Exploring Argentina as a Vegan Destination | Julian Macraigne

Link for the show notes

Hello and welcome to another episode of the World Vegan Travel Podcast! I’m your host, Brighde, and today we have a fascinating conversation lined up for you.

In this episode, we’ll be talking to Julián Macraigne, a travel advisor based in Argentina who specializes in crafting unique itineraries for travelers exploring Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay. As a passionate vegan advocate, Julián has been working to make Argentina more accessible to vegan travelers while balancing the realities of a country known for its meat-centric cuisine.

We’ll be discussing what makes Argentina a compelling travel destination beyond its food, from breathtaking landscapes like glaciers and waterfalls to its rich cultural heritage. Julián will also share insights on the growing vegan movement in Argentina, the challenges and opportunities for plant-based travelers, and some exciting vegan-friendly spots that are emerging in cities like Buenos Aires.

If you’ve ever wondered whether Argentina can be a great destination for vegan travelers—or how travel can align with ethical and sustainable values—this episode is for you!

So, without further ado, let’s dive into my conversation with Julián Macraigne.

🌊 Our Croatia 2027 Vegan Sailing Trip is now open for bookings!
Join us as we sail the stunning Adriatic coast, exploring beautiful islands, historic seaside towns, crystal-clear waters, and incredible plant-based cuisine — all with a small group of like-minded vegan travelers.

👉 Get the Limited Time Early Bird Offer

Check out our website | Check out all the podcast show notes | Follow us on Instagram

Transcript

Brighde: I am thrilled to welcome Julian Macraigne. Thank you for joining me on the World Vegan Travel Podcast, Julian.



Julian: Thank you, Brighde. Nice to meet you.



Brighde: Nice to meet you too. I'm thrilled to have you on today talking about Argentina, a huge country that I really don't know very much about, in a continent that I've never even stepped foot on yet. So I know I'm going to learn a lot from this chat today, and I am sure you are going to inspire many of our listeners to want to visit Argentina as well.



Julian, would you mind telling us a little bit, please, about your vegan story, and how that has connected with your job, which is in travel, actually?



Julian: Yes, indeed. actually, I became a vegetarian in 2011, actually because of the animals. But at that time we didn't have Instagram or widespread information. I didn't know what veganism was. I guess I was doing the right thing at the moment. And then with my fiance Sophia, she was vegetarian too in 2018,seven years ago. So far, we decided together to make the next step because we weren't pushing enough to help the animals, I think, and we decided to become vegan. So at that moment I was working at the same place I'm working right now which is a travel agency in Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina, selling trips to French clients, French speaking clients. For example, from France, Belgium, some Canadians, but it's not, not the majority. Since that moment, we, I think both of us, became more related to animal rights. It was not only because of the food or it was more widespread approach to animal rights. In the pandemic we joined an activism group that was non-violent. It was mostly talking to people on parks, educating, showing not the awful things that many activists show on Instagram. Like the slaughterhouse videos or footage. Instead, it was like promoting that every animal has fundamental rights. We had a nice conversations. I got a lot of education, I guess. I put that knowledge into my work. Sadly, Argentina is very well known for its meat. Patagonia, it's also well known for horse riding. I have the freedom to tell my clients, 'I don't sell this kind of activity. If you want that, you can go somewhere else.' So yeah.



Brighde: So you are like a travel advisor. So you work for a travel company for people who want to come to Argentina, and you create itineraries and services for them. Is that correct?



Exactly. 



Julian: This is what I love about working with tour operators or tour companies like yours, that are able to create things that align with vegan values or whatever the values are of the people that want to go and really customize things for them. So tell me again the name of your travel agency? 



