Is Mendoza Safe in January 2026?

Motorcycle-based theft — known locally as motochorro — is documented across Mendoza's urban streets and is specifically flagged in multiple government travel advisories including the US State Department, Canada DFAT, and Australian Smartraveller. Thieves operate in pairs on a motorbike: one drives slowly alongside pedestrians while the other grabs phones, bags, or jewellery and the bike accelerates away. The attack is fast and leaves victims little time to react.

How to avoid: Walk on the inside of the footpath, away from the kerb. Keep phones out of sight and in a pocket rather than in hand. Wear bags across the body with the strap on the traffic-side shoulder to make snatching harder. Avoid wearing visible jewellery or watches in street-level areas.

Mendoza's Terminal del Sol bus station is a documented hotspot for luggage theft, specifically named in US State Department and Canadian government travel advisories. A common technique involves a staged distraction — one person falls or bumps into you while an accomplice removes bags from overhead racks, under seats, or from unattended piles during boarding and alighting. Bags left in overhead compartments on overnight long-distance buses are also targeted while passengers sleep.

How to avoid: Keep bags between your feet or on your lap at all times in the terminal waiting area. Lock luggage to overhead racks on overnight buses using a cable lock. Never accept help from strangers who approach you near your luggage.

A major travel agency fraud case in Mendoza in January 2025 resulted in 80+ victims losing nearly $200,000 USD after paying for package holidays to the Caribbean and Disney that were never delivered. The agency — Guillén Enterprise — collected full payment via its website and social media channels, then shut down its online presence and ceased contact two days before departure. The owner was subsequently arrested by Mendoza authorities and the case was widely reported by Argentine national media including Infobae and Todo Noticias. The scale and recency of this case make online travel agency fraud a documented, active risk in Mendoza.

How to avoid: Only book tours and package holidays with agencies registered with Argentina's tourism authority (SECTUR) and verified on the official registry. Pay by credit card rather than bank transfer so you can dispute fraudulent charges. Search the agency name plus "estafa" or "denuncia" before paying. Avoid agencies that promote heavily on Instagram or WhatsApp without a verifiable physical address in Mendoza.

Taxi drivers at Mendoza's El Plumerillo Airport frequently quote inflated flat rates to tourists unfamiliar with local fares. Drivers may claim the meter is broken or insist on a fixed price that is two to three times the standard rate. The airport exit area has unofficial drivers posing alongside licensed taxis making it difficult to distinguish legitimate services.

How to avoid: Use the official remis (private car) kiosks inside the terminal where fixed-rate prices are displayed. Agree on the fare before entering any vehicle and confirm the driver has an official license plate and ID.

Street-level arbolitos (informal money changers) approach tourists in Mendoza's central pedestrian zone offering parallel exchange rates above the official bank rate. While some transactions proceed, many involve counterfeit notes mixed into bundles, deliberate short-counts, or sleight-of-hand where pesos are palmed mid-count. During periods of Argentine economic instability the spread between official and blue rates is large, making the scam highly attractive to operators. The practice is illegal and leaves tourists with no recourse against losses.

How to avoid: Decline all street currency exchange approaches. Use official casas de cambio with posted rates or withdraw from ATMs. If using informal channels, never allow the other party to handle the cash during counting.