Cornelius Amann
October 06, 2026
5/5
Salta and Jujuy: Cafayate Wine and the Quebrada de Humahuaca
8 days from Salta to Salta: the Calchaqui wine valley first, then the coloured quebrada, two days above 4,000 m (the Hornocal viewpoint reported at about 4,350 m) and a night in Tilcara.
8 days · Round trip from Salta · up to 12 guests
The Serranía de Hornocal near Humahuaca, photographed in August 2017 in clear dry-season light; colours and weather on any day vary Photo: Havardtl, CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), via Wikimedia Commons, resized
The facts
At a glance
- Length
- 8 days, 7 nights
- Start and end
- Round trip from Salta
- Group size
- 7 to 12 guests
- Activity level
Moderate
Plan for short walks of 1 to 3 km on most days, with long road days of about 3 to 4 hours of driving on Days 2, 4, 5 and 8. Two days, Day 6 and Day 7, go above 4,000 m, at about 4,170 m on the Cuesta de Lipan and a reported 4,350 m at the Hornocal viewpoint. Altitude affects people differently regardless of fitness. Shorter-walk options are not step-free alternatives; suitability needs checking before booking.
- Meals included
- 7 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 3 dinners
- Season
- Dry season, April to November
Highlights
Why this trip
- The Quebrada de las Conchas, walked at its roadside formations on the way to Cafayate
- A day of torrontes wineries and high vineyards in the Calchaqui valley, producers to be confirmed
- The MAAM museum and a peña with live folk music in Salta
- Purmamarca under the hill of seven colours at about 2,300 m
- Salinas Grandes over the Cuesta de Lipan at about 4,170 m
- Tilcara's Pucara and the Hornocal viewpoint, reported at about 4,350 m
What makes this trip different
Free time is part of the plan
Free time and choices are marked on the days they fall.
Day by day
Itinerary
Tap any stop on the map to open that dayClick any stop on the map to open that day
Arrive in Salta
Salta airport (SLA) to your hotel in central Salta
- Dinner
- Stay in Salta
Fly into Martin Miguel de Guemes International Airport (SLA) in Salta, a city at roughly 1,150 m, low enough that most people feel nothing yet. A driver is proposed to meet you in arrivals and take you to the hotel in the centre; the transfer is short and we do not quote a time until the airport and hotel are fixed. If you land early you can walk to Plaza 9 de Julio, the arcaded colonial square with the cathedral, and find a cafe under the arches.
Evening
In the evening your See Sight Tours guide, to be appointed, briefs the group on the eight days: why the order is Cafayate first and the high north later, how altitude is handled, what to pack for cold dry mountain mornings. A welcome dinner of northwestern dishes such as empanadas salteñas follows nearby. Flight arrival times vary; early or late arrivals may need a different plan.
Included
- Pick-up at Salta airport (SLA), proposed
- Welcome briefing with your guide
- Welcome dinner
Free time: Free until the evening briefing
Quebrada de las Conchas to Cafayate
Salta to Cafayate through the Quebrada de las Conchas
- Breakfast
- Stay in Cafayate
Morning
We leave Salta in the morning and drive south into the Calchaqui country, with the road running up the Quebrada de las Conchas, a gorge of red, ochre and green rock cut by the Rio de las Conchas. Short walking stops are planned at the formations along the road, which have names such as the Garganta del Diablo and the Anfiteatro, so you see them at walking speed rather than through a window. The full road is a long day by Andean standards, roughly three and a half to four hours of driving once the stops are counted, and we treat the stops as the point of the day. We arrive in Cafayate, a low town of whitewashed houses around a plaza at about 1,660 m, in time for a stroll and a first glass of torrontes, the white grape the town is known for.
Evening
Dinner is free so you can choose.
Included
- Vehicle and driver, Salta to Cafayate
- Walking stops in the Quebrada de las Conchas with your guide
Easier option: Stay at the roadside viewpoints rather than walking into the formations
More active option: Add a longer walk at the formations where the guide judges conditions and access suitable
Free time: Free evening in Cafayate
Activity: Long driving day; the drive time is an estimate to be confirmed against the final vehicle partner and road conditions. Heavy summer rain can affect the gorge road.
Torrontes wineries and high vineyards
Cafayate and the vineyards of the Calchaqui valley
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Cafayate
A full day for wine and landscape around Cafayate. We plan to visit two or three wineries in the valley, among them a smaller family cellar and one that grows grapes high on the valley sides, where the altitude and the large swing between hot days and cold nights shape the torrontes. The producers are not appointed and the list depends on tasting capacity and who is open on the day.
