Super Northwest Argentina

ITINERARY

DAY 1: BUENOS AIRES
Arrival at Ezeiza International Airport and transfer to your hotel. In the afternoon you will enjoy a private excursion of this cosmopolitan city visiting the neighborhoods of Recoleta, Palermo, La Boca and San Telmo. Evening at leisure. Lodging at Hotel Intersur Recoleta or similar for two nights. (B)

DAY 2: BUENOS AIRES
Day at leisure to explore the city on your own or take optional excursions. Lodging. (B)

DAY 3: BUENOS AIRES / SALTA – CAFAYATE
Transfer to the airport and flight to Salta. Arrival, meeting at the airport and transfer to Cafayate. You will drive through the colorful “Quebrada de las Conchas” (or “Las Conchas Gorge”) enjoying the view of curious geological formations such as “Garganta del Diablo”, the “Monk’s Statue” and “Anfiteatro”.
Cafayate has become the most important site in the Calchaquí Valleys. Located at 1,660 m above sea level, it is well known because of its famous Torrontes wine, product of the unique combination of temperature and humidity that provides the ideal environment for the growth of this sweet and deep fruity flavored vine, as well as Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Syrah and Chardonnay.
During the afternoon, you will visit some of the famous wineries of Cafayate.
Afterwards, you will go to your hotel: Cafayate Wine Resort that is located in the outskirts of town and at the foot of San Isidro Mount, surrounded by vineyards. Lodging. www.cafayatewineresort.com (B)

DAY 4: CAFAYATE / CACHI
You will drive northwards following the Calchaquí River Valley. During the trip, you will be able to enjoy amazing landscapes and small towns which preserve their colonial heritage as if time had stopped.
San Carlos is a town with colonial houses and narrow streets. Since its foundation it was destroyed many times by the Indians. The Jesuits settled here and founded the “San Carlos Mission”, giving origin to the actual town.
Then you will start traveling along the impressive “Quebrada de las Flechas” (or “Arrows Gorge”), with its extraordinary geological formations produced by erosion on the colorful sedimentation of sandstone over the past 60 million years.
Molinos was founded in the middle of the XVII century. The plan of the town is completely irregular, with adobe houses and clay roofs.
The road continues northwards until Cachi, a beautiful town with white buildings, adobe houses, stone-paved streets and impressive constructions. Cachi means “salt” in quechua due to the fact that natives mistook the top of “El Nevado” with a salt mine.
Visit of the town, its church and museum. In the evening, transfer to your hotel. Picnic lunch during the excursion. Lodging at Hosteria Cachi. www.soldelvalle.com.ar (B,L)

DAY 5: CACHI / SALTA
Departing from Cachi, the trip continues along the Calchaquí Valleys to the city of Salta. While traveling through Recta de Tin Tin you will pass Los Cardones National Park marked by the peculiar tall cacti at both sides of the road. After The Enchanted Valley, you will start a spectacular descent through Cuesta del Obispo, a landmark that gives a wonderful panoramic view of the surroundings.
Finally, you will reach Salta, also known as “La Linda”. Salta was Founded in the Lerma Valley in 1582 and it still maintains many of its beautiful colonial buildings such as the San Francisco Church. Transfer to your hotel. Lodging at Hotel Del Virrey  or Hotel Papyrus for two nights. (B)

DAY 6: SALTA
In the morning, you will enjoy a private tour of the city including the Artisans’ Market and the “teleférico”. Afternoon and evening at leisure. (B)

DAY 7: SALTA / TILCARA
Departing northwards, today you will start to discover the magnificent Humahuaca Gorge until reaching Tilcara. This town is located at 2.465 m.a.s.l. on the verge of Grande River.
Surrounded by an incredible scenery of multicolored hills and gorgeous panoramic views, its colonial heritage can be seen in low adobe buildings and narrow streets everywhere.
You will visit the anthropological museum, and the Pucará – a stone fortification- that was built by the original inhabitants of Humahuaca Gorge on both polychromatic hillocks. It was rediscovered in 1903 and restored in 1951.
Lodging at Hosteria Rincón del Fuego or similar for one night.(B)

