Has anyone been on the Tigre River tour out of Buenos Aires?

[SmartTraveller]

We'd like to know too please.

 

Simon

 

 

This is a very easy and pleasant trip on what is primarily a tourist train (which means we gringos will pay a bit more than the locals, but who cares?)

 

Just take a taxi to Maipú–Bartolomé Mitre station and board the Tren de la Costa. It runs every 20-30 minutes and makes stops at a number of stations which are quite charming & interesting. The Delta Station is the last one on the line so you cant miss it. There are people on the platform who will offer you tours of the delta in various types of craft.

 

It takes around 30 minutes to get to the Delta. Here is a link to Wikipedia that includes a map of the line:-

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tren_de_la_Costa

 

Also, a good explanation of each stop can be found here:-

 

http://www.welcomeargentina.com/ciudadbuenosaires/ride-on-tren-de-la-costa.html

 

 

 

When in BA, we always stay at San Isidro (at the Hotel del Casco which is wonderful! http://www.hoteldelcasco.com.ar/), San Isidro is one of the stops on the line. This is an upmarket area of BA with polo fields, the BA Polo Club etc. The shopping centre around the station seemed to be suffering the effects of the GFC when we were there last March. Two years prior, it was bustling. However if you walk a few blocks, you will be in the heart of the "local" shops, restaurants and lovely homes.

 

 

This is a worthwhile excursion. Enjoy your day...

[sddsddean]

Thanks very much ST. So any opinions on what is the best boat ride? Only 16 months more planning to go!!

 

Simon

[Crusin-Suzan]

Thanks, we will be there in Feb. Sue

[SmartTraveller]

Thanks very much ST. So any opinions on what is the best boat ride? Only 16 months more planning to go!!

 

Simon

 

I think we just got lucky Simon & I cant remember the name of the company. We hopped off the train and went to a little booth on the platform.

 

The boat was a large zodiac which was perfect for getting down the narrower waterways - which I thought were the most interesting as you could see people just enjoying their holiday homes (which are a very eclectic mix of architectural styles!) there...fishing etc. I think if you go in in of the larger tourist boats that cant navigate the small waterways, you would miss a lot of the quaint charm of the area and it would be a bit ho-hum.

 

It seems there is a choice of shorter or longer tours. We did the longer tour with the "long bit" meaning we crossed the Rio del a Plata and into the waterways on it's other side. You also get a view of BA in the distance as you come out into the open part of the river delta. That was a bit thrilling, being out in in the zodiac amongst big container ships etc but in all, I probably wouldnt do that again as it made the day very long and the waterways over there were no more interesting than those closer to the station.

 

Must see is the "house in a glass box". You'll also see many and varied craft there from people in row boats, hoons in motor boats to the large floating supermarket.

 

We had a simple lunch at a table under the trees with our guide at a pleasant restaurant on one of the many islands.

 

There is also a market near the station. We sprinted through the market on the way back as it had started to rain and the market was rapidly turning into a muddy mess so didnt stop to look at anything. Tigre is famous for its fairly gaudy casino which you cant miss on the right not long before the train pulls in to the Delta Station.

[SmartTraveller]

Thanks very much ST. So any opinions on what is the best boat ride? Only 16 months more planning to go!!

 

Simon

 

Hi Simon, meant to say that Infinity cruise you are doing is the best cruise I have ever done. Simply awesome scenery!

[sddsddean]

Thanks for the info ST. Needless to say, we are really looking forward to it!

 

Simon

[lizp70]

The river tour is wonderful and well worth doing. If you have time to cross over to Uruguay you should visit a town called Colonia that is so nice, i really recomend it.

[SmartTraveller]

The river tour is wonderful and well worth doing. If you have time to cross over to Uruguay you should visit a town called Colonia that is so nice, i really recomend it.

 

Colonia del Sacramento is best taken as a separate excursion to Tigre. You can leave from the Buquebus ferry terminal right in central BA. Pay the extra dollars to go on the fast ferry, it is SO worth it!

 

Its a good day trip - leave in the morning and return around 5 pm. Buquebus offer complete packaged tours - ferry, lunch, tour but it is very very easy to do your own thing -- walk from the port into town and all around this old city including along the waterfront. As Liz says, it is very nice - and interesting (World Heritage site)