Hitchhiking in Argentina is smelly, exhausting, wet, sweaty, cold, hot, windy, dry, uncomfortably awkward and highly rewarding. Thumbing rides in this huge, sparsely populated country can mean days in a variety of miserable conditions, from icy Patagonian wind to a tropical Andean heat.

Still nothing compares to a ride well earned, that sudden thrill of a vehicle slowing down and the fumbling moment when one gathers their belongings and sprints towards an open door.

In a country with steadily increasing bus prices, hitchhiking has become a popular form of travel for the modern day backpacker in Argentina. But don’t be fooled by the trend — it is difficult. The trick is to be prepared for anything.

Gear

A hitchhiker can end up in some uncomfortable places. A camp stove, tent and a sleeping bag make the back of a YFP service station a lot more accommodating.

The camp stove provides a way to sustain simple, but much needed nourishment. Just make sure to carry enough water for cooking and drinking, since you never know where you will find yourself. Unlike other South American nations, Argentina has potable water throughout most of the country.

A tent and sleeping bag enables you to camp wherever you want. You don’t have to make it somewhere with amenities; you can go anywhere. It’s nice to know you can get some sleep wherever you are, even though your dreams will probably be interrupted by the groan of a diesel engine.

It is completely possible to endure hitchhiking in Argentina without a tent, but it’s not optimal. No tent means staying up all night in a service station sipping coffee, or resting on a bench in a bus terminal, waiting for the sun to peak over the horizon until the moment you can throw a thumb in the air.

Service stations are the backbone of the world of hitchhiking in Argentina. They are where rides originate and end, where truckers sleep, where you will find yourself filling water bottles and buying chips.

The prime location to get rides are the gas stations on the outskirts of cities and towns, where the cars thin out and head in one direction. Inflated food prices make the grocery store a better option for sustenance, but these make ideal pit stops for everything else.

Patience

The ease at which someone can catch a ride depends more on serendipity than on any set of natural or developed skills. There are a few things you can do to improve the likeliness to get a lift though.

Truckers sleep in their trucks in service stations. They wake up early to their Gauchito Gil decals staring back at them under the red tassels that line their tinted windows. You can watch from afar as they emerge from their rigs to fill their hot water thermos for their morning mate, out of machines designed just for that purpose. This is the magic moment when you can hit them up for rides directly. Many truckers will claim that their employers prohibit drivers to pick up hitchhikers, so expect a lot of “no’s” but remember all that you need is that one “yes.”

If begging face-to-face makes you feel like a bum, use the age-old method of a thumb in the air and a cardboard sign. A sign creates attention, and as a hitchhiker you want people to notice you, so be creative.

Give a smile and a wave, even if they pass by. Keep in mind that truckers talk to each other on the CB radio. If they are aware you have been in the same spot for hours, they may take pity on you and pick you up.

Whatever you do, do not be discouraged if you are having bad luck. Eventually someone will give you a lift; patience is the only skill a hitchhiker needs.

The length of any one ride depends on the destination of the driver. Sometimes a ride with a family can be 20 kilometers and sometimes a trucker will haul you 1,000 kilometers — you never know.

Argentines are very proud of their country and like to teach you about their culture. Hitchhiking is a great way to get to know the society on a more personal level than merely staying in hostels, riding on buses, and going on tours.

Speaking Spanish can make a car ride much more interesting, especially in Patagonia where drivers dazzle with Malvina (Falkland) war stories, spin tales about their numerous romantic conquests and instruct you on how to make the perfect asado.

Safety

photos: Benjamin Peter Jones

There is always an element of uncertainty with hitchhiking, which makes it initially attractive for the adventurous, but unfortunately dangerous. Sleeping in the back of service stations or in a field on the side of the road can be frightening, loud and miserable, but it is not your only option. You can always hitchhike to cities and stay in hostels.

Overall Argentina is a safe country in which to hitchhike, but bring a friend. It makes it safer and the bad times better. Women shouldn’t attempt extended trips alone — in 2004 Swiss traveler, Annagreth Würgler (link in Spanish) disappeared after accepting a ride in La Rioja. The fact that the case received so much media attention in Argentina demonstrates that it was a very unusual case.

