GUIDED tour visiting the most important historical sites in the city of Salta. The tour includes door-to-door service.
BY MINIBUS, you will be picked up from your hotels to visit the most important historical sites in the city of Salta, climb to the top of San Bernardo Hill along the route, and descend to the General Güemes Monument. Afterwards, you will visit the San Lorenzo Gorge, crisscrossed by crystal clear streams, and the Yungas of Salta. The tour ends at a historic mansion that currently houses the Salta Artisan Market, a historic 19th-century building.
Duration: 4 hours
The tour departs via RN 68, passing through the towns of Cerrillos, La Merced, and El Carril. Then, via RP 33 heading west, you will travel through the foothills of the Andes, through the Quebradas de Los Laureles and Escoipe, admiring the terraced fields where local farmers grow vegetables in the same way their ancestors did. You will descend the famous Cuesta del Obispo, a winding road surrounded by impressive rock formations and natural walls where you can spot the king of the skies, the condor. The slope takes you to the Valle Encantado, with its fairytale landscape, and from there to the Piedra del Molino. The latter is the highest point, at 3,348 meters above sea level.
After leaving the subtropical climate of the valley, you will enter the Puna desert, where you will travel along the Recta del Tin Tin, part of the Inca Trail, Los Cardones National Park, Payogasta, and finally Cachi. There, after lunch, you will tour the town with its intact colonial architecture, its church, its museum, which preserves the history of the indigenous communities of the area, and the craft market where local artisans’ textiles are sold. Then, you will begin their return to Salta.
Daily departure: 7:00 a.m. Duration: 12 hours.
The tour begins heading south on RN 68, through the towns of the Lerma Valley: Cerrillos, La Merced, El Carril, Coronel Moldes, and La Viña, an agricultural and livestock area where the main production is tobacco, so you will be able to see the tobacco ovens and tobacco leaves spread out along the fences drying in the sun. You will enter the Quebrada de las Conchas through Alemanía, where you can appreciate the most diverse colors and rock formations such as La Garganta del Diablo, El Anfiteatro, La Yesera, Casa de Loros, Los Castillos, Los Médanos, El Fraile, El Obelisco, and Las Ventanas.
Once in Cafayate, you will visit a winery to discover all the secrets of Salta wines, especially the famous Torrontés wine. After lunch, you will tour the town and its most significant sites, then begin your return to Salta, discovering a landscape completely different from the one you saw on the way there, thanks to the position of the sun and water and wind erosion. From there, you will return to Salta.
Daily departure: 7:00 a.m. Duration: 12 hours.
This excursion will delight you with the variety and contrast of landscapes. You will leave Salta on National Route 9 bound for Purmamarca, where, after a quick stop, you will climb the Cuesta de Lipán to reach 4,200 meters above sea level, surrounded by breathtaking scenery. From there, you will descend to the majestic Salinas Grandes salt flats, where you will meet the salt workers who will teach you about their craft.
On the way back, you will be able to appreciate the native fauna, including llamas and vicuñas. Once back in Purmamarca, you will have lunch and visit Los Colorados, an impressive formation located behind the Cerro de los Siete Colores (Hill of Seven Colors). After touring the village, you will return to Salta via the same route.
Daily departure: 7:00 a.m. Duration: 12 hours.
You depart from Salta via RN 9/34 to arrive in San Salvador de Jujuy and begin to retrace the wonderful villages of the Quebrada de Humahuaca to discover their customs, traditions, beliefs, and the wonderful landscapes that surround them. You will visit Volcán, Tumbaya, and Purmamarca, with its plaza where artisans gather, its church steeped in history, and, of course, the Cerro de los Siete Colores (Hill of Seven Colors). In Tilcara, you can stroll through the town, as in Humahuaca, with its beautiful buildings and the imposing Independence Monument.
Next, you will set off for Hornocal, or Cerro de Catorce Colores (Hill of Fourteen Colors), which stands at an altitude of 4,350 meters. The mountain range is located 25 kilometers from the city of Humahuaca. It is a stratified sedimentary formation made up of the Yacoraite Formation (a limestone of ocher, yellow, green, and whitish colors where the iron did not oxidize) from the end of the Cretaceous period, when the last dinosaurs lived, 75 million years ago. This limestone is bordered by other well-oxidized sedimentary formations, which are bright red in color, creating a striking contrast.
