Buenos aires : stay in Via Via hostel, (tel: 4300-7259; calle chile, 324) 25pesos the night im dormitorio, included nice breakfast and free internet (quick and nice!)
to visit : recoleta area, the cimetery (really nice!), try to get there on a week end, there is a "feria" just in front of it...
la boca, nice colored district..but stay in the tourist area, do not try to go further than that, it is really dangerous!
the florida avenue for its free street tango shows...somtehing to see definitly...
Mendoza, to get there from buenos aires, take a night bus, you'll arrive in early morning...it cost 140pesos each for a cama bus really confortable, you'll sleep like a baby!!!
stay in the winca's hostel (425-3804;
www.wincas-hostel.com.ar, avenida sarmiento 717) nice and clean, there is a swimming pool and nice people to meet, free internet as well (no breakfast)
there is a nice bodega to visit around, la bodega Rural, you van easily do it on your own for almost nothing, to get there take the bus n 173 it cost 1.80 pesos... ! there is a visit included and wine degustation at the end...! as well to see its 5 cute places and the mirador, on the "mairie" roof top, avenida 9 de julio, 500)
San augustin de valle fertil, nice little village from which you can reach the two fantastic parcs of talampaya and ischigualasto (valle de la luna), ABOSLUTLY to see!!! it's 36pesos to get there from mendoza and tkae you a day approximatly (If I remember well...I'm not sure, :-)
stay in pension dona zoila, (nice woman who will take you from the bus station if you make a reservation, tel: 420147, mendoza street), its 15pesos the night, included beakfast.
the excursion to the parcs (you do not have the choice you can not do it on yur own as its protected by unesco), book it with the intermediary of the pension (it will avoid you big bus group but a small one, it's still better!) it costs 135 pesos each to visit the two parcs. you go at 7am and be back around 7pm... absolutly nice!!!!
Cordoba, nice city, its the second one bigger after buenos aires... avoid if you can backpackers hostel which is dirty and noisy...visit the place and its nice buildings...have a look as well to the sunday market, local art, it's nice...
Go to visit around Alta Gracia , small and nice village in wich the Che was living, its old house is now an interesting museum (3pesos the entrance)...and it has a jesuit ruin as well, it cost 8pesos way and back by bus and it's less than one hour ti get there.
Cafayate, we went via tucuman, nice city apparently (we did not stay so I can not tell you more...), and costs you 32 pesos to get to cafayate from cordoba.
We stayed in Ruta 40, nice hostel with very helpfull guy at the reception, included breakfast,
go absolutly to visit the "quebrada de cafayate", with turismo cordillerano, it's the same price than other and you are maximum 4 people with a jeep...40pesos each to see amazing and beautiful landscapes...
go as well to the "ruinas de Quilmes" but without an agency, find people to sahe a taxi wich will costs you 70pesos, so 17each if you're 4...it will wait for you beetween 2and3 hours the time to visit the ruins.
you can easyly stay here few days, it's touristic but nice atmosphere...and so nice landscapes around!
Cachi, you can reach this cute little village from cafayate, but it's a bit complicated... it takes you 7or8 hours on a hard road and either you are adventurous and try the truck way, but not sure you will find one... or you pay 90pesos (no more!) to get there with an agency which will make stops in the villages before to visit wood cactus churches and so... if you get there sleep in the "centro de jubilados y pensionados" a really warm people and nice place to stay. dorms and private rooms for 15pesos (if I remember well once again...!)
if you a bit in a rush you can take the road to join salta directly on the right from cafayate on the map, it's quicker...
Salta, 4 hours from cachi aprroximalty, and 25pesos with a car or shared taxi, you will get through the national parc of "los cardones" which is really nice! (you can do it as well from salta).
we stayed in hostel quara, calle santiago del estero, 137, it was 22pesos with free internet and breakfast included and people fron the hostel are really nice!!! a private room with bathroom is 70pesos.
go up to the mountain with the telepheric to have a nice view of the city and a walk around, it's a nice city with a oeace atmposhere...!
Tilcara, to get there from salta it's few hours and 18pesos the one way from salta. nice village with amazing view on the moutains...if you like to do horse it's the place to do it, you will enjoy a very little way with horses (if you have "vertigos" do not do it!!! ) and a nice guide who will tell you stories about incas and population before culture...passionating! even if a bit expensive... 150pesos for a day...(if you go to bolivia to tupiza it's cheaper and nice as well fron what I heard), ask the following hostel for details
Stay at "la casa de las molles", 25pesos with a nice brekafast, and a fantastic view on the mountains and city. the guy is called Juan and say you know Xabi who stayed here for a while and is a friend of mine...
Humahuaca, here you have "salinas grandes" if you were not in uyuni (or not going to go), it's nice to see...take a bus fron tilcara for 2pesos and once here ask for Annibal, his number is 03884908009 or 154170830 nickname "el Pichu", he's a really nice guide!!! it's 20pesos each for a mid day of visit.
you can visit the village, its church with cactus wood and the 7color mountain, have a walk which goes from the cemetery back to the village (40mn approxilatly and very nice!) and have a look to the local art but if you plan to go to bilivia it's better to buy it here...(cheaper!)
you can be back to tilcara at any time with a taxi for 20pesos the car.
San Ignacio, on the road to iguacu falls from salta...it costs you 180each with a cama bus, (it takes 23hours so it woths it, the bus goes through tucuman), you can visit jesuit ruins, which are nice but if you are in rush not absolutly something to see...
Iguacu, 4 hours more from san ignacio, and 25pesos, you can stay at the HI hostel, avenida guarani n 70, wich is 22pesos if you're member or 25 if you're not.. there is a nice swimming pool, hammocks, free internet and breakfast included, moreover it's very closed to the bus statin so convenient...obviously you will go to iguacu, 8pesos way and back, keep "garguanta del diablo" for the end of the visit, you have a view from the top and it's just amazingly fantastic!!!! bring your food, it's very very expensive in it, and the entrance is 30pesos for strangers.
to go back to buenos aires its 155pesos (24hours) the cama bus please avoid the "crucero del norte" company if you can, they steal some staff of my boyfriend in his bag...!