Explore Chile & Argentina: Self-Launched Santiago to Buenos Aires
8 days · Chile & Argentina
G Adventures charges £2,799
No-markup version: ~£472 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
An 8-day self-launched version of G Adventures' Santiago-to-Buenos Aires route, replacing private transfers and hotels with public buses, budget guesthouses and self-bookable experiences. Ride a local bus to Valparaíso for street art and Neruda's La Sebastiana, cross the Andes by public coach past Aconcagua into Mendoza, bike or bus between Maipú wineries for tastings and a parrilla lunch, fly budget to Buenos Aires, and spend a day in the pampas at a working estancia before a self-booked tango class at a local milonga. Costs are rough GBP estimates for hostel/simple guesthouse level travel, sharing a twin room where possible.
Day-by-day
Arrive Santiago
Santiago, Chile
Land at SCL and take the Turbus/Centropuerto airport bus (~CLP 2,000, ~£1.70) or a shared transfer (~£8) into the centre. Check into a hostel or simple guesthouse in Bellavista, Lastarria or near Plaza de Armas. Spend the afternoon on a free walking tour of the historic centre (tips ~£5), then pick up a Bip! card for the metro and stock up on snacks. Eat dinner at a mercado or in Barrio Italia. Note: UK/EU passport holders pay a reciprocal fee on arrival in Chile — check current rules before you fly.
🚌Turbus/Centropuerto airport bus ~£2; metro and walking
🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Bellavista (dorm or simple double, ~£18)
- →Airport bus to city centre
- →Free walking tour of Santiago centro
- →Evening in Barrio Bellavista
Valparaíso day trip: street art and Neruda
Valparaíso / Santiago
Take the metro to Universidad de Santiago or Pajaritos and catch a Turbus or Pullman Bus to Valparaíso (~1h45, CLP 4,000-6,000, ~£4-5 each way); frequent departures all morning. Ride the old Ascensor Reina Victoria funicular (~£0.30) up to Cerro Alegre and Cerro Concepción, then walk the UNESCO historic quarter with a self-guided map or join a pay-what-you-want street art tour. Buy a ticket to La Sebastiana, Neruda's hillside house (CLP ~9,000, ~£7.50). Lunch on chorrillana or fresh seafood at the Mercado. Return to Santiago by late afternoon for dinner.
🚌Metro + Turbus/Pullman coach ~£10 return
🛏Same Santiago hostel or guesthouse (~£18)
- →Public bus to Valparaíso
- →Ascensor funicular ride
- →Historic quarter and street art walk
- →La Sebastiana (Pablo Neruda house)
Cross the Andes to Mendoza
Mendoza, Argentina
Book an Andesmar or Cata Internacional coach from Santiago to Mendoza in advance (roughly 8-9h including border formalities, CLP 25,000-35,000, ~£20-28). Aim for the 08:00-ish departure so you cross the Paso Los Libertadores in daylight and see Aconcagua's 6,961m summit from the road. Have passport and any entry paperwork ready; the border can take 1-2h. Arrive Mendoza late afternoon and check into a hostel in the city centre or Chacras de Coria. Evening: bodegón dinner and your first Malbec (~£10).
🚌Andesmar/Cata International coach ~£24
🛏Hostel in Mendoza centro (~£16)
- →Scenic Andes crossing past Aconcagua
- →Chile-Argentina border crossing
- →Evening stroll along Mendoza's wide avenues
Maipú wine country by bike
Mendoza
Rent a bike from one of the shops on Calle Urquiza in Maipú (bus #10 or a 20-minute ride from the centre; bike rental ~£12-15 including a winery tasting). Cycle the leafy boulevards between small family bodegas — try a boutique winery, an olive oil producer and a craft brewery. Book a vineyard lunch of asado with wine pairing (~£20-28). Alternatively, use the public MendoTran bus between wineries or book a GetYourGuide half-day tour if you'd rather not cycle (from ~£35). Return to Mendoza for a quiet evening.
