After resting for this first night in Buenos Aires and enjoying a quiet breakfast at our hotel, a private transfer will take us to the local airport to board our flight bound for the city of Salta.

Once there, we will take private transport to our downtown hotel to get a first impression of this beautiful city—to which we will return at the end of our trip—and to acclimatize a little to the altitude, ensuring we are ready for our overland journey to begin the following day.

The city of Salta is known throughout Argentina as Salta la Linda ('Salta the Beautiful'), a title you will have to discover for yourselves. This afternoon is free, so we can walk at a leisurely pace to explore the area around our hotel and immerse ourselves in the culture and magic held within this city.

The day after our arrival we will head into the city of Salta for a deep exploration. Led by a private guide, we will discover its secrets, its sacred spaces, its history, and its prominent place in the mosaic of Argentine history. As we said at the beginning, Salta has many facets, and today is the day to discover them all.

This includes the night, because if anything distinguishes this city, it is its empanadas and its Peñas: spaces where the region's musical culture is expressed freely, vibrantly, and through harmonious dance. To travel to Salta without visiting one of these Peñas is something we would surely regret later.

Later on, we will learn that it is not only beautiful and magical, but that it was also a bastion of resistance. It was a cradle of independence regarding the blood shed on its soil, and a beacon since times long before the arrival of the Spanish: the pride of feeling part of one's surroundings. Salta, therefore, is a jewel on our path.


Services included for this day:

• Private transfer from Grand Brizo Bel Air Hotel to Aeroparque.

• Domestic flight from Aeroparque to Salta.

• Private transfer from Salta Airport to Hotel

• 2-night accommodation at Villa Vicuña Salta Hotel Boutique (Salta city), with breakfast.
  

• Guided Tour on Salta & Peña Night

After our breakfast and first night in Northern Argentina, we head to the local Hertz office to pick up our 4x4 vehicle, which will accompany us over the coming weeks on the roads we have come to explore.

We suggest picking up the vehicle early in the morning to enjoy the views without being rushed, without the need to arrive at a specific time, since what awaits us deserves to be experienced slowly. Once behind the wheel, following the route marked on our map, we will head toward the town of Cafayate, where the Patios de Cafayate Hotel will be our home for the next two nights.

This particular drive, about 3 hours long, represents one of the icons of a road trip in this region of the world. We will pass through small towns on the outskirts of Salta to immerse ourselves in valleys and gorges (quebradas), surrounded by walls full of color and life, before giving way to a wide open valley where the shapes nature has carved into the rock will leave us speechless.

Therefore, although it is a 3-hour drive, we can easily take more time to stop at places like the Devil's Throat (Garganta del Diablo) or the Amphitheatre (El Anfiteatro). A strategy when visiting a place that is potentially a destination for many other travelers is to start early, so that by the time we have already enjoyed it, the rest are just thinking about starting.

We will arrive in the city of Cafayate at our hotel, Patios de Cafayate, a beautiful colonial establishment adjacent to a vast vineyard that will be our scenery.

For this first night, as a welcome to Northern Argentina, we will head to Bad Brothers restaurant, the place we have chosen to provide an authentic and high-quality experience for our travelers. It is ideal for those who value good food and service in a relaxed atmosphere, while enjoying fine wine crafted by the owners themselves.

Since we are arriving at the height of Holy Week (Semana Santa), we will have the opportunity to participate in local celebrations, religious gatherings, and the activities the city offers. The goal is not merely to focus on ourselves, but to integrate into this powerful and profound celebration taking place during these days.

The next day, we will turn our attention to one of the most significant expressions of this land: the growing things. This half day experience with rural tourism guides will give us a clear understanding the Cafayate's economic engines and its significance for keeping traditions and ancient cosmovision alive.

Services included during these days:

• 4x4 vehicle rental.

• 2-night accommodation in the city of Cafayate at Patios de Cafayate

• Dining experience at Bad Brothers.

• Local crops Experience in community-based rural tourism.
  
  
  

Cachi is an enclave at the foot of one of the region's most emblematic mountains, the Nevado de Cachi. In its streets, its architecture, and the spirit of its people—and those living in the surroundings—it preserves its traditions, hopes, and work upon the land.

