Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Travelers with
Special Needs
Although Argentina is yet
to develop an efficient tourist
infrastructure for disabled
travelers, there has been an
improvement in recent years.
Modern museums, art galleries,
and upscale hotels now have
access facilities, although it is
advisable for visitors to check
in advance. An increasing
number of buses in the major
Argentinian cities have
sidewalk-level doors for accom-
panied wheelchair users.
The organizations
Disabled
Travelers
and the
Society for
Accessible Travel and
Hospitality (SATH)
both
promote awareness and
accessibility for travelers
with special needs. The
website www.justargentina.
org provides some useful
advice on the best places to
visit and when for disabled
travelers visiting the country.
Backpackers trekking through Parque Nacional Los Glaciares, Patagonia
will happily bring out a high
chair and a child-sized food
portion. Many restaurants also
have supervised play areas.
focus on wildlife, tango,
gaucho experiences, wine
tasting, and national parks.
Gay and Lesbian
Travelers
Argentina was the first Latin
American country to pass a
Gay Marriage Bill, in 2010.
Buenos Aires has a vibrant and
eclectic scene including bars,
restaurants, and lodgings.
Other big cities also have
plenty to offer the gay traveler,
and the majority of hotels
around the country have no
qualms about accommodating
gay or lesbian couples. This is
still a macho society, however,
meaning that gay men have
greater visibility than lesbians.
The
International Gay and
Lesbian Travel Association
(IGLTA)
offers a wealth of
information on tour agencies
and accommodation options.
Senior Travelers
Senior travelers will find no
particular problems getting
around in Argentina, though
the usual common sense
precautions regarding safety
and medical care apply here
as everywhere else. While
concession prices are less
common here than in first-
world countries, it never harms
to enquire at museums and
other tourist sites.
Go Ahead Tours
is a tourist
agency that organizes special
tours mainly for groups of
senior travelers around
Argentina. They also arrange
Antarctic cruises.
ElderTreks
is
an adventure travel company
that deals exclusively with
travelers above the age of 50.
They organize a wide variety of
tours around Argentina that
Traveling with Children
Argentina is an extremely child-
friendly country and
youngsters are welcomed
everywhere. However, navi-
gating a buggy over the
potholed sidewalks of Buenos
Aires can be stressful. Some
cultural differences should be
noted - Argentinian children
do not, as a rule, have separate
meal times and rarely go to
bed before their parents do.
Most restaurants and hotels are
more child-friendly than their
first-world counterparts and
Backpackers
Argentina has recently become
firmly entrenched on the
backpacker trail. The number
of youth hostels in Buenos
Aires has increased and other
top destinations such as Salta,
Bariloche, and El Calafate are
also well served by hostels and
budget accommodations.
Students who belong to youth
hosteling associations may get
a discount for lodging, but con-
cessions are not available for
transport and other services.
Hitchhiking is still a good way
to get around the country,
though all the usual precautions
should be taken.
Senior travelers on a winery tour at Bodega Nieto Senetiner