🚌Local bus to Maipú ~£1; bike hire ~£13
🛏Hostel in Mendoza centro (~£16)
- →Bike rental in Maipú wine region
- →Bodega tours and tastings
- →Vineyard asado lunch with Malbec
Free day in Mendoza
Mendoza
Use the day for Argentine cooking classes (~£35-45), a trek in the Cordón del Plata foothills (~£40 with transfers), or a bus ride to the Potrerillos reservoir for hiking and river views. Cheap option: walk Parque General San Martín, the city's huge park with its gates and rose garden, and visit the Museo Fundacional ruins of the 1861 earthquake. Finish with a Torrontés or Malbec at a plaza-side café. Book tonight (online) your Mendoza-Buenos Aires flight for tomorrow morning and check the 15kg luggage allowance on Aerolíneas Argentinas.
🚌Walking and local bus ~£2
🛏Hostel in Mendoza centro (~£16)
- →Parque General San Martín and city museums
- →Optional cooking class
- →Optional Cordón del Plata hike
- →Book onward flight
Fly to Buenos Aires and ride out to an estancia
Mendoza / San Antonio de Areco / Buenos Aires
Take a morning Aerolíneas Argentinas or JetSMART flight from Mendoza to Buenos Aires (~1h40, ~£55-85 booked a few weeks ahead). From Ezeiza or Aeroparque, use a local bus or a taxi to your hostel in San Telmo, Palermo or Recoleta (~£1-8). After lunch, book a half-day pampas estancia visit through your hostel or GetYourGuide: you're collected by minibus and driven ~1.5h to San Antonio de Areco, with a farm-to-table asado lunch, gaucho demonstrations, a polo-style talk and optional horseback riding (~£60-90). Return to Buenos Aires in the evening.
🚌Flight ~£70; airport transfer ~£5; estancia minibus included in tour
🛏Hostel in San Telmo or Palermo (~£18)
- →Domestic flight to Buenos Aires
- →Estancia visit with asado lunch
- →Gaucho and polo demonstrations
- →Optional horseback ride
Buenos Aires city day and milonga tango
Buenos Aires
Self-guided city day using the Subte (buy a SUBE card, ~£0.30 a ride): Plaza de Mayo and the Casa Rosada, then walk to San Telmo's market and Caminito in La Boca (go in daylight and keep valuables hidden). Afternoon at Recoleta Cemetery (~£12 entry for foreigners) and the Biblioteca Nacional. Dinner cheaply at a parrilla or café in Palermo. Tonight take a beginner tango class at a local milonga — Salón Canning or La Viruta offer group lessons for around ARS 10,000-15,000 (~£7-11) — and stay to watch the neighbourhood regulars dance.
🚌SUBE card and Subte ~£2
🛏Hostel in San Telmo or Palermo (~£18)
- →Plaza de Mayo and Casa Rosada
- →San Telmo market and Caminito
- →Recoleta Cemetery
- →Tango lesson at a local milonga
Depart Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Check out at leisure. If your flight is later, walk the Puerto Madero waterfront or browse the San Telmo ferias for breakfast. Take a local bus (~£1) or arrange an airport transfer (~£10-15) to Ezeiza — allow 60-90 minutes for the trip and arrive three hours before an international departure.
🚌Bus or transfer to Ezeiza ~£10
🛏None (departure day)
- →Morning walk in Puerto Madero or San Telmo
- →Departure transfer to Ezeiza
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£472 | £2,799 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £2,327 per person (83%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£472
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 Explore Chile & Argentina: Self-Launched Santiago to Buenos Aires cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £472 per person for 8 days in Chile & 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 G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £2,799 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £472 — a saving of roughly £2,327 (83%) per person.
How long is the Chile & Argentina trip?+
This itinerary runs 8 days, covering 8 day-by-day stops through Chile & 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, foodie, budget trip through Chile & 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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