Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
1
To rent a car , you need to be over 21
(25 with some agencies); most foreign
licences are accepted for tourists. Bring
your passport as well as a credit card for
the deposit. Before you drive off, check
that you've been given insurance, tax and
ownership papers. Check too for dents
and paintwork damage, and get hold of
a 24-hour emergency telephone number.
Also, pay close attention to the small
print, most notably what you're liable
for in the event of an accident: excess
normally doesn't cover you for the first
AR$5000 or so, and you may not be
covered for windscreens, headlights, tyres
and more - all vulnerable on unsurfaced
roads. Look for unlimited mileage deals,
as the per-kilometre charge can otherwise
exceed your daily rental cost many times
over given the vast distance you're likely
to be covering.
Residenciales and hospedajes are basically
simple hotel-style accommodation. Most
are reasonably clean and comfortable
and a few of them stand out as some of
Argentina's best budget accommodation.
A very different experience from staying
in a hotel is provided by Argentina's
estancias , as the country's large ranches
are called. Estancia accommodation is
generally luxurious, and with a lot more
character than hotels of a similar price;
for around US$250 per person a day you
are provided with all meals, invariably
including a traditional asado or barbecue.
At working estancias you will have the
chance to observe or join in ranch
activities such as cattle herding and
branding, while almost all of them
include activities such as horseriding
and swimming in the price. To book
estancia accommodation, either approach
individual establishments directly (they're
recommended throughout the text) or
try one of the two specialist agencies in
Buenos Aires: Comarcas, Laprida 1380
( T 011 4821 1876, W comarcas.com.ar),
and Estancias Argentinas, Diagonal
Roque Sáenz Peña 616, 9th Floor ( T 011
4343 2366, W estanciasargentinas.com).
BY TRAIN
Argentina's rail network, developed with
British investment from the late nineteenth
century, collapsed in the 1990s with
the withdrawal of government subsidies.
The few remaining services are generally
unsavoury, running on routes that are
of limited use for visitors. However,
the country's famous tourist trains , where
the aim is simply to travel for the sheer
fun of it, are a major attraction. There are
two principal stars: La Trochita , the Old
Patagonian Express from Esquel; and the
Tren a los Nubes (April-Nov only), one of
the highest railways in the world, which
climbs through the mountains from Salta
towards the Chilean border.
HOSTELS AND CAMPSITES
Youth hostels are known as albergues
juveniles , albergues de la juventud or
simply hosteles in Argentina (you might
wish to avoid albergues transitorios or
motels, which are places that rent rooms
to couples by the hour). Accommodation
is generally in dormitories, though most
places also have one or two double
rooms, which are often excellent value.
Facilities vary from next to nothing to
internet access, washing machines, cable
TV and patios with barbecue facilities.
There are plenty of campsites ( campings )
- most towns and villages having their own
municipal site - but standards vary wildly.
At the major resorts, there are usually
privately owned, well-organized sites,
with facilities ranging from provisions
stores to volleyball courts and TV rooms.
In less touristy towns, municipal sites can
be rather desolate and not particularly
secure: it's a good idea to check with locals
before pitching your tent.
ACCOMMODATION
You can often tell by a hotel's name what
kind of place to expect: the use of the
term posada for example usually suggests
a slightly rustic feel, but generally
comfortable or even luxurious. In a
similar vein, hostería is often used for
smallish, high-end hotels - oriented
towards the tourist rather than the
businessperson. Hostal is sometimes
used too - but doesn't refer reliably to
anything - there are youth hostels called
hostales as well as high-rise modern hotels.
 
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