This makes it, in a way, similar to any place in the world where people still hold respect for the past, hope for the future, and pour their physical effort into the present. What sets Cachi apart, perhaps, is that here the air brings us the blessings of Pachamama and Jesus Christ in equal measure.

The religious syncretism that inhabits this place and the entire Northern Argentina has created a way of understanding beliefs that is difficult to find anywhere else.

Our hotel in Cachi is El Cortijo Hotel Boutique, which will be our base for these days. Here, we will also have the opportunity to step into the intimacy of a home belonging to a member of the local indigenous communities. Together, we will not only share a good moment but also learn about the region's gastronomy.

We could well call this experience 'social gastronomy' or 'gastronomy of connection,' because ultimately, the meaning of this experience lies in getting intimately close to the everyday meal and, therefore, to the encounter with others at their own table.

Services included for this day:

• 3-night accommodation with breakfast at El Cortijo Hotel Boutique.

• Traditional community meal experience.

After our days in Cachi and having participated in the Holy Week celebrations, we will take our vehicle once again to head further north. This time, we follow the trail of Route 40 toward the town of San Antonio de los Cobres.

The drive will take us approximately 3 hours amidst hills and colors, capricious rock formations, and the clouds. Fittingly, the accommodation we will arrive at is called Hotel de las Nubes (Hotel of the Clouds), a simple place that will serve as our home for the day.

I suggest starting the journey early to arrive at our accommodation around noon. After resting and perhaps having something to eat, the suggestion is to take the vehicle and head to the base of the La Polvorilla Viaduct, where the iconic Train to the Clouds makes its journey.

Along the way, we can make stops to admire the landscape and perhaps find some small settlement to meet its inhabitants. The purpose of this new destination is simply a stopover to continue our trip toward another of the icons of Northern Argentina.

Services included for this day:

• 1-night accommodation at Hotel de las Nubes with breakfast.

After our night in San Antonio de los Cobres and having witnessed one of the iconic engineering feats in the history of this region, we continue our journey along Route 40, heading north once again.

We are about to encounter some of the landscapes that distinguish this area. Along the way, we will find many beautiful things to see; however, two of them take the top spots: I refer to the Salinas Grandes and the Cuesta del Lipán.

The first will be on our path, just an small detour to reach a landscape that truly looks like another planet. Here, the enormous expanse of salt reminds us, among other things, of how small we are and how nature also expresses itself in this form. It is an ideal place for some fun, perspective-bending photos. Here we will meet our host for the day, with him we will explore this crazy place, learn about the work people do here and get a deeper view on more than what the eye sees. Lets have a lunch sorrounded by inmensity and get ready for the nest stage.

Continuing our journey, we meet the Cuesta del Lipán, a winding road that takes us away from Route 40. It will compel us to stop and let our imagination roam.

After leaving the Cuesta del Lipán behind, our destination is the town of Tilcara. On the way, we will pass through beautiful Purmamarca, with its Hill of Seven Colors and small streets filled with handicrafts and traditional food. I recommend returning to this spot once settled in Tilcara to walk at a leisurely pace and absorb some of the tranquility that its streets evoke into our present moment.

Tilcara is a strategic enclave on the route. Since pre-Hispanic times, the ancient inhabitants of the region considered it a place to settle and from where they could control the convoys traveling through the area while keeping themselves safe. We will learn about this on a tour with a private guide, visiting the city, its main landmarks, and the famous Pucará de Tilcara: a site reconstructed upon the ruins of the ancient fortress that controlled the valley from above.

El Candil will be our accommodation for the next three nights. A suggested excursion, if you enjoy walking, is to visit the Quebrada de la Señorita, or perhaps a winery. However, always keep in mind that relaxation time is also important.

The Quebrada de Humahuaca, the geographical region where we are located, offers many other places to explore. Just like Purmamarca, there is the town of Maimará, recently declared one of the most beautiful tourist villages in the world.

We are nearing the end of Holy Week, so we can still expect celebrations that will continue to remind us that faith, in this part of the world, also dresses in many, many colors.

Services included during these days:

• Guided tour on Salinas Grandes with lunch.

• 3-night accommodation at El Candil Hotel with breakfast.

• Urban exploration and visit to the Pucará de Tilcara.

After our days in Tilcara, in the heart of the Quebrada de Humahuaca, we will take our vehicle once again and head north. This time, our destination is the small town of Iruya.

