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Trip Report
North-West Argentina in 7 Days
A week spent road-tripping through the deserts, mountains, salt flats and vineyards of North-Western Argentina - just a few of the many things the country has to offer.
+ 6
South AmericaArgentina6 days / July - August 2022
Highs & Lows
The rainbow mountains nearby Humahuaca are not to be missed!!
Elevation sickness - take the high elevation points slowly!
Itinerary Overview
With the many incredible things that Argentina has to offer, a week’s time is only enough to scratch the surface. The North-West area of Argentina hosts an array of sights and attractions, making for a fantastic place to spend a week’s time. The number one recommendation I would have for this area is to hire a car!! Not only do the roads through these stunning and diverse landscapes make for a stunning road-trip, there are also many a smaller attractions and routes that bigger tour groups tend to skip. The diversity of the landscapes is unimaginable – in one day we drove through desert, mountains, salt flats and savannah-like plains. Not to mention the area’s rich history and vibrant cuisine, it is not a destination solely for nature-lovers. Most notably there exists a proud and well-recognised Indigenous population in the area who are rich with cultural and social history.
Humahuaca Stunning deserts, beautiful mountains, unbelievable salt flats and peaceful remote villages!
Day 1 - Salta to Humahuaca
As soon as we landed into Salta, we jumped into the car and started the four hour drive from Salta to Humahuaca. The 218km stretch already offered an array of stunning landscapes through the desert-like terrain. The cute and cosy desert town of Humahuaca hosts an array of accomodation options, as well as plenty of spots for a delicious dinner to end a busy day exploring.
Day 2 - Day-trip to Pumamarca
The second day we spent wandering around the beautiful town of Pumamarca, of which is situated between a stunning desert landscape and the mountain of seven colours. Be sure to not miss the small hike which overlooks Pumamarca - the view is worth the walk! Make sure to take the drive between Humahuaca and Pumamarca slow - there are a multitude of small towns and beautiful viewpoints worth visiting.
Day 3 - Day-trip to the '14 Colours of Hornocal'
The '14 Colours of Hornocal' are a breath-taking mountain range that have formed in a way that from a distance, appear to be 14 different colours. The name does not lie! The mountains were most certainly 14 different colours. We completed a day-trip up to the viewpoint of the mountains, around which you can also complete a range of short hikes to other viewpoints.
Campo Quijano Amazing drive through a mountain range, salt flats and Argentina's famous Ruta 40
Day 4 - Humahuaca to Campo Quijano
This day was a huge yet rewarding day of driving. The first section of the drive took us up through the 'Cuesta de Lipan' - a winding road up a mountain range that offers incredible views. Be sure to stop at the viewpoints! The road brings you to the 'Salinas Grandes' - or salt flats - where we completed a car tour on top of the salt flats - also not to be missed! The last leg of the drive was through the off-road yet incredibly scenic Ruta 40 - Argentina's famous highway connecting from the North to Southern end of the country.
Cafayate A perfect way to end the trip - waterfalls and vineyards!
Day 5 - Campo Quijano to Cafayate
After the three hour drive to Cafayate, we thought what better what to end the day then spend the afternoon at a vineyard? We visited Finca de los Nubes - only a 10 minute drive from Cafayate - where we spent the evening sharing cheeseboards and tasting wine. We also tried white wine flavoured ice-cream - something to not be missed!
Day 6 - Cafayate
In the morning we visited the 'Ruinas del Divisadero', where we went on a local guided tour to see incredible ancient rock paintings and sites. Here we met Gustavo - a local guide who offered to take us to a local waterfall. We spent the afternoon with him completing a challenging (yet very rewarding!) hike to the 'Cascadas del Rio Colorado'. For our last night of the trip, we treated ourselves to a fancy dinner at the region's only organic winery - Bodega Nanni.
Day 7 - Cafayate to Salta
Make sure you leave much time for the drive from Cafayate to Salta - there are so many view points to stop off throughout this incredible landscape. The road winds you through amazing rock formations - we wished we'd had more time to stop at all the spots!
Q & A
What would you have changed?
I would have taken two weeks instead of one! Even though we saw so much there was still many things we had to skip/rush!Anything go wrong during the trip?
Make sure to leave a bit extra time when driving! There was a few times we ended up driving at night because we followed the exact time of google maps, so I would definitely recommend leaving a few hours earlier.Restaurant recommendations?
Bodega Nanni in Cafayate!! Incredible food and organic wine - we didn't do a tasting however if I was to go back this would be a mustTips you would give a friend?
Do your research beforehand! Especially if you're going for a shorter period of time. Also leave Cafayate until last so that you can wind down and enjoy the wineries.Packing tips?
Pack for all types of weather! Especially in the desert areas it gets very hot during the day (more than 30 degrees) and very cold at night (less than 5 degrees).Transportation Tips?
Hiring a car is definitely the easiest method of transportation! But otherwise buses between the towns are frequent and accessible.Any surprises?
The scenery on the drive between Cafayate and Salta was a complete surpirse - I wish we'd left more time for this as I believe there's a multitude of hikes that can be done in the area as well.Booking details?
A lot of the hostels in smaller towns aren't accessible on major booking sites (such as Booking.com, Hostelworld). If it's not high season don't be afraid to turn up and book upon arrival - there are many options!
Lodging
Hostería Naty - very cosy and breakfast included
A hotel with availability on the night
Hostel Ruta 40