This road trip through the Argentine Northwest traverses the high-altitude deserts, vineyards and immense Andean landscapes of Salta and Jujuy.
Beginning in the fertile Lerma Valley, you’ll travel north by 4×4 through remote Andean villages, vast salt flats and the striking rock formations of the Quebrada de Humahuaca. Returning south, spend time in the handsome colonial city of Salta before crossing the spectacular Cuesta del Obispo, where giant cardón cacti line the road into the Calchaquí Valleys.
The route then winds between rugged mountains and dramatic sandstone cliffs to Cafayate, where some of the world’s highest vineyards produce Argentina’s distinctive Torrontés and Malbec, before ending with a taste of gaucho life on a traditional working estancia. Along the way, meet local winemakers and craftspeople, hike and ride through otherworldly landscapes, and stay at a collection of characterful boutique hotels, historic ranches and wine estates.
Every journey we create is entirely tailor-made; this itinerary is merely a starting point to inspire your own.
WHEN TO GO
Late March – December
SUGGESTED LENGTH
10 days
DAYS 1 & 2
Salta to Purmamarca
Land at Salta Airport, where you will collect your 4×4 – or meet your private driver – and begin the three-hour drive north into neighbouring Jujuy. Today’s journey will take you into the Quebrada de Humahuaca, a UNESCO-listed valley travelled for thousands of years by traders and pilgrims moving between the Andean highlands and the plains.
The landscape becomes steadily more dramatic, with multicoloured mountains, forests of cardón cacti and small adobe settlements dwarfed by immense rock formations. Your base is El Manantial del Silencio, a peaceful retreat just outside Purmamarca. Explore the village’s adobe streets and artisan market, then walk the Paseo de los Colorados as the late-afternoon light deepens the reds, ochres and violets of the Hornocal – better-known as the Hill of Seven Colours.
The following day, drive deeper into the puna along the Cuesta de Lipán, a spectacular sequence of hairpin bends rising to more than 4,000 metres. Beyond the pass, the mountains fall away to reveal the Salinas Grandes: a vast, dazzling-white salt pan stretching towards the distant Andean peaks. Spend time walking across the salt flats and seeing the turquoise evaporation pools before returning to Purmamarca.
DAYS 3 & 4
Purmamarca to Salta
Leave Purmamarca and return south through the greener Lerma Valley towards Salta, one of Argentina’s best-preserved colonial cities. Founded in 1582, its historic centre has retained much of its Spanish character, with painted churches, carved wooden balconies and arcaded plazas that reflect centuries of Spanish influence.
Visit the excellent Museum of High Altitude Archaeology (MAAM), whose collection includes the remarkably well-preserved mummified Inca children discovered on the summit of Llullaillaco Volcano, more than 6,700 metres above sea level. Explore the Cathedral, the Cabildo and San Francisco Church before returning to House of Jasmines, the former estate of Robert Duvall, where there’s horse riding, walking trails, cooking classes and relaxed evenings beneath the Andean foothills.
DAYS 5 & 6
Salta to Molinos via Cachi
Leaving Salta behind, Route 33 climbs through the tight switchbacks of Cuesta del Obispo to Piedra del Molinos, the highest point at more than 3,300 metres. Beyond the pass, the landscapes open up into Los Cardones National Park, a high plateau dotted with giant cardon cacti, roaming guanacos, and tiny adobe hamlets. Stop for lunch in Cachi, one of northwest Argentina’s prettiest colonial towns, with whitewashed buildings, cobbled streets and a quiet central plaza.
Continue south to Molinos, then turn inland for the remote final drive to Estancia Colomé. Founded in 1831, Colomé is Argentina’s oldest working winery and has some of the world’s highest vineyards. Spend the following day learning about its two centuries of winemaking, visiting the original bodega and tasting high-altitude wines.
Colomé is also home to the James Turrell Museum, created by the American artist in collaboration with the estate’s former owner, Donald Hess. Its nine light installations take you through a sequence of specially designed spaces, culminating in Unseen Blue, which is best seen at sunrise and sunset.
DAYS 7 & 8
Molinos – Cafayate
Leaving Molinos, Route 40 follows the Río Calchaquí south through an increasingly dramatic landscape of ochre mountains, isolated adobe villages and high-altitude vineyards. The 116-kilometre journey takes around four hours without stops, although allow five to six hours to explore along the way.
Pass through Angastaco before entering the Quebrada de las Flechas, where immense, shard-like sandstone formations rise almost vertically from the valley floor, creating one of the most spectacular landscapes in northwest Argentina. Continue through the historic village of San Carlos, stopping for lunch and a look at its adobe houses and eighteenth-century church, before arriving in Cafayate during the afternoon. Check into Patios de Cafayate, a historic wine estate set among vineyards on the grounds of Bodega El Esteco.
Spend the following day exploring Cafayate’s wine country with our guide, visiting a selection of the valley’s established estates and small family-run bodegas to taste aromatic Torrontés and high-altitude Malbec, and enjoy a long lunch overlooking the vineyards. Later, visit a selection of specialist workshops to meet local craftspeople producing handwoven rugs, tooled leather, ceramics and silver jewellery,
DAYS 9 – 11
Cafayate – Guachipas – Salta
Leaving Cafayate, Route 68 winds north through the Quebrada de las Conchas, a spectacular canyon of sculpted red sandstone, deep ravines and vividly coloured cliffs. Stop at the cavernous Anfiteatro, known for its remarkable natural acoustics, and the immense cleft of the Garganta del Diablo before turning towards Guachipas and continuing into the remote hills surrounding Estancia Pampa Grande.
One of our favourite stays anywhere, Pampa Grande offers a rare insight into the traditions and rhythms of a working estancia. The estate is home to several hundred horses, around 150 of which are used by the gauchos to manage cattle across its vast grounds. Ride through valleys and open grasslands, join the gauchos as they round up and brand cattle, watch traditional rodeo skills and explore the estate on foot or horseback.
On the final morning, set off early from Pampa Grande for the 3.5-hour drive back to Salta Airport, to catch a flight back to Buenos Aires.
Our Approach
Argentina’s northwest remains one of the country’s most overlooked corners – and one we have loved and championed for years. We know it first-hand: we have driven its mountain roads, stayed in its lodges, eaten in its restaurants and met the guides, winemakers and craftspeople who bring the region to life. We know how long the journeys really take, and which stops are worth making along the way.
All of our trips are built from the ground up, designed around how you like to travel – offering the freedom to explore independently with the reassurance that every detail has been taken care of. If you would rather leave the driving to someone else, one of our excellent local drivers can accompany you. Either way, our team manages the logistics behind the scenes and remains available around the clock, so you are always supported – however remote the road may feel.
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