For other places with the same name, see Mendoza (disambiguation).
Mendoza is a city in western Argentina, in the desert Cuyo region. Mendoza is the center of the Argentinian wine industry, for which it is world renowned. It is also near the Aconcagua, the highest mountain outside of the Himalayas. Mendoza is the capital of the province of Mendoza.
Although it is in an extremely dry desert region, Mendoza has an extensive artificial irrigation system, which allows for greenery throughout the city as well as the growth of grapes used to make its wines. Most streets have irrigation channels on either side, with bridges for pedestrian and vehicular traffic. These are periodically flooded with water diverted from the river. The trees and the wide avenues give the city a beautiful ambience, a change from much of the bare feel of many Argentine cities.
To the immediate west is the Pre-Cordillera of the Andes towering over the city, with peeks at some of the snow-covered (throughout the year) Andes peaks beyond.
A siesta, or afternoon nap, is still taken in Mendoza. Most businesses close approximately 13:00-17:00, then re-open until about 20:30-21:30. Banks are only open in the mornings M-F 09:00-13:00.
Summers can be hot and dry in the city. January is particularly hot; temperatures of 40°C (104°F) are not uncommon. However, the lack of humidity makes both the heat and cool more bearable than, say, humid Buenos Aires. The nearby mountains are cool, though, even in the summer.
Winters are moderately cold in the city from late June to late August, and very cold in the mountains. Many ski centres are located near Mendoza (see #Do below).
The Zonda wind, a wind characterized by warm, dry air descending from the mountains frequently occurs in the winter, causing temperatures to raise as much as 20°C (36°F) in a few hours. These events can cause temperatures to be warm to hot, even in the middle of winter.
The large bus terminal is about 2 km east of the city centre. Taxis and remis (private taxis) are readily available (USD3-4 to the centre), or it's a 15-minute walk (not recommended at night, the area between it and the centre borders on the red light district).
There are daily bus connections to all major destinations including Bariloche and Santiago de Chile, a beautiful 7-hour bus ride crossing the Andes. Santiago de Chile is not always reachable by bus as the Andes pass closes after the first heavy snowfall in the winter months, normally around late May, but when it does snow heavily, the pass is usually only closed for a few days at most. The joint immigration/customs control for Chile-out-stamps/Argentina-in-stamps (convenient) for entry into Argentina is at Los Horcones near Puente del Inca, and the one for entry-into-Chile/exit-from-Argentina stamps is at Las Libertadores in Chile, 5 km past the tunnel. The waiting time at the border which may be very long (up to 8 hours during high season).
Bus travel times to/from Mendoza:
From the airport, you can take a remis (a type of taxi) for fixed posted prices (AR$225 to the centre - 2019). There is also a city bus (collectivo) that takes you downtown, but it comes only every 40 minutes and takes an hour to make its way downtown (but you need to buy a bus card, not available at airport).
Mendoza is a travel hub of sorts for Argentina.
Buses from Buenos Aires: Micros de Retiro.
Central Mendoza is relatively compact and walkable - for example, it's a 20-30 minute walk from Plaza Independencia to Parque San Martin. However to get to the bodegas (vineyards) to the south, walking isn't recommended as it they are at least 10 km away.
In January 2019, there was the radical transformation of the public transport system, introducing Mendotran, a system which is based on the setting up of two different transport "webs": one that takes you into and out of the city proper, and one that connects the different areas of the periphery. Also be aware that bus stop signs may still be missing, and you'll have to rely on Mendotran's website, Google Maps, or the knowledge of people in the area (particularly store-keepers) to find your stop.
Buses are plentiful, but a little confusing at first. A single ticket is AR$70 as of March 2023, though it rises along with inflation every few months. You cannot pay cash for your fare, and it is necessary to purchase a SUBE card (the same as in Buenos Aires and some other cities) that you touch-in when boarding a bus. You can buy this card from some kioskos near a bus stop for AR$490 (March 2023), and charge it up at the same place. An interactive map of the city bus routes can be found on this city website: city bus map. You may also use Google Maps or other map apps to find the best way to get somewhere. The new system relies heavily on the need to change buses to get to your destination, and so it is common for Google Maps to suggest doing just that. Depending on how long your first journey is, you may not have to pay for your second one: after touching in, you have a 90-min period during which it is free to get on another bus.
