Duration of journey: 6 days, 5 nights

Visiting: Salta, Tucumán & Catamarca Provinces over one of the most arid areas of the world: the Puna of Atacama region, Salta city, Calchaquies valleys, Cafayate wineries, Santa María del Valle de Yocavil, Antofagasta de la Sierra, Antofalla, Salar del Arizaro, Pocitos, San Antonio de los Cobres, Purmamarca, Tilcara, Humahuaca.

Includes: all meals(no drinks), transfers, excursions and accommodations

Day 1: Into the Calchaquies Valleys
We start in Salta city, and our first destination is the Calchaquies Valleys area. To get there, we will follow a wonderful gorge, the "quebrada del río Las Conchas" where we will see many colours on the sandstone formations caused by wind and hydrous erosion. After driving 120 kms., we leave the gorge reaching the valley and the first city, Cafayate (10.000 habitants), where we will have lunch and visit one of the wineries. After this, we shall continue over our last 54 kms of paved road to get into the Tucumán Province, the Quilmes Inn (double rooms with private bathroom): after checking in we may visit the local ruins, located 2.000 mts above sea level.



Day 2: Into the Puna
Leaving Quilmes we now continue on gravel road until the last day of this trip. Few kilometers after, we get into Catamarca Province, crossing on the way an important city called Santa María del Valle de Yocavil, after that, a few small villages lead us up into the altitude. The landscape becomes more and more arid. Mountain roads with huge steep sand dunes are the scenery of the way getting to the edge of the Puna region, the big mountain plateau at 3.500 mts. above sea level. The road now is straight over the desert and the wild life (vicuñas and foxes) show us where we are: "in the middle of nowhere". After many hours driving we will get to a remote village, Antofagasta de la Sierra, located in the volcano area, check in at the Antofagasta de la Sierra hotel in double rooms with private bath.



Day 3: Archeology visits and hike to a volcano
We will get up and have breakfast, afterwards and with a local guide we'll visit two important archeological sites nearby Antofagasta de la Sierra: Some caves with rupestrian paintings, dated between 8000 to 10000 years BC. when some groups of nomads from the desert where searching for new hunting places... (to visit the caves, we have to descend walking through a canyon). Once back to the trucks, we visit a place with some incredible petroglifs representing animals, hunters or shields, caved in the huge volcanic red rocks. Coming back to Antofagasta de la Sierra, we'll have lunch at the hotel or we could have a pic nic somewhere in the desert on our way to Antofagasta's Volcano, where we'll do a short trekking (about 2,5 hours), which will lead us to the crater. From there we'll have a great view of the town and the surroundings. To descend we will take a different way, visiting another archeological place besides the Antofagasta's Lagoon in an spectacular landscape... If you don't want or if you can't hike, we can replace (with the group agreement) this with another archeological visit around Antofagasta de La Sierra, or you can just spend the rest of the day in the village until the others are back.



Day 4: Over the Salt Flat
Leaving Antofagasta de la Sierra, we continue to the west where we will reach a first salt flat, "Antofalla". Let me explain "Salt Flat" means a flat area with pure salt.... How? the natural salt of the earth in the mountains around, transport during the rains sediments to lower levels of the region. After millions of years of this process and the evaporation under strong solar radiation, salt concentrates and actually we can see these salt flats. "Antofalla" is a nice one and we can see like islands, the lava flow from the old Antofalla Volcano (snow capped in the back ground). After crossing over to the opposite side, we will have lunch at a family-house sharing life with local people. After lunch we continue and we get back into Salta Province, crossing over the biggest salt flat in Argentina: Salar de Arizaro. The path leads us along 85 kms on pure salt. During the first part the salt is white but soon getting red. The space trip has its end in Tolar Grande, a small village and train station. We shall sleep in a new french-argentine refuge with 2 big rooms (20 beds each) and one bathroom with hot showers. Between the rooms there is a kitchen and a dining-room, where we shall have breakfast. Dinner will be in a family house of local people.



Day 5: Over the Altiplano to the end
Leaving Tolar Grande, we shall experience a dream: The "Valley of the Dreams". Red mountains of sandstone, strange rock formations and a few salt flats give a strong contrast of colours hard to explain. It's just a dream, but we are in it. Sometimes - like now - I can't find any words to give a right description, it's difficult with my poor English and even in Spanish. So,.... enjoy the pictures of the valley. After the Valley area, there is another salt flat called "Pocitos", then we drive upwards until 4.500 mts. above sea level and after that down again to the village of San Antonio de Los Cobres (famous as the Train to The Clouds stops here).
After lunching in a restaurant we continue , now crossing over the high desert until reaching the salt flats in Jujuy Province named Salinas Grandes, where we will observe the workers getting the salt out, and some local people making handicrafts with it! We ascend again a bit and then descend along the impressive Cuesta de Lipán to the Quebrada de Humahuaca, firstly to the village of Purmamarca, well known due to its location at the feet of the “hill of the 7 colors”, where we will get back next day to appreciate the colors by better day light.
After Purmamarca, and now driving on paved road !.
We will reach the small village Tilcara, staying the night at a nice hotel.



Day 6: Back to civilization ... strong contrast!
Today we can wake up late in Tilcara!!!!, which we can't believe ...breakfast in the hotel around 9:00 hs, then we check out and walk to the main square of the village to visit the historic indian ruins of Pucará and the archaeological museum. Later we follow the Humahuaca gorge until reaching Humahuaca city, crossing the Capricorn Tropic Line!...
After having lunch we start our return to Salta city, with the time to stop in Purmamarca once again, if you want to see the 7 colours hill at different day light.... then Jujuy city, the capital of Jujuy Province, and from there to Salta, taking a road through a short part of rain forest, where we will feel the difference between those many days driving in the dry desert against the lush vegetation and its deep green color.. an unbelievable contrast.
Back to civilization in Salta, we finish our 6 day amazing, exiting and unforgettable experience facing a nature located in the heart of one of the most beautiful areas of The Andes Mountains in South America. The overnight of this day is not included in the trip price.
We estimate to be back in Salta around 6 PM.


Price: contact us!

Includes: all included: meals(no drinks) and accommodations

Not Included: 6th overnight stay in Salta city, drinks and beverages, tips to the guides and extras.

If this tour is not what you expected and you are looking for a different itinerary or activities, please check our tailor-made trip offer, clicking here