Situated at the Southern Cone of Latin America, Argentina is a vast territory encompassing in excess of one million square miles. Due to this immense size, what to see and do in Argentina for a senior visitor is a challenging prospect. Totally Latin America has been planning custom luxury journeys for seniors in Argentina for over a decade and here will offer some of the best independent advice on maximizing the enjoyment of your Argentina escapade. Browse through our other luxury Argentina tours that might catch your eye. The golden rule is that distances are large, so take time to spend multiple days in whatever region you visit.

1. Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires is usually the first point of arrival for senior travelers to Argentina. It is situated on the Rio de la Plata estuary aside the Atlantic Ocean on the Eastern seaboard. A true mélange of cultural influences. European migration between the 1850s and early 1900s had a profound impact on the ethnic composition of the country. The vast majority of migrants came from Italy and Spain, interspersed with migrants from France, Poland, Germany, Russia and Britain. Today, almost all of Argentina’s population have an ethnic connection to Europe.

There are a host of city day tours, and we recommend keeping two separate half days to visit the southern and northern sides of the city. The Teatro Colon is well worth a visit for an opera, ballet or musical performance. Journeys down to the Tigre Delta are a great river excursion with lunch at Il Novo Maria Del Lujan. Also, Buenos Aires is a great springboard to visit across the river to Colonia de Sacramento by day tour or even Montevideo. The lands of the gaucho are not too distant in The Pampas and you can venture to La Bamba de Areco for the ultimate estancia experience. Buenos Aires is a perfect destination for senior travelers in Argentina.

2. Iguazu Falls

Iguazu Falls straddles the border of Brazil and Argentina, a 1h 50m flight from Buenos Aires. Puerto Iguazu on the Argentine side is a great base for senior travelers to explore not alone the falls of both Argentina and Brazil, but also further afield in this fascinating region. Whatever time of year you visit these are busy destinations. January and February. are the hottest time of year. These months have high humidity and temperatures of 30-35 85 – 95 degrees Fahrenheit. We recommend senior travellers to pay a little more and add private tours for comfort in visiting the Iguazu region. Helicopter overflights are also available for the ultimate panoramic view of this majestic wonder of nature.

Beyond the falls there are excellent day excursions to the Jesuit missionary ruins at San Ignacio, dating from 1610. This can be combined to a visit to Wanda amethyst mines and just 45 minutes from Iguazu, we find La Lorenza. This is an ideal destination for nature lovers, birdwatchers, and photographers, and anyone looking for an authentic Atlantic Rainforest experience. Short hikes, light kayaking, picnic lunches and just soaking up the country air. A perfect place senior travelers to discover the Iguazu region beyond the falls.

3. Salta & The Northwest

Salta and the northwest is a region often unexplored and offers immense reward for senior travelers looking to venture beyond the ordinary. The regional capital of Salta is a beautiful old colonial city and is well connected to many regions of Argentina. It was founded in 1582 as San Felipe de Lerma by Hernando de Lerma. The city itself remains much colonial elegance and is a great vantage point to explore the wine region of Cafayate, the stupendous landscapes of the UNESCO Humahuaca Gorge, Hill of Seven Colours and the Salinas Grandes Salt Flats en route to the Atacama Desert of Chile.

The wet season lasts from mid-November to early April. This is a great time to see the flooded Salinas Grandes salt flats. We can offer this trip as a private excursion en route from Salta or Purmamarca to San Pedro de Atacama Chile.

For senior citizens destinations such as the Humahuaca Gorge, Salinas Grandes and beyond to Atacama can present altitudes of 11,000 to 14,000 feet. The key with altitude is taking it easy. We do not recommend these destinations for travellers with heart conditions or without reasonable fitness. Always check with your doctor in advance. Beyond that these destinations are readily accessible to adventure seekers. The cities of Salta and Cafayate have altitudes of just 3,800 and 5,500 feet respectively, and so no issues at these destinations for senior travelers in Argentina.

4. Mendoza & Wine Country

Mendoza is a city in a beautiful setting nestled under the lofty Andes Mountains in the west of Argentina. It is a great destination for senior travellers with a host of wine tours, cookery classes, journeys to the mountains and local haciendas with horse trekking. The vast majority of tours do not involve high altitudes, and those that do, have just short walks in the rarefied air. The city is well serviced with flights from around the country including Buenos Aires (2hours). Another super journey is to come from Santiago Chile by overland bus. It is a spectacular seven-hour journey over the mountains with amazing vistas. Avoid the winter months June to August as snow may block the route, in this case a short flight is a great replacement.

