Unabashed snoop that I am, I love peeking at other people’s packing lists. For those like me, here are the contents of my own bag, as well as pocketbook, for a fall-time budget trip to Salta and Jujuy.
Packing
I made a few improvements to the above baggage, such as ditching the water bottle and hat, bringing travel-sized shampoo and contact lens solution, condensing the face lotion and sunscreen into one bottle, and packing a couple extra t-shirts.
I ended up wearing all of the clothes I brought except for one gray exercise top. But I really didn’t need everything I packed, considering I spent at least half the days in these two outfits.
The sunny days and cold nights of Northern Argentina demand several indispensable items: a scarf for layering, sunscreen and sunglasses, tissues and hand sanitizer for public restrooms, a thick jacket for after sunset, and quick-drying travel towels. My own towels, designed to wax cars, served the purpose of the post-shower pat down, but I’m planning to buy something a bit larger. (Santa, if you’re reading, I like this one.)
Expenses
For the first time in my life, I kept a detailed record of how much money I spent. Budgeting — what a concept! Here’s the breakdown.
In the chart, the Transportation section (35.3% of costs) includes bus rides and a two-day car rental, plus my roundtrip flight from Buenos Aires to Salta with Andes Líneas Aéreas, valued at 3,100 pesos. After booking my flight, Argentina’s first low-cost airline Fly Bondi went live — saving money for a multitude of travelers other than myself. For reference, I would have held onto about 1,000 pesos traveling with Fly Bondi instead of Andes. Oh well. Next time!
The Lodging section (21.9%) covers 11 nights in shared hostel dorms.
Activities (14.8%) encompass the charges for all things done, from daylong tours to bathroom breaks.
Food (21.5%) consists of four subcategories: drinks like coffee, water and wine; veggies from a stand; empanadas on the go; and treat-yo’self meals out. I generally ate breakfast in the hostels and consumed more empanadas than I care to count. (Regardless, I’m still not tired of those flavorful little pastries.) I also splurged on one fantastic meal at Piatelli Vineyards in Cafayate: 625 pesos for a bottle of wine and the best cheese plate I’ve ever stuffed in my face. Bonus: I brought home both wine and cheeses for lunch and dinner the following day.
The pie slice of Souvenirs (6.5%) includes a compressed-salt cactus from Salinas Grandes and a colorful blanket from Cafayate, so that even after bidding adieu to Northern Argentina, I have just a bit of salt and color to remind me of all the region’s natural wonders.
Minimal packing is essential on a trip of that duration and mobility. It looks like you did a great job with both packing and expenses! We can do that on a 2-day trip, easily!