Afternoon
Lunch is proposed at one of the wineries or in a restaurant in town, with local dishes such as empanadas and goat. The afternoon is free: wander the plaza, walk the dry riverbed paths on the edge of town, or rest. Tastings are measured and a driver is used throughout, but guests who prefer not to drink can join the walks and meals without the glass. Whether tasting fees are included is a supplier confirmation item.
Included
- Visits to two or three wineries with tastings, producers to be confirmed
- Lunch at a winery or in Cafayate
Optional experiences
- A longer vineyard walk or bicycle hire in the valley, subject to local operators
Free time: Free afternoon and evening in Cafayate
Activity: Winery names and tasting inclusions are unconfirmed.
Back to Salta, the high-mountain museum and a peña
Cafayate to Salta by road, then the MAAM museum and a peña
- Breakfast and dinner
- Stay in Salta
Afternoon
We drive back to Salta by the same gorge road, this time stopping at different viewpoints and taking our time, and aim to reach the city by early afternoon. The afternoon is for the Museo de Arqueologia de Alta Montana, the MAAM, which tells the story of the Inca child sacrifices found near the summit of Llullaillaco. The museum shows one of the children at a time on rotation for conservation, and the current one is announced on its own website, so we cannot promise which child you will see; the museum lists Tuesday to Sunday, 11:00 to 19:00, with last entry at 18:30 and Mondays closed; it posts holiday exceptions, so we recheck each date. The exhibit shows the remains of children, which some guests find affecting, and it is entirely optional.
Evening
Dinner is at a peña, a restaurant with live folk music, where guitars and a bombo drum accompany zambas and chacareras; the venue is unconfirmed.
Included
- Vehicle and driver, Cafayate to Salta
- MAAM (Museo de Arqueologia de Alta Montana) entry with your guide
- Dinner at a peña with live folk music
Optional experiences
- Cable car up Cerro San Bernardo for a view of the city, subject to operation
Free time: Free time around Plaza 9 de Julio before dinner
Activity: Departure dates must avoid a Monday for this day because the MAAM is closed, and holidays may change its hours. Which child is displayed is the museum's decision. Entry fees and ticketing are to be confirmed.
Into the Quebrada de Humahuaca to Purmamarca
Salta to Purmamarca by road through Jujuy
- Breakfast
- Stay in Purmamarca
Today we leave the valleys for the high north. The drive from Salta to Purmamarca is about three hours without stops, past the green tobacco and sugar country of the Jujuy lowlands and then climbing into the dry mountains of the Quebrada de Humahuaca, a UNESCO World Heritage valley. We stop where it suits the light and the legs. Purmamarca sits at about 2,300 m under the Cerro de los Siete Colores, the hill of seven colours, striped by ancient sediments.
Afternoon
In the afternoon we walk the little circuit of coloured rock close to the village, an easy walk of about an hour, and then the handicraft market on the plaza, where llama wool goods are sold. We sleep at 2,300 m, a gentle step up from Salta, so sleeping altitude rises in steps before the days above 4,000 m.
Evening
Tonight is a quiet dinner of your choice.
Included
- Vehicle and driver, Salta to Purmamarca
- Walk around the Cerro de los Siete Colores circuit with your guide
Easier option: Walk only the first part of the circuit and take a seat at the plaza
More active option: Climb to the viewpoint above the village if the guide judges conditions suitable
Free time: Free afternoon and evening in Purmamarca
Activity: Many travellers drink water, use sun protection and walk slowly at altitude; ask a doctor what suits you.
Salinas Grandes and the 4,170 m pass
Purmamarca to Salinas Grandes over the Cuesta de Lipan and back
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Purmamarca
This is the first of the two days above 4,000 m. A paved road, Ruta 52, climbs in long switchbacks from Purmamarca over the Cuesta de Lipan, whose high point is reported at about 4,170 m, then drops to the white expanse of Salinas Grandes at roughly 3,450 m, where official sources give slightly differing heights. The distance one way is about 65 km. We walk a little on the salt crust, see the rectangular harvesting pools, and learn from a local community guide how the salt is cut by hand; tourism information indicates visits inside the salt flat are led by local community guides; arrangements and fees are theirs to set and are unconfirmed.
Afternoon
We drive slowly, keep the day short at altitude, and return to Purmamarca for the afternoon. Altitude headaches are common on this road. Wind, cold and bright sun can make it demanding, and weather can change the plan at short notice.
Included
- Vehicle and driver, Purmamarca to Salinas Grandes and back
- Salt-flat visit; local guide arrangements to be confirmed
- Lunch
Easier option: Stay near the vehicle at the viewpoints and skip the walk onto the salt
More active option: Add a longer walk along the edge of the salt flat at the guide's discretion
Free time: Afternoon free in Purmamarca
Activity: Altitude above 4,000 m on this day. The pass and salt-flat access can close or be restricted by weather. Entry fees and community guide arrangements are to be confirmed.
