Patagonia is a region in south Argentina , well known for natural landscape. Tourists come here for trekking, climbing glaciers, trying water sports and many more.
The most important cities in Patagonia are:
- Ushuaia , the largest city in Tierra del Fuego, is the base for most treks and trips to Antarctica.
- San Carlos de Bariloche , or simply Bariloche , is located on the foothills of the Andes and is well known trekking, climbing, extreme sports and skiing. You might just feel like you are somewhere in Switzerland not in Argentina, thanks to the atmosphere, chocolate boutiques and St. Bernard dogs on display (for tourists).
- El Calafate is a small city in Patagonia , located on the glacial blue Lago Argentina. The natural beauty attracted travelers and the city is growing continuously.
- Puerto Madryn is located on the shores of Gulfo Nuevo and is a very popular summer destination because of its beaches.
There are two easy ways for the travelers to get to Patagonia: via Buenos Aires , the capital of Argentina, or via Santiago de Chile, the capital of Chile. And most likely you’ll be traveling either to Bariloche or Ushuaia and then connect to other places in the area.
Quick summary
The cheapest way to travel between the capital of Buenos Aires and Patagonia is the bus. However, the traveling times are long. It’s cheaper to fly into Ushuaia than into Bariloche but make sure to book your flight in advance.
Getting from Buenos Aires to Bariloche
Flights
San Carlos de Bariloche International Airport (BRC) serves Bariloche and offers connections to/from both airports serving Buenos Aires: Ezeiza International Airport (EZE) and Aeroparque Jorge Newbery (AEP). Flights between the two cities are operated by: Aerochaco (Aeroparque), Aerolíneas Argentinas (Aeroparque, Ezeiza), Austral Líneas Aéreas (Aeroparque), LAD (Aeroparque) and LAN Argentina (Aeroparque).
During the low season (mid-May 2012) expect to pay from US$314 one way on LAN, while a return flight will set you back from US$610. The same prices are valid for early during the high season, too.
Read more about:
>>Cheap flights to Buenos Aires
>>Cheap flights to Bariloche
Buses
There are quite a lot of companies operating between the two cities. The travel time is between 20 h and 21 h and single fares start at AR$ 614 / US$140. Via Bariloche and Andesmar are just two options for your trip.
>>read more about Bus Travel in Argentina
Driving
The distance between the two cities is 1570 km (shortest route on RN 5) and you can cover it in about 18 ½ h. Of course, considering the distance, if you plan to rent a car, then you should plan this as a road trip rather than traveling from one point to another.
Getting from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia
Flights
Ushuaia International Airport (USH) is a small airport serving the city and offering direct flights to Buenos Aires (Aeroparque). The flights are operated by Aerolíneas Argentinas and LAN Argentina.
During the low season (mid-May 2012) expect to pay from US$289 one way on Aerolíneas Argentinas, while a RT flight starts at US$579. By mid-September expect to find slightly cheaper flights (from US$246 one way) on LAN.
Buses
There are no direct buses between Buenos Aires and Ushuaia. You can connect through Rio Gallegos. Andesmar, El Pinguino and Via Bariloche offer buses from Buenos Aires to Rio Gallegos and the single fare starts at AR$ 804 / US$183. The travel time is between 35 h and 38 h 40 min.
From Rio Gallegos it’s another 12 h trip and the single fares start at AR$ 110 / US$25. Just show up at the bus station and ask for tickets.