Self-Launched Buenos Aires, Bariloche & Iguazú Falls Adventure
10 days · Argentina
RipioTurismo charges £1,420
No-markup version: ~£1,180 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched 10-day Argentina loop covering Buenos Aires, the Patagonian Lake District at Bariloche, and the thundering Iguazú Falls from both the Argentine and Brazilian sides. Everything the commercial tour does — city tours, a gaucho estancia day, Circuito Chico, Isla Victoria, and both sides of Iguazú — booked yourself with hostels, budget hotels, local buses, and GetYourGuide excursions. Flights between cities are booked independently (the original tour excludes them too) and keep costs far below the operator's US$1,790 land price.
Day-by-day
Arrival in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Land at Ezeiza International Airport and take the Tienda León shuttle bus (~£10) or a remís/radio-taxi (~£30) to your accommodation in Palermo, San Telmo, or Recoleta. Check into a hostel dorm (~£15-20/night) or budget hotel; Palermo Soho and San Telmo have the best backpacker concentrations. Spend the evening walking Avenida Corrientes, grab a choripán or empanadas for dinner, and pick up a SUBE transit card at a kiosco so you can ride the Subte and buses all week. If arriving late, keep it simple and rest up for the city tour tomorrow.
🚌Tienda León airport shuttle (~£10) or remís (~£30)
🛏Hostel dorm in Palermo or San Telmo (~£15-20)
- →Arrive Ezeiza International Airport
- →Buy SUBE transit card
- →Evening stroll on Avenida Corrientes
- →Choripán and empanadas street food
Buenos Aires City Tour — La Boca, San Telmo & Recoleta
Buenos Aires
Replicate the operator's included city tour on your own. Book a small-group Buenos Aires walking or bike tour on GetYourGuide (~£20-25) covering Plaza de Mayo, the Casa Rosada, and San Telmo's cobbled streets. In the afternoon take the Subte to La Boca to see the colourful Caminito, or join a guided La Boca leg if you want the security of a group. Ride the historic Line A Subte, walk 9 de Julio Avenue past the Obelisk, wander Puerto Madero's waterfront, admire the Colón Theatre (exterior or a cheap guided interior visit), and finish in leafy Recoleta at the cemetery and its artisan market. Dinner in San Telmo with tango music drifting out of the plazas.
🚌Subte and local buses with SUBE card (~£3)
🛏Hostel dorm in Palermo or San Telmo (~£15-20)
- →GetYourGuide Buenos Aires walking tour (~£22)
- →La Boca & Caminito
- →9 de Julio Avenue and Obelisk
- →Puerto Madero waterfront
- →Colón Theatre
- →Recoleta Cemetery and market
Estancia Gaucha Day in the Pampas
San Antonio de Areco / Pampas
Swap the operator's Fiesta Gaucha for a self-booked day trip. Book a full-day gaucho estancia experience on GetYourGuide or Klook (~£35-45 including transfers, asado lunch, empanadas, horse riding, and folkloric music/dance shows) departing Buenos Aires in the morning. Alternatively, take a public bus to San Antonio de Areco (~£4, 2h) and arrange a local estancia visit directly for a more independent feel. Either way you get the asado, mate, gaucho horsemanship displays, and countryside. Return to Buenos Aires in the evening.
🚌Included in day tour, or public bus to San Antonio de Areco (~£8 return)
🛏Hostel dorm in Palermo or San Telmo (~£15-20)
- →Gaucho estancia day trip with asado and horse riding (~£40)
- →Folkloric music and dance show
- →Pampas countryside
Fly to Bariloche
Bariloche
Fly Buenos Aires (AEP or EZE) to Bariloche (BRC) with Aerolíneas Argentinas, JetSMART, or Flybondi — book early for fares around £60-90 one way. The flight is about 2h20 over Patagonian lakes and the Andes. On arrival take the local bus 72 or a remís into town (~£5-10), check into a budget hostel or guesthouse near the Centro Cívico (~£15-25/night). Spend the afternoon acclimatising with a walk along Nahuel Huapi Lake, rent a bike or just wander the chocolate shops on Mitre, and sort your Circuito Chico and Isla Victoria tickets for the next days.
🚌Flight Buenos Aires–Bariloche (~£60-90) + local bus 72 from airport (~£5)
🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Bariloche centre (~£18-25)
- →Mitre Street chocolate shops
- →Nahuel Huapi lakeside walk
- →Centro Cívico
Circuito Chico Scenic Route
Bariloche / Llao Llao
Do the operator's Circuito Chico independently. Take the local bus 20 (or rent a bike for the full 25 km loop, ~£12-15/day) west along the lake to Llao Llao. Walk the viewpoints over Moreno Lake and the Hotel Llao Llao, cross the Puente Angostura, and hike the short Sendero de los Arrayanes. Continue to San Eduardo's Church with its famous blue-and-white views, and if you're keen, hike up Cerro López (a half-day climb, no permit needed, ~£5 bus to trailhead) for panoramic Andes views. Return to Bariloche for a lamb asado or a craft beer at a local cervecería.