 That'll be a little bit complicated. I'll start with my employer, it's called Amahuaca. It's very difficult, even for us in Spanish, because it's not so common, the name, Amahuaca. But the client I work for, it's called Bynativ, which is located in Paris, in France. So yeah, it's the two names where you can find it. But recently, with my boss and another colleague, we are developing another brand, which is called Mauna. The original idea is to sell vegan trips through this new brand, but I guess it'll take time. So meanwhile, I can put this to work through Amahuaca, the other  Bynativ. So the important thing is to promote Argentina as a vegan destination, 



Brighde: and 



Julian: have the clients that want to come here to have a wonderful trip, yeah.



Brighde: So Vegans Listening, if you can't wait for Mauna to be released, I'm sure it will take a lot of work to get that set up. But in the meantime, I guess you could ask for Julian, who will put together a fun vegan itinerary for you, right? 



Okay. So Argentina should be on our bucket list if that's what you would like to convince us of today. I love it. Just give us a very high-level view. Why do you believe Argentina is a must-visit destination for vegan travelers?



Julian: Yes. I think, when I was 24, 25 years old, I haven't traveled much. So, Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina didn't mean a lot to me. But that changed a lot when I first started traveling around the world. It was in 2012 that I made a worldwide travel for six months, yeah. And I realized that this country has it all. And I love it here. It's perfect. It has deserts, glaciers, jungle, waterfalls, a lot of seacoast, Atlantic seacoast, the Andes, volcanoes, mountains, ski resorts or summer beach camps. It's a lot. Yeah. I think the only thing that we don't have as a landscape or attraction, it's like these beaches in the Caribbean or Thailand. The water is cold and it's not so pretty, but it's like the Mediterranean, I think, more or less, or California. But, aside from that, it's, yeah, this country has it all. Yes.



Brighde: So, how is Argentina similar to or different from other South American countries in terms of like language, culture, nature, attractions, geography. How is it similar, and how is it the same? Because I think a lot of people might have this idea that, you know, you've been to one South American country, you've been to them all, but I'm sure there are a lot of differences. Can you let us know some of those? 



Julian: Of course. That's right. Because many people think that Argentina is part of Brazil. Even though many countries from South America are very similar. We speak Spanish, except from Brazil, which speaks Portuguese. The dialects are different, the accent. But the Argentinian accent, it's very unique in particular. And aside from that, especially Buenos Aires, the capital, since we were colonized by Europeans. It is said that Buenos Aires is like the European city. Yes, it's not the typical Latin American city that you can see everywhere. For example, from Lima to Rio de Janeiro or Santiago in Chile. It's different. You can sense that you are in Latin America, but it's not the same. And I guess, the people, the culture, and the landscapes. Yes, but all the Brazilians want to come here because they don't have cold weather, ski resorts, glaciers. That's one example of it. I think we are the only country that has all the landscapes. It's very similar to the U. S. I think. Yes. 



Brighde: Okay, well, you've sold me. You've sold me, for sure. What is the vegan scene like in Argentina? I've definitely heard that stereotype a bazillion times, of ranching is huge in Argentina, and steak is huge, and every city seems to have an Argentine Steakhouse. What is it really like in terms of, you know, the number of vegan restaurants, maybe vegan hotels or accommodations. The traditional cuisine, maybe that can be a little bit more friendly, vegan-friendly, than might be thought. So, would you mind sharing that?



Julian: Yes, of course. Sadly, Argentina is not well known for being vegan-friendly. So yes, it's true. Meat is everywhere. Yes, it's not a very vegan-friendly as, I don't know, Thailand or here in Peru. I travel a lot in this country. And even though I had to make an effort to find a vegan place or something to eat, or there's more and more options in restaurants, cafes, even some 100 percent vegan places. So, especially in Buenos Aires. Little by little, it's taking place here. The vegan side at least. 



Accommodation, well, there's only one place in Argentina, which is vegan,and it's called, Hosteria Vegetariana. It was, yes, it was formerly vegetarian. But the owner is vegan. So yeah, actually the place is all vegan. 



Brighde: And where is that located, and have you been there? What is it like?



Julian: We've been there for a couple of days and it was amazing. They offer some retreats, yoga sessions, and it's all included. All vegan food. It's amazing. They have a swimming pool. It's huge, like, very, very huge.