There are also Trolleys, which have the same fare price, coin machines and use the same SUBE card. A popular run is the Parque circuit (bus route 130), which takes you to the gates of Parque San Martín every 10 minutes or so. You can catch this bus on 9 de Julio, Colón or Arístides Villanueva streets downtown. After a walk in the park and back at the gates, you could also return by catching the bus at the same stop, or simply walking down Emilio Civit street (it's not a long way to Plaza Independencia).
The Metrotranvía (MTM) is a modern electric tram-train system. The Green Line connects the city center with the south-eastern suburb of Gutiérrez in Maipú district and is being extended to Las Heras in the north of the metro area. It uses the same prepaid-card system than the buses, and combinations with buses can be made at no cost.
Taxis are plentiful, use meters, and fairly cheap, costing about the same as in Buenos Aires. A trip from the bus terminal to Plaza Independencia will cost around AR$50 (May 2018)
Mendoza is one of the few cities in Argentina where Uber has a presence.
You can hire bicycles in town - most hostels can put you in touch with a bicycle hire outfit - prices are negotiable (i.e. they will charge you as much as they think you are willing to pay) but you shouldn't pay more than AR$80-100 per day. You will need some form of ID to leave as deposit. Ask to see the bike before handing over your money - many are old clunkers.
Many companies organize trekking, expeditions, horseback riding, and whitewater rafting in the desert and the mountains. Mountain cabins in areas with spectacular scenery are easily rentable in the city. Check the classified ads in the newspaper.
Potrerillos Explorer, Potrerillos, +54 261 653-8204. Trekking, rafting, horseriding, paragliding, mountain bike, aconcaguaes tour, and wine tasting tours. Another rafting company above Potreillos (same run) is "Rio Mendoza", and for a more leisurely raft, Betancourt Rafting below the reservoir.
Kaua Spa, Park Hyatt Mendoza Hotel, Chile 1124, +54 261 441 1234, kaua.phmendoza@hyatt.com.
Termas de Cacheuta (Spas of Cacheuta), 2624 490 139. Cacheuta, about an hour outside of Mendoza, has a very large network of "natural" hot-tubs called the "Parque del Agua". During high season and weekends, you will pay AR$70. For easy transportation, inquire regarding Cacheuta at the Bus Terminal, Espreso Uspallata bus counter at the immediate south side of the terminal near platform 50; buses depart Mendoza in the morning (before noon) and return in the evening (last bus departs Cacheuta at 18:50). You will pay AR$14 for each way, and it is recommended that you purchase both directions before departing. If you're in for the full day adventure, consider bringing some food to cook on their plentiful and free grills.
If you want the natural hot springs, just go down to the river and find some rocks forming a pool. For free.
An upscale alternative is to go for the day to the Termas Hotel, about a km before", with swanky pools, masseuses, jacuzzis and an incredible buffet lunch, all for AR$80, but well worth the value - if you go, you had better book at the hotel a few days before for the package (do not bother staying at the hotel, the overpriced rooms are very cramped.
Aconcagua - America's highest peak Aconcagua (highest in the world outside the Himalayas) provides trekking and climbing possibilities. All travel agencies and backpacker hostels can organise trips - although a considerably cheaper and more flexible option is to take a Transportes Uspallata bus to the park from Mendoza's bus station. Probably you would be happy just paying the AR$25 at the park entrance to walk the short interpretive trail and lookout, rather than paying the hefty hiking fees past that you need to pay in town at the Provincial Park office in Parque San Martin (depending on how far and how many days you trek). If you want to see the top of Aconcagua, check the weather for the area before going, or you will waste your time and money.
Wine tour - The nearby vineyards will let you taste wine if you show genuine interest. It's possible to do a tour by bike, but there are also fully organised tours going from Mendoza. The most popular destination for biking and wine tasting is Maipu, a short bus (line 10-173) or cab ride out of Mendoza. Many outfits rent bikes and provide a map of the standard route. Do yourself a favor and choose your bike company carefully. For example, Mr. Hugo has well maintained bikes, but Bikes and Wines had terrible old clunkers and there is no better wat to spoil your day than to battle with an awful bike. The most popular high-end wine tours are Malbec Symphony Wine Tours, Ampora Wine Tours and Trout & Wine, which take small groups to better wineries and include a multi-course lunch. There are several excellent wineries on the typical route, including Tempus Alba, Viña El Cérno, Familia Di Tommaso, and Carinae. As an alternative, Bachhus Wines runs bike tours out of Chacras and will rent bikes for about AR$40, provide a map and call ahead to several vineyards. Please be careful with your belongings on the wine tours, as there have been cases of bags being snatched out of the baskets on bikes. Budget from AR$80 to 140 per person for "tastings", based on visiting between 4 to 6 wineries.