On the way back, you will visit the Tropic of Capricorn in Huacalera and Maimará, where you can admire its famous Paleta del Pintor (Painter’s Palette). From there, you will return to Salta.
Daily departure: 6:30 a.m. Duration: 14 hours.
This unique and special trip combines two different experiences. First, you’ll travel along Route 51, stopping to take photos at scenic spots that seem “frozen in time.” Then, you’ll embark on the magical experience of the Tren a las Nubes (Train to the Clouds), which reveals itself in all its splendor as it arrives at the imposing viaduct in the foothills of the Andes. Landscapes and sensations combine with stories and experiences to relive the epic railway construction project, which began in 1920, initiated by engineer Richard Fontain Maury, the driving force behind the project.
The departure point is Salta Train Station (Balcarce and Ameghino streets) with stops at Campo Quijano, Viaducto del Toro, Yacoraite geological formation, El Alfarcito, San Antonio de Los Cobres Train Station, Viaducto la Polvorilla, San Antonio de Los Cobres, Santa Rosa de Tastil, before returning to Salta.
Depart from Salta via RN 9/34 to arrive at San Salvador de Jujuy and explore the wonderful villages of the Quebrada de Humahuaca, discovering their customs, traditions, beliefs, and the marvelous landscapes that surround them. You will visit Volcán, Tumbaya, and Purmamarca, with its plaza where artisans gather, its church steeped in history, and, of course, the Cerro de los Siete Colores (Hill of Seven Colors). In Tilcara, you will delight in one of the most beautiful villages in Jujuy, continuing on to Humahuaca, where you will tour the village with its beautiful buildings and the imposing Independence Monument, and have lunch.
Then you will continue on to Iruya, climbing like a bridge to the sky until you reach the dreamlike village hanging among the clouds, the last corner of the province of Salta. On the way back, you will visit the Tropic of Capricorn in Huacalera and Maimará, where you can admire its famous Paleta del Pintor (Painter’s Palette). From there, you will return to Salta.
Hours: 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Duration: 15 hours.
You will travel almost entirely through the Calchaquí Valleys, passing through all the towns mentioned above, discovering their attractions, history, and monuments. Departing from Salta to Cachi, passing through the Cuesta del Obispo and Los Cardones National Park, you will arrive at lunchtime. You will continue along National Route 40 to enjoy panoramic views of extraordinary beauty along the Calchaquí River, as well as historic towns such as Molinos, Seclantás, and Angastaco.
You will continue along the Quebrada de las Flechas, visiting San Carlos and arriving in Cafayate, where you will spend the night. In the morning, you will visit the town and wineries, before returning to the city of Salta after lunch, crossing the Quebrada de las Conchas and the Lerma Valley.
Hours: 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Duration: 14 hours.
You will depart at 6:30 a.m. from Salta capital to travel along RN 68 and then RP 33, where you will see all the diversity of landscapes that this excursion has to offer. On a road of ravines and hills, you will make technical and photographic stops at Cuesta del Obispo, Recta del Tin Tin, and Los Cardones National Park. You will take RN 40 to the town of La Poma, where you will visit the famous Cavernas del Puente del Diablo, the Twin Volcanoes, and the Inca Granaries. On this excursion, you should bring two changes of clothes because you will get wet when entering the caves. You can also hire a local guide who will provide them with wetsuits, as well as a guided tour.
After touring La Poma, they will head to Cachi, where you will have lunch and free time to explore, returning to Salta at 8:30 p.m.
Hours: 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Duration: 14 hours.