Brighde: Yeah, I just went on their website just as you were talking, and it is really large. And it has these beautiful views over the hills which are kind of surprising. Like grass and then like rocky, not sort of like mountain peaks. Maybe there is snow on them at certain times. I'm not sure, but the sky is just so blue. It looks so clear. I don't know whether that was just a special day when they took those photos. But certainly, the air seems very clear.



Yes, indeed. The moment we went there we experienced the same blue pattern. It was beautiful. Yeah. So I strongly recommend people to go there and spend even a week. It's yeah, it's wonderful. Yeah. Oh, lovely. I love a good vegan hotel, for sure. So that is very interesting, but we don't just go to Argentina for one hotel. There's so many other things to see and do. What are some destinations in Argentina that you really think should be on everyone's list of places to go, and then maybe we'll go to your like hidden gem personal recommendations. So can you talk to those must-sees in 



Julian: Argentina? 



 Of course. Well, there are three, the most important ones are El Calafate, which is in Patagonia, and there you can see the glaciers. Especially the one called Perito Moreno. And it's the only glacier, which is not receding. It's actually growing. 



Brighde: So El Calafate is a town?



Julian: Yes. Yes. It's a, 



Brighde: Oh, okay.



 



Brighde: It's 



a town. It's on the South, near the Andes. Yes.



Okay. And it has a glacier like, in the town, or you can visit the glacier from the town?



Julian: Yes. The glacier is located like one hour and a half, by car. It's in the national park, and the town is in front of a lake, massive lake, where the glacier is located. So, yeah. we could say it's near. The town is near the glacier, yes.



Brighde: It looks like the glacier is spilling into that lake. It's not like in the mountains. It's spilling into that beautiful Lago Argentino. 



Julian: Yes, exactly, yes, it's spilling down right into the lake. Yeah.



Brighde: So how do people enjoy this glacier. Like I can imagine, walking on it, looking at pictures of it here. It looks a little dangerous. So how do people enjoy it? 



Julian: Well, you have two options. The cheapest one is, you can see it in front of the glacier. I don't remember the name of the the place exactly, but you see it in front of it. And the other way, which is more expensive, you can walk on the glacier. But you have to be less than 65 years old. Yes, they are very strict. There's like a monopoly directing this excursion. 



Brighde: Is that because it's very difficult? It's very strenuous? 



Julian: There's no logical explanation. Yeah. Yeah.



Brighde: Right. That's in quite a remote part of Argentina. It's certainly very far away from the coastline. Are there any other things in that area that make it an interesting place to check out? 



Julian: Well, for example, near El Calafate, you have El Chalten, which is the national capital of trekking. 



Brighde: Oh. 



There you have the Fitz Roy, which is a mountain. Very well known. It's actually my favorite region in Argentina. If you love trekking, it's one of the best places to do that. Wow. Okay. Yeah. Seb and I love trekking. When I was telling my partner, Seb, we were having our conversation today, he started 'waxing lyrical' about how much he wants to go hiking in Patagonia. He was telling me a story of when he did some trekking in Nepal and he went to Everest Base Camp. He wasn't climbing Everest. He just went to Everest Base Camp and some climbers took pity on him and his friend who were camping and making noodles on like a gas stove at Everest Base Camp. It was just horrible. They invited them into their tent where, of course, they had incredible food , and they learned all about Patagonia. I think one of the questions was posed of the climbers, 'If you could just retire in one place in the world, where you would have mountains, where would it be?' And this guy said, 'Argentina, Patagonia.' So if a climber is saying that, they've been to a lot of mountains. They must have something right, for sure. So you mentioned El Calafate and the surrounding areas. One of the must-see destinations. Do you have any others you would like to share? 



Yes. For example, the Iguazu Falls. It's very similar to the Victoria Falls. Oh.



Is that right? 



