Since the collapse of the Peso, Argentina has gone from the most expensive country in South America to one of the cheapest. This has made Argentina into a hot destination for budget travellers for the first time.
I never made it to Patagonia, because it was winter, but I had a great time in Buenos Aires - A sophisticated European-style city with great food (if you're not vegetarian), and great nightlife.
Domestic flights have suddenly become a bargain, so you can go to the far-flung corners of this vast country quickly and cheaply. I flew to Salta, a pleasant colonial city up in the foothills of the Andes. From here you can bus up to Bolivia through the back door and acclimatise, unlike flying in to La Paz at 4,000 metres.
Footprint are the experts in South American travel. The Footprint South American Handbook is great and the Footprint Argentina Handbook is far better than its rivals. Time Out publishes interesting books - Time Out guide to Buenos Aires and Time Out guide to Patagonia. As for maps, we stock a range of road atlases, street plans and detailed maps of Patagonia imported from Argentina and Chile.
Author: Guy Bristow
Date: 1 February 2004