Mountains, upland areas, and plains make up the
diverse territory of Argentina. The western borders
fall entirely within the Andes, the great mountain
system of South America. The Patagonian Andes
form a natural boundary between Argentina and
Chile. Several parallel ranges and spurs of the
Andes project deeply into northwestern Argentina.
Eastward from the base of the Andes, Argentina consists almost entirely of a flat or gently undu-
lating plain that slopes gradually from an elevation
of about 610 meters to sea level. In the north, the
Argentine plains make up the southern portion of
South America's Gran Chaco region. The pampas
include the most productive agricultural sections
of the country, extending nearly 1,600 kilometers
south from the Gran Chaco. In Patagonia, the
terrain consists largely of arid, desolate steppes.
More than one-third of the country's 32 million
people live in Buenos Aires, the beautiful capital.
Patagonia is one of the fewest settled landscapes of the earth. The inland of Patagonia is a green
pampa. Here we find typical pampa animals like mara, guanako, nandu, armadillo, skunk and fox.
The coastline is beautiful. Cormorants are found nesting on the cliffs there. The area is rich in sea
birds. The beaches are the habitat of elephant seals and sea lions. In the summer months several
thousand sea lions come to the coast to breed. The elephants breed from September to November.
It is quite spectacular to see the machos fighting ...
The patagonian coasts and the PeninsulaValdes are considered to be the world best
places to meet the giants of the sea. These
are the meeting and nursery grounds for
the southern right whales. Valdes Peninsula
is also a prehistoric place. Everywhere are
fossilized mussels, crabs and other remains
of the sea that once was.
Professionals who worked with
us successfully >>>>
Time:
GMC/UTC minus 3 hours; Buenos Aires observes daylight-saving time
Languages:
Spanish (official), English, Italian, German, French, indigenous languages
When to go:
October and november are the best months to watch the whales.
Visas:
Most foreigners do not need visas and, in theory, are issued free, renewable 90-day
tourist cards on arrival
Weather and Climate:
Except for a small tropical area in the northeast and the subtropical Gran Chaco in the north,
most of Argentina enjoys a temperate climate. In Buenos Aires average temperatures range
from 17° to 29°C in January and 6° to 14°C in July. In Mendoza, in the foothills of the Andes
to the west, temperatures are comparable. Considerably higher temperatures prevail near the
Tropic of Capricorn to the north, where extremes as high as 45°C are occasionally recorded.
Generally cold conditions are found in the higher Andes, Patagonia, and Tierra del Fuego.
In the western section of Patagonia winter temperatures average about 0°C. In most coastal
areas, however, the ocean exerts a moderating influence on temperatures.
Vaccines:
Vaccines are not required to enter Argentina.
Currency:
The local currency is the Argentine Peso.
Dec. 2003: 1 Euro = 3,30 Peso; 1 US-Dollar 2,79 Peso
Safety:
Although the effects of the recent political and economic crisis can still be seen and felt,
Argentina remains a perfectly safe destination for travellers. Social unrest has subsided, though
travellers may wish to avoid large demonstrations, which can grow violent. On the flipside,
tourism - both by international travellers and by Argentines who can no longer afford to travel
abroad - is on the rise.
