Nov 22 cruise from Rio-Santiago

[AuntiePen]

We will cruise from Rio-Chile on Nov 22 for 16 days. here are the ports that we will stop.

Buenos Aires 2 days, Private guide or van/taxi?

Montevideo

Port Stanley

Ushuaia

Punta Arenas Chile

Puerto Montt

Santiago

This is our first trip to SA and we just want to see a bit of town and sight so we can decide which place to come back later. Is it hard to find local van/tour once you dock at the terminal. Any of these place that you can walk or do your own sight. Any suggestion will be appreciated.

Thank you

Pen

[John Bull]

The only ports I can help with are B.A. and Montevideo.

 

B.A. There will be taxis lined up at the port gate, I don't recall seeing any vans.

Two choices:

1. If you want a tour, agree an hourly rate for 2 to 3 hours, negotiate hard & ensure you have a driver with passable english. We took in the Necropolis (stopped 60 mins plus), Ave 9 de Julio, the Peron residence/museum (closed when we were there), various other drive-bys that the driver showed us, including the Pink Palace, and on to the bohemian district of Boca. We paid-off our driver off here cos we wanted to stay longer - you could do likewise then hail a cab to go back to the Pink Palace, or have your driver wait an hour or so & take you to the Pink Palace. We then checked out the Pink Palace, the waterfront in the old docks, Tortoni's for coffee, & pedestrianised Florida, all walkable from the Pink Palace.

We then took a cab back to the ship.

That evening we returned to Florida (busy day & evening), hailing a cab each way.

2. If you simply want to go from A to B, walk past the touts & taxis at the port gate & hail a passing metered cab. All cabs, incl those stationed at the port gate, have the same livery but those stationed at the port only work on fixed prices - and they're way over the metered rate.

Drivers don't all speak english, be sure to write down the location of your destination - and the port - or mark it on a map so you can show a driver for your return to the ship.

Most drivers accept USD, but check before you board. They work on a fair exchange rate.

There's nothing od interest walkable from the port gate.

 

Montevideo. There will be vans at the port gate, sharing with others on the spot is normal, and you'll get a decent tour with a guide, lasting 2 to 4 hours. Ours included stops at Parliament, churches, waggon statues, soccer stadium, seafront & a bunch of other places.

By the port gate there's a big market hall converted to a food court - but not the food courts you're used to, they're super restaurants, mainly steak houses & a great atmosphere. A few shops & stalls in the area, and a rather poor tango museum (dont waste your money there). Ideal area to spend your safety-margin time after a tour, but you do need a tour to see Montevideo

We'd heard that Montevideo was grubby & rather unsafe - we didn't find that to be the case & enjoyed our day.

Our only stop in Uruguay, we had no local money but we had no problem using USD.

 

JB :)

[digitl]

Buenos Aires: Pedro Werberg - http://www.amigodebuenosaires.com/

Montevideo: Liz Cowley - http://www.realenglishtours.com/

Santiago: Alwin Schuler - http://www.chileanjourney.cl/

 

All are excellent guides.

[AuntiePen]

Thank you you guys. I will check out the websites. Any more suggestions anybody

[jasonflk]

For the Falklands look at falklandislands.com, they have a list of tour guides, however my advice is to book early as there is only a limited number of drivers/guides to go around.