Cooking class - Ampora, who primarily does wine tours, also offers a cooking class for about AR$115 per person (less if paying cash). The four-hour course includes lots of wine, hands-on prep for several dishes and of course dinner. Finca Adalgisa, about 30 minutes from downtown, likewise offers a cooking demonstration several night per week. Unlike Ampora, this class is more of a demonstration than a hands-on class, but it is immensely popular. The teaching chefs for Ampora and Adalgisa both cooked under legendary Argentine chef Frances Mallmann (1884, Patagonia Sur).
Vines of Mendoza - around the corner from the Hyatt in downtown (Avenida Belgrano 1194), Vines of Mendoza is the premiere wine bar in the city. They choose top wines from the region and offer various flight options, each coming with five glasses. Options include the Iconos (top wines), whites, reserves, Uco Valley reserves, Sensory Tastings and even a Blending Lab where you experiment mixing different varietals and take home a bottle of your own personal blend. The Vines hosts a (meet the) Winemaker Night on Wednesdays (07:00-21:00) during high season. Their website has great local tourist information and the definitive "Insiders' Guide to Mendoza."
Paragliding (parapentes in Spanish) can be done in Mendoza every day of the year, depending on the winds of course. Tours include a tandem flight of about 15 minutes with an experienced pilot. Costs are about US$100. There are two companies going off Cerro Arco, both easily googleable: "zonadevuelo" (aka Fly Excursion) and "flyadventure"(aka mendoaventuras).
Skiing is popular in the winter, but the season is short. Closest are Penitientes (bigger) and Los Puquios (beginner) on the highway almost to the Chile border. You could either take the Espreso Uspallata milkruns, or by bus tickets or packages from the many agencies on Las Heras Street, between Mitre and Peru streets, where there are also lots of ski equipment and clothes rental shops.
Hike up Cerro Arco. A pleasant half-day hike easily done independently from Mendoza, offering great views of both the Andean foothills behind and the vast expanse of Mendoza's plains to the front. Cerro Acro is the looming mountain to Mendoza's north west, topped with various antenna. It is also used as the base for paragliding. Take bus 300/302 in west direction from the road named Montevideo right next to Plaza Independencia (or Parque San Martin on Av Del Libertador) to El Challao Mirador, at the end of the line 8km to the northwest. From here walk across from the white nightclub following the dyke 100 metres, then take an unpaved track further west until you reach a small restaurant, mountaineering museum and clubhouse - then follow the track to the north (going through the gate). This is a popular hike for Mendocinos at the weekend, but during the week it may be deserted. You can treat yourself to a hearty asado as the restaurant - it has two menus, one more expensive than the other! From the Mirador, the hike is about a 3½-hour round trip. Get out of the area well before dark. In the summer, go early to avoid the worst of the heat, and in the winter bring a jacket, as it can be cool and windy at the top. Afterwards you could visit the aircraft hanger sized church in Challao, a local version of Lourdes. 15-05-2017
Gaucho Horseback Riding At Kahuak, Rivadavia 234, +54 261 423-8409. Every hotel, hostel and travel agent can organise horse riding trips close to the city - but these guys have one of the better reputations, with English-speaking guides.
Las Lenas ski resort (Mendoza), Valle de Las Leñas (San Martin 811), +54 261 4297730, info@laslenasholidays.com. Las Leñas is definitely the most important ski resort in Argentina. The Andes Mountains are the highest outside of Asia with reliable skiing every ski season. Dry, plentiful powder, all levels welcome, Nordic skiing, incredible off-piste skiing and a base up at 2,240 metres describes Argentina’s most important ski resort, Las Leñas.
