Also the snow season in Australia is short and not always dependable although there is more snow in the Australian alps during a good season then there is in all of Switzerland. Going on ski holidays to Europe doesn't necessarily indicate wealth - winter time in Europe means cheaper air fares from Australia.

Or is San Telmo like most other areas in Buenos Aires?

San Telmo is certainly different than Recoleto or Palermo, in that the tourist part of San Telmo is close to some very risky neighborhoods. But there are places in San Telmo where it's perfectly safe to walk. Ask your lodging which streets are safe. Or if you go on a day trip take a taxi or a bus to reach the San Telmo tourist district.

Great, than you all for the advise...very very useful!

@TravelOutlandish cheers for the links. Yes I think I will likely fly from North Chile down south to save time. Currently thinking of changing it to fly to Patagonia firstly so that I can get there earlier and then travel back north and to Buenos Aires via Santiago/Mendoza/Valpariso.

@mstep thanks for the advice on Huaraz. A friend had told me of great trekking in Huaraz but I will be going to the Cusco region so maybe it's better off skipping it if the weather is also not favourable at this time of the year. Is it best to avoid it completely in February? Are the rains very bad?

Also, any recommendations for a beach island in Brazil?

@reins , @FernandoTerremoto thanks. Any reasons why Bgoota should definitely feature? I'm not a big city fan so that's why I didn't include it initally but if it's a must see I'll work it in!

Hi All,

So here is my revised Itinerary:

Day 0 - Arrive late afternoon Buenos Aires
Day 01 - Buenos Aires
Day 02 - Buenos Aires
Day 03 - Iguazu
Day 04 - Iguazu
Day 05 - Salta (5 days road trip)
Day 06 - Jujuy
Day 07 - Purmamarca + Salinas Grandes
Day 08 - Cachi
Day 09 - Cafayate - head back to Salta to spend the night
Day 10 - Salta - Buenos Aires - Bariloche
Day 11 - Bariloche
Day 12 - Bariloche
Day 13 - Bariloche
Day 14 - Fly to El Chalten
Day 15 - El Chalten
Day 16 - El Chalten
Day 17 - El Chalten
Day 18 - Bus to El Calafate
Day 19 - El Calafate
Day 20 - Ushuaia or Peninsula Valdes/Purto Madryn
Day 21 - Ushuaia or Peninsula Valdes/Purto Madryn
Day 22 - Fly to Buenos Aires
Day 23 - Buenos Aires
Day 24 - Fly home @ 8:00 pm

I split my Buenos Aires time to have some buffer before my flight home.

So what do you guys think, Ushuaia or Peninsula Valdes in mid December? From what I read, Ushuaia seems much interesting than Peninsula Valdes except for the wildlife viewing which seems really much better in Peninsula Valdes. Is December a good month for wildlife viewing in Peninsula Valdes?

Hi All,

So here is my revised Itinerary:

Day 0 - Arrive late afternoon Buenos Aires
Day 01 - Buenos Aires
Day 02 - Buenos Aires
Day 03 - Iguazu
Day 04 - Iguazu
Day 05 - Salta (5 days road trip)
Day 06 - Jujuy
Day 07 - Purmamarca + Salinas Grandes
Day 08 - Cachi
Day 09 - Cafayate - head back to Salta to spend the night
Day 10 - Salta - Buenos Aires - Bariloche
Day 11 - Bariloche
Day 12 - Bariloche
Day 13 - Bariloche
Day 14 - Fly to El Chalten
Day 15 - El Chalten
Day 16 - El Chalten
Day 17 - El Chalten
Day 18 - Bus to El Calafate
Day 19 - El Calafate
Day 20 - Ushuaia or Peninsula Valdes/Purto Madryn
Day 21 - Ushuaia or Peninsula Valdes/Purto Madryn
Day 22 - Fly to Buenos Aires
Day 23 - Buenos Aires
Day 24 - Fly home @ 8:00 pm

I split my Buenos Aires time to have some buffer before my flight home.

So what do you guys think, Ushuaia or Peninsula Valdes in mid December? From what I read, Ushuaia seems much interesting than Peninsula Valdes except for the wildlife viewing which seems really much better in Peninsula Valdes. Is December a good month for wildlife viewing in Peninsula Valdes?

Hi, Mark, thanks for pointing out that we might not even need to use left luggage. Our ticket is a single ticket on Aer Lingus, and the video from the Dublin airport about flights arriving from the US says we just walk to our next gate while our luggage is transferred for us:
https://www.dublinairport.com/flight-connections/information

Of course, if we leave the airport, we have to wait in immigration lines, but at least we don't have the hassle of luggage.

Laura, thanks for the tip about the sightseeing bus!

Obviously I can’t speak for every ATM in the country however I have seen no queues at ATMs in Buenos Aires (at the weekend) or in Comodoro (all this week). I was able to use ATMs with no wait at all in both.

I guess it may seem inconvenient to have to look for BBVA Francés ATMs however they are to be found.

Go directly to Efes and spend a few days there. Go up to Sirince if you want to see nature. Visit Kusadasi if you want a tourist area and a beach.

Then just go directly to Istanbul. The only places to consider stopping on the way are:
Bergama (your kids will moan that it's just like Efes, old rocks and that's it)
Troy (don't. It's interesting to read about but boring to visit.)
Don't do Bursa. It's a big city and it's a great place to live, a good place to visit if you're interested in Turkish history, and totally boring if neither of these appeals.
Mudanya (beach area, but it's busy in the summer and totally overrun on weekends. However, further east it becomes quieter and much nicer.)
My inlaws live half way between Istanbul and Izmir and I've cycled, driven, bussed, and trained the route. I can promise you that there's nothing to appeal to kids except a few amusement parks and Bergama.
The only thing to consider is travelling to Istanbul via Bandirma. That way you take the ferry into Istanbul. You avoid the evil traffic and the even more evil third bosphorus bridge (adds two hours to travel time last time I came - and that was on a quiet day.). Your kids also get to feed the seagulls as they see Istanbul rising out of the water before them.
Aim to arrive at Yenikapi (busy, big, but convenient location) or - better still - at Kadikoy. From Kadikoy you have to take one more ferry over to the European side but it's very cheap and open-air.

Two things to note: IDO (the biggest private sea-bus operator) has recently stopped doing inner-city routes. Double check that routes work before taking them.

The Istanbul third bridge was supposed to easy traffic and it may have done so but it's awful for buses like yours. They have to go all the way around the city - about 50 km further, often through traffic - and cut back again. The route is stupid - it's like going from 5 o'clock to 8 o'clock via twelve o'clock. If it's at all possible, book a bus to Harem otogar. If you rent a car, arrange to drop it off in Bandirma.