Argentina Family Holidays
While Argentina sometimes gets overlooked compared to the other big-name destinations in South America, this is the perfect place for a memorable family adventure. From icebergs and rugged landscapes around Patagonia to the southern hemisphere’s highest peaks in the Andes, the world’s driest desert in the Atacama and the planet’s largest waterfall system at Iguazu, this isn’t a country that does things by halves.
There are gentler adventures too in the vibrant capital Buenos Aires, the picturesque Lake District and equally lovely wine region of Mendoza, so you can mix up the active thrills with more laid-back fun. Whatever age your kids are, there’s an Argentina holiday that’s perfect for you – we’ve put together some advice and inspiration to help you plan your perfect Argentina family holiday.
Prefer to chat things through? Get in touch with our Argentina team.
What to expect
With some spectacular wildlife and remarkable landscapes, you’ll never get bored in Argentina. Marvel at crashing waterfalls, venture into the desert, head high into the Andes, spot glaciers and mountain lakes, the gentler vineyard valleys and the dramatic scenery of Patagonia, all crammed inside the country’s borders. This is a land of adventure, whether you’re joining the gauchos to play cowboy, cruising past the ‘end of the world’ at Tierra del Fuego, biking, hiking, rafting or kayaking.
Nature lovers will be in heaven too, spotting whales, elephant seals and penguins at the Valdes Peninsula in the south, along with caiman and capybara in the north at the Ibera wetlands. Add in pretty lake-side towns and colourful cities to explore and no two days are ever quite the same on an Argentina family holiday.
You can also combine your Argentina family holiday with Antarctica, but this is definitely something which is better with older kids. Many operators have a minimum age of 12 (though some accept 8+) but rough seas, icy weather, restrictions on what you can do on landings, and more physically demanding activities mean primary school age kids and younger tweens may struggle.
Health & Safety
Argentina is generally considered one of the safest countries in South America for tourists, with low rates of violent crime, although theft (including pickpocketing and bag snatching) is a risk in the bigger cities. Always keep an eye on your possessions, especially in crowds, and keep valuables out of sight – be warier in the streets immediately outside the Caminito tourist area of La Boca in Buenos Aires, which is patrolled by police. Distraction scams operate in the bigger cities, while it’s recommended to book taxis in advance where possible, rather than hailing them on the street.
While you’re unlikely to be affected by natural disasters, flash flooding is sometimes an issue after heavy rain in the north, earthquakes are possible in the Mendoza, San Juan, Salta and Jujuy provinces and the Copahue Volcano on the border with Chile erupts occasionally. Always follow advice from the local authorities.
The weather in Patagonia is also famously unpredictable with sudden storms, temperature drops and gale force winds. Always stick to marked trails, check forecasts before departing and take advice from local guides. If you’re hiking at high altitude in the Andes, give yourself time to adjust to avoid altitude sickness, and wear high-factor sun protection, sunglasses and hat against the strong sun. The heat shouldn’t be underestimated if you’re visiting any part of Central and Northern Argentina in the summer months, so always drink plenty of water and take extra care not to become dehydrated during the hottest hours of the day.
Tap water is safe to drink in Buenos Aires and most major cities, but it’s safest to rely on bottled water elsewhere. There’s no risk of malaria in Argentina, but other mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue fever and Zika virus can be a risk in the northern provinces, especially from November to May, so always take suitable insect repellent and cover up around standing water.
We’d always recommend having travel insurance for any trip, but it’s mandatory for all foreign tourists to have a comprehensive policy covering healthcare in Argentina.
When to go (school holiday weather)
Argentina’s mix of landscapes across its 2,300-mile length means you’ll find different weather patterns depending where you’re hoping to visit. The north tends to be hotter, including the more humid tropical weather around the Iguazu Falls on the border with Brazil, the arid climate around Salta and dry Atacama desert. The south, meanwhile, is far colder, with high temperatures only just topping 10C in January (the southern hemisphere’s midsummer) and falling well below zero during June and July in midwinter. The central area around Buenos Aires tends to be more temperate, neither as warm nor as cold.
The best times to visit Argentina tend to be spring (October to mid-December) and autumn (April to mid-June) when you avoid the extreme heat and cold, although December to March are the best months to visit Patagonia. This varying weather can make organising a trip in school holidays a little more complicated if you’re hoping to see the whole country, but it’s certainly still possible.
December is one of the warmest months as well as one of the busiest, with the peak summer season starting as the Christmas holidays begin. It’s one of the best months to take a Patagonia cruise, and for hiking in the area. Buenos Aires is hot though, with temperatures rising to around 28/29C, which is less fun for sightseeing, while you can expect temperatures in the low 30Cs at the Iguazu Falls, and hot days in the Atacama Desert and Salta.
Easter is often a better option, especially if it falls early in the year. In late March and April, Patagonia is usually still accessible, not yet too cold and the biggest crowds have left, although there’s an element of luck with the weather during this shoulder season. The vineyards around Mendoza are a blaze of colour at this time of year, with the grape harvest at its height in March and continuing into April, while temperatures are mild and wildlife is highly active in the Ibera wetlands. The heat in Buenos Aires and Salta is far more manageable, in the low to mid 20Cs, and while Iguazu is always warm, you can expect high 20Cs and not too much rain. It’s also more pleasant in the Atacama Desert, usually around 23-24C and while it’s cool at night, it’s not yet freezing.
