Treasures of Argentina — Self-Launched
9 days · Argentina (Buenos Aires, Iguazú Falls, El Calafate)
Qwerty Travel Argentina charges £1,080
No-markup version: ~£785 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Qwerty Travel Argentina's 9-day "Treasures of Argentina": Buenos Aires city sights, the Brazilian and Argentine sides of Iguazú Falls, and the Perito Moreno Glacier from El Calafate. Instead of a partially-guided private package, you book your own domestic flights, hostels and guesthouses, and join shared day tours or go fully DIY with public transport. Costs below are approximate backpacker/budget-traveller estimates in GBP per person and assume a shared dorm room or budget double, and exclude international flights to/from Argentina.
Day-by-day
Arrive Buenos Aires — Ezeiza to Palermo
Buenos Aires
Land at Ezeiza (EZE) and get into town on the cheap: the Tienda León shared shuttle to the city centre costs around £9, or local bus 8 (SUBE card, ~£0.35) if you're feeling brave with luggage. Check into a Palermo or San Telmo hostel/budget guesthouse. Spend the evening easing in with a supermarket picnic or an empanada dinner and a walk around Plaza Serrano. Note: UK passport holders currently pay no reciprocity fee for Argentina — confirm before travel.
🚌Tienda León shared shuttle EZE to centre ~£9
🛏Hostel dorm or budget private double in Palermo / San Telmo (~£14)
- →Ezeiza airport transfer (Tienda León shared shuttle)
- →Self-guided wander around Palermo Soho
Buenos Aires full-day city tour, DIY
Buenos Aires
Do the operator's city tour yourself on foot and by SUBE-card bus/subte. Start at Plaza de Mayo and the Casa Rosada, walk down Avenida de Mayo to the Obelisk and Avenida 9 de Julio, then bus to San Telmo (Sunday antiques market if your timing aligns) and colourful La Boca (go in daylight, stick to Caminito and El Caminito street). Afternoon in Recoleta Cemetery (~£8 entry, free with some city passes) and Palermo's parks and Tres de Febrero. Alternatively a free walking tour (tips ~£5-10) covers much of this, and a half-day GetYourGuide small-group city tour is ~£20-25 if you want a guide.
🚌SUBE card for subte/buses throughout the day ~£2
🛏Same hostel/guesthouse (~£14)
- →Free walking tour of Buenos Aires (tip-based)
- →Recoleta Cemetery entry
- →La Boca / Caminito
- →Obelisk and Avenida 9 de Julio
Fly to Puerto Iguazú — Brazilian side of the falls
Puerto Iguazú / Foz do Iguaçu
Book a morning Aerolíneas Argentinas or JetSMART flight Buenos Aires–Puerto Iguazú (IGR); book ahead for ~£70-100 one way, more in high season. Drop bags at a Puerto Iguazú hostel/guesthouse, then cross the border to Brazil (bus from the terminal, ~£1 plus border formalities) and explore Iguaçu National Park's Brazilian side: the panoramic trail and walkway out over the river gives the classic wide view of the falls. Park entry ~£15. Return to Puerto Iguazú on the same bus. Bring your passport for the border crossing.
🚌Domestic flight BUE–IGR ~£85; local buses to/from Brazilian park ~£3
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse in Puerto Iguazú (~£13)
- →Iguaçu National Park (Brazilian side) panoramic trail
- →Border crossing to Foz do Iguaçu
Argentine side of Iguazú — Devil's Throat and trails
Puerto Iguazú
Take the local bus from Puerto Iguazú to Iguazú National Park (Argentine side) and buy entry on arrival (~£20). Ride the ecological train to the Devil's Throat walkway, then walk the Upper and Lower circuits for close-up views and spray. You can do this entirely independently — signage and walkways are excellent — or book a shared guided day tour via GetYourGuide (~£35) if you want commentary and a Guaraní cultural visit. If you're keen for the operator's optional Great Adventure boat, book it in the park (~£45). Finish with the Hito Tres Fronteras viewpoint in town at sunset, where Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay meet.
