Self-Launched Buenos Aires & Patagonia: Glaciers, Tango and the Tigre Delta
8 days · Argentina (Buenos Aires & El Calafate / Patagonia)
Tangol Tours charges £1,810
No-markup version: ~£668 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Tangol Tours' 8-day Buenos Aires & El Calafate package, rebuilt for independent travellers. You'll do the same headline experiences — Perito Moreno Glacier and the Lake Argentino "Todo Glaciares" catamaran, the Spegazzini Base forest trails, a Buenos Aires city tour, a tango dinner show and the Tigre Delta — but booked individually via GetYourGuide/Klook/direct, with domestic flights bought separately and a hostel or budget guesthouse base instead of tour hotels. Note the original is sold as "partially guided" city packages with shared excursions rather than a true group tour, so this DIY route is very close in structure — the savings come from accommodation, flights and booking direct.
Day-by-day
Arrive Buenos Aires — San Telmo & Plaza de Mayo at your own pace
Buenos Aires
Fly into Ezeiza (EZE) and take the public bus 8 or the Tienda León shared shuttle to the centre (~£3-8). Check into a hostel or budget guesthouse in San Telmo, Monserrat or Palermo. Spend the afternoon on a free self-guided wander: Plaza de Mayo, the Casa Rosada, the Metropolitan Cathedral and the Cabildo, then walk the cobbled streets of San Telmo. Evening: cheap parrilla steak and a glass of Malbec — Buenos Aires is one of the best value food cities in the Americas.
🚌Airport bus 8 or shared Tienda León shuttle into the centre (~£3-8); all sightseeing on foot or SUBE card bus/metro (25p per ride)
🛏Hostel dorm or private budget guesthouse in San Telmo/Monserrat (£12-20)
- →Self-guided Plaza de Mayo & Casa Rosada walk
- →San Telmo streets
- →Cheap parrilla dinner
Fly south to El Calafate
El Calafate
Morning domestic flight from Aeroparque Jorge Newbery (AEP) to El Calafate (FTE), roughly 3h15 with Aerolíneas Argentinas or JetSMART — book 6-10 weeks ahead for the best fares. On arrival take the airport bus (Ves Patagonia runs a scheduled shuttle, ~£9) or a shared remis into town. El Calafate is a small grid town, easy on foot. Afternoon: walk the Lago Argentino shoreline, visit the Glaciarium or just acclimatise. Many hostels in town, generally good quality and warm.
🚌Domestic flight AEP–FTE (~£90-130 booked ahead); airport shuttle bus to town (~£9)
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse in El Calafate (£12-18)
- →Lago Argentino shoreline walk
- →Glaciarium (optional, ~£12)
- →Sort out glacier excursion bookings
Perito Moreno Glacier — catwalks and boat
Los Glaciares National Park
Take a full-day shared excursion (book via GetYourGuide, Klook or direct with a local operator like Hielo & Aventura or Caltur) to Los Glaciares National Park. The day includes the Curva de los Suspiros viewpoint, the Muelle Bajo las Sombras for a short boat across Brazo Rico, and 2-3 hours on the glacier-front catwalks and balconies. This is exactly the operator's included day, just bought as a public shared tour rather than a private transfer. Bring lunch or eat at the park's expensive restaurants. Entry to the national park is paid separately to the operator.
🚌Shared coach excursion from El Calafate (~45 min each way), included in tour price
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse in El Calafate (£12-18)
- →Perito Moreno Glacier catwalks
- →Boat across Brazo Rico
- →Curva de los Suspiros viewpoint
Lake Argentino navigation — Todo Glaciares & Spegazzini Base
El Calafate / Lake Argentino
Book the standard 'Todo Glaciares' catamaran day (Hielo & Aventura / Todo Glaciares operators, bookable via GetYourGuide or direct). Sail past Upsala Glacier's floating icebergs, land at Spegazzini Base for marked forest trails up to the glacier viewpoints, then continue to see Spegazzini Glacier's towering face. Lunch at the base is optional and pricey — bring snacks. Return late afternoon. Note: the full navigation is weather dependent and sometimes the Upsala viewing is replaced by Zurbriggen channel.