Julian: Yeah. I visited Victoria Falls a couple of years ago. I can say, I love both. Both are gorgeous, and Iguazu Falls are huge, massive. You can even navigate very near to the waterfall. 



Brighde: Like Niagara Falls? 



Julian: It's very fun. It's very fun. 



Brighde: And the vegetation is quite different. It looks much more lush, more tropical.



Julian: Yes, it's 



Brighde: very 



Julian: lush, green. It's humid. It's a jungle. So it's very different from what you can find in Patagonia, on the south, yeah.



Brighde: And when people normally go there, do they just go to the falls? It feels like a long way to go for just seeing some waterfalls, even if they're very spectacular. Are there other things around to make that trek worth it? 



Between Buenos 



Aires and Iguazú, you have the Esteros wetlands, which are massive massive wetlands. Full of capybaras, caimans, I think, well, other animals. It's not so well known worldwide. You won't find many people there. So this is really like a great place, but because it's a bit of a challenge to get to, not that many people go. Is that correct? 



Julian: Yeah, it's not that easy to go there. And many, many people that love bird watching go there specifically. 



Brighde: Okay. 



Julian: Yeah. 



Brighde: Well, that sounds lovely. And I think you mentioned one other, Ushuaia? Something like that?



Julian: Yeah. 



Brighde:  Ushuaia, which is the 



Julian: southernmost point on the continent. Actually, the southernmost city on the continent. That will be called the end of the world. It's a nice place. I like it. The architecture you can see there. It's so different than in Buenos Aires. Throughout the country you can see a lot of mixture from different cultures. You won't find there what you find here in Buenos Aires. I like Ushuaia. You can see the mountains, the Andes, and at the same time, the beach. I like it. You can go skiing also there. It's unique, I think.



Brighde: I'm looking at the map here, and I didn't realize this; that it's not actually part of the mainland. There's an archipelago and the border between Chile and Argentina cuts off these several islands, right? 



Julian: Yeah. Actually, you don't go there by boat. You go by plane. Normally you go from either Calafate or Buenos Aires. But, yeah, you don't even realize that it's an island.



Brighde: Yeah, they look pretty big. 



Julian: Yeah. 



Brighde: Am I right in thinking; that is where many of the Antarctica cruise boats and expedition boats leave from? 



Exactly. There's another cruise called Australis, which goes through the Cape Horn Passage, and goes to Chile. It's very expensive. Also the cruises that go to Antarctica go from there. I see. I see. Something I'm curious about, like we've talked a lot about natural landscapes and scenery, things like that. What about some cultural activities that people might like to participate in? They could be like indigenous ones or non-indigenous ones. What are some ways that people might become familiar with the local culture? 



Julian: I think here in Buenos Aires, one thing is that it's very Argentinian. It's the tango, yes, and even though I don't dance the tango, I don't really like dancing at all. I know that many tourists come here and wants to learn. Local people dance the tango, and I know about a place which is not touristic at all. And you don't even have to pay. You can go there. It's located in a park, at a kiosk. There's people dancing the tango. Generally it's older people. There are many tourists that go there, and sometimes they even learn to dance a little bit, and they give a tip. And it's original, I think. Yeah, it's a nice way to learn a bit from the culture here.



Brighde: So we've talked a little bit about how there's a lot of steak, and lots of it can be very meat-heavy. Is there any dishes at all, maybe the answer to this is no, but are there any dishes at all that are, accidentally vegan? And I'm talking ones that are, maybe they're side dishes, but they're Argentinian. We could maybe ask for in any restaurant and they might be able to help us out and make it for us. 



Julian: there's actually an option of pizza that is called the canchera. It doesn't have cheese. So it's vegan. It's accidentally vegan, yeah. 



Brighde: Can you say the name of it again?



Julian: Canchera.



Brighde: Canchera. Okay, and what is in it? 



Julian: It's only, I think, tomato, garlic sometimes, and that's it. It's very simple. It's the cheapest one, yeah.



