Essential Humahuaca
Trip Highlights
Description
Combine the highlights of the colourful Quebrada de Humahuaca with the other-wordly Salinas Grandes salt flats in the Argentina Altiplano.
Rich in indigenous culture and colonial history, the old trade route from Buenos Aires to Lima features the Seven Coloured Hill of Purmamarca, and Hornocal's lesser known sierra of Fourteen Colours.
A side-trip to appreciate the immensity of the Salinas Grandes salt flats makes this one of the most diverse two day trips available from Salta or San Salvador de Jujuy.
Click here to view map route.
Tour info
To be discussed upon booking
To be discussed upon booking
Why take this tour?
We take the old mountain road north from Salta city, a taste of the verdant sub-tropical Yungas forest to the east of the Andes, into the neighbouring province of Jujuy. From the capital of San Salvador de Jujuy, we climb in altitude above 2,000m into the colourful canyon of the Quebrada de Humahuaca.
Celebrated for the Seven Coloured Hill in Purmamarca, our first stop, beyond the Quebrada de Humahuaca rising to 4,350m altitude is the lesser known Fourteen Coloured hill at the Serrania de Hornocal, a spectacular limestone depression formed hundreds of millions of years ago. We’ll arrive to see it in the perfect late afternoon light.
The Quebrada de Humahuaca is along the old Spanish colonial trade route from Buenos Aires to Lima, so it’s packed with history: there are old colonial churches with adobe walls and cactus wood roofs, (including one at Uquia with a rare cuzqueño art collection), a Spanish fort now converted into a museum dedicated to the War of Independence, and there are pre-Inca ruins at Tilcara.
On day 2, we will head across the Eastern range of the Andes to the Salinas Grandes salt flats before returning to Salta via the tobacco and sugar fields.
This is also excellent territory for hiking, horseriding, mountain biking, or even walking with llama! As ever, we’re here to tailor the tour to your request, so just let us know what you’d like to do.
Included
Local Tour Guide
Own Private Vehicle
Excluded
Food
Water
Things to know
Your Budget
Argentina has a parallel economy in which the official rate of the dollar is roughly half its real value. What that means is you need to leave your bank cards for emergencies and bring US$ or euros in cash which we can change into pesos for your everyday expenses. You’ll find Salta city is a lo...
Argentina has a parallel economy in which the official rate of the dollar is roughly half its real value. What that means is you need to leave your bank cards for emergencies and bring US$ or euros in cash which we can change into pesos for your everyday expenses. You’ll find Salta city is a lot cheaper than Buenos Aires, and your holiday in Argentina is even better value once we take you on the road on one of our trips. Read our guide to the "Blue Dollar" here.
Covid-19
Our tour company conforms to national guidelines on Covid-19. Social distancing of 1.5m is recommended, and the use of protective hand masks is mandatory in enclosed public areas. Within our vehicles (normally 4x4 pick-ups), we will provide masks and sanitizer, and temperature checks for travelle...
Our tour company conforms to national guidelines on Covid-19. Social distancing of 1.5m is recommended, and the use of protective hand masks is mandatory in enclosed public areas. Within our vehicles (normally 4x4 pick-ups), we will provide masks and sanitizer, and temperature checks for travellers during our trips. Transportation vehicles and all equipment are regularly sanitized between use.
Accommodation & Food
Double rooms at the privately owned B&Bs and small hotels we work with start from US$50 per night. You can eat well in some of the simple rustic places we use where you will be rubbing shoulders with the locals for less than US$10 per person. And splashing out on a three-course meal with wine...
Double rooms at the privately owned B&Bs and small hotels we work with start from US$50 per night. You can eat well in some of the simple rustic places we use where you will be rubbing shoulders with the locals for less than US$10 per person. And splashing out on a three-course meal with wine in a smart restaurant is unlikely to set you back more than US$50 for a couple.
Pricing
Below are our daily rates for Argentina holidays, all with your own private vehicle and English-speaking guide. Prices are per person excluding food and accommodation:
One person - US$350
Two people - US$200
Three people- US$150
Four people (one vehicle) - US$125
Fo...
Below are our daily rates for Argentina holidays, all with your own private vehicle and English-speaking guide. Prices are per person excluding food and accommodation:
One person - US$350
Two people - US$200
Three people- US$150
Four people (one vehicle) - US$125
Four people (two vehicles) - US$200
Prices are per person and valid until 31 August 2023.
Group Size
We operate with comfortable 4x4s which can accommodate up to four people, but if you’re travelling with a larger group, please contact us and we will see what we can arrange.
We operate with comfortable 4x4s which can accommodate up to four people, but if you’re travelling with a larger group, please contact us and we will see what we can arrange.