Although we only RV’d for a short while in Argentina, we learned quite a lot. In this article I’ll review some of what you can expect if you rent an RV in the country.

First and foremost, Argentina is a HUGE country with diverse terrain. It’s got mountains. It’s got beaches. It’s got salt flats. It’s got deserts. It’s got a renowned wine region. It’s got glaciers. And don’t forget the exotic wildlife like ostriches and penguins.

It’s got world class cities. Buenos Aires is amazing. Fine dining and entertainment. Shopping and museums. Sure, you already know the beef will be great. But so is the pizza, and sushi, and pasta.

The distances between destinations are expansive, and if you make this trip you really should plan on investing a lot of time. We were advised that three weeks might serve as a minimum trip length, but one could wander for months and not see it all. There’s no end of interesting places to explore.

If you want, you can pick up your rental RV in one city drop it off in another. This way, you can plan a north to south (or vice-versa) itinerary that hits the highlights without backtracking.

What Argentina lacks, as of this writing, is a comprehensive infrastructure that supports RV travel. Yes, there are some dedicated RV campgrounds. But full hookup campgrounds are a rarity.

Most RV camping in Argentina will be of the dry variety. You just find a nice view and park. The national laws are quite supportive of this practice. In this respect, Argentina is boondocking heaven. You can travel the country with confidence that you will always find a place to camp.

That’s fine and dandy, but for a few constraints. The RVs in Argentina are smaller than the rigs we typically own in the United States. Personally, I have no problem with a smaller rig; in fact, the smaller sizes are advantageous since they are easier to maneuver. But these rigs have one key compromise that the traveler must consider.

Due to the generally rough road quality in rural areas, most Argentine RVs do not have black water tanks. The RVs are instead equipped with small portable toilets. As you’ll see in our video, these have their limitations. Honestly, I’m not sure how you’re supposed to handle certain — ahem – toilet necessities when boondocking in the wilderness. There are compromises, and then there are COMPROMISES.

Go ahead, say it: “Sean, you soft & lazy American wimp! Are you really worried about the toilet? Where’s your sense of global adventure?”

Let me put it this way. Whenever we travel south of the border, I tend to encounter a few “stomach” problems. I know, I know… I need to load up on antibiotics and let them work their magic. But anyway, if you have any sort of digestive ailment, these portable toilets are not going to do the job.

So what happens at 3AM when nature calls? That’s when things get … interesting. Most public restrooms will be closed at that time. (Ask me how I know!) Say what you will, but my idea of a fun adventure story isn’t titled Quest for the Toilet.

Maybe I am soft, but a key upside to RV travel in North America is towing your own bathroom. I’m not a huge fan of public restrooms, especially at 3 o’clock in the morning.

The entire RV industry in Argentina is only ten years old, and it’s growing. So I suspect they’ll address this issue sooner or later. But even if the rigs have black water tanks, where will you empty ‘em? Dump stations are a rarity. You can dump gray water any place you please, but the same obviously doesn’t hold true for black water. Thank goodness.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that the portable toilet should be a deal killer. But I think you should be aware of the situation so you can plan for it. Load up on those antibiotics, come on down, and have a great time. Your best bet may be staying in campgrounds with on site facilities, and boondocking near gas stations.

As for Argentina itself, we found that it lived up to its advance billing. The dollar goes a long way, the people are warm and friendly, and the country is vast.

Related posts:

1. VIDEO: Argentina Part 2 — Ruta|Sur If you want to RV camp in Argentina, the most...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.