Brighde: Ah, okay. I love it. And is there access to, if someone wanted to make stuff for picnics and things like that. Of course, I'm sure that there's tons of produce in the supermarkets. Fruits and vegetables, and grains and rice, and even maybe some vegan alternatives. Yogurt and burgers, things like that? Yeah.



Julian: Here in Buenos Aires, it's, nowadays, it's very easy. Even if you go to supermarkets, you'll find many options, even vegan cheese, milk, some desserts, you name it. Especially in health food stores, you'll find anything you want. I would say it's easy compared to the rest of the country. And it depends on the region. I think Patagonia. It depends where exactly. But for example, Ushuaia, Calafate, it's not that easy to find a place to eat something that is not expensive or that is vegan-friendly, actually. 



Brighde: Right. 



Julian: But, for example, in the Seven Lakes region, which is Bariloche, near the Andes. I don't know why, but it's more vegan-friendly. There's a place called San Martin de los Andes which has many different vegan options. I don't know why. It's very, yeah. It's located between mountains in the valley, near the lake and I love it. It's maybe the perfect place to put a vegan restaurant or vegan cafe. It depends where you go. Iguazú is not so vegan-friendly. But for example, Salta, which is near Bolivia, the north of Chile, there you can eat, for example, quinoa, rice with a side dish. Everywhere there's an option.



Brighde: I think, please tell me if I'm wrong, but it doesn't sound to me that people come to Argentina for the food, whether they are vegan or not. It's not like France, not that French food is very vegan-friendly, or Italy, or Vietnam, or Thailand for example. That's not to say don't go there, because there are so many amazing things. But everyone should keep their expectations in check regarding the food. Because if you're a foodie traveler, then whatever food you eat, you might be disappointed and just instead focus on the other amazing things that there are to see and do there. And I think it's quite nice not spending like three plus hours in a restaurant every day. Just eat something quick, grab something quick, and then go off and continue with your hiking or enjoying the natural landscapes. My tip there. Okay. All right. Now, something I'd love to ask you, because Argentina is such a long country going through many different climatic zones, and of course it is in the southern hemisphere. So right now we're recording this in January, you're in the middle of summer. So what times of year would you say are the best for visiting a couple of different parts of Argentina. And it may be because of the weather, or it may be because you want to avoid certain times, like a busy festival period, or maybe there's a festival that you think people should not miss. And also maybe the price as well. Maybe the pricing changes depending on the time of year. can you orient people for that? 



Julian: Okay. I'll give you many tips, I think. Because, for example, the high season goes from October till March. 



Brighde: Wow, that's a long season. 



Julian: Yeah, it is our spring. So yes, it's the busiest and more expensive season. From October to November, that's the best time to visit all the regions in the country in one trip, for example. If you want to do that. From June to mid-December, Southern Right Whales come here from the north to the south, to Patagonia, and to nurse their babies in a place called Valdes Peninsula. 



Brighde: Wow. 



Julian: And you can watch them from June, and the busiest time would be, like, September, October. If you go there on November, you're gonna see less than usual. I would say, if you're gonna go and see the whales, you'd better go in mid-September. Because also from more or less mid-September, the penguin colony comes to the same region, the same place.



Brighde: What type of penguins? 



Julian: Okay, I think in English it's magellanic. But you have several species, I think. The King Penguin as well, and the Gentoo penguin. 



Brighde: Oh, and the Rockhopper Penguin. Wow, you have several.



Julian: We have a lot of animal species throughout country. You can see pumas. It's not that common, not many people know that. But there's a region in Patagonia where you can see them. You have the Southern Right Whales, penguins, also condors in the central region. Oh, there are also killer whales in the Valdes Peninsula, but they are not easy to watch. 



Brighde: So that peninsula that you're talking about, it really is a peninsula. It's just, I want to say, halfway down the country and there's this sort of, it almost could be an island, if somebody just dug it a little bit. It's this kind of sticking out bit, and looking at the map, as you're talking, I'm seeing that Argentina doesn't seem to be very densely populated. It seems quite like there's not a lot of towns and cities. probably a lot of the land is turned over for animal agriculture by the sounds of it, but certainly there doesn't seem to be the big sort of strain on the country when it comes to a very high population density. I'm quite surprised as I zoom in and out. There's really not many cities and towns at all. 