🚌Local bus 20 (~£2) or bike rental (~£13)
🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Bariloche centre (~£18-25)
- →Circuito Chico scenic loop
- →Llao Llao viewpoints
- →San Eduardo's Church
- →Moreno Lake and Cerro López views
- →Optional Cerro López hike
Isla Victoria & Los Arrayanes National Park
Bariloche / Nahuel Huapi
Book this boat day directly with a Bariloche operator or via GetYourGuide/Klook (~£45-60 including the national park fee and boat navigation). Catamarans leave from Puerto Pañuelo (bus 20 to get there) and cross Nahuel Huapi Lake to Isla Victoria, where you'll walk the native forest trails and look out over Playa del Toro. Continue to the Quetrihué Peninsula and the famous Arrayanes Forest — a UNESCO-listed grove of cinnamon-barked trees. Bring a packed lunch to save money; most boats stop for 1-2 hours on each island. Return to Bariloche in the late afternoon and enjoy a relaxed dinner.
🚌Bus 20 to Puerto Pañuelo (~£2) + boat navigation included in tour
🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Bariloche centre (~£18-25)
- →Boat to Isla Victoria (~£50 with park fee)
- →Arrayanes Forest walk
- →Los Arrayanes National Park
- →Nahuel Huapi Lake crossing
Bariloche to Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Fly Bariloche back to Buenos Aires (Aerolíneas, JetSMART, or Flybondi, ~£60-90 one way). If you have a morning flight you can spend the afternoon in Buenos Aires exploring a neighbourhood you missed — Palermo's parks and the MALBA or Bellas Artes museum are good low-cost options (~£3 entry). Otherwise take the return bus/remís into the city, check into your accommodation, and have a proper Buenos Aires steak dinner at a neighbourhood parrilla (bife de chorizo ~£12-15 with wine) rather than one of the tourist-trap places on Puerto Madero.
🚌Flight Bariloche–Buenos Aires (~£60-90) + airport transfer (~£5-10)
🛏Hostel dorm in Palermo or San Telmo (~£15-20)
- →MALBA or Museo Bellas Artes (~£3)
- →Palermo parks
- →Parrilla steak dinner
Fly to Puerto Iguazú
Puerto Iguazú
Fly Buenos Aires to Puerto Iguazú (IGR) — roughly 1h50, ~£60-90 one way. From the tiny airport take a remís or local bus into Puerto Iguazú town (~£3-8), where budget hostels and guesthouses run £15-25/night. The operator uses the Panoramic Grand, but a well-reviewed hostel with a pool is a fraction of the price. Spend the afternoon visiting the Hito Tres Fronteras viewpoint where Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay meet, and pre-purchase your Iguazú National Park entry (Argentina) online (~£18) plus plan the Brazilian side for Day 10. Eat cheap at a local buffet or cook at the hostel.
🚌Flight Buenos Aires–Iguazú (~£60-90) + local bus/remís into town (~£5)
🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Puerto Iguazú (~£18-25)
- →Hito Tres Fronteras viewpoint
- →Pre-buy Iguazú National Park tickets
- →Bonus: Güira Oga wildlife refuge (~£8)
Iguazú Falls — Argentine Side
Iguazú National Park (Argentina)
Spend the full day on the Argentine side of Iguazú Falls. Take the local bus from Puerto Iguazú's terminal (~£4 return) to the park entrance, pay your £18 park fee, and walk the circuits: the Upper Circuit gives you the tops of the falls, the Lower Circuit takes you close to the water, and the Devil's Throat train + catwalk delivers the iconic plunge into the Garganta del Diablo. Add the optional Gran Aventura boat ride up to the base of the falls (~£50 direct or via GetYourGuide) if you want to get soaked — the operator lists this as optional too. Bring a packed lunch; park food is pricey. Return to town for dinner.
🚌Local bus to park and back (~£4)
🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Puerto Iguazú (~£18-25)
- →Iguazú Falls Argentine side circuits
- →Devil's Throat catwalk and train
- →Upper and Lower Circuits
- →Optional Gran Aventura boat (~£50)
Iguazú Falls — Brazilian Side, then back to Buenos Aires
Foz do Iguaçu / Buenos Aires
Cross into Brazil to see Iguazú from the other side — the panoramic view of the whole Devil's Throat is the classic shot. Take a bus from Puerto Iguazú terminal across the border to Foz do Iguaçu (~£2-4, remember your passport and check Brazil's entry rules for your nationality), pay the Brazilian park entry (~£15), and walk the 1.5 km trail with the catwalk extension over the water. If time and budget allow, add a Parque das Aves bird park visit (~£12). Then head back across the border and fly from Puerto Iguazú back to Buenos Aires for your onward international flight, or overnight in Buenos Aires if your departure is next morning.
🚌Bus to Foz do Iguaçu (~£4) + flight Iguazú–Buenos Aires (~£60-90)
🛏Hostel dorm in Buenos Aires (~£15-20, if overnighting)
- →Brazilian side of Iguazú Falls (~£15 park fee)
- →Bridge crossing to Foz do Iguaçu
- →Optional Parque das Aves (~£12)
Self-launched vs. RipioTurismo
| This itinerary (self-launched) | RipioTurismo | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,180 | £1,420 |
| Duration | 10 days | 10 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £240 per person (17%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more RipioTurismo-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,180
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, Bariloche & Iguazú Falls Adventure cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,180 per person for 10 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 RipioTurismo?+
Yes — RipioTurismo charges around £1,420 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,180 — a saving of roughly £240 (17%) per person.
How long is the Argentina trip?+
This itinerary runs 10 days, covering 10 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 culture, adventure, foodie 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?
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