Northern Argentina & Chile

Enjoy the magic lands of the Argentina & Chile Northwest!

Salata

Cafayate

Humahuaca

Purmamarca

Atacama

Northern Argentina and Chile is a travel itinerary specially designed for those travelers who have limited travel time and want to see the best of the Northern Argentina and Chile in a few days. Explore the colorful and desert landscapes of the Northern Argentina and Chile in a 4×4 adventure of 7 days visiting the best atractions that will captivate the hearts of those travelers who venture to visit this amazing region.

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Itinerary Highlights

What's Included

Use this itinerary as a guide to inspire your coustom trip

AT A GLANCE

An adventure through the Northern Argentina and Chile. Visiting Salta La Linda, one of the most beatiful colonial cities in Argentina, Cafayate and the wine production, the famous Humahuaca Gorge and its colourful hils like Cerro de Los 7 Colores in Purmamarca, the spectacular salt flats deserts and incredible landscapes of Atacama Desert that seem from another planet.

All travel ideas are fully customizable, so we make travel proposals adapted to your interests, activities you enjoy, travel dates and destinations you want to visit.

Example Trip Itinerary

Northern Argentina and Chile

DAYS 1 - 2

Salta & Cafayate

Transfer

Private transfer from airport to your hotel in Salta

Accommodation in Salta

Legado Mítico

Legado Mítico Salta is a high-end boutique hotel in the Historic District of the city Salta. Live the restorative feeling of staying in a house that retains its origin as a patrician family, with the most exclusive amenities that place it at the top of hotel ratings in the region.

UP GRADE : House of Jasmines

Start your Northern Argentina and Chile itinerary in Salta City, the main city and gateway to the Argentine Northwest Region (NOA). It was founded in 1582, in the Lerma Valley, at the foot of San Bernardo Hill, and is known for its Spanish colonial architecture and Andean heritage. The city is centered on the elegant Plaza 9 de Julio, surrounded by cafes, around which are located the Salta Cathedral and El Cabildo, an 18th century town hall transformed into a museum.

Salta also has important museums with archaeological exhibitions of world relevance like The Museum of High Mountain Archeology (MAAM), which houses Inca artifacts and mummies. Its cultural shows, diversity of peñas, restaurants and tourist services make the visitor experience to this beautiful city unforgettable.

Day 1: Arriving to Salta

The first day of your Northern Argentina and Chile trip, your driver will be waiting for you at Salta airport to take you to your accommodation in Salta City.

After checking in, the local guide will show you best attractions of this historic city. You will visit the Museo de Arqueología de Alta Montaña, which presents exhibitions dedicated to pre-colonial culture and the famous Llullaillaco Children, three Incas children mummies that were discovered on top of Llullaillaco in 1999.

After the tour with the guide, you can continue exploring by yourself and go to visit some other museum, the Cabildo, or enjoy the amazing panoramic view from San Bernardo Hill. In the evening taste the delicious local food or go to the local peñas to enjoy the folkloric music and dance. And after a glass of wine, you will probably join in for dancing!

Day 2: Cafayate Wine Tour

Visit Cafayate on your second day of the Northern Argentina and Chile trip. Cafayate Is one of the most popular destinations of the Argentina Northwest wine region. The wine is renowned in Argentina, especially because of the star product of the region: Torrontes Wine. Let´s take a look to the wineries and wine yards. Enjoy a relaxing day touring the best wineries in Cafayate; El Esteco, Piatelli, El Porvenir are some of the options to try the best Cafayate wines and learn about their production process.

DAY 3

Humahuaca Gorge & Purmamarca

Accommodation in Purmamarca

La Comarca Hotel

Shire, Charming hotel, was built in a privileged place in the beautiful village of Purmamarca, located at the foot of the spectacular Cerro de los Siete Colores and heart of the Quebrada mythical Humahuaca.

Day 3: The Colorful Humahuaca Gorge

Continue your Northern Argentina and Chile trip traveling north to Jujuy Province to explore the beautiful mountain valley landscape of the Humahuaca Gorge and the impressive colorful mountain range during all the way. Humahuaca Gorge is dotted with a bunch of amazing attractions such us the Cerro de los Siete Colores (Seven Color Hill) in Purmarca, the Pucará de Tilcara, a dilapidated but well restored pre-Incan native fortress and the Cerro Paleta del Pintor (Painter Palette Hill) at Maimará village.

You will also visit the small town of Uquía to see 17th-century paintings by indigenous students of the Cuzco School called Cusqueñas Paintings and the little Uquía Church. Then you will pass through Huacalera, and while crossing the Tropic of Capricorn road, admire the multicolored La Pollera de la Coya Hill. Finally, you reach the picturesque Humahuaca and enjoy its colorful narrow streets, handcraft markets and typical local food. You will make different stops on the way to Humahuaca and back, finishing the day in Purmamarca, where you will spend the night. You can spend the evening enjoying beautiful the view of the Seven Colors Hill and visiting the main square and its colorful handcraft faire.

