
Argentina is a very friendly country posing no serious risks to visitors. Take all the regular precautions following common sense. We suggest avoiding any unnecessary showing off of material things, but rather leaving such elements in the hotel's safe: passports, credit cards, cash and air tickets, just taking with you a copy of your passport.
In Buenos Aires, we recommend being particularly cautious when visiting the La Boca neighborhood. For example, we recommend not going from Caminito street to the “Boca” stadium (500m walk). Several tourist assaults have taken place there. At night, avoid walking down the Retiro, Constitución, and Once neighborhoods where the main train stations are located.
Thefts also happen regularly at the Iguazú tourist area. We especially recommend travelers going on their own not to cross the Brazil or Paraguay borders by taxi at night.

Telephone and Internet
GSM coverage is quite good in all cities, but signal fades when leaving urban areas. Three-band or four-band mobile telephones enable access to local networks, provided the “world” or “roaming” service is active. Warning: remember to activate the service a week in advance from departure.

Almost everywhere you will find "locutorios": these are small shops with telephone booths and computers with Internet connection to talk or savvy at very low rates. One-hour Internet connection amounts to ARS2-4. Many hotels have business centers with complimentary Internet access. In the city, Wi-Fi access is quite available.

To call a regular phone from outside the country dial: 0054 + local code (without zero) + phone number.
To call a cell phone from outside the country dial: 0054 + 9 + local code (without zero) + phone number.
To call a regular phone from another province dial: local code with zero prefix + phone number.
To call a regular phone from the same place dial: just the last eight numbers.
To call a cell phone from another province dial: local code with zero prefix + 15 + cell phone number.

Electric Power
220 V, 50 Hz outlets in dwelling houses are exclusive from Argentina. However, hotels are normally equipped with outlets compatible with several device models. Besides, as Argentina is the only country using two bent pin plugs, all electricity shops sell all kinds of adapters.

Language
Argentina’s official language is Spanish, having certain characteristics as to accent, vocabulary, the use of the "vos" and the [j] phonetic sound. Get to know more about: Argentina´s spanish.

Festivities and holidays
Holidays are: January 1 (New Year’s Day), March 24 (Truth and Justice Memorial Day), Good Friday (March or April), April 2 (Veteran’s Day and Tribute to the Fallen of Malvinas War), May 1 (Labor Day), May 25 (Anniversary of 1810 Revolution), June 20 (Death of Gen. Manuel Belgrano), July 9 (Independence Day), August 17 (Death of Gen. José de San Martín), October 12 (Columbus Day), December 8 (Immaculate Conception), December 25 (Christmas). 
Whenever June 20, August 17, and October 12 fall within a mid-week day, such holiday is moved to the preceding or following Monday.  More info on traditions of festivities

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