Use common sense. If you decide to hitchhike, realize you are taking a risk. Don’t hitchhike in sparse areas of Patagonia in winter or the tropical north in summer.

Argentine drivers are notoriously reckless and often exceed high speeds due to the lack of radar enforced roads outside of Buenos Aires, so do not stand too close to the shoulder.

Most Argentines who pick up hitchhikers tend to be eccentric, lovely people, offering rides altruistically. Aside from rural routes where one’s car serves as a ‘community vehicle,’ most drivers will not even ask for money.

So when you are looking down the gray asphalt and the cold rain makes you pine for a warm hostel bed and a nice sized bife de chorizo, remember the next person who picks you up will probably be friendly, they will have a nice warm car and maybe will even give you cookies. Just be prepared to serve a lot of mate.

— Zach W. Watson

→ Ten Tips for Hitchhiking in Argentina

Chifa Man-San, a Peruvian-Chinese restaurant is an enduring budget favorite, serendipitously located on Perú Street in San Telmo. Here you’ll dine among Peruvian families, foreigners on a shoestring and artisans from the San Telmo Street Fair having a bite to eat after a day selling their wares.

The word ‘Chifa’ comes from the Mandarin ‘chi1 fan4,’ meaning ‘to eat food,’ but it specifically refers to the Peruvian version of Chinese food that puts a distinctly South American spin on the original.

Owner and chef, Fabio Alberco started his career in the Chinese kitchens of Lima as a teenager, later working as a cook at the Peruvian embassy in Buenos Aires. He opened Chifa Man-San seven years ago, enabling him to employ his brothers, sons and friends of the family.

In a recent upgrade Chifa Man-San has replaced the awful florescent tube lighting with red paper lamps, given the place a new paint job and starting paying attention to previously overlooked details such as supplying the bathrooms with soap. The creaky slate floors remain but the makeover improves the previously harsh ambiance, brightly incorporating communist red with golden yellow and walls adorned with Incan-style motifs and peaceful pictures of Machu Pichu.

The prices, especially for seafood dishes, have sailed upwards over the years, but Man-San is still a dependable place to find generously portioned plates starting at the 22-peso mark.

On a winter days the soups, including the sopa de wantan especial (special wantan soup) and the sweet and sour, sopa de ocho sabores (eight flavor soup) along with a fresh shrimp or chicken salad are a good value for a light lunch or dinner.

When it comes to the regular menu you have to choose carefully at Man-San because the dishes range from lamentable to spectacular. Skip the unnecessarily greasy chop suey and chau mien. The best dishes are the abundant seafood and ‘special menu’ plates featuring Chifa specials such as spicy ceviche, pato asado con ajo – (barbequed duck with garlic), chancho con tamarind (pork with tamarind sauce) and chifa–style lomo saltado (strips of tenderloin steak sauteed with onions, hot peppers and tomatoes and served over rice with fries).

Those looking for some spice should be sure to request some salsa verde, the addictive cilantro-based green stuff found on dinner tables across Peru.

Depending on the how busy Man-San is and how many people are working the floor, the service here can range from super slow to fast and efficient, but it is always friendly —after a couple of visits you’re sure to be recognized.

For groups of three or more it’s worth splurging on the flavorful seafood extravaganza, felicidad para todos (happiness for everyone), a heaping seafood orgy that delivers on its name.

There’s no great wine list at this hole in the wall, but they usually have pisco sours, a frothy cocktail made with the Peruvian brandy, pisco, lime juice, egg whites and sugar. There are only a couple of varieties of beer in stock, including the brown Quilmes Bock and sweeter Quilmes Stout. Kids will go crazy for the cavity-inducing bright yellow Inca Kola, of a South American version of Mountain Dew made from the lemon verbena shrub.

Chifa Man-San
Perú 832
San Telmo
Tel: 4307-0638

• Hours: Mon-Fri: 12pm-4:30; 7:00-11:30pm
Sat: 12pm-5pm, 7pm—12am

• cash only

Just because you are downtown doesn’t mean you need to spend a lot of money on lunch. Verde Verde is a vegetarian takeaway joint just half a block from Florida Street that serves up dishes that are both healthy and cheap. It’s also convenient if you’re on the run; you can be in an out in a flash. Verde Verde offers about 8-10 different vegetarian dishes per day, with a few variations to the menu during the week.

