While Buenos Aires and Patagonia often take the spotlight, the north of this diverse country remains one of its best-kept secrets. The largest city in the northern province of Salta is Salta itself, a charming colonial town with beautiful architecture, a rich history, and a diverse cuisine. Surrounding this city and heading further north, you'll find picturesque villages, ancient Inca ruins, and dramatic landscapes with colorful mountains and canyons. This part of the country is home to various indigenous communities, including the Quechua and Guarani, who cherish their rich cultural traditions and languages. We took a few days to travel through the north and are happy to share all our recommendations along the way!
THE ROUTE
In this blog, we describe the route through the North of Argentina, which can be easily traveled by private transportation, public transit, or even organized tours if you prefer the utmost convenience. The area is so pristine, and the red canyon landscapes are so impressive and entirely different from the coast and the south of Argentina. We were pleasantly surprised when we entered this region and could hardly believe that this too is Argentina. You'll need approximately 12 days to follow this route. Depending on how much time you have, you can, like us, spend more time in certain places, combine places, or skip some altogether. Below, we provide a clear overview of what to do and see at each location and how much time the places and travel routes will take. Let yourself be enchanted by the mysterious North of Argentina!
CAFAYATE
Duration; 2 days
Situated in the Calchaquí Valley at an altitude of 1,700 meters, Cafayate is our first stop in the province of Salta. The landscape begins to change into rock formations with various shades of brown and cacti. It feels like you are entering the authentic Argentina, where the culture of the tribes that once lived here is visible and much less influenced by major cities and Western culture. The Cafayates were a tribe of the Diaguita-Calchaquí group, who, after prolonged resistance, inhabited the Valles de Calchaquí under the influence of the Incas before the arrival of the Spanish conquerors.
Cafayate is primarily known as a wine-producing region and is one of the highest places in the world suitable for viticulture. The most famous grape is the Torrontés grape, which thrives thanks to the dry desert climate and high altitude.
Before entering the village, we passed by the Etchart Distillery, where owner Miguel produces grappa and gin and sells local products. The distillery is charming and rustic, and Miguel is very welcoming, eager to tell you everything about the distillation process (in Spanish only), after which you can enjoy a complimentary tasting of grappa and gin!
Cafayate itself is a charming village with many restaurants and wineries where you can enjoy tastings. Just outside the village, you'll find Cabras de Cafayate, a goat cheese farm in a beautiful setting. They offer guided tours six times a day, where you can visit the farm and learn about the cheese-making process, followed by a tasting with a glass of local wine. This tour is also conducted in Spanish only, so we decided to explore the farm on our own, where we could observe the friendly goats. The areas where the cheese is produced have glass walls, allowing us to have a look inside. Of course, we concluded our visit with a tasting, which was excellent, and you can enjoy it on the beautiful terrace. You can also purchase larger portions of the cheeses you tasted from them afterward.
How to get there? Renting a car in Salta gives you the flexibility to drive the entire route at your own pace and stop wherever you like. You can fly to Salta from Mendoza and Buenos Aires and rent a car at the airport from Europcar or at Hertz in the city center. Another option is to take the bus from Terminal de Omnibus in Salta to Cafayate, a journey that takes about 4 hours and costs approximately 7 euros.
QUEBRADA DE LAS CONCHAS
Duration: 1 day
As we were driving from the south, we continued our journey from Cafayate to Salta via Ruta Nacional 68, a road that leads you through the valley known as "Quebrada de las Conchas." This gorge, covering an area of 25,784 hectares, has been declared a nature reserve to protect the remarkable rock formations and paleontological findings. These unique formations have been shaped by tectonic movements occurring over the past two million years.
Along the way, we stopped at a rock formation called "Anfiteatro." The Anfiteatro is a semicircular chasm approximately 70 meters deep, formed by massive waterfalls that eroded the stones in the past. It's impressive to enter the chasm, and when we were there, two musicians took advantage of the excellent acoustics and played atmospheric tunes. Along the route, there are other impressive stops, such as the Garganta del Diablo, El Obelisco, and the 12-kilometer hike called "Los Estratos." We use the "iOverlander" app for literally everything, and for this route as well, there are several highlights marked on it!
How to get there? If you're traveling between Cafayate and Salta with your own transportation or by bus, you'll drive through this beautiful canyon!
SALTA
Duration: 3 days
After several stops on Ruta Nacional 68, you'll arrive in Salta. Our blog dedicated to this beautiful city will be coming soon.
PURMAMARCA
Duration: 1 day
We continued our journey through the stunning landscape to Purmamarca. This village is located in the Quebrada de Humahuaca, a valley designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site. We had some difficulty entering the village with our bus as it was teeming with tourists. If you can spend a night in Purmamarca, we recommend it. You'll experience this place differently as most tourists depart by the end of the afternoon.