Tilcara, Humahuaca and the Hornocal
Purmamarca to Tilcara by Maimara, Humahuaca and the Hornocal viewpoint
- Breakfast and dinner
- Stay in Tilcara
Today we follow the valley north through Maimara, with the Paleta del Pintor hillside, to Tilcara, where the pre-Inca Pucara hill fort has been partly rebuilt on a rise above the village and gives a view along the whole quebrada; the site lists Tuesday to Sunday, 9:00 to 18:30, with last entry at 17:15, closed on Mondays, and its guided route is suspended in rain. After a break we continue to Humahuaca, a historic town of narrow streets around a plaza at about 3,000 m, and then take the gravel road, reported at about 24 km from the town, to the Hornocal viewpoint, reported at about 4,350 m, the second day above 4,000 m. The Hornocal is a long wall of striped rock, often called the hill of fourteen colours, and how it looks depends on cloud and light, which we cannot promise.
Evening
We go slowly, spend only a short time at the top and then descend to sleep in Tilcara at about 2,460 m, a lower night than Humahuaca. Dinner is proposed in town.
Included
- Vehicle and driver for the day
- Tilcara Pucara visit with your guide
- Humahuaca town walk
- Hornocal viewpoint
- Group dinner in Tilcara
Easier option: Skip the climb at the Pucara and enjoy the view from the lower paths
More active option: Take the longer circuit across the Pucara hill with the guide
Free time: Short rest in Tilcara before dinner
Activity: Altitude above 4,000 m. The road to the Hornocal is reported to be gravel and can be closed by weather; Monday departures for this day do not work because the Pucara is closed. Admission to the Pucara and any local access fees are unconfirmed.
Return to Salta and fly out
Tilcara to Salta airport by road
- Breakfast
Morning
After breakfast we drive back down the quebrada and south through Jujuy to Salta. The road is about 4 hours in total by our estimate, a rough figure to be confirmed against the final route and traffic, and we allow time for a stop on the way if the group wants one. The driver takes guests to the airport in time for onward flights. Because the road time is long and unpredictable in rain, we cannot give a safe earliest flight time yet; we will set one once the route and supplier are fixed, and we ask guests not to buy flights home until then. Extra nights in Salta are not part of this proposal; whether they can be offered, and at what cost, is not yet known. The trip ends at Salta airport.
Included
- Vehicle and driver, Tilcara to Salta and the airport
Activity: Earliest safe flight time to be confirmed; do not book onward flights yet.
- Salta1 night
- Cafayate2 nights
- Salta1 night
- Purmamarca2 nights
- Tilcara1 night
- Saltaend
- Overnight stop
- Day trip
- By boat or train
Wildlife and weather: April to November is the dry season in the northwest, with sunny days, but mornings at altitude can be near freezing, winter nights (June to August) are cold and the sun is strong. Summer (about January to March) brings rain that can cause road cuts, which is why we do not propose those months. This note is general and not a forecast.
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Before you book
Right for you?
Good for you if you want
- Travellers who want wine, colour and high desert in one week
- People who prefer to arrive at altitude gradually
- Solo travellers who want an indicative single-room supplement shown up front
- Anyone who enjoys short walks and long scenic road days
Not for you if you want
- Step-free access: cobbled lanes, slopes and rough roads are part of every day
- Travellers who cannot go above 4,000 m or prefer to avoid altitude
- Anyone wanting a confirmed departure now: this itinerary is in development
- Very long walking days: walks here are short
Book flights after we confirm your seat.
7 nights
Where you'll stay
Your hotels are named in your trip confirmation.
- Salta1 night
- Cafayate2 nights
- Salta1 night
- Purmamarca2 nights
- Tilcara1 night
One price
What's in the price
Included
Accommodation
- 7 nights in central hotels or similar inns: 2 in Salta, 2 in Cafayate, 2 in Purmamarca, 1 in Tilcara
- Rooms shared, or your own for a supplement
- Hotels are named only when dates and suppliers are confirmed
Transport
- Proposed pick-up and drop-off at Salta airport (SLA)
- A vehicle and driver for all road days in the plan, operator to be confirmed in the quote
- Walking as in the day plan
Activities
- Salta: MAAM entry, Plaza 9 de Julio walk
- Quebrada de las Conchas: walking stops
- Cafayate: two or three winery visits with tastings, producers to be confirmed
- Purmamarca: Cerro de los Siete Colores walk
- Salinas Grandes: salt-flat visit; local guide arrangements to be confirmed
- Tilcara Pucara, Humahuaca town walk and Hornocal viewpoint
- Local fees are proposed inclusions pending confirmation
Meals
- Breakfast: 7
- Lunch: 2
- Dinner: 3
- Other meals are left free. Meal arrangements are proposed pending supplier confirmation.
