One of our joys in Argentina was camping. We had fun at campsites or balnearios because there we met lots of other overlanders and spent many nights sharing travel tales, bottles of wine and barbecues with Argentinean beef.
Argentina also turned out to be fantastic for wild camping: so much space, such fantastic landscapes.
We loved it.
So let’s share some practical information on different types of overland camping in Argentina.
Read More: 11 Ultimate Rough Camps for Overlanders in Argentina
1. Balnearios & Camping Municipal in/near Towns
Cities often have a camping municipal, a municipal campground which is sometimes called a balneario. Prices of these campsites range from free of charge to a couple of dollars for an overnight stay. Some are mentioned on this Wikipedia Page, but it’s far from complete.
By the way, an interesting detail: in balnearios Argentinean priorities are immediately visible; whereas barbecues are always present and in good condition, this is not necessarily true for bathrooms.
Read More: Our Favorite Sites and Landscapes in Argentina
In Argentina barbecues are called asados, which are extremely popular among locals and Argentineans like to visit balnearios or municipal campgrounds for the day or a weekend just for this purpose.
Note that with the asados often comes loud music, which either you enjoy or don’t. Don’t count on a quiet stay here during high season (January/February, Semana Santa, July).
Having said that, municipal campsites have given us opportunities to meet and interact with locals, among whom many like to invite foreigners to their asado. Never miss the opportunity to enjoy an Argentinean BBQ – steaks simply don’t come any better!
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2. Private Campgrounds in Argentina – Camping Privado
Privately owned campgrounds – camping privado – come for free of charge up to as expensive as an overnight stay in a three-star hotel. The absence or presence of clean bathrooms and other amenities are often reflected in the price. Private campsites are found in cities as well as in the countryside.
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3. Camping Libre, Camping Agrestre and Refugios in National Parks
Campgrounds may be called camping libre, or camping agrestre, which means they are free of charge. Camping libres often lack facilities, which is compensated by the fact that they are often situated in the most extraordinary natural settings. A National Park – of which there are many in Argentina – is a typical place where you will find camping libres or agrestres.
Other accommodations in national parks are refugios. These are basic campgrounds, often used on multiple day treks. Refugios offer space to pitch a tent, they sometimes have a small kiosk to buy some snacks as well as a shelter to spend a cold evening or to cook a meal.
Read More: 5 Incredibly Beautiful Campsites in Patagonia
4. Overland Camping – Camping in the Wild
Argentina offers plenty of opportunities for rough camping. Many Argentineans enjoy a nomadic life during their holidays themselves, so nobody is surprised when you pitch your tent somewhere along a river or at the foot of a mountain.
Make sure that the camping spot is public terrain and not on somebody’s estancia (ranch). In case of the latter, always seek the permission of the owner before pitching a tent. Argentina’s nature is abundant, stunning and in many regions untouched. Please keep it this way by taking out all that was brought in – including all garbage – and dig a hole far away from a water source before responding to a call to nature.
Travel Guides for Argentina
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Tips for Overland Camping in Argentina
- High season is January/February, Semana Santa (Easter) and July. Popular campgrounds may require a reservation and can be extremely noisy, especially at night. Bringing earplugs may (partly) solve the problem.
- Facilities differ greatly in terms of the availability of a cold or hot shower, a clean site, laundry service, BBQ equipment, the presence of a grocery store. In the countryside bring a meal or snacks for a day or two – the nearest grocery store may be far away.
- Argentina is a country of wind. Not only in Patagonia but also in the northwest the wind can be fierce. If you happen to pitch a tent (as opposed to sleeping in your vehicle), best bring a dome-style tent with rain-fly.
- If quality equipment is the norm, bring it from abroad. High-quality tents, sleeping bags, gas stoves and other camping equipment are hard to come by in Argentina. Cities that do offer some camping equipment are, among others, Mendoza and El Calafate (Patagonia). Check out our list with our favorite hiking gear.
- Some of Argentina’s roadmaps and road books also mention campgrounds.
- Check out iOverlander, where you can see where other overlanders found a good place to (wild) camp.
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If there wouldn’t be the annoying habits of the Argentinos that a) they can’t be “alone”, and b) are night people: you camp on an almost empty campground, go to bed at 10pm, and at 11pm a group with 2 or 3 cars pulls up for an “asado”. You can guarantee that of all the available sites they pick one within 5-6 meters from your vehicle, and then turn up the voices/laughter/music/smoke until the whee hours of the morning (at least 1.30/2.00 am). We had this even happen on a small “wild” camping site in a forest near Ushuaia, where they brought their chain saw to cut fire wood every 20 minutes or so…
Good Night – sleep well!
I really enjoyed camping in Argentina. As a single female traveler I found campsites that were both safe and yet gave access to great wildlife and outdoor experiences.Yes I did have the experience of other campers pitching their tent a few feet from mine and directly facing mine in an almost empty campsite the size of a football field. At the time I was a little put out but looking back the positives far outweighed the negatives.
Avoid high season and weekends if you can. I went to Northern Argentina in April/ early May which is Autumn there. The weather was just perfect for me being from Ireland and not being used to or wanting to experience high temperatures, especially for outdoor activities. Facilities were good and people were very helpful. Happy days!
I have traveled in Argentina three times so far and I have had really good experiences each time. Argentina is so varied. The outdoor experience is great and in the towns and cities the Argentinians love their creative arts – music, dance, cinema, painting, sculpture, writing, crafts and artisan food and drink ; and they love to perform in public making it very accessible to the traveler.
I hope to go Southern Argentina next November. If anyone has any advise or would like to share their experiences I would love to hear it.
Hi Phil,
Thanks for sharing your experiences. Great to hear you love the country as much as we do!
Hi Phil, could I email you or contact you to know more about the sites you went to? I’m a single female and would love to go camping alone (maybe with my dog) and I’m having a hard time picking a place.
We will be backpacking and camping in Argentina this January. How safe are the sites from theft? Is there lockers available? We will not have a car to store our gear in. Thanks!
I’ve never seen lockers there. But then again I’ve not looked for them either…
Why are dome style the best fit for this weather circumtstances? And what does ”rain-fly” mean? What tent is the best suit for backpacking patagonia?
Best tent, is one that can suit high winds. And depending on which season you will travel, you will need rain or snow protection. A rain-fly is the outer shell of a two layered tent. You can also opt for a single wall tent in summer. But make sure it can withstand high winds. What tent is best for you? It depends on: – how many people need to sleep – your camping experience – your budget – your maximum weight in your pack.