🚌Local bus to Argentine park and back ~£2
🛏Same Puerto Iguazú hostel/guesthouse (~£13)
- →Devil's Throat walkway
- →Upper and Lower Circuits
- →Hito Tres Fronteras viewpoint
- →Optional Great Adventure boat (extra ~£45)
Fly to El Calafate via Buenos Aires
El Calafate
Most routings back to Patagonia go through Buenos Aires (Aerolíneas Argentinas often sells IGR–BUE–FTE as one ticket for ~£150-200). It's a long travel day, so treat it as a transit day: pack snacks, download podcasts and keep an eye on connections. Land at El Calafate, take a local bus or shared transfer to town (~£3-8) and check into a hostel or guesthouse. Evening stroll along the main street, pick up supplies and book tomorrow's glacier transport at your accommodation or a local agency.
🚌Flights IGR–BUE–FTE ~£170; airport transfer ~£6
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse in El Calafate (~£16)
- →Transit day
- →Evening walk along El Calafate's main street
Perito Moreno Glacier — viewpoints and boat
El Calafate / Los Glaciares National Park
Book a shared day tour to Perito Moreno (most hostels sell it for ~£30-35, including park entry ~£20 separately) or take the local Cal Tur/regular shuttle bus (~£15 return) and pay park entry yourself. Walk the multi-level balconies for hours of calving views, then add the 1-hour boat navigation close to the glacier face (~£25) — book on site or through your tour. If you're after adrenaline, the famous minitrekking on the glacier is a splurge (~£120-150) and must be booked well ahead via a licensed operator; it's optional and outside the budget estimate.
🚌Shared day-tour transport or shuttle bus ~£30
🛏Same El Calafate hostel/guesthouse (~£16)
- →Perito Moreno balconies and walkways
- →1-hour glacier boat navigation (~£25)
- →Optional minitrekking (extra ~£130, book ahead)
Free day in El Calafate — lagoons, steppe or a slow day
El Calafate
Use this spare day however suits you. Cheapest option: hike the Laguna Nimez nature reserve on the edge of town (~£4-5) and walk the lakeshore — great birdlife and flamingos. Alternatives include the full-day Todos Glaciares boat navigation (~£70-90), a half-day horse ranch visit with lunch (~£60-80), or a day trip to El Chaltén for Fitz Roy views if you have energy and an early bus (~£30 return, long day). Or simply rest, do laundry and enjoy a slow afternoon in a café — the operator's version of this day was mostly optional excursions anyway.
🚌On foot; local bus if heading further out ~£2
🛏Same El Calafate hostel/guesthouse (~£16)
- →Laguna Nimez nature reserve
- →Lakeshore walk
- →Optional Todos Glaciares navigation or ranch day (extra)
Fly back to Buenos Aires — last-night exploring
Buenos Aires
Morning flight El Calafate–Buenos Aires (~£90-130 one way if booked ahead). Check back into a Palermo or San Telmo hostel, then make the most of your final evening: a San Telmo or Palermo street-food crawl, a cheap parrilla dinner (~£12-15), or an optional tango show in a milonga (entry to a local milonga with a lesson is ~£8-12, versus ~£60+ for a tourist dinner show).
🚌Flight FTE–BUE ~£105; airport transfer ~£8
🛏Hostel dorm or budget double in Buenos Aires (~£14)
- →San Telmo or Palermo evening food walk
- →Optional local milonga (tango) night
Depart Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Depending on your international flight time, squeeze in a last coffee and medialuna, a wander through the Recoleta or Palermo markets, or a quick museum visit (MALBA ~£7). Head to Ezeiza with plenty of buffer via Tienda León shuttle (~£9). If you have a late flight, most hostels will hold bags for free.
🚌Tienda León shuttle to EZE ~£9
🛏None (departure day)
- →Last café and market wander
- →Optional MALBA museum visit
Self-launched vs. Qwerty Travel Argentina
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Qwerty Travel Argentina | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£785 | £1,080 |
| Duration | 9 days | 9 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £295 per person (27%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Qwerty Travel Argentina-style trips? Check them out here.~£785
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 Treasures of Argentina — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £785 per person for 9 days in Argentina (Buenos Aires, Iguazú Falls, El Calafate). 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 Qwerty Travel Argentina?+
Yes — Qwerty Travel Argentina charges around £1,080 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £785 — a saving of roughly £295 (27%) per person.
How long is the Argentina (Buenos Aires, Iguazú Falls, El Calafate) trip?+
This itinerary runs 9 days, covering 9 day-by-day stops through Argentina (Buenos Aires, Iguazú Falls, El Calafate).
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, hiking trip through Argentina (Buenos Aires, Iguazú Falls, El Calafate), 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?
Drop your comment below — if you've done a similar route, tell us what worked, what you'd add, or what you'd skip.
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