Footsteps of the Conquistadores
Trip Highlights
Cusi Cusi's spectacular Valle de Luna
The old Spanish Fort of Hornillos
The Jugueteria geological formations
Description
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.
Tour info
We can pick you up direct from Salta airport or from your chosen hotel in the city.
Open in Google MapsWhy take this tour?
We head north from Salta to San Salvador de Jujuy, following the old mountain road between these two historic cities, before climbing into the Quebrada de Humahuaca. This is the old Spanish supply route from Buenos Aires to Lima, and it’s replete with history from the past milennium. The Inca adapted an 11th century indigenous hill settlement at Tilcara, the pukara fort. When the Spanish arrived, they built churches, including Uquia’s San Francisco which has some rare and startling artwork. A colonial fort at Hornillos has been converted into a museum dedicated to the War of Independence, much of which was fought up and down the Quebrada de Humahuaca two centuries ago.
After passing through the relatively heavily populated Quebrada, we rise in altitude into the Puna, the mountain plateau of northern Argentina, through the colourful limestone rockscape of Tres Cruces, and visit the town of Abra Pampa, which remains to this day a hub for indigenous trade in llama, salt blocks, quinoa, and sweetcorn.
One of our overnight stops is Yavi, close to the Bolivian border, home to a 17th-century church and an old colonial house with an extraordinary history. At nearby Laguna Colorado there are petroglyph rock paintings from hunter-gatherer times. We also stay in arguably the oldest settlement in Argentina, Santa Catalina (founded in 1547), gateway to Laguna de los Pozuelos, a high altitude Altiplano lagoon that is home to 44 species of birds, including a colony of 25,000 flamingoes.
From here we take the classic Route 40, which links Argentina from north to the south along more than 5,000km, through some of the most remote parts of the country, many of them old and existing mining settlements like Pirquitas, Susques, and San Antonio de los Cobres: the latter is where the famous Tren a las Nubes (Train to the Clouds) makes its journey. We return to Salta through the Quebrada del Toro, visiting the pre-hispanic ruins of Tastil, and can also take a walk of two or three hours along a little-known section of the Inca trail.
Included
Bilingual tour guide
Private tailor-made tour
Vehicle and guide costs
Excluded
Food
Accommodation
Things to know
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$15 per person. And splashing out on a three-course meal with wine in ...
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$15 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$40 per person.
Pricing
Headline price based on three people travelling together in one of our 4x4s with an English-speaking driver/guide.
Below are our DAILY rates PER PERSON excluding food and accommodation: valid to end 2025.
One person - US$400
Two people - US$225
Three people- US$150
Headline price based on three people travelling together in one of our 4x4s with an English-speaking driver/guide.
Below are our DAILY rates PER PERSON excluding food and accommodation: valid to end 2025.
One person - US$400
Two people - US$225
Three people- US$150
Group Size
This trip covers some very rough roads in the mountain plateau, so for safety and comfort we take a maximum of three passengers per vehicle. If you're travelling with a larger group, please contact us in good time and we will do our best to accommodate you in two 4x4s.
This trip covers some very rough roads in the mountain plateau, so for safety and comfort we take a maximum of three passengers per vehicle. If you're travelling with a larger group, please contact us in good time and we will do our best to accommodate you in two 4x4s.
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