Help choosing itinerary: Chile - Argentina - Brazil

Hello, How good it feels to be back on this forum!!!!

Today, we started looking into traveling in April 2026, either to Chile or Argentina. It’s our first trip to South America. I’ve only been to French Guiana once, about ten years ago, for the space center. In recent years, we’ve usually gone to Asia during the spring holidays.

Based on the flight tickets I’ve found, two arrival and departure options are available: - Arriving in Buenos Aires and departing from Salvador de Bahia. - Arriving in Santiago, Chile, and still departing from Salvador de Bahia.

We’re considering flying business class on the outbound flight so we arrive a bit more rested. The travel class might influence our choice between itinerary A or B.

We’d like to spend two days at Iguazu Falls (both the Argentine and Brazilian sides), which explains the departure from Brazil.

Initially, we thought about arriving in Buenos Aires and staying in Argentina before heading to Iguazu. However, the itinerary forces us to go back through Buenos Aires.

We love nature. The El Calafate region seems to offer beautiful, easily accessible landscapes. Maybe there’s another area we should prioritize.

Here are two itineraries—what do you think? I know it’s short, but we can’t add any more days. We’ll have to make it work.

Option A: D1(Sat): Flight from France to Buenos Aires – arrival at 9:55 PM. D2(Sun): Visit Buenos Aires D3(Mon): Visit Buenos Aires. D4(Tue): Flight from Buenos Aires to El Calafate – 3.5-hour flight – arrival around midday. D4(Tue) – until D11(Tue) – visit the El Calafate region: El Calafate / 121km / El Chaltén / 12km / Mount Fitz Roy / 4km / Cerro Torre Mountain / 132km / Perito Moreno Glacier / 57km / El Calafate. D11(Tue): Flight to Buenos Aires D12(Wed): Morning flight to Iguazu (Argentine side) – flight at 6:40 AM or 8:10 AM – 2-hour flight. D13(Thu): Half-day on the Brazilian side – flight around 7:00 PM to Salvador de Bahia. D14(Fri): Visit Salvador de Bahia (downtown) D15(Sat): Morning visit + midday departure for the airport – flight at 5:45 PM from Salvador de Bahia D16(Sun): Arrival in France.

This itinerary forces us to pass through Buenos Aires twice.

Option B: D0(Fri): Flight from France to Santiago, Chile – departure at 11:20 PM from CDG. D1(Sat): Arrival at 7:45 AM in Santiago, Chile – hotel + city visit. D2(Sun): Visit Santiago, Chile D3(Mon): Departure for Puerto Natales, Punta Arenas, or El Calafate – to be decided. There’s about a 3-hour flight. We need to check the drop-off fees if we pick up the car in Chile and return it in Argentina – see ADEL RENT A CAR. D3(Mon) – until D10(Mon) – visit the El Calafate region: El Calafate / 121km / El Chaltén / 12km / Mount Fitz Roy / 4km / Cerro Torre Mountain / 132km / Perito Moreno Glacier / 57km / El Calafate. D10(Mon): 3.5-hour flight + visit Buenos Aires. D11(Tue): Visit Buenos Aires D12(Wed): Morning flight to Iguazu (Argentine side) – flight at 6:40 AM or 8:10 AM – 2-hour flight. D13(Thu): Half-day on the Brazilian side – flight around 7:00 PM to Salvador de Bahia. D14(Fri): Visit Salvador de Bahia (downtown) D15(Sat): Morning visit + midday departure for the airport – flight at 5:45 PM from Salvador de Bahia D16(Sun): Arrival in France.

The end of the itinerary is the same. This option avoids passing through Buenos Aires twice. Thanks for your feedback.

Hello,

Welcome back to this forum—we’ve missed it so much over the years!

11 days on the ground is *extremely* short! So don’t waste all that time on transportation. Focus only on Patagonia, for example, and just the Santa Cruz province (El Calafate and El Chaltén) if that’s what you want. Take the chance to cross into Chile and visit Torres del Paine while you’re there.

Plan for 1 to 2 days in Buenos Aires upon arrival, then take a flight from BSAS to El Calafate, for example. Rent a car in El Calafate (to avoid relying on public transport and losing time) to explore the El Chaltén area north of El Calafate, then head south along Route 40 to cross into Chile toward Puerto Natales and continue north to Torres del Paine National Park. As you’ve probably realized, this entire region—both the Argentine and Chilean sides—will take at least 8 days (10 would be better). Finally, fly back to BSAS from El Calafate and spend your last night there.

You’ve got the idea: save Iguazu and the Misiones province for another trip, just like Salvador de Bahia.

I’m here to answer any questions you have!

My site on Argentina: www.petitherge.com

See you soon!

Herge !

Hello!

Argentina has become very expensive lately, especially the south, which has always been pricey. Chile is more affordable at all levels and generally better organized.

In any case, I highly recommend Iguazu Falls—don’t miss it under any circumstances, in my opinion. It’s very doable in 2 days from Foz do Iguaçu. That said, you should still plan for 2 days: 1 day on the Argentine side (no less), and while the Brazilian side is quicker, it gives you time to relax. Plus, there’s the Parque das Aves across from the entrance to the falls on the Brazilian side—don’t miss it, in my opinion. ... 1.5 days will have you rushing, and you won’t have any buffer if something goes wrong. In South America, you often run into little issues that eat up time...

After that, tourists are often told to choose between the north or south of Chile or Argentina to avoid rushing and seeing nothing...

Honestly, 1.5 days in Bahia? Just to see the city and not explore the surroundings? I’d go to Rio instead—it’s way more fun for the city itself, in my opinion. Just Pain de Sucre, Santa Teresa, Christ the Redeemer, and Copacabana/Ipanema will fill your travel journal. But going to Bahia just to visit the center? That seems like a shame to me.