Overview & Highlights
A truly extraordinary and adventurous guided expedition to explore virtually uninhabited and exquisite high altitude Andean Atacama desert in Argentina.
Feeling as remote as the wilderness of Amazonia or Antarctica, the Puna de Atacama is a vast, other-worldly, arid landscape of extremes. On your six-day, guided expeditionary road trip you will be almost alone in rarefied, high-altitude desert mountain scenery as alien as the surface of Mars.
A rugged plateau straddling Argentina and Chile, the Puna has intensely varied scenery with high mountain passes, salt-carpeted depressions and a crescent of volcanoes within which are glass-still lakes, pewter-shaded lava fields, ochre-hued volcanic cones and silvery pumice desert, slashed through by glacial streams. It’s immense: the size of England, dotted with just a handful of hamlets. The region has been inhabited in the past: Inca ruins stab the volcanic peaks and ghost towns – abandoned mining villages – are fascinating to explore.
Your holiday here is bookended with a brief discovery of two of Argentina’s most fascinating historic cities, Buenos Aires and Salta.
- Guided walking tour in Buenos Aires
- Guided walking tour of Salta
- Full day exploration of the Humahuaca gorge
- Excursions on the Puna expedition
- Optional Quilmes archaeological site (entrance fee not included, you pay at the gate)
Outline itinerary
Day 1
Arrive Buenos Aires.
Day 2
Guided walking tour of Retiro and Recoleta.
Day 3
Fly to Salta. Afternoon guided walking tour.
Day 4
At leisure in Salta. Optional day walks.
Day 5
Your expedition begins: drive to Purmamarca.
Day 6
Enter the Puna: drive to Tolar Grande.
Day 7
Explore the Puna from Tolar Grande.
Day 8
Further explorations of the Puna en route to El Peñon.
Day 9
Explore the unique, pearl-white pumice fields.
Day 10
Leave the Puna and descend to Cafayate.
Day 11
At leisure in Cafayate.
Day 12
Return to Salta airport via Las Conchas Canyon, fly to Buenos Aires.
Day 13
Transfer to the airport for international flight.
Things to do
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Accommodation
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Inspired by this trip
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Our exciting range of articles on Latin America explore everything from iconic destinations and lesser-known cultural gems to delicious traditional recipes. You’ll also find exclusive travel tips, first-hand client reviews and the chance to get your personal questions answered by our travel experts.
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