Andean Altiplano
From Salta: Cuesta del Obispo, Piedra del Molino (3,300 meters of altitude), Tin Tin Stretch, Los Cardones National Park, Cachi, Calchaquí valley, "Ruta 40", Puente del Diablo, La Poma, Abra El Acay (4,890 meters), San Antonio de los Cobres, La Polvorilla (Tren a las Nubes) rail bridge, Tuzgle volcano, volcanic bombs, Susques, Salinas Grandes, Laguna de Guayatayoc, Abra Pampa, Laguna de los Pozuelos National Park, Quebrada de Humahuaca, Humahuaca, Tilcara, "Pucará de Tilcara", Purmamarca, "Cerro de los Siete Colores", Salta.
Included: Lodging in Hotel Salta
After our transfer from the airport to the hotel, we hold a briefing session, where we will discuss the most important aspects of our trip. During the remaining part of the day we will do a city tour: we will visit the San Bernardo hill, the monument to Güemes, and walk around the city center (Plaza 9 de Julio). Next morning, after breakfast, our adventure trip begins.
Distance traveled: 300 km in 8 hours
Included: Dinner, Lodging in Hosteria La Poma
From Salta, we will climb the Cuesta del Obispo, a winding road that will take us to the Piedra del Molino, at 3,300 meters of altitude. We descend through the Los Cardones National Park, a fine opportunity to photograph the "cardones": the upright, noble cacti of the Trichocereus genus. These often host birds (telephoto), and, in spring, many flowers sprout (macro). In the Park we will also be able to photograph wild camelids (vicuña and guanaco), foxes, hares, condors, birds of prey (telephoto). We descend to the Calchaquí valley via the Tin Tin Stretch. The Nevado de Cachi (6,380 meters) will be right in front of us. In Cachi (2,200 meters) we stop for lunch and will be able to visit the Archaeological Museum, amongst others. We will ascend the Calchaquí valley by the famous "Ruta 40", towards La Poma, at 3,000 meters. On the way we will view incredible rock formations and a spectacular mountain landscape. We will photograph the Puente del Diablo, the result of recent volcanic activity. At night we will go out to photograph the valley and the stars.
Distance traveled: 250 km in 8 hours
Included: Breakfast, Lodging in Hosteria Pastos Chicos
From La Poma we continue climbing the Calchaquí valley until its origin, in the Abra El Acay, at 4,890 meters of altitude. On the way we will photograph camelids (llamas, vicuñas and guanacos), foxes, hares and condors (telephoto). On the Abra El Acay, which divides the Calchaquí valley from the Altiplano, the landscape will change from a large valley to a range of volcanoes, and the Salinas Grandes salt flat on the horizon. We descend to the Altiplanic "pueblo" of San Antonio de los Cobres (3,700 meters), where we stop for lunch. We proceed to Susques (3,600 meters) by the "Ruta 40", which will lead us to the La Polvorilla (Tren a las Nubes) rail bridge. After photographing the bridge, we ascend the Altiplano towards the Tuzgle volcano (5,560 meters). We will be able to photograph the volcano, basaltic flows, huge lava blocks, and other rock formations, as well as the fauna. We will come across two Altiplanic "pueblos", which produce handicrafts and raise animals (llamas, sheep and goats). We arrive at the volcanic bombs field near Susques. These rocks are pieces of lava ejected from a volcano still warm, which were shaped by aerodynamic resistance. At night we drive to the Olaroz Salar to photograph (tripod).
Distance traveled: 200 km in 8 hours
Included: Breakfast,Lunch, Lodging in Hotel Rincón Suizo
From Susques we head to the Salinas Grandes, a huge salt flat where kitchen salt is extracted. Besides the landscape, we will be able to photograph details of the salt's surface (macro). We proceed to the Guayatayoc Lagoon. In spite of its name, it is a vast plain covered mostly with pasture, which attracts the Altiplanic fauna: the wild camelids (vicuña and guanaco), foxes, as well as the domesticated fauna (llamas, sheep, goats and donkeys). On the lower part of the Lagoon there is water, and here we will be able too photograph the Altiplanic birds: flamingos, Andean gulls and geese, ducks, amongst others (telephoto). We head to the Altiplanic "pueblo" of Abra Pampa, where we spend the night. We will photograph the sunset and night (tripod) of the Altiplano around Abra Pampa.
Distance traveled: 300 km in 8 hours
Included: Breakfast,Lunch, Lodging in Hosteria Solar de la Quebrada
We leave before sunrise for the Laguna de los Pozuelos National Park (3,600 meters of altitude). The Lagoon hosts a multitude of fauna: wild camelids (vicuñas and guanacos), foxes, birds (flamingos, Andean gulls, Andean geese, ducks, condors). We will spend the morning photographing the fauna (telephoto). In the afternoon we head for the town of Humahuaca (2,939 meters), in the Quebrada de Humahuaca, declared a Mankind Heritage site by UNESCO. We will photograph the sunset (tripod) from a location with a privileged view of the Quebrada and of rock formations that resemble a painter's palette.
Distance traveled: 350 km in 8 hours
Included: Breakfast
We continue descending the Quebrada de Humahuaca towards Salta, photographing incredible rock formations. We will cross the Tropic of Capricorn (23º 26´ S) near Uquia (2,818 meters of altitude). We will visit the town of Tilcara (2,465 meters) to photograph its archaeological site - the "Pucará de Tilcara". We stop for lunch in Purmamarca (2,192 meters), after photographing its surroundings, such as the "Cerro de los Siete Colores".
Included: Lodging in Hotel Salta
We drop off the group in the hotel and the rest of the day is free. The following morning, with adequate time, we transfer the group to the airport and our services end.