Yeah, that's right. That's right. And I love that. Yeah, because I live in Buenos Aires. I love going, for example, to the South and not seeing anyone. The Patagonian Steppe. Yeah, it's beautiful. Even though, you're right, there are many ranch or farms but there are a lot of free spaces, I guess. It's really very interesting and just so nice to be in a place where there's just so much nature, and by the sounds of it, there is really a lot of ways to connect with nature in Argentina, which is something I never really thought about that much. 



Julian: Argentina is this big country, which doesn't have a huge population. I'm just curious, like, how do travelers normally get around when they come to Argentina? 



typically, a nice trip through Argentina, would take you to Ushuaia, El Calafate, Salta, and Iguazú.You have to make a minimum of five national flights. 



Brighde: If you want to do the country quickly, you have to take flights. Otherwise it would just be two day bus rides, right?



Julian: Yes, and the bus here. It's not well connected. Cities are not well connected. If you're gonna go from Buenos Aires to the North, or the South, you have to take the plane, yes. 



Brighde: I imagine, Argentina is a little bit like Australia, which lends itself to people maybe buying a car or buying some sort of van to sleep in and travel around that way. Is that true? Is it common for that to happen? 



Julian: No, it's not that 



Brighde: common. 



Oh, interesting. Not like Australia. 



Julian: Argentina, it's also known for its wineries in the Mendoza region, near the Andes. They make a very good Malbec. They won international prizes. The wine here is very good. And that's why many French come here and want to taste the wine.



Brighde: They want to try the new world wines. 



Julian: Yeah. Every region here has different attractions to offer. For example, Salta in the north, has a lot of deserts, rocky like mountains, big saltmarshes. It's not called marshes, but it's vast salt flats. 



Brighde: Ah. 



Julian: Yeah, like in Bolivia or Chile. And it's not that far from Iguazu, the jungle. As you can see, we have very different landscapes. Deserts on the north, jungle, glaciers, beach, and mountains, vineyards, wetlands. If you come like three or four weeks. It'll be expensive but it'll be worth it.



Brighde: I'm sure. You've definitely sold me on it, for sure. Are there any last minute extra bits of information that you would like to share with our listeners? 



Julian: Well, even though Argentina is not really vegan-friendly as South Asia, like Thailand, for example, I want to propose Argentina as a vegan destination. For example, a sanctuary, which is located in Buenos Aires, not a capital, but a little far away, and I wanted t oprepare trips that includes this sanctuary. I don't know, a voluntary for a day or, yes, a visit where people can help the owners or a small donation. So yeah, that will be my goal, to make vegan trips and not also related to food, but also helping a vegan sanctuary. Which is one of the only two vegan sanctuaries we have in the country. Both are located in Buenos Aires province.



Brighde: Okay, so they're like farmed animal sanctuaries, right? With pigs and cows and things like that. Okay, yes, that sounds lovely. So, could listeners of this podcast reach out to you today for your help in putting together a vegan trip that would be obviously more customized and you would obviously be looking at providing services through a vegan lens. Is that possible just until your vegan travel product is all set up ready to go? 



Julian: Yes, of course. You can write to Julian at mauna dot r. R for Argentina. A



Brighde: isn't it? AR. 



Julian: AR, exactly. 



Brighde: Fantastic. All right. Well, I want to wish you all the best of luck with developing this vegan product. I know, it will probably take you some time, but maybe when it's all set up, you can come back on the podcast. I would love to hear more about it and to have you promote that on the World Vegan Travel Podcast. That just sounds like so much fun. And in the meantime, I wish you all the best. 



Julian: Thank you, Brighde, for having me. It was a pleasure. 



Brighde: Thank you.