The northern hemisphere’s summer holidays coincide with the southern hemisphere’s winter, and Patagonia will be windy, freezing and often inaccessible. You can still visit Buenos Aires, with daytime highs of around 15-17C, although do go prepared for cloud and some rain, while there’s warmer weather to be found around Iguazu, where it’s still 23-24C and not too wet. The Atacama desert is pleasantly warm during the day but expect temperatures to drop to around freezing overnight.
If you’ve got a two-week October half-term, this is another good option to consider. Patagonia’s weather is still mixed but improving, you can spot newborn wildlife, migrating whales and nesting penguins at Peninsula Valdes, the wildlife is active in the Ibera wetlands, and the Lake District is starting to bloom with spring flowers. Buenos Aires is getting warmer, with temperatures in the low 20Cs although you can expect a few more rainy days this month, while the always-dry Atacama Desert is similarly warm and not too cold at night. Salta is already hot with highs of 28-29C however, and it’s one of the rainiest months of the year at the Iguazu Falls but it means the water volume is even more impressive at the cascades – lightweight rainwear is a good plan as it’s already around 30C during the daytime.
Our top places to go with kids
- The Iguazu Falls – the largest waterfall system in the world, there are 275 separate cascades thundering 80m down the cliffs on the border of Argentina and Brazil in a spectacular crash of white water
- Peninsula Valdes – one of the best options for nature-lovers, you can spot whales, elephant seals and penguins here, plus some spectacular scenery
- Ibera wetlands – this mini-Amazon is home to capybaras and caimans, as well as monkeys, marsh deer and exotic birds, with boat safaris to see the wildlife
- Buenos Aires – while the capital has a reputation for tango and romance, there’s plenty for families from brightly painted La Boca to great museums including the hands-on Children’s Museum for younger kids
- Patagonia – spot Perito Moreno Glacier, with boat trips to take you close to the ice, or enjoy one of the easier hikes through this magnificently wild corner of the world
Where you’ll stay
When you’re travelling around Argentina with your family, you’ll be staying in a mix of accommodation from our hand-picked selection, all chosen to combine individual character with essential facilities. You could be checking in to welcoming posadas, eco-lodges in the wetlands, hotels set on the edge of the Atlantic or in colonial-style buildings, and even at a cowboy ranch (or estancia) or on board a cruise ship.
Just let your travel specialist know your preferences and they’ll do everything they can to get things just right for your family.
How you'll get around
There are long distances involved in exploring Argentina, so you’ll find yourself taking some internal flights, particularly if you’re planning to head to the far south and up to the Iguazu Falls in the north. There are also journeys by long-distance buses and overnight buses in areas where it’s easier to travel by road than air. But you can get behind the wheel yourself too, with self-drive options through the country’s vineyards (and bikes to take you between the wineries themselves) as well as into the Andes and the Valdes Peninsula. Or take to the water with a cruise around Patagonia, from Argentina to Chile.
What you'll be eating
Children’s menus are common in restaurants, and families tend to be very welcome in most places, although it’s worth remembering that some places won’t even open for dinner until 8pm as lunch tends to be the biggest meal of the day. Because of its big Italian immigrant communities, you’ll find some of the best pasta and pizza outside Italy in Argentina, so kids will see plenty they recognise including lots of vegetarian options – Argentinian pizza tends to have a thicker crust and more cheese though. Look out too for Milanesa, a thin, breaded cutlet of beef or chicken that’s similar to schnitzel – if you see it listed ‘a la napolitana’, it’ll come topped with tomato sauce, ham and mozzarella.
You’ll find plenty of meat on offer – this is the land of the gaucho, after all. Look out for an asado, where you’ll get beef, pork, chicken, chorizo and more cooked on open fires or grills, and accompanied by salad. For something quicker on the go, a choripan, is a grilled chorizo sausage in a crusty roll for an upgrade on your average hotdog – you can get them plain or with mayo if your kids don’t fancy spicy chimichurri sauce. Or empanadas are another hit with kids, small pastry parcels usually filled with meat, or sometimes sweetcorn.
And you won’t be short of sweet treats either. Medialunas are Argentina croissants, smaller and sweeter than the average French ones, or look out for thick caramelly dulce de leche, which pops up in everything from cookies to cakes and alfajores, sandwiched between two crumbly shortbread-style cookies. The Italian influence also means there’s ice cream on almost every corner for your helado fix.
More tips for travelling with kids in Argentina
- Don’t think that Argentina is only for teens – while there’s plenty of adventure for older ages, you can definitely tailor your trip to suit younger ones. Think less challenging hikes in Patagonia, finding green spaces in cities to break up the sightseeing, easy bike rides through the wine country.
- Be prepared for long journeys – while internal flights save a lot of time as you cover Argentina’s vast distances, you’ll find you spend long chunks of the trip getting from A to B, whether it’s by bus, car or plane. Make sure you plan in some extra downtime or time at the destination so it doesn’t feel like you’re constantly on the move.
- Be prepared for late meal times – with dinner often getting underway at 9.30pm, you’ll need to find quick, easy alternatives if your kids need to eat earlier or stock up on snacks to keep them going. Shops may also close from 2-5pm for siesta (a good idea to try yourself if you’re keeping them up late).
- Embrace a relaxed attitude – whether it’s laid-back service in restaurants, ‘flexible’ bus departure times or other schedules, life won’t always run to the minute here.
Tailoring your holiday
When planning your Argentina holiday, your travel specialist will talk you through the places you’ll stay and will be happy to request alternatives and upgrades to suit your needs.
Ready to start creating your perfect holiday? Get in touch!