You will depart at 7:00 a.m. on RN 51 towards Campo Quijano, passing through the towns of El Alfarcito and Santa Rosa de Tastil, where you will visit some ruins. You will arrive at San Antonio de Los Cobres, from where you can reach the La Polvorilla Viaduct, where the Tren a las Nubes (Train to the Clouds) passes. Afterwards, you will travel along Route 40 to Salinas Grandes to appreciate the immensity of the salt flats and their beautiful landscape. You will descend the Cuesta del Lipán to the town of Purmamarca, where you will be able to explore and appreciate the culture and the Cerro de los Siete Colores (Hill of Seven Colors). From there, you will return to Salta.
Hours: 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Duration: 14 hours.
Day 1: Depart from the city of Salta at 7:30 a.m., traveling through the Quebrada del Toro to visit the village of Santa Rosa de Tastil. At noon, arrive in San Antonio de Los Cobres, where you will have lunch and continue on to Tolar Grande. You will cross the Abra Alto Chorrillo (4560 meters above sea level) or the Abra del Gallo (4630 meters above sea level), depending on the time of year. This will be the highest point of the tour, and you will continue through the immensity of the high plateau framed by salt flats and volcanoes. You will then arrive at the village of Pocitos, which is home to the salt flat of the same name, also called Quirón. You will cross it, admiring its colorful lagoons along the side of the road.
The best part comes at the end of the day when you pass through Los Colorados, small hills of clay stone that will prepare you to reach, without a doubt, the most spectacular part of this first day: the colorful and mysterious Devil’s Desert. There you will be delighted by the shapes of the mountains and the play of light and shadow cast by the sun at that time of the afternoon. After a short walk in this place, you will continue your journey to the town of Tolar Grande. There you will have a delicious dinner in a family restaurant at the end of the day. You will spend the night in the municipal shelter or a family home.
Day 2: You will have breakfast at 9:00 a.m. in a family dining room and depart for the magnificent Ojos de Mar. These are small green and blue lagoons in the middle of the Salar de Tolar Grande, declared a Wildlife Refuge because they contain ecosystems of stromatolites, the oldest living beings on the planet and creators of the ozone layer. This scientific marvel combines perfectly with its natural charm, so you will take a leisurely walk along the edge of these lagoons to take incredible photos.
Afterwards, you will head to El Arenal, where you will have approximately one hour, between walks and breaks, to take photographs at the viewpoints facing the seven volcanoes of the Andes: Llullaillaco, Socompa, Aracar, Guanaqueros, Pulares, Salin, and Arizaro. You will return to the village for lunch and prepare to head to the Salar de Arizaro, considered the largest in Argentina and the third largest in America after Uyuni and Atacama. Leaving the town of Tolar Grande, you will have approximately an hour by vehicle, in the middle of the Salar de Arizaro, with photo stops before reaching the Cono de Arita. This is a striking volcanic formation inside the Salar.
In front of the Arita Cone, you can take a 30-minute mini trek to reach its base. As it is sacred to the local community, climbing is not permitted. You can explore the surrounding area or simply enjoy the impressive landscape that surrounds you.
Finally, you will visit the old onyx mining camp called Campamento Arita. Currently, a gold mine is being exploited nearby, so there are vehicles working and often they do not allow access to the camp. If you cannot go to the camp, you will return directly to Tolar Grande. As the sun sets over the mountains, you will return to Tolar Grande for dinner. The day ends with a night in a municipal shelter or a family home.
Note: In some months of the year, due to wind and cold conditions in the salt flats, the order of visits may be reversed, visiting the Arita Cone in the morning and the Ojos de Mar and El Arenal in the afternoon.
Day 3: After enjoying the stunning natural surroundings and the warmth and friendliness of the local Kolla people, you will return to Salta via the same route, with shorter stops along the way, visiting the Devil’s Desert again to see it in a different light and with different contrasts, the village of Salar de Pocitos, San Antonio de los Cobres, Santa Rosa de Tastil or Alfarcito, and Salta.
At certain points along the route, you may encounter vicuñas grazing, suris, or other animals native to the highlands that are worth photographing. In this case, for your safety and that of the vehicle, you may make a brief stop to take photos whenever the guide deems it appropriate.
Schedule: 7:00 a.m. Duration: 3 days and 2 nights. Return to Salta: approximately 4:00 p.m. on the third day.
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