High and Mighty
The Argentine Altiplano is part of a 100,000 sq km bowl that starts in Catamarca and stretches up to the Bolivian border, extending into the Salar de Uyuni and the Atacama desert in Chile. Over three days, our Salt & Seven Colours tour gives you a flavour of the mountain plateau, combined with the historic and colourful Quebrada de Humahuaca.
Our longer 4x4 overland Andes tours are rugged adventures taking us close to the borders of Chile and Bolivia, offering incredible wide-open landscapes, like the pumice stone fields of Campo Piedra Pomez, the Cono de Arita pyramid, the sunken landscape of Cusi Cusi’s Valle de la Luna and the river trail of Quebrada de Paicone.
Altiplano Tours
Salt & Seven Colours
This is one of our most pòpular tailor-made tours which combines the historic UNESCO site of the Quebrada de Humahuaca with the Salinas Grandes salt flats of the Altiplano mountain plateau and the colourful and barely populated canyon of Quebrada del Toro.
For wine lovers among you, there are some excellent new producers in the emerging wine region of Jujuy province, as well as great places to hike, horseride or even trek with llama.
We can often combine this trip with our Classic Wine route by taking the mountain pass of Abra el Acay, the highest road crossing in the world outside the Himalayas, at just under 5,000m altitude.
Click here to view map route.
Footsteps of the Conquistadores
A high altitude 4x4 adventure along the old colonial mining route: this Altiplano tour brings you into close contact with the mountain plateau wildlife of vicuña, flamingoes, and rhea.
This excursion combines the must-see highlights of the UNESCO-protected Quebrada de Humahuaca with little-explored sections of the Argentine mountain plateau.
Far from artificial light, enjoy the breathtaking night sky in remote hamlets places like Yavi and Santa Catalina, close to the border with Bolivia.
Click here to view map route.
Wine and Mountains
A 4x4 safari tour into the heart of the most remote areas of Argentina’s Andean mountain plateau, combined with the Valles Calchaquies wine region.
This high altitude Altiplano tour also includes the best of Salta wine region, where the white grape of Torrontes finds its best expression, and apart from the classic Argentine Malbec, you can also sample Tannat, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
Wine lovers should see our Classic Wine route or Salta to Mendoza trip for more details on the sacred grape: either of those trips can be combined with this one.
Click here to view map route.
Andes Photography tours
The huge open skies of the Altiplano (“high plain”) provide the perfect backdrop for photographers. And in the remote towns where we stay, we are often far from artificial light, so the starscapes are amazing to behold.
The huge open skies of the Altiplano (“high plain”) provide the perfect backdrop for photographers. And in the remote towns where we stay, we are often far from artificial light, so the starscapes are amazing to behold.
Join our Altiplano Safari
The inhospitable Puna (“cold land”) of the mountain plateau is home to wild vicuña, condors, rhea, and the only big cat in this environment, the puma: we should at least be lucky enough to see the first three.
The inhospitable Puna (“cold land”) of the mountain plateau is home to wild vicuña, condors, rhea, and the only big cat in this environment, the puma: we should at least be lucky enough to see the first three.
The Salt Trail
For centuries, indigenous miners earned their corn digging crystal salt from high-altitude pools. You’ll now meet ex-workers who (thanks to tourism) carve salt blocks into ornamental llama and cacti, and etch impressive carvings on slates mined from the surrounding hills.
For centuries, indigenous miners earned their corn digging crystal salt from high-altitude pools. You’ll now meet ex-workers who (thanks to tourism) carve salt blocks into ornamental llama and cacti, and etch impressive carvings on slates mined from the surrounding hills.
Picnic at La Jugueteria
The volcanic landscape of La Jugueteria in Jujuy is on the iconic Route 40, which stretches for 5,224km from the Bolivian border to Patagonia.
The volcanic landscape of La Jugueteria in Jujuy is on the iconic Route 40, which stretches for 5,224km from the Bolivian border to Patagonia.
A word on the altitude
The Puna of Salta and Jujuy is a mountain plateau more than 3,000m above sea level. At this height, some people can suffer from apunamiento, or altitude sickness. Symptoms include headaches, fatigue, and dizziness.
The best way to avoid sickness is acclimatisation, so our trips are designed to rise gradually in altitude. It's also advisable to avoid large meals, and too much alcohol or coffee while you're travelling. Most importantly, don’t over-exert yourself, and tell your guide if you’re not feeling well.
Our guide will always have a bag of coca to hand: it's rather an acquired (and bitter) taste, but we recommend you try it. The locals will be impressed, and you'll be taking part in a holy ceremony that has existed for centuries. If you really don't like it, there's always coca tea...
Planning a holiday in Argentina? Don't hesitate to get in touch!