Argentina
Tango, Iguazú and the Andes, with a budget to recalculate monthly
The short verdict
Yes, if you can manage your money and your phone. Strong LGBTQ+ laws, sociable hostels and visa-free entry for British visitors for up to 90 days make Argentina a good solo destination. The weak points are street theft in the cities and inflation still at 33.5 per cent a year, which makes budgets hard to pin down. Distances mean flights or night buses.
Solo Score
| Safety | 56 | |
|---|---|---|
| Safety for women | 74 | |
| LGBTQ+ inclusivity | 86 | |
| Trans recognition | 95 | |
| Social life | 50 | |
| Ease | 80 | |
| Cost for one | 75 | |
| Nightlife and events | 40 | |
| Singles demographics | 37 |
version v1 · How we calculate it
Argentina is a long-trip country, and alone it works better than the theft stories suggest. The laws protect LGBTQ+ people, with marriage equality since 2010 and a gender identity law since 2012, British visitors need no visa for up to 90 days, and city hostels make company easy. The country is enormous, though: Buenos Aires to Iguazú, Salta or Mendoza means a flight or an overnight bus, and the FCDO warns that flights can be unreliable.
Two things need planning for. The first is theft. The FCDO describes thieves on public transport and at bus and train terminals, bags cut open in crowds and phones snatched from people using them on the street, and the Italian advice says to avoid using your phone outdoors as far as possible. Thefts from hire cars are common in Bariloche.
The second is money. With inflation at 33.5 per cent a year in August 2026, peso prices in any guide date within months. The practical rule is to think in dollars or pounds at the day's official rate and to check museum and park prices shortly before you go.
The Global Peace Index 2026 places Argentina 72nd, down twenty places. Read that alongside the specific advice from the FCDO, not instead of it.
Who it's for / who it's not for
- LGBTQ+ travellers looking for strong legal protection
- Anyone with two or three weeks who is fine with flights or night buses
- Travellers who want cities, waterfalls and mountains in one trip
- People who budget in pounds or dollars and can recalculate
- Anyone who needs fixed, predictable prices before booking
- Short trips trying to see everything
- People unwilling to keep their phone out of sight on the street
Safety
General
The FCDO reports thieves on public transport and at terminals, bag snatching from motorbikes, distraction thefts often by teams, armed robbery as a risk, and occasional express kidnappings. Demonstrations and road blocks by piqueteros are common, especially near Congress and the Casa Rosada. It advises particular caution in downtown Mendoza and in Rosario. Italy's foreign ministry adds that thefts are often accompanied by violence and advises never to resist.
Women
The Italian advice reports robberies after drugging by people met in nightclubs. The FCDO reports robberies and assaults after tourists invited someone they had recently met back to their accommodation. Línea 144 runs 24/7.
LGBTQ+
Marriage equality since 2010, legal gender identity since 2012. The FCDO says discrimination based on sexual orientation is rare.
Trans people
Law 26,743 of 2012 established the right to gender identity. This section needs review by a trans editor before publication.
At night
Book taxis or use radio taxis with a visible logo, as the FCDO advises, rather than hailing any car.
Common scams
The mustard scam in Buenos Aires, and thieves posing as guests at hotel and hostel check-in, both flagged by the FCDO.
Emergency numbers
- 911Police
- 107Ambulance
- 100Fire
- +54 11 5050 9260Buenos Aires Tourist Police (24 hours)
- +44 20 7008 5000FCDO in London (24 hours)
LGBTQ+
Same-sex relationships are legalchecked on 2 November 2026
- Marriage
- legal since 2010 (Law 26,618)
- Legal gender
- self-determination since 2012 (Law 26,743)
- Spartacus 2026
- #32
Argentina legalised same-sex civil marriage with Law 26,618, passed on 15 July 2010, and the right to gender identity with Law 26,743 of 9 May 2012. For the current legal picture the reference is the ILGA World Database. The FCDO describes an open society with discrimination rare.
AreasPalermo (Buenos Aires)San Telmo (Buenos Aires)
Entry and documents
British citizens can visit Argentina for tourism without a visa for up to 90 days with a passport valid for the length of the stay; check the FCDO entry requirements page for current rules, which is guidance rather than legal advice.
Official source ↗Culture and customs
The FCDO warns that even very small amounts of drugs can lead to a long prison sentence. If you drive, you need the 1949 international driving permit alongside your UK licence, and the FCDO notes that respect for speed limits and traffic lights varies. Foreign cards work in ATMs across the big cities, within the daily limits of local networks and your own bank.