Plastic takeaway containers line the display shelves, and customers just have to choose what they want, heat it up in one of the microwaves provided, pay up, and skedaddle. There is also a small bar to eat at for those who want to dine in. If it sounds no frills, that’s because it is, and it’s also the reason that the food is so cheap. Meals range from AR$7-10 and if you are a little person, one will probably fill you up. For bigger people, two dishes is more than enough, and will give you the chance to try different flavors (and you’re still spending less than AR$20).

It’s worth noting that this is not light and fluffy rabbit food that leaves you feeling hungry again an hour later, but genuinely filling meals that will easily satisfy even non-vegetarians. Some favorites include the supremas de pollo falso (fake chicken schnitzels made with soy), buñuelos (fried patties of assorted flavors such as pumpkin and broccoli) and pastas with diced vegetables and meat-like chunks of tofu. There are also a few other organic products on sale such as savory and sweet biscuits, honey and alcohol-free wine. So, if you find yourself around Florida Street at lunchtime, don’t get sucked into the expensive tourist traps. Take a little detour past Verde Verde; you’ll save yourself a few bucks, and probably a few pounds around the waistline as well.

Verde Verde – $
Viamonte 669
Microcentro
• Hours: 11am-6pm Weekdays
• No Credit Cards

Tucked away a couple of blocks behind Congress this buzzing cantina has proved a well-kept secret, serving up perfectly cooked, flavor-filled meat and all the fixings at a quarter of the price of some of the tourist hotspots for over twelve years.

Such is its popularity with in-the-know locals that one can arrive any evening of the week to find Cervantes not only open, but packed with porteños. Although it opens around 8pm, things really get going here closer to 10pm and even though the dining area takes up two spacious rooms, the sight of a snaking line of hungry patrons through the restaurant is not uncommon on weekends. The decor is basic; tourist posters of Patagonia are the only decoration and the tangerine/custard paint-job on the walls might soon be celebrating its own bicentenary, but no one comes here for the interior design.

There is a kitsch fountain in the area separating the two dining rooms, but any calming effect of the soft sound of trickling water is drowned out by the buzz of controlled chaos as pouting waiters dance hurriedly through the tables, limboing out of the way of swilling wine glasses and balancing impossible towers of steaks, sides and salads. Service can be sloppy; appetizers might arrive with the check, but this is forgivable when you witness the no-nonsense gentlemen waiters, in crisp white shirts with sleeves rolled up to the elbows, waistcoats and bow ties casually managing dizzying orders from dozens of tables without the aid of pencil and paper.

Nowadays in Buenos Aires the only Argentinean accent you will hear in some restaurants is that of the waiter. Cervantes is the antithesis. Attractive twenty-somethings play the dating game alongside mothers who didn’t fancy cooking as chuckling grandfathers give troublesome toddlers the taste of their first drop of wine. Families and friends come and go, dignified and dapper old gentlemen set the world to rights over a bottle of red whilst the melancholy lonely diner engulfs himself in his reading between mouthfuls of steak and wine.

The food is typical, reliable Argentinean fare done simply and extremely well and there is a broad selection of dishes on the menu, besides what’s on the grill. Basic starter options include grilled provolone and a selection of different cold cuts of meat with sauces.

Half a dozen salads are offered including beetroot, radish, egg, carrot, pickle, apple and, oddly enough, golf sauce —a dubious Argentine invention that is a mix of tomato sauce and mayonnaise. The pasta portions are hearty and come with the diner’s choice among a selection of 14 sauces, most notably, pesto, prawns and Parisienne.

The delicious omelets are the size of a birthday-cake; often they are sliced up and devoured between a whole family. A few rice dishes, meatballs, supremas (chicken escalopes) and milanesas (breaded steaks) are also available around the $20 peso mark. Should there be room for dessert the flan, a local delicacy, is highly recommended – light and creamy and hard to refuse at only AR$5.50. Grilled apples, fruit salad, ice cream and a good selection of Argentine cheeses are also on offer between $5 and $10 pesos.

