Northwest Valleys and Puna (AR 054)

Departures: Mondays / Thursdays. All year round.
Guide: Spanish and bilingual (English – German – French – Italian)
Meals: breakfast. Air Fare: not included.

Day 1 – Salta
Reception at the airport and transfer to the hotel. Accommodation. In the afternoon, city tour visiting the “Cabildo”, the Cathedral, San Francisco Church, San Bernardo Monastery, San Bernardo Hill, etc. Return to the hotel.

Day 2 – Salta / Cafayate / Salta
Breakfast. Early departure from the hotel for a full day tour to Cafayate, a beautiful colonial village submersed in the most wonderful landscape, in the very heart of the Calchaqui Valleys.
We will drive through a number of small towns and villages suchas: Cerrillos, El Carril, a typical village at the Lerma Valley, Ampascachi, Talapampa, Alemania and the Las Conchas River Gorge, also known as Cafayate River Gorge, on whose reddish sandstone walls, curious rock formations have been masterfully carved by the eroding action of wind and weather. All these formations have been baptized by the locals according to its fancy shapes with names such as: the Amphitheater, the Devil's Throat, the Obelisk and the Castles. Surrounded by rivers and vineyards stands Cafayate, where it is possible to admire its nice old houses that gracefully combine Colonial and Baroque styles. It is worth a visit to its parish church, the Town Hall and the Regional and Archaeologic Museum. The region is well known because of its wine production among which stands the 'torrontés' variety. Visit a famous winery to get in touch with the traditional production techniques and seize the chance to taste some of the finest Argentine wines. On our way back to Salta we will stop by the Parador de las Cabras to taste some delicious home-made jams.

Day 3 – Salta / San Antonio de los Cobres / Purmamarca
Breakfast. Early departure following the Train to the Clouds rails towards the Quebrada del Toro (Bull's River Gorge). This route renders the possibility to observe this impressive engineering masterpiece's viaducts, switch-backs and loops. Visit the Ruins of Santa Rosa de Tastil, ancient pre-Inca settlement situated at 3,000 meters above sea level. The place, which housed up to two thousand inhabitants, has the aspect of a huge beehive spread on a hundred hectares. There are also some petroglyphs in the nearby ruins. Continue to the small village of San Antonio de los Cobres, located 163 km. away from Salta. Its has a population of 3,500 inhabitants and its main economic activities are weavings and handicrafts. Continue crossing the Puna up to Salinas Grandes to follow our trip descending through the Cuesta de Lipan up to Purmamarca, typical village at the foot of the Seven Coloured Hill. Accommodation at Manantial del Silencio hotel.

Day 4 – Purmamarca / Humahuaca / Salta
Breakfast. Departure to Humahuaca, located at 2,939 meters above sea level, founded by local aborigines in 1594 and unique for its pure Colonial style with its abode houses, its narrow cobblestones streets and colonial style street lamps. Visit the most important buildings and monuments such as the church, the old Town Hall, and the Monument to the Wars of the Argentine Independence (currently known as Monument to the Aborigine) and the city fair. Continue to Tilcara. Visit the Pucará de Tilcara, old pre-Colombian aborigine stronghold partially rebuilt, and the Historic Museum of the Province in front of the main square, which counts with an interesting asset of inca art pieces coming from different sites in Argentina, Peru, Bolivia and Chile. In Uquía, we will visit the local parish church which holds the oldest altarpiece in the region and a collection of paintings coming from Cuzco representing the harquebuser angels. On the way to Salta we will pay a short visit to San Salvador de Jujuy and its main buildings, which as in most Argentine provincial cities, gather around the main square: the Cathedral, the Town Hall, the Government House, and also San Francisco Church.
Arrival to Salta. Accommodation.

Day 5 – Salta
Breakfast. Transfer to the airport.