Andean Altiplano
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 viaduct (Tren a las Nubes), Tuzgle volcano, Altiplanic pueblos, volcanic bombs field, Susques, Salinas Grandes, Laguna de Guayatayoc, Abra Pampa, Laguna de los Pozuelos National Park, Quebrada de Humahuaca, Tropic of Capricorn, Tilcara, Purmamarca, Cuesta de Lipán, Quebrada del Toro, Santa Rosa de Tastil, Salta
Included: Lodging in Design Suites
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. Next morning, after breakfast, our adventure trip begins.
Distance traveled: 160 km in 8 hours
Included: Breakfast,Lunch, Lodging in El Cortijo
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 will visit the "Enchanted Valley". 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 (2,500 meters) after lunch we will visit the Pío Pablo Díaz Archaeological Museum. In the afternoon we will visit the "pueblo" of Seclantas. At night we will go out to photograph the valley and the stars.
Distance traveled: 150 km in 8 hours
Included: Breakfast,Lunch, Lodging in Hosteria Las Nubes
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. 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 view camelids (llamas, vicuñas and guanacos), foxes, hares and condors (telephoto). The fauna is rich: uncountable cacti, yaretas. 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).
Distance traveled: 150 km in 4 hours
Included: Breakfast,Lunch, Lodging in Hosteria Pastos Chicos
We will drive to the Altiplanic town of Susques, at 3,600 meters of altitude, by the "Ruta 40". We will pass under the La Polvorilla rail bridge ("Tren a las Nubes", 4,200 meters), besides the Tuzgle volcano, through Altiplanic "pueblos", see a field of rocks known as "volcanic bombs" (they do not explode!), fauna, mountains and fabulous rock formations.
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: 150 km in 3 hours
Included: Breakfast,Lunch, Lodging in Hotel Rincón Suizo
From Abra Pampa we will visit the Laguna de los Pozuelos National Park. Located at 3,500 meters altitude, we can grasp the immensity of the Altiplano (panorama, wide angle). The lagoon is an important center for Andean fauna: vicuñas and llamas (camelids), foxes, rheas, flamingoes, gulls, guayatas, ducks, coots, avocets, hawks, condors (telephoto). We will spend most of the day walking and driving around the lagoon, reaching it from different points. After photographing the sunset we return to Abra Pampa.
Distance traveled: 200 km in 6 hours
Included: Breakfast,Lunch, Lodging in Hotel Marques de Tojo
We descend to the town of Humahuaca, along the Quebrada de Humahuaca, declared a Mankind Heritage site by UNESCO. We cross the Tropic of Capricorn in Uquia, we will visit the Pucará of Tilcara. In Purmamarca we explore the rock formations known as Cerro de los Siete Colores.
Distance traveled: 160 km in 8 hours
Included: Breakfast,Lunch, Lodging in Design Suites
From Purmamarca we will ascend the Cuesta de Lipán (4,170 meters altitude), a 2,000 vertical meter climb, with excellent landscape photography opportunities. We then proceed to Quebrada del Toro, a spectacular valley that will lead us to Salta. On the way we will visit the pre-Inca ruins of Santa Rosa de Tastil.
