In 2023 we were fortunate to visit a city that has been on my bucket list for a long time: Mendoza, Argentina. Throughout my travels, Mendoza has been frequently recommended to me, and I now understand why! We did the trip in 4 days and 4 nights, but the itinerary I’m going to share is for 3 full days, as we spent our last day just relaxing at the Park Hyatt pool and napping in our comfy bed. Sometimes, even as an adventure-seeking traveler, a rest day is just as necessary as an exploration day. In this blog you will find information about how to maximize three days in the region, spending each day doing something completely different than the day before!
Day One: Exploring the capital city
If you’re really trying to save money, you could fly into Mendoza this first morning to save cost on a night in a hotel room. We had hotel points to burn so chose to fly in the night before so we could wake up in the city on day one to experience a truly “full day”.
Mendoza is a very walkable, safe city. A great way to spend your first day in the capital is to simply walk around strolling the city’s wide, tree-lined streets, and get to know the city itself. There are many options for free walking tours that you can join, offered in English and Spanish at various times throughout the day, to help you orient to the city and learn about the culture and history.
We took an informative free walking tour called Free Tour Ciudad Nueva through GuruWalk and had a very social guide who was happy to answer any questions the group had. These tours are free, however, the guides are paid based on the tips they receive at the end of the tour. Tipping is not obligatory, but in general, a tip of at least $10 USD per person (or the equivalent in the local currency) is a fair amount if it is within your budget.
Day Two: Termas Cachueta
Termas Cacheutas are located about an hour from the city center, and are made up of two sections that you can visit: The first is the Thermal Hotel & Spa, and the second is the Thermal Water Park. After researching the two options, I decided the Hotel & Spa was more our speed. It is less crowded, does not allow children, and provides a more peaceful setting.
To reach the Termas we opted to take advantage of a combination tour package that can be booked on the Termas Cacheuta website. I am not a fan of paid group tours, but I would do this one over and over again. They offer pickups in various parts of the city, then take the small group to Potrerillos pausing along the road to enjoy beautiful looks outs on the way to have breakfast in a local’s home.
After enjoying a delicious breakfast, you get the chance to stop at a few more lookouts before taking a riverside walk in the countryside followed by enjoying a light lunch at a small cerveceria with options of empanadas or bruschetta to accompany your locally brewed beer.
Once lunch is finished they drive you to the termas cacheuta where you have 3-3.5 hours to relax at the Hotel & Spa. Here you can enjoy more than 10 thermal pools of various temperatures, relax in the hot sauna, take a mud bath, or get a massage. When we visited, the pools were nearly empty, and we almost always had the thermal pools to myself when we were in them.
Honestly, I would not change a single thing about this experience. It was more than worth the price of $55,000 pesos (about $60 USD at the time of writing) for an 11-hour adventure that included door-to-door transportation and helpful guides, in a small group of only 10 people.
Day Three: Wineries & Vineyards Day
Would it even be a true trip to Mendoza if you didn’t visit some wineries? Mendoza (province) is considered to be Argentina’s most important wine region, producing almost 2/3 of the country’s wine. The vineyards in Mendoza are located at high altitudes, averaging 600-1,000 meters, some of the highest in the world!
While you can find good wine at restaurants in the city center, I recommend taking a day to explore the vineyards that are located outside of town. There are many ways to visit the vineyards, but as we had already had an exhausting day exploring vineyards in Cafayate, Argentina on a bike during a previous trip,weI decided to treat ourselves this time around and hire a driver.
After reading numerous 5-star reviews about Driver in Mendoza I booked us with them. From the first point of contact to the experience the day of, to the follow-up communication after the tour, it was always clear why they had such a good reputation. Booking with this service was a great choice, and one I’d happily repeat again if I come back to Mendoza, they were incredible!
Before your experience, they guide you through deciding which region you want to focus on, and then they suggest wineries and make a schedule for you to review. Once you agree on the locations to visit, they handle all the reservations completely.
On the day of the tour after being picked up at your accommodation with a private car and driver, the entire day is easy, with your only job being to relax and enjoy delicious wines and snacks. I can’t speak highly enough about my experience. My driver Diego was extremely professional, punctual, friendly, and knowledgeable about the region. If I return to Mendoza again, I would absolutely book with them another time to explore another region!
We visited three wineries in the Luján de Cuyo region: RJ Viñedos, Budeguer, and Lagarde. RJ Viñedos & Budeguer each included a private tour, followed by a tasting with light snacks, and Lagarde was the final stop for lunch. Each winery was beautiful, with flavorful wines and memorable experiences.
It is important to note that the driver must be paid for in cash USD, and the tastings and lunch are not included in the price of your booking but can be paid with a credit card or cash, directly to the bodega.
After returning to your hotel and getting some rest, (or a nap by the pool in my case), you should not miss going to eat choripan Abajo Del Puente. You can tell any taxi driver in town that you want to go eat chori “Abajo Del Puente” and they will know where to take you. In my opinion, no trip to Argentina is complete without eating choripan, and the choripan in Mendoza under the bridge is at the top of the list of the best I’ve ever had.
If you have more than three days in Mendoza, don’t worry, there is plenty more to do in the region and you will be sure not to get bored. Horseback riding, hiking, exploring the other wine regions, zip lining, rock climbing, and water rafting are among some of the other popular activities you can explore during your time there. Wishing you happy travels, and as always you can feel free to contact me here if you have any questions!
The Ambitious Passport 