Description

Operational Notes: Day 1: Arrival on a flight before 2PM is required. The High Mountain Museum is closed on Mondays. Due to the closure of Cabildo (TUE) and Mercado de San Miguel (SUN), the points of interest to visit will be modified. Day 8: A departure flight after 7 PM is required. To keep in mind: • It is recommended to take the tour in MAR/APR & OCT/NOV. The rest of the year may be subject to weather-related issues. • Due to the altitude at which this journey takes place, as well as the roads and distances to be covered, this itinerary is not recommended for passengers with hypertension or hypotension. We suggest consulting with your doctor. • Accommodation in Abra Pampa, Cusi Cusi, and Santa Catalina is provided in hostels or lodges. Day 1 Salta. Arrival at the airport and transfer to the hotel. In the afternoon, visit the city of Salta to explore its cobbled streets, churches and colonial buildings. During the tour, we will visit the MAAM (Archaeological Museum of High Mountain), in charge of preserving one of the most relevant archaeological discovering of the latest decades, the “Children of Llullaillaco" mummies. Maximum altitude: 1.152 MASL (3.380 feet) Day 2 Salta / Purmamarca. B L Departure towards the Humahuaca Gorge, UNESCO’s Mankind’s Cultural and Natural Heritage, where, in addition to visiting typical villages of the Gorge, we will share a community tourism experience in which we will be both actors and guests. Depending on availability, we will have the opportunity to discover the secrets of this region that captivates both gastronomically and scenically. Accommodation in Purmamarca. Total distance travelled: 156 km (98 miles) Travel time: 3 hours Maximum Altitude: 2.300 MASL (7.545 feet) Day 3 Purmamarca / Abra Pampa. B L D At due time, we continue our visit through the Quebrada to reach one of the best-preserved secrets of the area, the vineyards of Uquía. There, we explore the vineyards, the winery, and the Cava Mina Moya, an abandoned mining tunnel at 3640 meters above sea level where the wines mature. After lunch, we continue towards the Serranía del Hornocal, the Mountain of 14 Colors, a palette of colors that deserves to be admired, and then continue on to Abra Pampa where we stay. Total distance travelled: 202 km (126 miles) Travel time: 6/7 hours. Maximum Altitude: 3.507 MASL (11.500) Day 4 Abra Pampa / Cusi Cusi. B L D In the morning, a short drive will take us to Cochinoca, a town once located on the Inca trail that passed by. Moving on along Route 71, we will pass by the Peñas de Ascalte ravines, formations of volcanic origin that resemble animal shapes. After partaking in lunch at a local house, we will continue towards Cusi Cusi, another small town, with less than 250 inhabitants devoted to sheep, lamas and donkeys breeding, small-scale mining, handicraft production, and most recently the production of quinoa. A short walk in the town will allow us to learn about its history. Total distance travelled: 154 km (97 miles) Travel time: 6 hours Maximum Altitude: 3.800 MASL (12.400 feet) 01/02/2025 8 Day 5 Cusi Cusi B L D We leave the town to visit the Lagunillas de Farallón, a mandatory stop to access Laguna de Vilama. Located within the Altoandina de la Chinchilla Provincial Reserve, declared a Ramsar site in 2000. These are a group of natural lagoons that are fed by spring or thaw water. The smaller ones are saline and deep, and the larger ones like Vilama are hypersaline. At the end, we return to Cusi Cusi. Total distance travelled: 200 km (124 miles) Travel time: 10 hours. Maximum Altitude: 4500 MASL (14.763 ft) Day 6 Cusi Cusi / Santa Catalina. B L D In the morning, we embark on a 90-minute trek to the Valley of the Moon or the Valley of Death. Just 5 km from the town, we find a site with scoria and volcanic rock formations, with rock walls reaching up to 100 meters in height, displaying colors ranging from white to gray, and from light red to crimson. We descend into the valley and walk within it, then return to the town for lunch. Afterward, we head towards Santa Catalina via Route 40, passing through small towns such as Paicone, Misa Rumi, San Juan de Oros, Timón Cruz, Oratorio, among others. In Paicone, in addition to admiring the multicolored slopes with shades of yellow, white, pink, and purple, we encounter rocks known as 'piedra campana,' which, when struck, ring like a metallic bell. These volcanic-origin rocks are a very rare type of rock found in very few places in the world. We continue on to the town of Santa Catalina. Total distance travelled: 103 km (64 miles) Travel time: 3/4 hours Maximum Altitude: 3636 MASL (11.929 ft) Day 7 Santa Catalina. B L D In the morning, we visit El Angosto, a village located at 3,581 meters above sea level in the Santa Catalina department, nestled near the 4,000 meters above sea level Cerro Branqui, where at its summit is the landmark indicating the border with Bolivia. After lunch, we visit the Mirador del Morrito, a hill that is only about 10 meters high with a small dry lagoon for most of the year. At its summit, we find pre-Hispanic rock art. Total distance covered: 90 km (55 miles) Travel time: 3/4 hours Maximum altitude: 3,800 MASL (12.467 ft) Day 8 Santa Catalina / Jujuy. B L Early departure towards La Quiaca passing by Casira, a well-known town due to the excellence of its pottery. After a short visit to La Quiaca, we will continue to Yavi, declared National Historic Town due to its general architecture, its church and the famous Marquis’ House, seat of the only marquisate ever existing in Argentine. Continuation to the city of Jujuy. Total distance travelled: 202 km (126 miles) Travel time: 6/7 hours Maximum Altitude: 3.507 MASL (11.480 ft) 01/02/2025 9 CITY CATEGO