Buenos Aires the Second Time and Conclusion South America

Conclusion South America:

The landscapes in Patagonia with the glaciers and in northern Argentina (Andes and salt flats) are diverse, beautiful, and simply breathtaking, and were definitely the highlight of our South America tour! Nature lovers will be completely satisfied here and we loved it incredibly much.

We recommend organizing and booking everything on your own, even if you don't speak Spanish. There are multi-day or multi-week tours offered by providers, especially in Patagonia, but they are incredibly expensive and not worth it. If you plan your trip individually on-site, you can save a lot of money depending on the activities. In the high season (December - February), it is advisable to book accommodations in El Chalten and El Calafate in advance, as they can be quickly fully booked.

Good knowledge of Spanish is advantageous and would have made things easier for us, but it is not absolutely necessary. The people in South America are very friendly and always willing to help if you are stuck. =) However, it becomes problematic if you don't speak Spanish or English. In this case, we advise against traveling to Argentina & Chile.

One problem is the procurement of cash, with a 5% fee for withdrawals, which can be refunded depending on the bank. The payment with credit cards is often also problematic, as many restaurants and hostels charge an additional fee or do not accept them at all. The fees are simply an additional source of income and often make you feel ripped off. Despite all precautions, we unfortunately fell victim to credit card fraud, with withdrawals made in Peru and we still have no idea how that happened. Fortunately, the damage was quickly reimbursed, but it leaves a bad taste and causes unnecessary stress and annoyance for us and our helpers at home. Thanks again to our diligent helper at home :-)

Tip: Don't go on a world trip or a trip to South America relying on only one or two cards. Powers of attorney for those staying at home are also advantageous. Fortunately, we had taken precautions for this case.

The cost of living in Chile is cheaper than in Argentina, but in both countries, food is often more expensive than in Germany. This was not to be expected for us, given the naturally lower income and living standards. In general, there is also a difference within Argentina, with the tourist region in Patagonia being significantly more expensive than Buenos Aires and the cheaper region of northern Argentina.

Now it's time for us to continue our journey with great anticipation to New Zealand =) We will be staying there for almost 2 months and this time we will have a rental car, which will make the trip much easier for us. We are very excited =)