Part of the Argentina Travel Guide
← Back to ArgentinaSalta and Jujuy make up the Argentine northwest, and the country changes completely here. This is high, arid, Andean terrain, and the culture is rooted in indigenous heritage rather than the European immigration that shaped Buenos Aires. You can see it in the food, the music, and the architecture, and the region feels closer to Bolivia than to the capital, which geographically it is.
The Quebrada de Humahuaca is the centerpiece, a UNESCO-listed valley running north from Jujuy past a string of adobe villages. Purmamarca sits beneath the Cerro de los Siete Colores, a hillside layered in real bands of red, ochre, green, and violet. Further on, the Salinas Grandes salt flat spreads out white and flat at over 3,000 meters, and the drive to reach it is part of the experience.
The altitude is the thing most people underestimate here, much as they do in the Atacama. Several of these stops sit well above 3,000 meters, so it is worth giving yourself an easy first day in Salta before heading north and making sure that you stay hydrated.
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Salta and Jujuy articles
The 15 Best Things to Do in Salta
A summary of the best things to do in Salta to discover the unique landscapes, history, and culture of the high Andes mountains of Argentina.
First-hand
How we've traveled Salta and Jujuy
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