To reach it, we should drive for approximately 3 hours, at least half of which will be on winding dirt roads descending from the highest point of the path into a valley guided by the Iruya River. It is a journey to be taken while admiring the road, stopping whenever the views merit it. Since it is a dirt road that occasionally crosses the river, we just need a little patience to reach our final destination, which will be far more than satisfying.

We suggest leaving Tilcara early to drive at a leisurely pace and arrive in Iruya around noon.

At night, we propose an experience that few travelers have the luxury of enjoying: a tour through dimly lit streets that will reveal an almost surreal facet of this village, which is literally hanging from the mountainside. At night, the valley at its feet offers not only the profound silence that envelops the mountains but also clouds that cover the canyon below like a protective blanket. Iruya by night is an experience that, in some way, will leave a mark on you.

The next day, we will embark on a tour that provides, in our view, the best expression of the Andean worldview (cosmovisión). Led by a local guide and on foot, we will walk the trails away from the town until we find a space where we can connect with the daily life of the region's inhabitants, who have maintained their traditions for hundreds of years. This will allow us to encounter archaeological vestiges, stories, condors, and the beauty that only simplicity can deliver.

Perhaps in a conversation, perhaps in a photo, or perhaps in silence, the concepts of how the indigenous inhabitants of this region view the world will leave a lasting impression on your memory.

Services included during these days:

• 2-night accommodation at Hotel Iruya with breakfast.

• Iruya Night Experience.

• Ancestors and Cosmovision Exploration.

After our days in Iruya—where we hope you have found a piece of yourselves amidst these mountains, and that a part of these hills remains in your memory—we will take the road back through the Quebrada de Humahuaca.

We suggest stopping at two places we believe you will deeply appreciate. One is the Serranía del Hornocal which, along with Purmamarca's Hill of Seven Colors, are two of the most beautiful mountains we have to offer. The other is the exact point where the Tropic of Capricorn passes, in the small town of Huacalera; a landmark that will let us know exactly where we are in the world without needing a map.

Our destination is the town of Tilcara, where we will spend one night before continuing toward our final destination in the north. The drive from Iruya to Salta is quite long, so a night of rest in between will surely be appreciated.

Since we are already familiar with Tilcara, we can take the whole day to travel from Iruya to this town, ensuring no village is left unexplored and no experience unlived in Northern Argentina. The Quebrada de Humahuaca, a UNESCO World Heritage site, has much to offer in that regard.

Services included for this day:

• 1-night accommodation at El Candil (Tilcara) with breakfast

Once we have enjoyed a leisurely breakfast at Hotel El Candil in Tilcara, we will take the road that brought us north one last time, though on a different stretch. Our destination is Salta, there we will leave the car at the local rental office and a transfer will lead us to the outskirts of Salta.

After our days traveling these roads, it is necessary to review what we have experienced and learned, and House of Jasmines is the perfect place for this.

House of Jasmines will take care of the rest and relaxation we clearly deserve.

At the end of our stay, it will be a good moment to contemplate what we have experienced during this journey and on our newfound understanding of a country that has many contrasts, many faces, and many perspectives to be seen. The side of the country we have witnessed over these past two weeks is one that is very particular, very intimate, and uniquely ours.

Services included during these days:

• 3-night accommodation at House of Jasmines.

• Transfer from Salta after car drop off

• Transfer to Local Airport at the end of staying

Finally, the moment arrives to close this chapter. We leave Northern Argentina behind, but not before letting our minds retrace the path we have traveled over these past two weeks. From that first encounter with the Calchaquí Valleys and the wine of Cafayate, passing through the living history in the white streets of Cachi. We have touched the sky in San Antonio de los Cobres and felt the immensity of the Salinas Grandes. We have walked among the history of the ancients in Tilcara and Purmamarca, and we reached the place where the clouds embrace the mountains in Iruya.

On April 16th, we will fly back to the great capital, Buenos Aires, for a final transition stage at your chosen hotel. Finally, on the 20th, we will accompany you to the international airport for your return home, confident that Argentina is now a part of you, in a way that is unique and uniquely ours.

Services included:

• Domestic flight from Salta to Buenos Aires (Aeroparque) on April 16th.

• Private transfer from Aeroparque to the selected hotel in Buenos Aires.

• Private transfer from the hotel in Buenos Aires to Ezeiza International Airport on April 20th.