The village is surrounded by impressive red-colored hills, with the highlight being the mountain with its seven colors. There's a beautiful and easily walkable route of about 4 kilometers that starts from the village and goes through the valley. If possible, we recommend walking this route during the sunset. There's also a local market on the square where you can buy some delightful souvenirs.
How to get there? Purmamarca is located 160 kilometers from Salta, and it takes approximately 3 to 3.5 hours by bus or private transportation to reach there. Buses depart only in the morning from Terminal de Omnibus in Salta and cost around 15 euros. We took Ruta 9, a wonderfully scenic route with narrow roads, overhanging trees, and plants, and beautiful views. The faster route is the highway Ruta 34 and 66.
SALINAS GRANDES
Duration: 1 day
The most logical next step would be to continue your journey to Salinas Grandes, the salt flats of Argentina. However, because it was the weekend, we decided to drive further first and visit the salt flats on the way back to avoid the crowds. If you keep following Ruta 52 from Purmamarca, you'll reach Salinas Grandes. Via a winding road through the mountains with breathtaking views, you'll pass the highest point of the mountain pass at 4,170 meters, then descend towards the salt flats.
For a long time, this area was covered with water containing many salts due to volcanic activity. Over time, this salty water slowly evaporated, forming a salt flat with a crust about 30 cm thick. There are two entrances where you can access the salt flats. At the first entrance, you can ride along with a guide in a car or drive your own vehicle following the guide. At the second entrance, you can walk a bit on the salt flats. We wanted to drive our own vehicle on the flats, so we followed a guide to a point where everyone could get out of the car, and he shared his knowledge about the salt flats and gave you the opportunity to take photos. Our guide spoke only Spanish, but you can ask for an English-speaking guide. At the first entrance, you'll pay around 5 euros per car, and at the second entrance, it's 1 euro per person. The best time to visit the salt flats is during the dry season, from April to November.
How to get there? There are several small vans that depart daily from Purmamarca between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. There's no fixed schedule as they leave once they are full. Someone will announce in front of the 'Despensa Tahiel' store that they are heading to Salinas Grandes. You just need to provide your name to that person and pay approximately 8 euros to ride along. It's a one-hour journey, and along the way, you'll encounter some beautiful viewpoints and the highest point in the province (4,170 meters). It's also possible to book a day trip to the Salinas Grandes from Salta through GetYourGuide.
TILCARA
Duration: 2 days
The next picturesque village on the route is Tilcara. Many buildings date back to colonial times, but numerous hotels and restaurants have been added because Tilcara attracts many tourists. There's always a market on the central square where locals and people from other parts of the country sell souvenirs and handicrafts. In Tilcara, you can also visit Pucará de Tilcara, an archaeological site built by the pre-Spanish population. It covers an area of approximately 15 hectares, with various residential areas, workshops, graves, and locations for sacred ceremonies.
Additionally, we recommend visiting Garganta del Diablo! A beautiful 5-kilometer hiking trail steadily climbs upward, offering stunning views of the area with cacti in the foreground. We accidentally took the 8-kilometer car road indicated on Google Maps, but you can find the hiking path that starts in the village on Maps.me and AllTrails. Once you arrive at the top, you'll pay a small entrance fee of about one euro to enter the gorge with the 18-meter-high waterfall. From here, it's another half a kilometer along the river, surrounded by impressive mountain slopes, to reach the waterfall, where you can cool off in the shade with your feet in the water. Along the way, you'll see a construction used to supply water to the surrounding villages. Upon returning to the village, there are many cozy bars and restaurants where you can enjoy a drink. In the evening, it's enjoyable to attend a Peña; these are gatherings with folk music, dance, food, and drinks. Many restaurants organize Peña nights to give tourists a taste of this Argentine tradition.
How to get there? Tilcara is just a half-hour drive from Purmamarca. Local buses pass by Purmamarca heading to Tilcara every 2 hours. Purmamarca is only 3 kilometers off the main road (Ruta 9), and not all buses go into the village. Inquire at the Tourist Office in Purmamarca about which buses go into the village or how to easily reach Ruta 9 if you prefer not to walk. Another convenient and good option is to take a taxi for this segment.
HUMAHUACA
Duration: 2 days
Our final stop on this route is Humahuaca, a slightly larger village located at 3,000 meters, where the visitor's focus is primarily centered around Plaza 25 de Mayo. Here, you'll find the Monumento a los Héroes de la Independencia, an impressive monument made of 70 tons of bronze, erected to commemorate the struggle for Argentina's independence. Additionally, you'll discover the church "Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria," dating back to the 16th century, and the church "San Francisco Solano," where Saint Francisco Solano appears every day at 12:00 from the bell tower to bless all passersby.
