Summary
I went to Argentina and Uruguay for an extended 12 days trip over winter break in December/January 2023/2024 with my wife and our two young children (9 son, 6 daughter). The trip was wonderful – it was a great bonding experience with the children, it was the first time 9outside of India) that we had taken them on an extended break with a diverse set of activities and it allowed all of us to rest and rejuvenate after a long year. We spent 3 days in Buenos Aires, 5 days in Patagonia (Calafate/Chalten) and 4 days in Punta Del Este, Uruguay. December is the start of summer in this region and the weather was perfect throughout the trip – 80s in Buenos Aires, 60s in Patagonia and 70s in Uruguay. This region is very red meat-heavy but there are vibrant, diverse communities of all kinds and we especially found the Italian food to be wonderful in additional to the endless flavors of empanadas. There is always something for every taste. Uber works well in Buenos Aires, not so much in Punta Del Este. On this trip, we executed my extended trip formula which includes a city visit, a cultural exploration component and a leisurely restful part of the trip at the end. This makes for diverse experiences and also allows for maximizing the very few opportunities for extended breaks (beyond the traditional long weekend or 1 week trips).
Accommodations
During our travels, we stayed at the Four Seasons in Buenos Aires, the Explora El Chalten in Patagonia (on the Argentina side) and the Fasano just outside of Punta Del Este, Uruguay. The Four Seasons is in a perfect location in the center of town near the Recoleta neighborhood. The hotel boasts a small, but perfect outdoor heated pool and a wonderful concierge willing and able to help with literally anything. The Explora in Chalten Patagonia is a magical place – located in a conservation reserve surrounded by glaciers, mountains, rivers, lakes, lagoons, parks and more. There is no menu – just fresh food, snacks, treats, drinks made at and around each meal. Individual hot tubs face the glaciers and are temperature controlled to enjoy no matter what the weather. It’s hard to leave once u make the long journey from the Calafate area through to the long dirt roads towards the camouflaged hotel. Finally, the Fasano – old massive farm turned into a luxury hotel. The campus is expansive, beautiful and fun – from the pools, equestrian centers, lakes etc. It is a peaceful and enjoyable respite away from yet perfectly adjacent to Punta del Este downtown. The Fasano private beach club in La Barra adds the perfect touch to the visit (not to mention the awesome golf carts that u get to keep for driving across campus).
Select Favorites
Buenos Aires
- Dining
- We loved our dinner at Marcelo (Italian) and dessert at Lucciano’s in Puerto Madero; we enjoyed Il Matarello (Italian) and ice cream at Antiche in Palermo Soho. In Recoleta, we enjoyed empanadas from El Mirasol and El Sanjuanino along with ice cream from Rapanui. On a future trip, we’ll try some of the best restaurants in town for meats – Don Julio, Preferido de Palermo and La Cabrera
- Activities:
- We enjoyed visiting the beautiful neighborhood with colorful homes in La Boca + El Caminito; we loved walking through the Plaza De Mayo with El Catedral and the Presidential Palace (Casa Rosada). The cemetery at Recoleta was unique as was the eclectic Mercado de San Telmo. The best neighborhoods to hang out in were Palermo SoHo and Puerto Madero, the best art galleries we came across were Smart Gallery and Palatina and next time we’ll take a tour of the majestic of Teatro colon and catch a Tango show.
Patagonia
- Dining
- All of our dining was managed masterfully by the explora as an all-inclusive setup so we didn’t eat anywhere in calafate and chalten. We did step out for an afternoon and visited Domo Blanco for the best ice cream in Patagonia!
- Activities
- Exploring this part of Patagonia was awe inspiring. Starting with the Los Huemules Reserve where the hotel is located, we loved our hike to the pristine Blue Lagoon. On another day, we trekked through Glacier National Park on a hike to the Mirador De Los Condores where we got a perfect view of Mount Fitz Roy. Our other favorite excursion was a sailing trip down the Lago Del Desierto to a wonderful hike to a lookout point of the Gran Glacier Vespignani. The best surprises were the majestic and mini waterfalls along the route!
Punta Del Este
- Dining
- We loved Il Baretto, L’incanto and the best of all Fasano Restaurant at the hotel where the kids had their all-time favorite Penne Vodka and Butter Pasta. For desserts and ice creams, we loved Arlecchino and Freddo
- Activities
- We stayed at Fasano for the wonderful activities – pool, horseback riding, kayaking, long walks, golf cart drives etc. We loved visiting the exclusive Fasano Beach Club and the magical sunset at Casapueblo
Recommendation
We would highly recommend Argentina and Uruguay for an extended trip. It has everything one could want in diversified longer trip – city vibes, culture/exploration and leisure/beach. You always need to be ok not doing every possible thing in a destination but be comfortable enjoying the highlights and experiencing local cultures. The trip requires several flights and boasts many unique environments, distinct weather and different food & tastes in every location. All of this requires and teaches patience, resiliency and going with the flow – but it is so worth it. Make reservations and plan tours well ahead of time to get the spots you want. Enjoy!
