Day 1-2
Fly into Buenos Aires and check into Hub Porteño Buenos Aires. Enjoy a private city tour, followed by a Tango show and dinner at Rojo Tango.
Day 3
Take an early morning flight from Buenos Aires to Tucuman and transfer to Tafi del Valle. Check into Estancia Las Carreras. Visit the Ruins of Quilmes, an archaeological site that was the largest pre-Columbian settlement in the country. It dates back to 850 AD and was inhabited by the Quilmes people.
Day 4
Viñas de Cafayate
Transfer to the Salta province via private transfer. Visit Cafayate, a region within Salta that is home to some of Argentina’s best wineries. Check into Viñas de Cafayate or Patios de Cafayate.
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Day 5
Follow Route 40 passing through Quebrada de Las Flechas. This will take you through the Chalchaqui Valley. Arrive in Cachi, a small city in Salta Province. Check into La Merced del Alto.
Day 6
Visit Payogasta, a village in Salta Province. Stop here for lunch. Spend the day at Parque Nacional Los Cardones. The park is home to hills and ravines, as well as fossil remains of extinct animals. The scenery is stark, rugged and breathtaking. Continue on to Salta and check into either Design Suites Salta or Legado Mitico.
Day 7-8
Manantial del Silencio
Spend the day visiting San Antonio de los Cobres, a small town that is one of the highest elevations of any city in Argentina. It sits 12,385 feet above sea level. Afterward, make your way to Salinas Grandes, a salt desert in the Cordoboa and Santiago del Estero provinces. It spans 2,300 square miles. End the day at Purmamarca, The city's attractions include the Cerro de los Siete Colores and the town handicraft market. It also serves as a starting point for treks such as the Paseo de los Colorados and Purmamarca River, and tours to Salinas Grandes, the Huachichocana archaeological site and the Laguna de Guayatayoc with its pink flamencos and wild goose. Check into Manantial del Silencio.
Day 9
Carry on to Quebrada de Humahuaca – a narrow mountain valley that has always been a crossroads for economic, social and cultural communication. It was a caravan road for the Incas in the 15th century and it was a link between the Viceroyalty of the Rio de la Plata and the Viceroyalty of Peru. Return to Salta and check into either Design Suites Salta or Legado Mitico.
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Day 10
Tour Salta and then return to Buenos Aires.
Day 11-12
Arrive in Buenos Aires and check into Estancia at La Bamba de Areco. It is your day to relax and enjoy before the long trip home.
Carlos Melia's itinerary can be found here.