Argentina & Uruguay Post-Antarctica: Iguazú to Mendoza

Part 1: Back to Buenos Aires and the Blue Market

Fresh off Antarctica’s high, we found ourselves asking “what now?”—and then started sketching a whole new plan for the months ahead. On February 26th, we disembarked the MS Expedition and were quickly flown to Buenos Aires. We checked into a hostel and awaited Nicola’s mom, Moire, and her friend Rose, who arrived after midnight. The four of us shared a quad with its own bathroom; Nic and I drew the squeaky top bunks.

With Argentina’s inflation, we set out to exchange USD on the “blue” (informal) market. Florida Street was full of “cambio, cambio” whispers. Inside one office, the count was out of view, and the rate slipped, so we walked. Later, in a different office, we exchanged USD at 11.3 with a bill counter and our own counterfeit checks. After a few weeks, the blue market rate had dropped a bit since our last exchange, but it was still worth the effort.

We weighed a South America flight pass but eventually decided to pivot: New Zealand was calling. We spent nights wrangling upcoming buses, ferries, and stays, locking in two months of slow, flexible travel there, plus a two-week stop in Fiji on the way home.

We joined a free aristocratic walk with Vicky, admiring palace-like homes and finishing at Recoleta Cemetery. Her wild tale about Evita’s body—stolen, mistreated, hidden for years, then finally laid to rest—was unforgettable. Later, we fixed a LAN name mix-up (no change fee, thankfully) and bought ferry tickets to Uruguay.

I joined a Boca vs. Vélez match package (home fans only). The football was cagey (1–0), but the crowd sang nonstop and even forced a pause for racist chants. Meanwhile, Nic and Rose enjoyed a tango show; Moire opted out. Sunday began at the understated Cathedral in Plaza de Mayo—Pope Francis’s former parish and San Martín’s resting place—then shifted to La Boca for choripán, street tango, and markets.

Part 2: The Uruguay Detour (Colonia, Punta del Este & Montevideo)

Our ferry BA→Colonia was rougher than the Drake for us—nearly half the cabin was seasick. Thankfully, on the return trip, it was much smoother. From Colonia, we bussed to Montevideo and onward to Punta del Este (PDE), breaking for lunch to avoid a long stretch without food.

We tried Airbnb for the first time and loved the kitchen. PDE is pricey—our first dinner ran about $45 for two—so we cooked most meals (translation: I did dishes, Nic gleefully cooked). I embraced downtime while the ladies explored the chilly beach. I grabbed a much-needed (and much better than India) $20 haircut; Moire’s $75 cut stung.

We spent two days in Montevideo and met Rose’s friend Hannah, who led us through Ciudad Vieja for a lively parrilla lunch—drums, dancers, and carnival vibes included. Thanks to my sister, we had passes to Liga de las Américas basketball. Two Canadian refs waved from the court; when calls went against the home team, a ranting fan decided I was “with the officials” and lit me up in Spanish. Lesson learned: South American fans are intense.

Part 3: Rosario, Jesuit Ruins, and the Mighty Iguazú Falls

After a few lively days in Montevideo, we took a smooth ferry ride back to Buenos Aires. I ran several errands, picking up a bag we had left at the hostel and exchanging more U.S. dollars on Florida Street. After a sweaty trek through the city, I reunited with Nic, Moire, and Rose just in time to catch our bus to Rosario.

Our bus ride to Rosario was comfortable and uneventful. A taxi strike forced us to take a local bus, but we were rescued by a kind woman who used her bus card to pay for all of us—a random act of kindness that truly lifted our spirits. The hostel, La Lechuza, was cozy and full of personality. We quickly fell into the rhythm of Rosario, exploring its riverside monuments and enjoying grilled local fish called Boga at a riverside restaurant.

From Rosario, we boarded a night bus to San Ignacio Mini, famous for its Jesuit mission ruins. Under the blazing 35°C sun, we wandered among the crumbling red stone walls and learned about the Guarani people. That evening, we returned for a sound and light show that was creative and surprisingly moving.

Next came our grand destination — Puerto Iguazu, home of the spectacular Iguazu Falls. The Argentinean side was incredible. We took a "Great Adventure" boat ride that plunged us right into the spray of the falls, emerging completely soaked and laughing. We crossed walkways to the “Devil’s Throat,” the largest and most awe-inspiring section.

We also crossed into Brazil for a single day to see the Foz do Iguaçu side. This provided a crucial, panoramic viewpoint that allowed us to grasp the true scale of the falls system. Afterward, we visited the Bird Park (Parque das Aves), where macaws, toucans, and other tropical birds were housed in massive walk-through aviaries.

After saying goodbye to Moire and Rose, who stayed another day before heading home, Nic and I took a final 18-hour bus back to BA.

Part 4: Final Argentine Stops: Córdoba and Mendoza

We left Moire and Rose at the airport and immediately boarded another long-distance bus, this time a 10-hour, comfortable Cama bus to Córdoba. As Argentina's second-largest city and a university hub, Córdoba felt full of history.

We spent time exploring the city’s heart, including the Jesuit Block, a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its colonial architecture and history. We met some fun people at the hostel and went to an all-you-can-eat buffet one night—about $8 with great meats and a crepe bar. It happened to be St. Patrick’s Day, so a bunch of us hit an Irish pub for “green beer” that tasted suspiciously like beer with lime cordial. An Irish guy at the hostel organized a hilarious “day of fun” that involved a long walk to a mall for glow bowling, pool, basketball, and air hockey before we rushed back.

After the whirlwind, we barely made our night bus to Mendoza. Mendoza is famous for red wine. We booked a three-hour horseback tour up and down desert hills with a group, followed by a big barbecue. Our guide bought us beer, cranked the music, and had people dancing in the van ride back—the whole thing was a riot. Back at the hostel, we signed up for an all-you-can-eat barbecue and all-you-can-drink wine asado. We actually tried a few glasses—cheap bottles here can be a little over a dollar and still taste decent.

We spent our final hours in Argentina preparing for the next stage of the journey: a high-altitude crossing of the Andes and a short stop in Chile before our flight back to North America.