About Hi Travel Argentina

HI Travel was born in 2005. These days, inbound tourism began to develop in South America and a group of hostels and local providers began to build a cooperating network with the support of Hostelling International. The network grew to include accommodations and local tour providers from La Paz to Ushuaia and from Rio de Janeiro to Santiago de Chile, with a coordinated action to recommend each other and to promote backpacking into our countries.
Our operations began inside the hostels, where we had travel advisors organizing trips for backpackers. First we designed a map with buses and flights connections between the most important destinations in Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, Chile and Bolivia, so we learnt how people wanted to travel and what they wanted to do. This way we could design itineraries for independent travelers, using the international routes that were actually used by them, linking hostels with local transportation and then highlight day tours. This way customers made the most of their time using well planned, logic, beautiful itineraries.
Time passed and crisis came, like the fading away of the power of Hostelling International in our countries, affected buy new technologies, new and professional chains of non HI hostels and a greater overall offer of accommodation. Also, we had to endure the Covid Pandemic. Our countries were closed for incoming travelers more than 20 months, creating extreme conditions for many of our providers, some of them had to stop business and some others were affected in their quality of service.
But we believe that the future of tourism is bright as the world is full of adventure oriented travelers who will be delighted to visit our natural wonders.
Nowadays, our independent tours are used by people from all over the world, connecting top destinations like Titicaca Lake, Uyuni Salt Flats, San Pedro de Atacama, the northwest of Argentina, the Iguazu Falls, Rio de Janeiro and its beautiful coast including Paraty and Ilha Grande, amazing Buenos Aires and Argentine and Chilean Patagonia with all the trekking opportunities that Torres del Paine and El Chalten have to offer. This among other destinations that work as connections or gateways like La Paz, Santiago de Chile, Puerto Natales, Bariloche, Mendoza, El Calafate or Ushuaia.
Not only we select hostels, but also budget hotels, 3 and 4 stars hotels, salt hostel, campings, local buses, international buses, shuttles, boats, fights, treks, boat tours, horseback riding, rafting, canoeing, scuba diving, whales and penguin watching and many more to help out visitors to have the best time in South America.
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The countries where we operate are very relaxed nowadays in consideration with Covid Policies, almost as it never happened. But we have to stress that Brazil may ask for written or cel phone proof of vaccination when entering to see the Iguazu Falls from Argentina. It is very random and only from time to time but it might happen and it is better to have the proof handy. ....less

We have to say it is not easy in South America to keep policies of Responsible Tourism because our activity is crossed by economical and political instability every now and then. If it is not one country, is the other one. So many times the policies are affected by changing conditions in the environment. But years ago, hosteling International made a job of inspecting the hostels and encouraging them to be Responsible and Sustainable, and many kept their systems to reduce the effect of the accommodation and the people using it in the natural resources and ecosystems ....less

HI Travel Incoming is a member of WYSE Travel Confederation. WYSE means World Youth Student and Educational, bringing together travel companies that provide, offer, organize and promote programs catered especially for this type of travelers, to and from almost all countries worldwide. ....less

In HI Travel we select local small business to provide services to our customers in a way to help local communities and families. Here is a list of small organizations that showcase local culture, recommended by us:
-Caravana de Llamas in Jujuy
-Peñas of Balcarce Street in Salta (folk music)
-Horseback riding in the north of Mendoza
-Local artisans in Purmamarca
-Accommodation in family houses in the Puna (high Pleateau) in Bolivia
-Local tango shows and milongas in Buenos Aires
-Ranch stays in the Argentine Pampas
-Visit to the wineries in Mendoza, an centennial activity in the heart of the culture of the province.
-Visit to the favelas of Rio de Janeiro
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-Tours for independent travelers into Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Bolivia and Uruguay, combining tourist destinations with local long distance buses and offering accommodation + transfers + highlights day trips
-Accommodation in our tours range from Hostel to 4* Hotels
-Some of the tours include adventure activities like horseback riding, bike tours, treks and overland itineraries
-We can tailor made completely new tours or variations of existing ones.
-Groups from 10 people on have to quote separately due to availability in the services. ....less

Since day one we signed up agreements with local Universities (for example, Universidad del Salvador) to receive their students in our offices for internships to be a bridge between studies and the real working world. Generations of tourism and hotel management students have been helped by us to understand a bit more about their profession and have learnt how to put theory into practice, not only in Buenos Aires but in places like Iguazu, Mendoza, Bariloche and El Calafate. ....less

As a natural effect of incoming travel, we are a pipeline of resources that go direct to the many local communities that offer services close to or connected to touristic attractions. Our natural attractions are far away from big cities or from economic hubs, so the travelers have to take different steps to get closer and closer to, for example, National Parks. In this process, the economic effects reach: local bus companies, accommodation, restaurants, markets, trekking gear shops, laundry, trekking guides, local adventure providers, local taxis, small food shops like jam, chocolate, wine, olive oil, local delicatessen, and many more.
But being 18 years old, we have made an economical positive impact in the families of the staff that shared the ride with us throughout the years
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Being born under the umbrella of Hostelling International, we strongly believe in the importance of reducing our impact to the minimum, as we want to ensure a clean environment and to keep our attractions as pristine as possible. South America is all about natural wonders and we need to take care of our culture and bio diversity for our children. Being an intermediary (tour operator), the impact of our actions is low, but when we chose a provider we prefer those that seek for carbon neutrality and manage their waste and water protecting nature. We give a lot of attention to Local Communities and we are proud to help them bringing resources to places that are far away from economical centers. Tourism has naturally the power of distributing goods and multiplying resources, but being a witness of the real impact of this in the people is touching.
On our side, we also make our small effort. We are a 100% paperless company and encourage home office to reduce commuting times and the use of transportation
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