The specialty of this restaurant and what keeps the crowds coming back is what’s on the grill. Juicy chorizo sausages bursting with flavor, succulent AR$22 rump steaks still sizzling in their juices before you on the metal serving plate accompanied with a AR$12 liter of sweet house wine (there’s no wine list here) will allow even the most indulgent gluttons plenty of change from $50 pesos. Pork cutlets, chuck ribs, rump roast, skirt streak and others are available from the grill as well as grilled hake, salmon and brótola (forkbeard). If with a large group, why not make like the locals and order a few dishes to share, trying bits and pieces of each until you can manage no more. Most main courses will cost $18-$27 pesos. An exception are the AR$35 eye-catching ‘Cervantes Specials,’ which are essentially a pile of vegetables, beetroot, Spanish potatoes, coleslaw and eggs on top of grilled beef, chicken or pork.

Don’t forget to ask the waiter for a jar of blood-red chimichurri, a vital meat-eaters condiment comprising garlic, herbs, spices and oil that is often overlooked by the tourists – but you won’t find any of those here.

—by George Warren

Cervantes II $-$$
Perón 1883 (corner of Riobamba)
Congreso
Tel: 4372 5227/ 1060

•Hours 12-4pm; 8pm-12pm (daily)
•Take-away available
•Cash only

This historic, family-run hotel sits on the narrow and noisy Chacabuco Street, but once you enter its sturdy confines you’ll find a tranquil old-style pensión with rooms surrounding an open patio full of plants.

For some reason the San Telmo hotel ‘for families and gentlemen’ doesn’t make it into the listings of many popular guidebooks anymore, and maybe that’s why it’s still so affordable.

A private room with a shared bathroom costs a mere AR$50 (US$11.74 as of November 2011) for one and AR$80 (US$18) for two. A room with a private bathroom runs for AR$80. The reasonable rates are quite a contrast to the numerous ‘tango hostels’ in the neighborhood, which charge about the same rate for a bed in a dormitory shared with strangers.

Here you’ll inevitably meet the hard-working owner, 87-year-old Victoriano Prieto, who continues to oversee the hotel. He took over management in 1959 here, eight years after emigrating from Galicia, Spain.

'For families and gentleman'

The international array of guests here includes experienced travelers and tango aficionados mostly from Europe and a handful from Japan. Housed on the third floor of the hotel are long-term guests — mostly a mix of students, travelers and families from neighboring Latin American countries.

There are shared kitchen and laundry facilities available for all guests. The first floor courtyard has wifi and is a lovely place to sit outside and lunch or catch up on email.

Jose Prieto, Victoriano’s son who works the night shift at the hotel speaks English, and can help visitors find local restaurants and tango milongas that are economical and off the tourist trail.

“We think we offer a good deal here. This is a unique place,” says Daniel Daglio, Prieto’s son-in-law who also works at the hotel.

The Victoria may also be more secure than the more transitory hostels on the surrounding blocks. No one messes with the Victoria— they have their ears on the ground. The front door is locked from 10pm and guests are given a key.

The Victoria is a safe, affordable option for savvy travelers who are beyond the typical hostel age and willing to forfeit a bit of luxury for an authentic Argentine hotel experience.

The Victoria has partnered with Wander Argentina to offer exclusive online booking through our website.

Victoria Hotel
Chacabuco 726
San Telmo
Tel: (54-11) 4361-2135

The Victoria is pictured on the cover of the 2004 album, Madrugada en Backdedonia by the tangotronica group, San Telmo Lounge

Argentina’s third biggest city, with a population of over a million, Rosario is situated on the Paraña River.  The smallish population and position on the water ensure that the Rosarinos are a bit more laid back and outdoorish than their Buenos Aires counterparts.

Paying tribute to Argentina's national flag - the Monumento a la Bandera

There are some lovely walks along the river with pleasant scenery, highlighted by the impressive National Flag Memorial monument with its ornate tower overlooking an expansive courtyard, all of which is easily accessible on foot and offers great photo opportunities, or just a nice place to mill around with the locals.  The abundance of theaters and museums in the city attest to its importance in Argentine history as a center for trade and political influence.  You can also swing by the house where “Che” Guevara was born (Urquiza and Entre Rios Streets).

