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This 10 day roundtrip in northern Argentina takes us through the most beautiful landscapes and most interesting parts of the Salta and Jujuy Andes, and along the tracks of the famous Train to the Clouds. Explore the remote Calchaquí Valleys of Salta province with their bizarre and colourful rock formations.
Cross the highest pass in Argentina on a motorbike: The Abra El Acay at 4895m above sea level!
Ride across the dazzlingly white surface of the salt lake Salinas Grandes.
Visit the most picturesque mountain villages and the most important of the Pre-Inca ruins.
Be stunned by the beauty of the Quebrada de Humahuaca canyon (UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2003) and enjoy your holiday in friendly northern Argentina.
 Total distance about 2100 km, approx. 50% on gravel roads.
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Day 1
We leave Salta heading south, following the Lerma Valley until it suddenly narrows to a canyon: the Quebrada de Cafayate. This beautiful canyon is striking for its red sandstone formations, weathered by wind and water to bizarre shapes.
In the afternoon we visit the Quilmes ruins, the remains of one of the biggest and most important settlements of the Pre-Inca period in northern Argentina.
We´ll visit a winery in Cafayate, the wine capital of Salta.
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Day 2
Today's ride takes us through narrow gorges and broad valleys. We snake through the rough landscapes of the "Valley of Arrows". The beauty of this remote valley almost tops the famous Quebrada de Humahuaca.
We reach the picturesque mountain town of Cachi, overshadowed by mountains over 6000m high. The well run anthropological museum can be visited here.
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Day 3
We´ll be crossing the National Park Los Cardones with it´s thousands of Cactee. Crossing the Cuesta del Obispo we´ll snake down into the Lerma Valley to reach Salta.
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Day 4
The trip first takes us on a twisting road through densely wooded hills to Jujuy. Here we enter the picturesque Quebrada de Humahuaca canyon, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2003 for its unique landscapes and culture.
The road to the enchanting mountain town of Iruya winds through the 4000m high pass Abra del Condor into the valley of Iruya. The town itself is in a narrow part of the valley and is surrounded by colourful mountains and eroded rock walls.
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Day 5
Relaxing and hiking in and around Iruya.
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Day 6
Crossing the Abra del Condor again, we reach the main road and keep heading north to the Bolivian border to reach the remote village of Yavi. There you can visit the historic church Iglesia de San Francisco, the cave paintings of Las Cuevas and the Petroglyphes of Laguna Colorada.
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Day 7
We set out to explore the beautiful landscapes of the national monument, Laguna de los Pozuelos, a lake at 4000m altitude, and home to unique flora and fauna.
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Day 8
The road today leads us through the high planes of the Puna and over a lonely pass down into the Quebrada de Humahuaca again. In Tilcara we visit the important Pre-Inca Ruins..
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Day 9
After a curvaceous stretch of tarmac road crossing the Cuesta de Lipan we hit a side road, which takes us over a wide plain and through a beautiful hidden valley to the famous viaduct La Polvorilla of the "Train to the Clouds" (Tren a las Nubes).
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Day 10
Today you've got a challenging trip: we cross the highest pass in Argentina, the Abra El Acay! The road snakes up the mountaind to the pass and we can enjoy the stunning views of the wide plains of the Puna. We are 5 km above sea level! We´ll dive into the Calchaquí Valley and the road gets wider and less difficult.
After that experience we've earned a traditional barbecue as guests of Horizonte-Tours in Salta.
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