Tour vendor at pier accepting US$?

[aprilsp88]

Hi,

 

I just found our bank won't exchange Argentina peso. This makes me to wonder, does the tour vendor at pier accept US$, especially at the following port?

 

Also, will there be plenty of tour operators at pier?

 

Ushuaia

Buenos Aires

Punta Arena

Rio

Montevideo, Uruguay

 

I really appreciate your input!

 

Thanks,

April

[VidaNaPraia]

In Brazil (Rio), the real (ray-AHL) is the only legal currency in which to do transactions.

[Traveling Library]

Hi,

 

I just found our bank won't exchange Argentina peso. This makes me to wonder, does the tour vendor at pier accept US$, especially at the following port?

 

Also, will there be plenty of tour operators at pier?

 

Ushuaia

Buenos Aires

Punta Arena

Rio[/url]

 

Ushuaia has a narrated "city tour" which is a bus double decker bus. We paid cash in USD for the tour. Walk thru the visitors center, across the small park, and cross the street. You'll see the bus. Tour is about an hour and I think $12. for 2 of us (maybe more. I don't remember). Nice overview.

[Keith1010]

Hi,

 

I just found our bank won't exchange Argentina peso. This makes me to wonder, does the tour vendor at pier accept US$, especially at the following port?

 

Also, will there be plenty of tour operators at pier?

 

Ushuaia

Buenos Aires

Punta Arena

Rio

Montevideo, Uruguay

 

I really appreciate your input!

 

Thanks,

April

 

April, no tour operators will be hanging around Buenos Aires. Just taxis.

 

I would look at booking a private tour ahead of time and you will be abel to use USA dollars.

 

In Punta Arenas I would take a ships tour to Ottway Bay to see the Penguins.

 

In Rio you can take a taxi and don't think that any tour operators will be there other than those that have been booked. They want local currency.

 

In Ushuaia the town is very walkable. You can purchase tickets for the Catamaran of Beegle Channel and use credit card for that.

 

Keith

[Traveling Library]

For BA look at tours by locals. You pay by PayPal. We can HIGHLY recommend Andres. He took us around BA and then on his boat on the Tigre River to a lovely restaurant El Gato Azul(?) which cost extra but the beef was well worth it. Our group was 10 which was organized by someone on our cruise and we just joined them. Each of use paid via PayPal so no one was collecting money, etc. We gave Andres and the bus driver a tip in USD as well.

[karoo]

All the excursions I have booked are private, organised through the roll call. The tour operators have requested US dollars, except Stanley. They would prefer GBR pounds, although they will accept US dollars. So you should be fine with US dollars.

[aprilsp88]

Thanks everyone for replying. I think I have to try to get local currency then. The roll call tours are full.

[Roimont]

For BA look at tours by locals. You pay by PayPal. We can HIGHLY recommend Andres. He took us around BA and then on his boat on the Tigre River to a lovely restaurant El Gato Azul(?) which cost extra but the beef was well worth it. Our group was 10 which was organized by someone on our cruise and we just joined them. Each of use paid via PayPal so no one was collecting money, etc. We gave Andres and the bus driver a tip in USD as well.

Do you have contact information for Andres? Does he have a website?

Thanks for your help!

Edited December 4, 2015 by Roimont

[jarand]

We just completed our cruise on HAL Zaandam a few days ago. We were able to change money on the ship, and change back to USD at the end. The rate may not have been quite as good, but we never changed large amounts and it was really easy.

 

In Rio, you must have Brazilian Reals. Most places take Visa, but for cabs or incidentals you need to exchange. No USD accepted.

In Chile, some places took USD but it is much better to have Chilean Pesos.

 

Argentina is a weird story: there is the "official" rate of roughly 9.5, which is what banks and credit cards use. Then there is a "blue dollar" rate of about 14.5, which is technically illegal but very widely and openly available on the streets. To further complicate things, they just had a presidential election so no one knows what will happen to that currency, and there is a lot of counterfeit. American dollars are happily accepted and actually preferred almost everywhere, but the bills must be in perfect condition with no tears or marks.

 

Taxis from the BA port are plentiful but price gouge. Taxis in BA itself are supposed to be pretty good. We had three different tours with Thomas who owns BonaventuraTrips. He often paid for incidentals then we paid him back afterward. He's really great--fun, flexible, knowledgeable and reasonably priced--just be forewarned that he talks very quickly. :)

[VidaNaPraia]

 

In Rio, you must have Brazilian Reals.

 

Real (ray-AHL) singular

Reais (ray-ICE) plural

[aprilsp88]

Hi Jody and Judy,

 

Thanks for the info. Does Taxi in Buenos Aires take USD?

 

Thanks,

April

[jarand]

We used a private guide while there so I can't say for sure. But I'd be surprised if they don't because Argentinians want USD (more stable). There were multiple warnings about taxis in port being unscrupulous, and at the port they'd often refuse to use meters. Once in the city the taxi reputation seemed to be good. Be sure you clarify before hopping in, pay before you get out and have small bills. (It's important that USD bills are perfectly clean without even the tiniest tear).