Mendoza has great winery visits for seniors in the districts of Lujan de Cuyo, Uco Valley and Maipú. These can be tailor made by Totally Latin America as private visits or small groups as required. We are proud to offer many lesser visited local options such as Bodega Caelum.

Totally Latin America can also arrange some great food and wine combinations options in addition to cookery classes at select wineries.

Nearby to Mendoza lies Aconcagua, at 22,837 feet the highest peak in all of the Americas. There are excellent day tours with a short treks available, suitable for seniors in reasonable fitness, to view the magnificence of this spectacular mountain vista. Another great day out is to visit is to Estancia La Alejandra in the Uco Valley for an air of gaucho hacienda life and horse trekking in the rolling hills around Mendoza. For a luxury option we can also offer Rancho ’e Cuero for the ultimate in pastoral elegance. All told Mendoza has a host of great activities for senior travelers of all abilities.

5. Patagonia Los Glaciares & El Chalten

Windswept Patagonia is a dichotomy for the senior travelers in Argentina. It holds the most majestic bucolic landscapes and yet instills some trepidation with the options for hiking among immense grandiosity. The main regions visited in Argentina Patagonia are El Calafate (Los Glaciares National Park) and El Chalten as the home of the FitzRoy range. The region can be accessed by flights from Buenos Aires, other national destinations and an overland route to Torres del Paine in Chile. For the senior traveler in El Calafate the main attraction will be the Los Glaciares National Park. Home to the Perito Moreno, Upsala and Spegazzini Glaciers. All are accessible on easy day tours, along with lake navigations to witness them calving into the frigid waters below. Ice treks too are available for the fit and adventurous. We also recommend a day to see the Patagonian Steppe at Estancia Cristina or Estancia Nibepo Aike for horse riding, even for beginners.

The El Chalten region is a three-and-a-half-hour road trip from El Calafate. It is a small windswept outpost but the perfect base for hiking lovers. Senior travelers in El Chalten have some excellent options of half day and day hikes to cater for all levels. Some to consider are Laguna Capri, Mirador del Torre and the Laguna Torre trek can be split to a 3- or 7-hour exploration dependent on physical capability.

Senior travelers need not fear venturing to Patagonia but be sure to ask your Totally Latin America travel adviser for advice on the best local route planning. Also, November to March are the best months and always be prepared for four seasons in one day! Our top tip when in this region, be sure to call on Gabo at his Rancho Aparte closed restaurant in El Calafate. Great home food crafted with love and a big heart.

6. Bariloche Lake District

Bariloche Lake District for senior travelers in Argentina is the perfect escape to the great outdoors. The region can be reached by a 2h 15m flight from the capital Buenos Aires. It also affords access to the great lake crossing across to Puerto Varas in neighboring Chile. The best time to visit is November to March. The best day, and half day, trips for seniors in Bariloche include San Martin de Los Andes Seven Lakes, Lake excursion to Victoria Island and Arrayanes Forest, The Circuito Chico, Cerro Tronador Mountain, idyllic Villa La Angostura and Puerto Blest, and the Los Cantaros Falls & Frias Lake navigation. For a hike we can recommend Refugio Frey as a great option, as you can use the ski lifts en route to remove the ardour of reaching the upper climes.

The lake region of Bariloche offers the senior traveler a great balance of relaxation and the outdoors. Villa La Angostura on Lake Nahuel Huapi is an idyllic hideaway more typical of a Swiss lakeshore. Totally Latin America can also offer you an evening to dine with a local Argentinian family or kayaking and a picnic lunch at the delightful Lake Moreno. Whatever your level of ability there are a host of options for senior travelers in Bariloche.

Senior Travel Itineraries for Argentina

The main considerations for senior travelers to muse when coming to Argentina are:

• Time of year to travel. In a broad sense October to March are best, but there are exceptions
• How much time do you have?
• What are your favorite destinations that you wish to discover? Consider 3 or preferably four nights in each region
• How to get them all together in a coherent and logistically intelligent manner

How to create the best itinerary and use your time and energy wisely. This is where local knowledge is invaluable, and feel free to learn more about the best tailor-made options. At Totally Latin America we value human contact, and you will never be left waiting talking to a machine! Further reading visit our Patagonia Tours for Seniors 2024 page.