Rosario is also known within Argentina as a great party town, due to its young population and wide variety of bars and clubs. Many porteños from Buenos Aires will even hop over to Rosario on a weekend just to go clubbing for a night or two.  It is also reputed to be the home to the best looking girls in Argentina; quite a claim considering many Argentines believe that their country has the ‘best looking women in the world’.  Men travelling with wives or girlfriends should probably just keep their eyes on the floor at all times (or wear dark sunglasses).

Perfect for a four-day trip, or even a long weekend, Rosario is relatively close to Buenos Aires, and cheap to get to. A micro (long distances coach) ride from the Retiro station costs approximately AR$55 for a semi-cama (reclines to 45 degrees) seat, and AR$70 for cama (fully reclinable) and takes between three and a half to four hours. There are a multitude of companies offering services at all hours of the day. You can compare prices here and purchase tickets online, or head into the Retiro bus station (Av. Antártida Argentina and Calle 10) and ask around at the different company stands.  A really convenient option is to go into the Hostels International office (Florida 835, ground floor), where you can book and pay for both your bus trip and hostel in one go.

Rosario is full of museums, galleries and scenic walks

For budget travellers, there are several well-known hostels to choose from in Rosario. La Casona de Don Jaime is a popular hostel with two locations to choose from. Both are situated centrally, close enough to both the bus station and downtown area, as well as the more attractive tourist zones. They are also the only hostels in Rosario with the Hostelling International mark of approval.  Prices start from AR$35 per person.  A hip alternative is the nearby Cool Raúl Hostel; alternative being the operative word – this hostel is geared towards freewheelers and those looking for an escape from the everyday routine.

La Casona de Don Jaime 1
Pte Roca 1051
Rosario, Santa Fe
Tel +54 (0341) 527 9964

La Casona de Don Jaime 2
San Lorenzo 1530
Rosario, Santa Fe
Tel:  +54 (0341) 530-2020

Cool Raúl Hostel
San Lorenzo 1670
Rosario, Santa Fe
Tel: +54 (0341) 426-2554

This restaurant, owned and operated by the Association of the Sons of Oleiros (of Galicia Spain) and dating to 1918, is certainly no romantic get-away but it is located in a beautiful classic San Telmo building with leaded glass windows and a tiled entryway. The dining area is stuck in the 1960′s. The tables are covered with the standard yellow and red tablecloths, aging posters of Galicia grace the walls and an old TV in the back provides the only soundtrack (usually a game) in the fluorescently lit salon.

Dismal design-wise, but there’s the rub; although the lighting may make you feel like you’re stuck in school, in Argentina often the places that have the most atrocious lighting and terribly slow waitstaff are the ones with the best food at the lowest prices.

Where else can you have a dinner of a quarter roast chicken and potatoes for AR$15 anymore? Even a plate of Patagonian trout and potatoes goes for AR$26, Galician style cuttlefish marinated in far away spices like sassafras with onions and red peppers will only set you back AR$24. The refuge is a great place to take a break the Argentine Atkins diet; they specialize in Galician-style seafood, paella and shellfish. If they don’t have Galician roots, even your Argentine friends may not be familiar with some of the items on the menu. If you’ve been in Argentina for any length of time, you’ll welcome the chance to try something new.

Even though smoking was banned in Buenos Aires’ restaurants a few years ago, El Refugio is a social club and thus is subject to different zoning laws; smoking is still allowed. If you don’t like the smell of Lucky Strikes while your pallet takes a trip to Galicia, there is a non-smoking section but the two areas aren’t physically divided— luckily the ceilings are very high.

This place is so old-school that in the afternoons groups of old men gather here playing Truco, a popular card game in which one tries to outwit their opponent.

El Refugio de Oleiros
$-$$ — Cash only
Hours: Mon – Sat: 
12pm – 3pm & 8pm – 12am
Closed Sundays
Piedras 848
San Telmo
Tel: 4300-1171

Photos courtesy of Milhouse Hostel

The location, just blocks from Plaza de Mayo and walking distance to San Telmo can’t be beat for ease of travel throughout the city. The neighborhood itself has some good restaurants and interesting sites, and from here there’s all sorts of transportation options to the city’s nightspots.

