From the Jungle to the End of the World — Self-Launched Argentina (Buenos Aires, Iguazú, El Calafate & Ushuaia)
12 days · Argentina
People Travel and Experience charges £2,870
No-markup version: ~£1,098 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched, book-it-yourself version of the classic north-to-south Argentina route: Buenos Aires tango and steak, the thundering falls at Iguazú (both sides), the blue ice of Perito Moreno near El Calafate, and the end-of-the-world landscapes of Tierra del Fuego and Ushuaia. You'll swap the operator's private transfers and pre-booked 3-star hotels for city buses, budget guesthouses, and self-booked day tours (GetYourGuide, Civitatis, or direct with local agencies). Domestic flights are the biggest single cost — book Aerolíneas Argentinas or Flybondi/JetSMART 2–4 months ahead. Costs below are rough backpacker/mid-budget estimates in GBP, excluding international flights, and assume a mix of dorm/guesthouse and budget private rooms.
Day-by-day
Arrive Buenos Aires — steak, Malbec and your first milonga
Buenos Aires
Land at Ezeiza (EZE). Take the Tienda León airport bus to Retiro (~ARS 12,000 / £8) or a shared shuttle; from Aeroparque (AEP) city buses are even cheaper. Check into a guesthouse in San Telmo or Palermo. In the evening, skip a set five-course dinner and build your own: book a parrilla (La Cabrera, Don Julio if you queue, or a neighbourhood bodegón) or, cheaper still, a 'puerta cerrada' closed-door dinner (~£20–25) — and finish at a free or low-cost milonga like La Viruta or Salón Canning to watch (or try) tango.
🚌Tienda León bus EZE→Retiro ~£8; SUBE card for city buses/subte (~£0.50/ride)
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse, San Telmo/Palermo (~£14–20/night)
- →Self-guided San Telmo evening stroll
- →Parrilla dinner (~£15–20)
- →Milonga entry (~£5–8, free for spectators at some venues)
Buenos Aires city highlights + tango show
Buenos Aires
Do the free walking tour of the centre (tips-based, ~£5 tip) covering Plaza de Mayo, Casa Rosada and the Obelisco, then ride the historic Line A subte to San Telmo and walk to La Boca's Caminito (go in daylight, stick to the main streets). Add Puerto Madero's waterfront on foot. In the evening, book a tango dinner show via GetYourGuide or direct with a smaller venue such as Café de los Angelitos or El Querandí — the 'executive' tier (~£35–45) gets you dinner and a good seat without the premium price of the big tourist halls.
🚌Subte and city buses (~£2 day)
🛏Same guesthouse, Buenos Aires (~£14–20)
- →Free walking tour (tip ~£5)
- →La Boca / San Telmo / Puerto Madero self-guided wander
- →Tango dinner show ~£40
Fly to Iguazú — Brazilian side of the falls
Puerto Iguazú
Morning flight Buenos Aires (AEP) to Puerto Iguazú (~£70–110 booked ahead with Flybondi/JetSMART/Aerolíneas). Drop bags at a guesthouse, then take the local bus (Rio Uruguay, ~ARS 1,500 / £1) to the Brazilian park entrance, crossing the border — bring your passport. The Brazilian side is a short panoramic walkway with the Floriano Falls elevator; allow 3–4 hours. Entry to Parque Nacional do Iguaçu is ~R$100 (£13) — buy online in advance. Evening back in Puerto Iguazú: cheap dinner at the Costanera food stalls.
🚌Domestic flight AEP→IGR ~£70–110; local bus to Brazilian park ~£1
🛏Budget guesthouse/hostel, Puerto Iguazú (~£12–18/night)
- →Brazilian side of Iguazú Falls (entry ~£13)
- →Floriano Fall viewpoint & elevator
- →Costanera riverside evening
Argentine side of Iguazú — Devil's Throat & jungle train
Puerto Iguazú
Full day on the Argentine side. Take the local bus to the park, pay entry (~ARS 30,000 / £22, buy online to skip queues), then use the included ecological train and walkways: Lower Circuit, Upper Circuit and the Devil's Throat (Garganta del Diablo) boardwalk. Expect coatis, toucans and monkeys. Optional upgrade: the Nautical Adventure boat under the falls (~£25) — book at the park or in advance. Back to town for a late dinner.
🚌Local bus to Argentine park ~£1
🛏Same guesthouse, Puerto Iguazú (~£12–18)
- →Argentine side of Iguazú Falls (entry ~£22)
- →Ecological train & Devil's Throat boardwalk
- →Optional Nautical Adventure boat ~£25
Fly south to El Calafate
El Calafate
Travel day: fly Puerto Iguazú to El Calafate (usually via Buenos Aires, ~£120–180 booked 2–3 months ahead). Alternatively Aerolíneas Argentinas sometimes runs seasonal connections. Check into a hostel in El Calafate, stock up at the supermarket (Patagonia is pricey), and take a gentle evening walk along the Laguna Nimez reserve for flamingos and waterbirds (~£5 entry).
🚌Domestic flight IGR→FTE ~£120–180; airport shuttle ~£5
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse, El Calafate (~£15–22/night)
- →Laguna Nimez reserve walk (~£5)
- →Supermarket self-catering
Perito Moreno Glacier full-day tour
El Calafate
Book online (GetYourGuide or a local agency like Hielo & Aventura / Caltur) a full-day Perito Moreno tour, ~£40–55 including park entry. Transport is a shared coach; you'll get the walkways and viewpoints, plus the optional Safari Náutico catamaran on Lago Rico (~£30 extra, worth it). Bring your own lunch — the park café is expensive. Evening: cheap asado or empanadas back in town.