DAY 4 - 6

Atacama Desert

Accommodation in Atacama

Nayara Alto Atacama

Nayara Alto Atacama itself is amazing, with a cactus garden outside our bedroom, a Llama park just beyond, Andean vegetable gardens, shady seats, calming Algarrobo trees and scented Rica-Rica bushes. A place of wonders where you connects. A true oasis in the middle of the Atacama Desert

Continue your Northern Argentina and Chile itinerary in Puna of Atacama, a highland region of 80,000 km2 located in the north of Argentina (85%) and Chile (15%). The varied landscapes of this desert area include volcanoes, lakes, lagoons, plateaus and extensive salt flats such as Salinas Grandes, Atacama, Antofalla, Pocitos, Pastos Grandes, Arizaro, Incahuasi and Hombre Muerto, as well as narrow ravines and small valleys. called vegas and curious rock formations shaped by wind erosion. The landscapes are so unusual that you will feel on another planet.

On the way from Purmamarca you will cross the slope of the Lipán, a zigzagging and steep section of National Route 52, which reaches its maximum height in the Abra de Potrerillos at 4,170 meters above sea level. Finally, you will reach Paso de Jama (Chilean border), and you will cross the border to spend the night at San pedro de Atacama.

Day 4: Salinas Grande + Transfer to San Pedro de Atacama

Let´s explore the Puna Region on your Northern Argentina and Chile trip, in Jujuy Province and the amazing Salinas Grandes (Salt Flats). The Salinas Grandes, a vast saline of 212 km2 in full Puna at 3,450 meters high, is the second largest salt flat in South America and the world. An extension of salt that contrasts with the blue of the sky. Unique natural environment with its traditional artisanal exploitation of salt. The salt flat is shared by Salta and Jujuy provinces.

Day 5: Visit Geysers del Tatio and Valle de la Luna

On your 5th day of the Northern Argentina and Chile trip, you will start early, to enjoy a beautiful sunrise in the amazing the Tatio Geysers. In this place there are lots geysers from which steam jets emerge and pools of boiling water are formed. The best time of the day to visit the Geysers is on the early morning, when the sun lights colors contrast with geysers vapor. Enjoying this stunning landscape you will have your breakfast.

Returning to the road, you will enjoy the beauty of the landscape, the geological formations, native fauna and flora, such as vicuñas, vizcachas, among other species. Then we will make a stop in the small town of Machuca, with straw and adobe houses, we will be able to visit the colorful artisans’ fair, and try typical dishes from this Andean area.

Once lunch is over, we will embark on the next adventure to the famous Valley of the Moon located a few kilometers from San Pedro de Atacama. This place is a geological spectacle, and is part of the Los Flamencos National Reserve. The landscape is made up of extravagant rock formations resulting from the erosion of the wind on the terrain. You will feel as if you were walking on the lunar surface. The passing of the afternoon and the changes in sunlight will modify the view of the landscape. With the arrival of sunset, the golden and red tones will appear over the desert, an unforgettable experience on your adventure trip through Northern Argentina and Chile.

Day 6: Piedras Rojas, Atacama Salt Flats and Altiplano Lakes

The las day of your Northern Argentina and Chile trip, the adventure will begin after breakfast. You will travel to the Atacama Desert, to reach a small indigenous town called Toconao, with beautiful white adobe houses. You will learn about the history and traditions of this picturesque place, its monuments and historical sites. If the weather permits, you will continue our tour visiting Laguna Chaxa, which serves as home to a large number of flamingos.

Then you will begin a one-hour trek, during the tour you will enjoy beautiful views of the salt flat and the beautiful landscapes, and will be able to see the Miscanti and Miñiques lakes, their respective volcanoes and local fauna such as vicuñas, foxes and flamingos.

You will make a stop for lunch and then visit the Piedras Rojas área, where the oxidation of iron in the rocks of the high plateau has created a surreal landscape of reddish tones that seems to belong to another planet.

You also will be able to see the Aguas Calientes Salt Flats and finally we will return to San Pedro de Atacama

Day 7: Transfer to the Airport

Say Goodbye to this amazing land. To finish your Northern Argentina and Chile trip, your driver will pick you up at your hotel to take you to the Calama Airport.

Transfer

Private transfer to Calama Airport

Flight

Flight from Calama to your next destination

Talk to a local travel specialist

(+54)-9-2966218693

Contact a destination specialist, who will take the time to fully understand your preferences and ideas and turn them into the perfect itinerary for you according to your budget. The itinerary can be modified as many times as you want until you are completely happy with the result.

Buenos Aires & Patagonia Argentina

What's Your Dream Trip?

We dedicate to design custom trips for people who wish to live a special lifetime experience. As a result our professional team of travel designers and excellent local guides work together to create the best itineraries based on your interests.

How to Customize This Itinerary

To customize your Northern Argentina and Chile Itinerary add some extra nights in Puna de Atacama to discover more of its incredible region. You can spend some nights in Tolar Grande to explore the salt flats, and volcanoes, and one night in El Peñon to visit the Campo de Piedra Pomez and the beautiful lagoons in this area.

You also can extend the itinerary by adding some nights to visit more of the Calchaquies Valleys, going to know Cachi and Los Cardones National Park.

Include some time to relax! After a few days traveling you probably would enjoy some free time to relax or receive a massage that will you feel renew and energized for the rest of your trip. Most of the hotels have SPA services or wellness center.

All travel ideas are fully customizable. We make travel proposals adapted to your interests, activities you enjoy, travel dates and destinations you want to visit.