The five-story 19th century building is beautiful, and the first floor lounge with couches, a pool table, a boob tube and a bar is spacious and great for meeting people. The biggest drawback for lushes is that Milhouse takes advantage of the no-outside alcohol policy by jacking up the prices they charge for drinks.

A multitude of activities are on offer, from football games, walking tours, tango classes and without fault, club-hopping every night of the week. The reception area can get overcrowded during peak hours, and there aren’t enough computers for the number of guests, but it’s the price you pay for popularity.

Due to increased crime in Buenos Aires’ hostels in recent years, security has tightened here. Most notably, guests must wear a bright orange paper bracelet throughout their stay to confirm their guest status, but the ‘hostel jewelry’ is not exactly low profile and kind of brands you as gringo prey while you’re out on the town.

The bottom line is if you’re young, want to party, make lots of new friends and enjoy the best of Buenos Aires’s nightlife, this is the spot to stay. If you want to meet Latin Americans, rather than mostly Americans and Europeans, practice your Spanish, or actually want to sleep at night you’d be better off looking for another hostel.

Worth noting are the numerous ‘Milhouse Marriages.’ Here, romance has blossomed from what began as mere beer-goggled glances across the lounge.

Dorm beds go for a very reasonable AR$48 (US$ 12.50) per night. Private rooms are available and are quite nice, but the prices, beginning at US$50, are a bit steep, considering you could probably find a two or three star hotel for around the same amount.

Millhouse is so popular that they recently opened a new location with over 200 beds on the famous Avenida de Mayo. Nothing wrong with ‘Milhouse Avenue’ as it’s called, but there’s nothing like the original. Make sure you make reservations at least 48 hours in advance, as the famed hostel does fill up.

Milhouse Hostel
Hipolito Irigoyen 959,
Downtown
Tel: (54-11) 4345-9604

Milhouse Avenue
Avenida de Mayo 1245
Congreso
Tel: (54-11) 4383-9383

→Click here to see a video about Milhouse

The corner of Viamonte and Suipacha streets lies within walking distance of the pedestrian thoroughfare of Florida and other shopping streets, as well as the Retiro train and bus stations, and numerous bus and subway connections. Getting to San Telmo from the V&S is a trip of less than 30 minutes on foot, and even quicker by public transport.  Palermo is slightly further, but still easy to get to.   The only problem with being based downtown is the noise and hustle of a typical working day which confront you as soon as you step out the door, but if you can cope with that, you’re in a very convenient spot.

Inside, the V&S is relaxed and comfortable. Typical Argentine early 20^th century elegance is reflected in details such as the antique elevator, the cozy library and the French balconies and terrace. The communal area is spacious and decorated with touches of rural Argentina. It’s also dominated by a gigantic TV, perpetually alternating between movies and sports, depending on who has wrestled control of the remote.

The V&S offers all the standard features you would expect from a good hostel, plus a few little perks that really make for a pleasant stay. The price of your room includes a buffet breakfast (until 10:30am), introductory Spanish and tango lessons, and personal lockers (bring your own lock for extra security). Internet access and laundry are available for a fee. Staff are helpful in arranging trips to the usual attractions such as football games, tango and theater shows, and can usually hook you up with discounts. The management also finds a good balance between encouraging a peaceful environment for guests who need their rest, but at the same time providing plenty of opportunities to socialize, with group dinners a couple of times a week and discounts at various recommended nightspots every night of the week. On Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights the hostel puts on live shows highlighting Argentine genres of music, such as tango and national rock, giving guests the chance to experience the local scene.

Rates vary slightly depending on season and length of stay, but the cheapest option is the 7-8 person room (between US$11–$13 per night). Four-bed rooms ($17-$19 with either external or internal bathrooms) are another alternative, while the private rooms for the solo traveler or couples cost US$65 and feature a small balcony and private bathroom. A huge plus is that all rooms have air conditioning and heating, an important feature during Buenos Aires’ chilly winters and muggy summers.

Book V&S Hostel
Viamonte 887 (corner of Suipacha)
Retiro/Downtown
Tel: (54-11) 4322-0994