🚌Shared bus to Puerto Bandera plus catamaran cruise (included in activity price)
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse in El Calafate (£12-18)
- →Todo Glaciares catamaran navigation
- →Spegazzini Base trails
- →Upsala Glacier icebergs
Fly back to Buenos Aires
El Calafate to Buenos Aires
Morning flight back to Buenos Aires. Afternoon free — good time for the Recoleta Cemetery (free to walk the perimeter, small entry fee for the main section), the MALBA or Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes (both very cheap), or a walk through Palermo's parks and street art. If you'd rather add a side trip, El Calafate's bus station also runs to El Chaltén, but that needs extra days. Evening free for an empanada dinner or a cheap milonga.
🚌Domestic flight FTE–AEP (~£90-130); airport bus to accommodation
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse in Buenos Aires (£12-20)
- →Recoleta Cemetery & Palermo walk
- →MALBA or Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes
- →Optional milonga
Buenos Aires city tour by bus, then tango dinner show
Buenos Aires
The operator's 3-hour city tour is easily replicated on Buenos Aires' public transport — the hop-on hop-off Bus Turístico is a good substitute, or take buses 29/152 between Plaza de Mayo, San Telmo, La Boca (Caminito), Puerto Madero and Recoleta. Alternatively, a free walking tour (tips-based) covers the history well. Afternoon: La Boca's Caminito for photos (daytime only, don't wander far from the main street). Evening: book a tango dinner show direct or via Klook/GetYourGuide — options range from the budget El Querandí/Taconeando to the big houses like Señor Tango or Esquina Carlos Gardel. Three-course dinner plus show typically from £45-70; the operator charges the same, so this line item is a wash — but you get more flexibility.
🚌Public bus/SUBÉ (~50p); taxis or Cabify back from tango show (~£4)
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse in Buenos Aires (£12-20)
- →Bus/hop-on city tour of Buenos Aires
- →Caminito & La Boca
- →Tango dinner show
Tigre Delta by public train and catamaran
Tigre Delta / San Isidro
Do the Tigre day independently and cheaply: take the Mitre line train from Retiro to Tigre (~£1, one hour, frequent). On the way, stop at San Isidro for the cathedral and a stroll past the old mansions along the river (Sarmiento's house museum is nearby). At Tigre take a public inter-island boat (e.g. the Línea 452 or a 1-hour catamaran from the fluvial terminal, ~£8-15) rather than a private tour — you'll see the same delta waterways and stilted houses. Or a sit-on-top kayak tour (~£25). Return by train in the evening.
🚌Mitre line train Retiro–Tigre (~£1 each way); public catamaran in the delta (~£10)
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse in Buenos Aires (£12-20)
- →San Isidro cathedral & mansions walk
- →Public catamaran in the Tigre Delta
- →Delta island scenery
Departure
Buenos Aires
Breakfast at the hostel, last roam through Palermo's markets or a final coffee at a Café Notable, then head to Ezeiza for your flight. If time allows, pick up alfajores and yerba mate as the cheapest souvenirs. Bus 8 or Tienda León shuttle to the airport.
🚌Bus 8 or Tienda León shuttle to Ezeiza (~£3-8)
🛏N/A
- →Palermo markets
- →Last coffee stop
Self-launched vs. Tangol Tours
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Tangol Tours | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£668 | £1,810 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,142 per person (63%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Tangol Tours-style trips? Check them out here.~£668
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Self-Launched Buenos Aires & Patagonia: Glaciers, Tango and the Tigre Delta cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £668 per person for 8 days in Argentina (Buenos Aires & El Calafate / Patagonia). This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Tangol Tours?+
Yes — Tangol Tours charges around £1,810 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £668 — a saving of roughly £1,142 (63%) per person.
How long is the Argentina (Buenos Aires & El Calafate / Patagonia) trip?+
This itinerary runs 8 days, covering 8 day-by-day stops through Argentina (Buenos Aires & El Calafate / Patagonia).
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, culture, budget trip through Argentina (Buenos Aires & El Calafate / Patagonia), self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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