In many streets and around the square, there is always a market where, among other things, local, handmade pottery is sold. Furthermore, along the Rio Grande river, there is a market every morning where you can buy fresh fruit. Another delicious and budget-friendly tip for empanadas is Panchito, located around the corner from the square!
Furthermore, Humahuaca serves as a base for visiting the mountain with 14 colors known as ''Serranía del Hornocal.'' The various colors in Serranias del Hornocal are a result of the presence of different minerals and sediments in the layers of rock. Different minerals exhibit various colors, and geological processes and weather conditions contribute to the color variations. It's incredibly beautiful and unique to witness this landscape at an altitude of 4,340 meters! When you cross the only bridge in the village, the road turns left and continues for 25 kilometers to reach the mountain with 14 colors. If you don't have your own transportation, many drivers at the bus station offer to take you there, and you can also inquire at your accommodation. It shouldn't cost more than about ten dollars.
How to get there? The drive from Tilcara to Humahuaca takes about three-quarters of an hour. From Tilcara, a bus departs for Humahuaca every 45 minutes, departing from ''Terminal de micros de Tilcara.'' If you want to combine Purmamarca, Tilcara, and Humahuaca in one day from Salta, GetYourGuide offers various day trips!
CACHI
Duration: 2 days (round trip)
Our plan was to drive from Cafayate to Cachi and then head north towards Abra Pampa to make a loop back to Salta. We consulted several tourist offices in the area and quickly concluded that the roads were too rough for our bus. That's why we drove up through Salta and back. Along the way, we kept hearing that Cachi is a very beautiful colonial town surrounded by high mountains covered in snow, so we decided to make the round trip, as the road itself is worth it!
Route 33 to Cachi is mostly paved, with some exceptions. These exceptions are still accessible unpaved roads that you can drive on with any vehicle if you drive carefully. The road takes you through the river gorge called 'Quebrada de Escoipe,' with multi-colored mountains and lush vegetation, and continues through the Los Cardones National Park, named after the large number of native cacti. If you have your own transportation, stop at La Cruzada in front of the village of Payogasta for delicious Argentine empanadas.
Cachi is one of the most charming villages we've seen so far. Plaza 9 de Julio is the central square where we enjoyed a vibrant local wine on the terrace at El Bistró de Cachi. In the middle of the square stands a 16th-century church with a distinctive medieval exterior from the 19th century. What makes this church truly special are the interior details, such as the beams, the altar, and the confessionals, which are made from cactus. Across the square, you'll find the Pío Pablo Díaz Archaeological Museum, featuring an extensive collection of over 5,000 artifacts, primarily pottery, bearing witness to a history of 10,000 years.
How to get there? The bus operator "Ale Hnos" departs from the bus station in Salta to Cachi every morning and evening, taking about 4 hours and 15 minutes. GetYourGuide also offers day trips to Cachi from Salta.
ACCOMMODATION
In the aforementioned villages, you'll find a wide range of accommodations. These options vary from luxurious boutique hotels to apartments and cozy posadas, catering to all preferences. We prioritize the value for money and often seek centrally located options. Below, you'll find three accommodation recommendations in different villages.
In the heart of Cafayate, you'll discover Sommer y Sol, an aparthotel offering modern, well-furnished apartments. Ideal if you desire more living space and the opportunity to cook for yourself! The fully equipped apartments, with parking facilities, are available for as low as $50 per night via Booking.com.
In Purmamarca, you'll find Posado de la Calandria, a basic yet cozy accommodation offering double rooms starting at $40. The property earns high ratings for its central location, friendly staff, and cleanliness. Check Booking.com to see if this location suits your preferences!
For as little as $60, you can stay at the beautiful and atmospheric Capec Alojamiento bed & breakfast in Tilcara. You can relax under the olive trees in the courtyard and enjoy a hearty breakfast. This location is also centrally located and offers parking for your car. Check Booking.com to confirm availability for your chosen dates.
At the time of writing, inflation in Argentina is a significant issue. However, as a traveler, this presents some advantages. When you pay with cash or credit card at your accommodation, it's equivalent to half the original price. This is because, when you withdraw money from Western Union, you can receive almost double the number of pesos for your dollars. Credit card companies also use this exchange rate.
The northern part of Argentina is part of our list of 11 indispensable attractions in Argentina. Curious about all 11 must-see attractions? Click here to read our blog!
If you have any questions about Northern Argentina, another region, or just want to have a friendly chat, please feel free to send us a message in the chat!
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