Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Salta & the Andean North-
west
Why Go?
Argentina's northwest sits lofty, dry and tough beneath the mighty Andes. Nature works
magic here with stone: weird, wonderful, tortured rockscapes are visible throughout.
There's a definite Andean feel with traditional handicrafts, llamas, indigenous com-
munities and Inca ruins, and the high, arid puna (Andean highlands) stretching into Chile
and Bolivia. The region's cities were Argentina's first colonial settlements and have spe-
cial appeal.
Several popular routes await. From travelers' favorite Salta, head through a national
park studded with cactus sentinels to gorgeous Cachi, then down through traditional weav-
ing communities in the Valles Calchaquíes to Cafayate, home of some of Argentina's best
wines. Another route from Salta soars upwards to the puna mining settlement of San An-
tonio de los Cobres, heads north to the spectacular salt plains of the Salinas Grandes, and
then down to the visually wondrous and history-rich Quebrada de Humahuaca.
When to Go