🚌Shared coach included in day tour
🛏Same hostel, El Calafate (~£15–22)
- →Perito Moreno Glacier day tour ~£45
- →Optional Safari Náutico boat ~£30
- →Los Glaciares National Park entry (usually included)
El Chaltén & Mount Fitz Roy day hike
El Calafate / El Chaltén
Optional but excellent: take the daily bus El Calafate → El Chaltén (~3 hrs, ~£25 return with Chalten Travel), then self-guide the Laguna de los Tres or the shorter Mirador de los Cóndores/Laguna Capri trails (free, no guide needed). Alternatively book a guided soft-trek day trip (~£45 with lunch). If you prefer a slower day, stay in El Calafate and visit the Glaciarium museum (~£12) or cycle the steppe.
🚌Bus El Calafate–El Chaltén return ~£25
🛏Same hostel, El Calafate (~£15–22)
- →Self-guided Laguna de los Tres / Mirador de los Cóndores hike
- →Optional guided soft trek ~£45
- →Glaciarium museum ~£12
Fly to Ushuaia — end of the world
Ushuaia
Morning flight El Calafate → Ushuaia (~£90–140; book ahead, limited seats). Airport shuttle into town (~£4). Settle into a hostel, walk the waterfront and the old prison/Hosteria area, and pick up a map from the tourist office. Book your Tierra del Fuego park tour and End of the World Train for day 10 now. Dinner: Ushuaia's famous centolla (king crab) is pricey — a bowl of crab soup is the budget way to try it.
🚌Domestic flight FTE→USH ~£90–140; airport shuttle ~£4
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse, Ushuaia (~£16–24/night)
- →Waterfront & harbour walk
- →Tourist office trip planning
- →Crab soup dinner (~£12)
Ushuaia city + Beagle Channel boat trip + wine tasting
Ushuaia
Morning self-guided city walk: La Misión neighbourhood, the Ushuaia sign with Beagle Channel views, and the Maritime & Prison Museum (~£12) which covers the town's penal-colony history. Afternoon: book a Beagle Channel boat trip at the harbour or online (~£35–45, 3 hrs) to see sea lions and the Les Eclaireurs lighthouse. In the evening, do a small tasting of Patagonian wines and cheese at a local wine bar (~£15) instead of the operator's sommelier session.
🚌Walkable town; nothing extra needed
🛏Same hostel, Ushuaia (~£16–24)
- →Maritime & Prison Museum ~£12
- →Beagle Channel boat trip ~£40
- →Patagonian wine & cheese tasting ~£15
Tierra del Fuego National Park & End of the World Train
Ushuaia
Take the local park bus or a shared minibus from town (~£8 return) to Tierra del Fuego National Park. Pay entry (~ARS 20,000 / £15) and ride the Austral Fueguino (End of the World Train) — ~£25 for the standard class. Walk the coastal trails at Bahía Lapataia (the end of Ruta 3) and Lake Acigami/Roca, then get your passport stamped at the end-of-the-world post office. Self-guided is easy here; a half-day guided option (~£35) is available if you want context.
🚌Park bus/minibus return ~£8
🛏Same hostel, Ushuaia (~£16–24)
- →Tierra del Fuego NP entry ~£15
- →End of the World Train ~£25
- →Bahía Lapataia & Lake Acigami walks
Fly back to Buenos Aires — last night in the city
Buenos Aires
Morning or midday flight Ushuaia → Buenos Aires (~£90–150). Check back into a San Telmo or Palermo hostel. Spend the afternoon at the Recoleta Cemetery (free) or the MALBA art museum (~£5), grab a helado at Cadore, and have a final farewell asado or a cheap choripán in the parks. If you want a proper wine send-off, a Palermo tasting room will do a flight for ~£12.
🚌Domestic flight USH→AEP/EZE ~£90–150; Tienda León or bus into town ~£2–8
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse, Buenos Aires (~£14–20)
- →Recoleta Cemetery (free)
- →MALBA museum ~£5
- →Farewell parrilla dinner ~£15
Depart Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Breakfast at a café, last-minute souvenir shopping (maté gourds, alfajores), then take the Tienda León bus to Ezeiza for your international flight. Leave a buffer of 3 hours — Ezeiza check-in can be slow.
🚌Tienda León bus city→EZE ~£8
🛏—
- →Café breakfast
- →Souvenir shopping
Self-launched vs. People Travel and Experience
| This itinerary (self-launched) | People Travel and Experience | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,098 | £2,870 |
| Duration | 12 days | 12 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,772 per person (62%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more People Travel and Experience-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,098
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.
Customise with Tour BusterCreated by
Travel Crew
0 trips
Frequently asked questions
How much does From the Jungle to the End of the World — Self-Launched Argentina (Buenos Aires, Iguazú, El Calafate & Ushuaia) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,098 per person for 12 days in Argentina. 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 People Travel and Experience?+
Yes — People Travel and Experience charges around £2,870 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,098 — a saving of roughly £1,772 (62%) per person.
How long is the Argentina trip?+
This itinerary runs 12 days, covering 12 day-by-day stops through Argentina.
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, 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.
No comments yet — be the first to share your take.
Sign in to leave a comment.