Day 1
Upon arrival, we’ll meet at the airport and we’ll drive you to your hotel. Take the rest of the afternoon to explore the city. Bear in mind that this is a stress-free hub: la siesta (mid-day nap) is kind of a religious ritual for locals, which means that between 1 pm and 5 pm shops are usually closed.
Salta is the selected jumping-off point for travelers seeking to explore the North of Argentina. From here, you can visit the most outstanding natural wonders of the area: the Humahuaca Gorge, and the Seven Colors Hill located in Jujuy, a bordering province which is also famous worldwide.
Salta has it all: the geographical diversity (red, green and brown-tinted mountains) and the vast history—it is in these time-honored lands that men fought for the freedom of Argentina. Make the most of your time in the city and:
Admire the colonial architecture, the lively cafés in the main plaza (great people-watching spot) and try the traditional “tamales”.
Visit the vibrant and authentic peñas, which are places where locals grab a table to watch their favorite folkloric singers, and after a glass of wine (or two) everyone joins in for dancing. “¿Bailamos?” (Shall we dance?): it’s all you need to say to start the party!
Day 2
Today you’ll travel to the clouds—no exaggeration! We’ll pick you up at your hotel to start a two day trip to Purmamarca and the Great Salt Flats, a white solid ocean, 13000 feet above sea level!
In this 10-hour trip we’ll travel along the same route of the famous Train to the Clouds, zigzagging on lonely roads between the blue sky and the high desert plains. On our way, we will visit historic ruins and small scattered villages.
Our first destination is the small town of Campo Quijano, best known as the Gateway to the Puna. Later, we will visit the impressive Quebrada del Toro, a natural wonder where human-sized cactus stand in a backdrop of eroded peaks which emerge from the golden sand like giant fingers. Here we’ll stop for a refreshing coffee break.
We’ll keep on traveling to Santa Rosa de Tastil, a pre-Incan city of the XIII century, and right after, to San Antonio de los Cobres, the HQ of the Pachamama (Mother Earth) Celebration. The “salty” cherry on top will be the surreal landscape of the Great Salt Flats. The natural light and reflections provide perfect opportunities for endless photo fun. Test your creativity! And be careful of where you put your feet: there are artificial water pools in the area.
At the end of your adventure in the Great Salt Flats we’ll take you to your hotel in Purmamarca, located at the base of Jujuy’s famed Seven Color Hill.
For this 2-day trip we recommend that you leave your luggage in your hotel in Salta, and just take a day pack on the excursion. For your free evening in Purmamarca, we recommend that you take a walk around the main plaza of and visit the ancient Santa Rosa de Lima Church.
Day 3
We’ll pick you up from your hotel early in the morning and take you on a 12-hour adventure to the Humahuaca Gorge, declared a UNESCO Heritage Site. Humahuaca Gorge is home to a bunch of natural amazing monuments like the Seven Color Hill, the Pucará de Tilcara (a ramshackled yet well restored native fortress), the Paleta del Pintor (Painter Palette) at Maimará village, an impressive multi-colored mountain range.
You’ll see some peculiar paintings of the colonial period (called Pinturas Cuzqueñas) at the little Uquía Church, and finally, pass by the famous Tropic of Capricorn milestone to reach the picturesque Humahuaca.
Wander among their traditional houses and streets, and get a feel for the old-world languor that still survives in this setting. At the end of the day, we’ll drive you back to your hotel in Salta La Linda (the beautiful) as Argentines nicknamed the city.
Day 4
We’ll pick you up from your hotel in Salta and leave behind the Lerma Valley to visit Laures and Escoipe, the first two gorges of this 12-hour excursion. The landscapes will still remain green, but colors will definitely begin to change when we approach the Cuesta del Obispo, the windiest and most spectacular road in this area. We’ll climb up to 11,000 feet high—get prepared to see the world from above!
This is the connective road to get to the high valleys, where the Calchaqui Valley wine region sits. We’ll see enormous cactus while passing through Los Cardones National Park on our way to Cachi, a famous village where Spanish and native tradition combines to form the most beautiful architecture.
In the afternoon, continue with your exploration of the valleys and reach the town of Molinos and Angastaco, just before visiting Las Flechas Gorge, a special rocky formation which creates a labyrinth of sharp, high peaks. After going down its mysterious passages, we’ll get to Cafayate where we’ll spend the night.
Cafayate is one of the most popular destinations of the Calchaqui Valley wine region. Cafayate wine is renowned in Argentina, especially because of the star product of the region: the Torrontes wine.
Enjoy the end of the day in this picturesque town while sipping on a drink at sunset in the main square, or maybe a Malbec ice cream from a traditional gelato shop. Since there are many surrounding wineries, we thought that a visit to one or two of them could be interesting for you… so we’ve already scheduled it! According to weather and timetables, you will be able to partake in this memorable tour either on your arrival day or the day after.
Day 5
On the second day of this Calchaqui Valley adventure you’ll leave Cafayate and be directly immersed into the forbidding universe of Las Conchas Gorge, where erosion has carved mysterious red shapes into the rocks. Get prepared to visit this Natural Reserve for about 5 hours, and to enjoy the views of its colorful hills while you go down its red-tinted promontories and discover the most prominent rocky highlights: the Frog, the Obelisk and the Castles.
The highlight of the day will be the Amphitheater and the famous Devil’s Throat. The amphitheater is a natural semicircular formation (65 feet high), and is home to intimate concerts performed by local artists. Get inside and check out the amazing acoustics by singing your favorite tune! Nearby, the Devil’s Throat awaits at the end of Las Conchas Gorge. Going down this particular rocky formation, you’ll feel as though you’re right in the belly of a giant!
At the end of the day, we’ll take you back to Salta. Enjoy the evening by eating an empanada salteña, a special variation of this classic Argentine dish.
Day 6
At the appropriate time, we’ll drive you to the airport. If you don’t want this journey to end, you can extend your travels. Check out our Argentina tours and keep exploring our beautiful country.
USD 2090
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PEACE OF MIND THIS IS A CARBON NEUTRAL TRIP
We care deeply about our planet, as we know you do. When you book with us, the carbon emissions from your trip are 100% offset. We are working to create more sustainable, responsible and meaningful ways of exploring South America. It feels good to do it right. Learn more about our actions against climate change here.
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FLIGHTS NEEDEDFOR THIS ITINERARY
No flights needed for this trip. Trip starts and finishes in Salta.
Flights in South America cost approximately $100 to $250 USD per segment (destination). We offer special rates on flights for this tailor-made itinerary.
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