Solo itineraries
7 days
Buenos Aires and Iguazú
- Buenos Aires
- Puerto Iguazú
Four nights in Buenos Aires across San Telmo, Palermo and Recoleta, then a flight to Iguazú with at least one full day in the park, where international visitors pay 60,000 pesos.
14 days
Cities, falls and the Andes
- Buenos Aires
- Puerto Iguazú
- Salta
- Mendoza
After Buenos Aires and Iguazú, the Andean north at Salta and the wineries of Mendoza. The FCDO flags earthquake risk in Mendoza and Salta and altitude sickness on high trails; leave slack between flights.
Cost for one
- Low ARS 85,000per day
- Mid ARS 140,000per day
- High ARS 250,000per day
Based on Buenos Aires with prices checked 27 October 2026, to be rechecked before you travel. Peso prices rise every month: in the INDEC series, August 2026 (the latest month in the series we consulted) was up 1.7 per cent on July and 33.5 per cent year on year. At the official BCRA rates of 26 October 2026 (1,541 pesos per dollar, 2,058 per pound) the low budget is about USD 55 or GBP 41 a day: a dorm, two inexpensive meals per Numbeo users, and the subte. Mid adds a mid-range dinner and a museum; high is an editorial estimate.
Verified on 27 October 2026
Cities
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a visa for Argentina?
British citizens can visit for tourism without a visa for up to 90 days, according to the FCDO. Immigration no longer stamps passports on entry; if you need proof of entry or exit, the FCDO says to contact the Argentine Migration Office.
Is Argentina safe for solo travellers?
It ranks 72nd of 163 in the Global Peace Index 2026, twenty places lower than the year before. The FCDO's main concerns are pickpocketing and bag snatching in cities, armed robbery in parts of La Boca, thefts from hire cars in Bariloche and caution in downtown Mendoza and in Rosario.
How are prices changing?
They rise almost every month. In the INDEC series, prices in August 2026 were 1.7 per cent higher than in July and 33.5 per cent higher than a year earlier. We date every figure and give a dollar or pound equivalent at the official BCRA rate.
What is Argentina like for LGBTQ+ travellers?
Marriage equality became law in 2010 and the gender identity law in 2012. The FCDO describes society as open and diverse, with discrimination based on sexual orientation rare.
How much is Iguazú Falls?
On the Argentine side, international visitors pay 60,000 pesos, about 39 dollars or 29 pounds, including the Tren Ecológico; residents pay 25,000. Recheck before you go, as peso prices move.
Can a woman travel alone in Argentina?
Yes, with care at night. Italy's foreign ministry reports robberies after victims were drugged by people met in nightclubs, and the FCDO reports assaults after inviting a new acquaintance home. Línea 144 for gender-based violence answers 24 hours a day.
Sources
16 sourcesContent checked against sources, waiting for an editor's sign-off. Not indexed yet.
- Argentina travel advice (updated 7 May 2026), Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office · official source · accessed 27 October 2026
- Censo 2022, resultados definitivos, indicadores demográficos, INDEC · official source · accessed 27 October 2026
- Cost of Living in Buenos Aires (dati degli utenti, aggiornati il 26 ottobre 2026), Numbeo · crowdsourced, treat with care · accessed 27 October 2026
- Cotizaciones de divisas, 26 ottobre 2026, Banco Central de la República Argentina · official source · accessed 27 October 2026
- EF English Proficiency Index 2025, EF Education First · index · accessed 27 October 2026
- Global Peace Index 2026, Institute for Economics and Peace · index · accessed 23 October 2026
- Hostels in Buenos Aires, prezzi di listino dei dormitori, Hostelworld · media · accessed 27 October 2026
- ILGA World Database, ILGA World · index · accessed 23 October 2026
- IPC Nivel General Nacional, serie mensile (INDEC) fino ad agosto 2026, datos.gob.ar, API Series de Tiempo · official source · accessed 27 October 2026
- Ley 26.618, Matrimonio civil, Argentina.gob.ar, Normativa · official source · accessed 27 October 2026
- Ley 26.743, Identidad de género, Argentina.gob.ar, Normativa · official source · accessed 27 October 2026
- Línea 144, Gobierno de la República Argentina · official source · accessed 27 October 2026
- Parque Nacional Iguazú, tarifas, Iguazú Argentina · official source · accessed 27 October 2026
- Scheda Paese Argentina, Ministero degli Affari Esteri, Viaggiare Sicuri · official source · accessed 27 October 2026
- Spartacus Gay Travel Index 2026, Spartacus · index · accessed 23 October 2026
- Women, Peace and Security Index 2025/26, Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security · index · accessed 23 October 2026
- Sources: 16
Photos
- The long road to El Chaltén, a hikers' village in Argentine Patagonia: Alex Proimos / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Updated on 2 November 2026