Argentina

Argentina is a well known destination by a vast majority of long distance cyclists. For many cyclists, this is either the end or the beginning of a world trip, as Patagonia is also called "Fin Del Mundo" a.k.a. "The end of the world". With plenty of good food, friendly people, amazing landscapes (and unfortunately also headwind), it's hard to not fall in love with Argentina.

Interested and open population. Good knowledge of their own country, even though they usually haven't traveled it themselves. You can also have good conversations about politics (and the past). Communication with the local people is in Spanish. People sometimes speak English around the metropolis, but knowledge is limited in the countryside.

Some nationalities can enter Argentina without a visa. The transitions from neighboring countries run smoothly. You can get in and out as often as you want. Visas are valid for 3 months. Then you have to get out of the country and back in again. When you come in, you have to fill in a form declaring the goods you have with you. You must keep this record and hand it over when you leave the country

Visa policy of Argentina

Argentina

Entry possible with ID card or Passport

Visa-free

Visa required

Source: Wikipedia.

Argentina is a safe country. In Buenos Aires, take your precautions as in any unknown metropolis. Some areas are for tourists and very unsafe.

Cooking fuel

• Petrol at the pump is clean, it will not clog the burner.
• "Benzina blanca" can be found at paint stores. The name "benzina blanca" is not recognized everywhere in Argentina. 'Solvante' (or something like that) is a well-known term, but I don't know whether it is real petroleum jelly.

Markets

• Depending on the area.

Supermarkers

• In larger centers
• Good choice
• Argentina produces some tasty cheeses (rather expensive) and fantastic wines: you can find really good bottles from 30 pesos

Neighborhood stores

• All the essential provisions
• Fresh vegetables / fruit often limited in stock
• Often fresh bread
• In the North often 'difficult' opening hours. From 9 a.m. to about 1 p.m. and then open again from 6 p.m. or even 7 p.m. until 9 p.m.

Street markers

• Rather in the north

Recommended

• Humitas: fresh, warm corn snack
• Lomito: steak sandwich
• Hamburguesas: wafer-thin hamburger with an egg and some vegetables

Restaurants

• Argentines like to eat well
• Restaurants open at 9 pm and only fill up from 10 pm
• With an emphasis on meat ("parrilla"), but also vegetarians usually get their money's worth. In large cities there is often a vegetarian restaurant. The vegetarian restaurant in San Juan is a must.
• Pizza and pasta are available
• Quite cheap
• In the north many restaurants are unheated, sometimes a pot of glowing coals is shoved under your table, but in the cold season you should dress warmly (hat!) at the restaurant

Fast Snack

• Many in larger cities
• Hamburguesa, lomito
• Pizza: cheese is the main ingredient

Drinkable water

• Reliable mountain / spring water in the lake area
• Often bottled water because of the taste of the tap water
• Be careful with polluted river water in mining areas
• Water filter not necessary if you regularly venture into residential areas

Wine

• Bodega visit around San Rafael, Mendoza, La Rioja and Cafayate: sometimes a reservation is required
• Mostly free, often interesting tours
• Tasting session usually with entry-level wines

Meat

• Almost always on the grill, "parrilla"
• Fried with the fat on it, which provides the flavor
• Lamb tastes different in every region
• Delicious goat meat ("chivito") in the area around Bariloche

No meat

• Soy products are good for vegetarians.
• Soy burgers (Milanesas de soya) are in the freezer at almost every supermarket.
• Dried soy chunks (Carne de soya) (ideal to take away) are available at health food stores in the larger towns.

Mandatory Vaccinations

No ;)

Availability hospitals / doctors

• General hospitals only in larger centers, very good healthcare
• In small villages there is usually a centro de salud
• The knowledge in hospitals is up to date
• Quite a few north americans go on "Hospital holidays" in buenos aires because of the low fees
• Because hospitals often work with north american partners, advanced treatments / drugs can be more expensive than in europe

Roads

• Most main roads have only two lanes and a narrow hard shoulder. Gradients of more than 8% are very exceptional on asphalt roads.
• Gravel roads ("ripio") are usually passable but dusty in heavy traffic.
• Regularly long strips of corrugated roads.
• Smaller, less-used routes are rough, with large pits and jagged stones.
• spicy incline percentages.
• Road works or "improvement works" are extra difficult, with long strips of loose gravel.

Density of infrastructure

• looking at the map twice a day is usually sufficient.
• unless you really want to go off-road, a general road map is enough, on which a distinction is made between asphalted and unpaved roads.
• there are not many alternative routes.
• On the basis of the map you can estimate how busy the road will be: you can expect some traffic between two large cities (+ 300,000 inhabitants). Perhaps you can map out a long route in such a way that you mainly visit smaller cities.

Best period to cycle

Seasons

you will find different climate types in the country.

• South: best from November to March.
• North (east) and: best from March to November.
• First snow in Bariloche: May.
• In the whole area that parallels the Andes north of San Rafael, there is little chance of precipitation.

Tourist High Season

• December to February for Patagonia, our July to September for the northwest (Salta and Jujuy).
• Domestic holiday periods: January, Easter, July.

Prevailing wind directions

• Patagonia: mainly from the west. This can sometimes improve considerably during the day. Make sure you have some leeway in your planning.
• day and night (often less at night): a factor to take into account!
• North-west: depending on weather conditions and relief, the wind often picks up as the day goes on.

Average temperature

depending on the region, altitude and climate type.

Spare parts

• All imports are expensive because of the high import taxes.
• 26 ”tires are most common.
• The quality of the inner tubes varies.
• Schwalbe is barely available.
• Shimano parts are common, in larger cities spare parts are generally available.
• In some regions (Bariloche, Mendoza, ...) cycling is on the rise, you will find repairers with an extensive range of spare parts.
• The quality of the services varies.

Tips

• Have a stick that sticks out half a meter on the left side of your bike and hang a red flag or ribbon on it.
• On the way to El Chalten or El Calafate you better cycle on a piece of pampas plains along the road, when a strong headwind is blowing from the Andes. As indicated earlier, car and truck traffic hardly take into account the dire circumstances in which a cyclist finds itself.
• It is nice to bring an inflatable globe.
• Showing your feet to someone is considered a humiliation.
• People don't like to answer NO to questions, so if you ask for directions, people will often answer YES.