Malbec Symphony Wine Tours (Wine Tours, Mendoza), 256 Rivadavia (Mendoza, Argentina), +54 9-261-543-3292, info@malbecsymphony.com. 09:00-17:00. Wine tours are directed by sommelier, Julian Dlouhy and his knowledgeable staff. Tailor-made, customized tours with chauffeurs and bilingual guides in Mendoza, and other Argentine wine growing regions (Patagonia, Salta, San Juan, Cafayate, Valle de la Luna, Talampaya). Staff speaks French, German, English and Portuguese. Olive oil tours, cooking classes, mate classes, and spirit tours.
Mendoza (Mendoza Outdoors), San Martin (811), +54 261 4297730. 09:00-19:00. Mendoza Holidays is a boutique operation specializing in upscale private tours, gourmet itineraries and specialty programs throughout Mendoza, Chile and other areas in Argentina such as Buenos Aires, Salta, Iguazu Falls, Patagonia and more. Recommended by Frommers and The New York Times Travel & Dining.
As with many cities in Argentina, there is a variety of Spanish courses and private lessons are available. There are two extablished language schools in Mendoza: Intercultural is the biggest, has a range of afternoon activities, and is slightly more expensive, Greenfields (aka COINED) is smaller and feels even less well organised, but many of the teachers work at both schools.
Another great option for individual or very small tailor-made quality group lessons with a highly trained instructor: Spanish in Mendoza, Argentina (SIMA).
Another interesting way to learn Spanish is by sharing accommodation. For people planning to stay for a couple of months, renting a room in a shared place could be the best option. Prices are reasonable low compared to hostels and hotels ranging from AR$700 in a student apartment to AR$130 for a homestay with no meals.
Good restaurants abound. For a round-up of Mendoza's more expensive eateries ask for the Guía Mendoza Gourmet from the tourist office. The main restaurant strip is on Aristides Villanueva, which runs east-west from Ave Belgrano (where the defunct railway tracks are) to Parque San Martin. It is difficult to have a bad meal here, although as a general rule be wary of special offers from places near the hostels - they may be cheap, but this shows in the quality. There are also some excellent (and pricey) restaurants on Ave Sarmiento running west from Plaza Independencia. A cluster of cheaper restaurants are on Ave Juan B Justo
Try world-famous Argentinian beef asado (roasted) from a parrilla (grill) restaurant, with a bottle of Mendoza's excellent wine. Mendoza's most famous varieties are the Malbecs from Maipú and Luján de Cuyo. Other good options are Cabernet Sauvignons and Merlots.
Even by Argentinian standards, Mendocinans eat late. On weekdays kitchens open around 21:00, but few diners arrive before 22:00. On Fridays and Saturdays things don't get going until 23:00.
Although Mendoza is a very liveable city, and many choose to stay for a few weeks to take language courses and the like, there is not the same short term apartment rental infrastructure as in Buenos Aries. An internet search will bring up a few options but be wary of paying deposits before you arrive as the apartment may not live up to your expectations. Traffic noise can be a particular problem.
The most pleasant part of town is between Plaza Independencia and Park San Martin - with quiet street and well kept neighbourhoods, and the bars and restaurants of Aristes Villanueva within walking distance. East of the centre is the more low rent area, and contains the cheaper hostels.
Be wary of scams, especially around the bus terminal. Occasionally foreigners will pretend to have been robbed and use your sympathy to "borrow" money for a bus ride.
Be careful arriving early morning on overnight buses. If you put your bags down, someone may try to take them.
As everywhere in Argentina, be careful of the vehicles. They do not honour the right of way for pedestrians or stop-sign laws (the police just stand around and are mostly unhelpful). Intersections are death traps, this cannot be emphasized too much, the vehicles are usually driven erratically, fast, without attention, wandering and without signalling. Look everywhere, and make no assumptions. Especially be careful when there is a bus or taxi approaching from any direction. Many pedestrians choose to jaywalk (not a crime here) in the middle of the block to avoid endangering their lives and limbs at intersections!
San Juan, the quieter, greener, "Ciudad Oasis" is 150 km, about 2 hours, to the north. Bus departures every hour or two.
During the December to March high season, July mid-winter break and holidays when bus usage is especially high, buy your bus tickets out at the terminal at least a few days before you leave.
2nd-order administrative division
Primary administrative division