Argentina or Chile?
The practical differences, drawn from our own write-ups rather than from a brochure. We are not going to tell you which is better - they are different trips. What follows is what actually changes between them.
Places written up here 262 245
UNESCO listings among them 15 13
Cost level Mid-range Mid-range
Busiest month in our write-ups October March
Currency Argentine peso (ARS) Chilean peso (CLP)
Plugs and voltage C, I - 220 V C, L - 220 V
Everyday languages Spanish Spanish
Driving side right hand side right hand side
Region South America South America
Capital Buenos Aires Santiago
Argentina
Italian passion speaking Spanish; dinner at ten, opinions at full volume, mate shared always.
What we have written up
- Abra del Acay mountain pass
- Aconcagua Provincial Park provincial park
- Aconquija National Park national park
- Alta Gracia town
- Aluminé town
- Amaicha del Valle village
All 262 places in Argentina →
Worth knowing before you go
- Tipping is around 10% in cash
- Cards work but cash and payment apps sometimes get better effective rates - check current practice
- Long-distance buses are excellent - full-flat seats cross the huge country overnight
Chile
Reserved, orderly and proud of it - the un-Caribbean end of Latin America.
What we have written up
- Achao town
- Ahu Tongariki ceremonial platform
- Alberto de Agostini National Park national park
- Aldea de Tulor archaeological site
- Alerce Andino National Park national park
- Alerce Costero National Park national park
Worth knowing before you go
- Cards are universal in cities
- Tipping: the 10% propina sugerida on bills is standard to accept
- Domestic flights beat buses for the huge north-south hops
Counts describe this site, not the countries: "places written up here" means how many pages we have finished, and it keeps growing. Currency, plugs and languages are practical facts and change rarely; check anything visa-related with the relevant official source before you book.