Your guide
- A See Sight Tours guide with the group, to be appointed
- Local guides where sites require them
Not included
- International and domestic flights to and from Salta
- Travel insurance
- Visa or travel authorisation fees, if any apply to your passport
- Meals not listed
- Drinks beyond those in the plan
- Tips
- Optional activities, such as the Cerro San Bernardo cable car
- Hotel extensions and early or late airport transfers
- Personal expenses and medical costs, including altitude medication
Extras
- Room of your own
- Price on request
When you can go
Dates and prices
Pick your start date when you request to book. We check that date and confirm it in your quote.
Prefer to travel without a group or guide? Ask us about arranging hotels, transport and city tours for you to travel independently.
Before you book
Booking terms
Nothing is charged now. Full terms and the cancellation schedule come with your quote, before you accept.
Business addresses
See Sight Tours Trips (USA): 3172 N Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89108, United StatesSee Sight Tours Trips (Canada): 5305 50 Avenue, #1091, Red Deer, AB T4N 4B6, Canada+1-888-961-6584Guest reviews
What guests say
Reviews from guests on our day tours.
Jane
October 06, 2026
5/5
Susan
October 06, 2026
5/5
Tom L
October 05, 2026
5/5
MandL83
October 05, 2026
5/5
Darren O
October 05, 2026
5/5
Good to know
Questions
What does the price include?
The proposed price is an indicative planning figure for seven hotel nights, 7 breakfasts, 2 lunches and 3 dinners, a vehicle and driver on the road days, the entries and visits in the day plan and a guide. The written quote sets the final price, taxes, inclusions and terms. Flights are not included.
Is this trip available to book?
Not yet. It is a proposed itinerary with no confirmed departure dates, hotels, vehicles or guides. An enquiry takes no payment and confirms no booking; we reply with a written quote that sets the price, taxes, inclusions, operator and terms.
How high does the trip go and is it safe?
Day 6 reaches about 4,170 m on the Cuesta de Lipan and Day 7 about 4,350 m (reported) at the Hornocal. Altitude affects people regardless of fitness. We order the days gradually, but we cannot promise freedom from symptoms. Ask a doctor about your health before booking.
When is the best time to go?
We propose April to November, the dry season in the northwest. Summer rain from about January to March can cause road cuts, so we do not propose those months, and winter nights from June to August are cold. We do not guarantee clear skies, open passes or an accessible salt flat on any date.
Why return to Salta in the middle of the trip?
Cafayate and Purmamarca are each about three to four hours from Salta in opposite directions. Going between them without stopping in Salta would mean a road day of seven to eight hours. A night in Salta on Day 4 keeps the days manageable and puts the museum visit in.
How big is the group?
The small-group trip is proposed for 7 to 12 guests. Private departures for your own party are priced separately and run on dates you choose, subject to supplier availability.
What are the entry rules and the official safety advice?
Rules depend on your passport, so check the official pages for it. For Canadian passport holders, the Government of Canada page on Argentina, read in November 2026, describes normal security precautions with regional advisories, no tourist visa requirement and fingerprints and a photo on arrival, and says protests and strikes can block roads. Read the current page before you book flights; we do not predict changes.
What if the Salinas Grandes or Hornocal road is closed?
Weather can close high roads. Your guide would offer the nearest alternative, such as more time in Purmamarca or the lower valley. Any replacement or refund terms would be set out in the written quote, since no supplier is confirmed yet.
Can I extend to Mendoza or cross to Chile or Bolivia?
No extensions are offered yet. See our Mendoza wine trip and the Uyuni to Atacama crossing for related routes; the related trips are listed for reference only and nothing has been priced.
Does the trip include the Tren a las Nubes?
No. It is a separate service run by its own operator, reportedly not daily or year-round, and we have not checked its current schedule. It is not part of this itinerary, and nothing is offered or priced.
What if I do not want to see the Llullaillaco children at the MAAM?
The visit is optional. The museum shows the remains of one Inca child at a time on rotation, for conservation, and the exhibit can be affecting. You can take free time nearby, around Plaza 9 de Julio, while others go in. Opening hours and any holiday exceptions are rechecked for each date.
Is travel insurance needed for the altitude days?
We would ask every guest to hold travel insurance. The Government of Canada page for Argentina notes that rescue capacity in remote high-altitude areas is limited and recommends cover that includes evacuation. Check your own policy covers the heights in this plan, about 4,170 m and a reported 4,350 m. This is general information, not medical advice.
See Sight Tours has been providing travel services across North America since 2006. Operating in 20 cities across Canada and the USA, the company specializes in small group tours that offer personalized, high-quality experiences for travelers.
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