Overview
Spiritually and culturally closer to the neighbouring Andean countries than the rest of Argentina, the remote northwest provinces have loads of attractions for visitors. These range from snow-dipped peaks and arid, rust red canyons to lush forests, pre-Columbian ruins, lonely lime-washed chapels and a necklet of baroque colonial towns. The sunlit slopes are cloaked with vineyards, and everywhere there’s a warm welcome from the local people, many of whom have indian roots. At 1,200m above sea level, Salta is a delightful base for exploration of the region with a sumptuous cathedral, palm-shaded plazas and a cable car lift for views over the fertile countryside.
Beyond Salta, high in the rarefied air of the Atacama desert, is the puna, an extraordinary landscape of yawning pearl-white salt flats,flanked by bald ochre mountains, moon-like fields of pumice and high, undulating sand dunes. There are a few flamingo-dotted lakes but apart from those and a few ex-mining settlements there is little evidence of life, its a blissfully quiet region explored by 4WD along tracks hard to identify in the wilderness.
Holidays Salta and the northwest Andes
From expertly designed Private Journeys to trail-blazing Group Tours, browse our range of carefully crafted holidays.
Private Journeys
Argentina / Bolivia
Discover Bolivia and northwest Argentina
(based on two people sharing & excluding flights)
Private Journeys
Argentina / Chile
Food and wine: Vineyards of Argentina and Chile
(based on two people sharing & excluding flights)
Classic holidays
Group - Classic
Chile / Argentina / Iguazu Falls
Gaucho: Vintage Argentina
(based on two people sharing & excluding flights)
Private Journeys
Argentina
Off the beaten track Argentina: Remote Puna adventure
(based on two people sharing & excluding flights)
Things to do
We proudly offer the widest range of activities, excursions and one-of-a-kind experiences across all our destinations, tried and tested personally by our travel experts.
Accommodation
Browse our unrivalled portfolio of accommodation . Every option has been carefully chosen by our team of travel experts, so you can rest assured that you’ll relax in utter comfort.
Where to go when - our guide to Salta and the northwest Andes
The weather in Salta and the northwest Andes is wide and varied
The landscapes of Salta and the northwest Andes vary from rust red canyons to verdant forests, pre-Columbian ruins to baroque colonial towns. Temperatures are mostly pleasant year round, with plenty of sun and little chance of rainfall April - October. The Train of the Clouds runs from April - November, ascending 4,200m above sea level over awe-inspiring scenery of gaping canyons. This is a focal point for many large-scale religious festivals, so it is worth planning well in advance if you wish to attend the most popular celebrations.
View our Salta and the northwest Andes weather guidePapagaio
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