Argentina

Most of the big cities in Argentina have LGBTQ+ scenes, particularly Buenos Aires. Smaller cities like Cordoba and Mendoza are also popular with LGBTQ+ travelers, with Mendoza hosting an LGBTQ+ grape harvesting festival called Vendimia Para Todos in March. Puerto Madryn attracts LGBTQ+ travelers because of the fast track same-sex marriage ceremonies (the “Casamiento Express”) where everyone, resident or not, can get married in just five days. While some homophobia may prevail outside or even within the big cities, overall Argentina is considered an LGBTQ+-friendly destination.

Why Visit & When to Go?

Winter: June, July, August
Spring: September, October, November
Summer: December, January, February
Autumn: March, April, May

Argentina is a vast country and is the 8th largest in the world by landmass. It has landscapes that range from the sub-tropical where the Iguazu Falls lie to desert around Mendoza to mountainous Andean climates. Extreme cold impacts southern Patagonia, which includes Ushuaia, the most southern city in the world. The most popular months for tourism in Argentina are during the winter months of June, July and August and the summer months of December, January and February.

Interesting Attractions to Visit in Argentina

Iguazu Falls

Iguazu Falls is one of the most-visited tourist attractions in Argentina. It is located in Argentina’s northeastern Misiones province, on the border with Paraguay and Brazil. It is hot and humid here for most of the year. It rains the most in December, January and February, so some of the trails may be closed during these months, but the upside of this is the falls will have a greater volume of water and will be more impressive. April to June is the dry season, so the best chance for clear, blue skies.

Perito Moreno Glacier

The Perito Moreno Glacier is another popular tourist highlight. This huge ice formation is 35km (22 miles) in length—the size of Buenos Aires city—with a depth of up to 180m (590ft). You can hike across Perito Moreno as part of a tour. Peak time for visiting is during the summer months, from December to February.

Esteros del Ibera

The Esteros del Iberá is the second largest wetland in the world after the Pantanal in Brazil. It is located in the province of Corrientes in Northeast Argentina, covering over 13,700 square km (5,200 square miles). This large, biologically diverse wilderness is comprised of lakes, marshland, lagoons and islands based largely around the Parana River. The area is also rich with wildlife with over 350 species of birds, plus monkeys, capybara (the world’s largest rodent) and caiman.

Playing polo at a traditional estancia

Estancias is where the Argentinian cowboys (called gauchos) used to herd their cattle. Today in the Argentinian countryside most estancias have been converted into beautiful hotels, restaurants and polo retreats. In Argentina, polo is a very popular sport—just as much as football. Visiting one of the many excellent estancias in the Argentinian countryside as a day trip from Buenos Aires is a great way to get a feel of rural life and try out polo. Most estancias will also offer a bountiful asado meal (Argentinian barbecue party), which will include plenty of locally made Malbec.

Trekking in El Chaltén

El Chaltén is one of the top places in the country for trekking. El Chaltén itself is a small town in the Santa Cruz region of Argentina, close to the Chilean border. It is surrounded by many trails, which are easily accessible without a guide. One of the most popular treks is the full-day hike to Laguna de Los Tres, which has the most impressive views of the iconic Mount Fitz Roy. The peak time to visit El Chalten is December-February.

Whale Watching in Puerto Madryn

Puerto Madryn is one of the most famous places to go in Latin America for whale watching. Between June and December, these 40-ton mammals come here to give birth and look after their newly born calves for a few months before migrating to the colder waters of Antarctica for the rest of the year. Near Puerto Madryn in Peninsular Valdes you can also see orcas, particularly January to April, and October to December, when they come to feed on elephant seal pups.

Visting Penguins at Punta Loma

Punta Tombo on the coast of the Chubut province in Argentina is home to the largest colony of Magellanic penguins in Latin America. The Magellanic penguins grow to around 61-76 cm (24-30 inches) and are extremely cute to watch, especially when they're clumsily waddling around on land. The best time to see them is between mid-September and April when there are over 1 million penguins. They come here to nest, mate, breed, molt and then in around March or April migrate to warmer climates in South Brazil.