Five days in north-west Argentina are enough for the essentials if you accept one rule: pick two areas, not four. The plan that gives most for the time pairs the Calchaquí valleys, south of the city of Salta, with the Quebrada de Humahuaca, a mountain valley in neighbouring Jujuy province listed as World Heritage. Cachi, the Hornocal range and the Tren a las Nubes tourist train are better kept for a longer trip, or swapped in for one of the days below.
A five-day outline
- Day 1. Arrive in Salta. Walk the colonial centre and have an early night.
- Day 2. Salta to Cafayate through the Quebrada de las Conchas, a gorge of red rock with several stops. Night in Cafayate.
- Day 3. Wineries in the morning, then back to Salta.
- Day 4. Salta to Purmamarca and its Cerro de los Siete Colores. Up the Cuesta de Lipán mountain road to the Salinas Grandes salt flats. Night in Purmamarca or Tilcara.
- Day 5. Tilcara and Humahuaca. Return to Salta, or leave from Jujuy airport and save a leg.
If Cachi matters more to you than wine, replace days 2 and 3 with the loop over the Cuesta del Obispo and through Los Cardones National Park. Linking Cachi and Cafayate along Ruta 40 is possible, but much of it is gravel and it makes a long day.
Altitude, rain and light
The Quebrada towns sit at altitude and the salt flats higher still. Take the first day gently, and if you have a health condition, consult your doctor before the trip. Summer is the rainy season and mountain roads can be cut, so leave some slack. The hills change colour through the day: an early start is worth more than an extra stop.
Ways to get around
- Day tours from Salta. Agencies sell full-day trips to Cafayate, Cachi, Humahuaca and the salt flats. Everything is arranged, on a fixed schedule, but you return to Salta each night and spend much of the day on the road.
- Hire car. Complete freedom. In exchange you drive on mountain roads, at altitude and sometimes on gravel.
- Bus. Services link Salta with Cafayate, and Salta and Jujuy with the Quebrada towns. They do not go to the salt flats or stop at viewpoints.
- Private driver for several days. We arrange a vehicle and driver to do the circuit in one continuous line, with photo stops where you want them. You book your own accommodation; the driver’s accommodation and expenses are part of the quote. Availability in the region is confirmed when you book.
A solo traveller with time will spend less on buses and tours. For a family, or a group that fills a minivan, a private driver avoids going over the same road twice.