Leaving NZ for short term living in Argentina

There are 5 replies in this Thread which has previously been viewed 2,591 times. The latest Post () was by Splinter.

1st Official Post

    Hello, My young daughter and I will be taking a term off from New Zealand middle school and traveling to Argentina to live, ski and travel, late June - early August 2019. We would very much appreciate personal insight into living either in or near Bariloche or las Leñas and if it necessary to own a car regarding ease of access for skiing. Cheers, Michele

    • Official Post

    Hi Michele and welcome to the forum.

    Depending on how long you'll be here, I'd say owning a car would likely be a bit expensive and I imagine that transport should be freely available in the resorts, although I've never been there.

    Try here:

    https://www.tripadvisor.com/Tr…ublic.Transportation.html

    and

    https://www.barilocheturismo.gob.ar/en/ski-and-snow

    Welcome, Michele !

    What a great place for a term off. You will certainly want to travel both south to Patagonia and north to the beautiful desert area. I don't know whether you'll need a car for transportation to the ski areas, but you'll probably want one at least part of the time for travel in the area. Owning one probably isn't necessary for your short stay though, as rentals are available at the Bariloche airport and other locations.


    Regarding advice about living in Baraloche or Las Leñas, have you considered Villa la Angostura? It is a small village about 30 minutes outside Bariloche, with the charm of an alpine ski village and without the crush of tourists found in Bariloche.


    Best of luck to your daughter and you. I hope you enjoy your time in this gorgeous country!

    Welcome Michele,

    I am one of the few members of this forum that was born an raised in Buenos Aires.

    I am not close to Bariloche, who is a thousand miles from here, but I would like to tell you that if you come to BA, we can met together and we can make a tour in the city.

    Do not hesitate to call me. BA is not a very well known city, but has certain interesting features.

    Have a safe flight!

    • Official Post

    Hi Michele,


    I think the most common town skiers go to is Villa La Angostura, as Rice said or to El chaltén. Renting a car in Argentina, even long term, is a lot more expensive than elsewhere. Be ready to pay at least 40-50USD per day. Also, make sure you tell the rental company if you want a car with permits to go abroad (like to Chile) or not. Otherwise you will be stopped at the border and won't be able to cross.


    I believe that if you stay in Villa La Angostura you won't *need* private transportation as it is a popular vacation spot and I am sure there is something arranged or within walking distance. However, it would be really a pity to spend months in Argentina without ever leaving the town you are staying at. Especially in less populated areas, public transportation is seldom and not reliable if you are on a tight schedule.


    That said, driving in Argentina, especially in Patagonia and in full winter, could be challenging and roads may be closed due to snow or adverse weather. There is a website where you can check that, but I cannot remember which one... Splinter should have that information since he is a biker. Distance are considerably bigger than elsewhere, so the most likely scenario is to take a plane for larger distances.


    Car sharing does not exist yet in Argentina, and online information is limited. A lot of companies still don't have websites, and of those which have a website, only a fraction actually publishes prices online due to the ever-skyrocketing inflation.


    Also, remember that in Argentina cash is king. This is true even in Buenos Aires, let alone in smaller towns. Even if there are ATMs, they run out of cash because of strikes or long weekends or just 'because'.


    However, don't be scared: with a little planning you can have a great time here and explore the whole country! Not many visitors are lucky enough to have so much time to spend in Argentina and great planning is key to take the greatest advantage from this opportunity!