DAY 8: TILCARA / HUMAHUACA / IRUYA
QUEBRADA DE HUMAHUACA
Full day expedition enjoying the multicolored landscape of the Humahuaca Canyon, the peaceful villages, old chapels, native markets, small museums with astounding archaeological pieces and remains of ancient pre-Inca fortified towns, since the gorge once served as a route for the Incas, a required passage for expedition parties and settlers, and an important commercial route in the vice regal period.
Most small towns of this region conserve their religious believes, rituals, ceremonies, art, music and agricultural techniques, and for this reason, it was declared Humanity Cultural Heritage by UNESCO in the year 2003.
Humahuaca, Uquia, Tilcara, Maimara and Purmamarca will be some of the fascinating stops during the day.
Before reaching Humahuaca, you will cross the Capricorn Tropic. Humahuaca (2.939 m.a.s.l) is a picturesque colonial town. It is worth walking its narrow stone-paved streets with streetlamps and adobe houses that made it one of the most important trade centers of Alto Perú until the end of the XIX century.
After visiting the town, the trip continues to Iturbe, where you will start ascending until Abra Cóndor (4.000 m.a.s.l.). This place, the Altar of Pachamama, is the beginning of the “Silent Valleys”, an area of extraordinary beauty.
Finally you will arrive at Iruya, a small village at the top of the mountains and overlooking the valleys. Its population with a strong mixture of the mestizo and the local coya, still keeps its ancient traditions, as well as very particular religious celebrations.
The streets in this town are narrow and cobbled in order to avoid ground’s erosion caused by rain. This town has an ancient origin, since it was an important stop in the route from Potosi (Bolivia) to Buenos Aires.
Lunch during the excursion. Lodging at Hostería de Iruya.
(B, L)

DAY 9: IRUYA / LA QUIACA / YAVI
Departing from Iruya the trip continues northwards until reaching La Quiaca (3.450 m.a.s.l.), in the Argentinian-Bolivian frontier, founded in 1907 with the arrival of the train. You may cross on foot to Villazón, in Bolivia where you may visit an interesting local market.
Later you will continue to see the Siete Hermanos Mountain Range (sedimentation deposits from the Mesozoic Era). Behind, you will visit Laguna Colorada, to appreciate petroglyphs representing human figures, llamas, spirals and enjoy a box lunch in this incredible landscape.
In the evening, you will finally arrive to Yavi (3.450 m.a.s.l.). This small town was founded in 1667 and it belonged to the Marquis of Tojo until 1707. This feud used to occupy the Argentinian Puna and the south of Bolivia.
Both the colonial style ranch house of the Marquis, which today is a museum, and the magnificent Chapel of San Francisco are worth visiting.
The pulpit, the altars, and the altarpieces of the chapel are gold-plated. It has paintings and outstanding sculptures that were brought from Cuzco. Lodging at Hosteria Pachamama. (B, L)

DAY 10: YAVI / SALINAS GRANDES / PURMAMARCA
Leaving Yavi behind, the trip continues to Abra Pampa (3.848 m.a.s.l.). You might see vicuñas and llamas and be amazed at Salinas Grandes, the great salt plains of 12.000 ha.
After enjoying a box lunch, you will start descending through the Lipan Slope, a winding road that leads to Purmamarca.
Purmamarca is a small town of prehispanic origin settled at the foot of the polychromatic “Cerro de los Siete Colores” (Seven Colors Hill), where purple, reddish, green, ocher, brown, yellow and white rocks illustrate various geological ages.
The village, with adobe buildings of cardon roofs and mud tiles, was designed around the Main Church, built between 1648 and 1779 in front of an “algarrobo”, characteristic tree of the region, more than 500 years old. As in many churches of this area, you will notice they are built with cactus wood and house paintings and outstanding sculptures brought from Cuzco.
A crafts fair takes place in the square, with regional products such as pottery, handmade tapestry, ponchos, musical instruments and typical clothes from the Quebrada. Picnic lunch during the excursion. Lodging at Hotel Manantial del Silencio or similar for one night. (B,L)

DAY 11: PURMAMARCA / SALTA
Morning at leisure to enjoy the garden and the pool of the hotel. You will also have time to visit the crafts fair and/or walk around. In the afternoon, return to the city of Salta. Lodging at Hotel Del Virrey or Hotel Papyrus for one night. (B)

DAY 12: SALTA / BUENOS AIRES
Transfer to the local airport to board the flight to Buenos Aires. Arrival, meeting at the airport and transfer to your hotel. In the evening, you will enjoy a tango show and dinner at the traditional Esquina Homero Manzi. Lodging at Hotel Intersur Recoleta or similar. (B,D)

DAY 13: BUENOS AIRES
Morning at leisure. In the evening, transfer to Ezeiza International Airport to take your flight back to USA or other destination. (B)