7 Day Guide to Northern Argentina: Salta, Jujuy & Cafayate
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Located in the northwestern part of Argentina, Salta is a province situated in the Andes Mountains, and well- known for its stunning natural scenery, Spanish architecture, and Andean heritage. Just south of Salta Capital is the picturesque wine town of Cafayate, famous for its red rock formations, countless vineyards, beautiful wineries and of course, fine wines. Bordering on the north side is the province of Jujuy, filled with colorful mountains, valleys, forests, and salt flats.
Our crew of four (two couples) spent one week exploring these unique areas of Northern Argentina, and in today's video I will be taking you on a journey to all three, Salta Capital, Jujuy, and lastly, Cafayate.
Everything price-related in this post will be based on the Blue Dollar exchange rate, meaning paying with cash (not with credit cards and not withdrawing money from an ATM). If you are not familiar with the Blue Dollar Exchange and how you can literally double your money in Argentina, I would recommend you to watch my recent video that explains everything you need to know about exchanging money on the Argentina Blue Dollar exchange. Also please remember that the inflation is rising rapidly, so the prices I am quoting may be different than when you visit.
Day 1-2: Salta Capital
We spent the first two days in the city of Salta Capital, and found it to be a fun and lively city with lots of beautiful European style architecture, interesting museums, and delicious restaurants.
Accommodation
When searching for places to stay we found there to be no shortage of amazing and affordable apartments and hotels. We ended up staying at a 2-bedroom Airbnb in the city center.
Transportation
Our primary way of getting around was walking, as it's a great way to see a lot of the city and also get some exercise. However, when we needed to go further distances we found it to be really convenient to get around using Uber or taxis. On average, a 10 minute Uber or taxi ride was no more than $2-3. There is also a bus system there, which we didn’t use, but it would be a very economical option, especially for solo travelers.
What To Do
We spent most of our time walking around admiring the various parks, churches and architecture as well as visiting museums, going up to the top of the Teleférico San Bernardo, trying the typical food dishes (more on that next), and going out to the Casonas at night. Now I will share some of our highlights. We visited two museums while in Salta.
History Museum of the North
This was super interesting for learning about the history of Salta. It houses many artifacts from the past, including old horse carriages, cars, weapons, and much more. The entrance is free for Argentina nationals, and foreigners pay no more than a couple bucks to enter.
Museum of High Altitude Archaeology
This incredible museum shares the history and artifacts from the Inca period thousands of years ago. At the end of the museum, you will find the preserved mummy of a young woman who died over 500 years ago in the Andes Mountains at an altitude of 6,730 meters. It’s unlike anything we had ever seen before and I would highly recommend going. The entrance fee was around $2 for Argentine nationals and around $3 for foreigners.
Mount San Bernardo
If you want to see Salta from above, you can take the cable car up to the top of Mount San Bernardo. If you would rather hike up, that is also possible. At the top is a beautiful park with a nice water feature, and views of the entire city. There are several artisans selling local products, and there is also a cafe and restaurant. The price to take the cable car round trip was about $6.
Eat Dinner at a Casona
The nightlife in Salta was not only a lot of fun for us, but was also a great cultural experience. Both nights we were there we visited Peñas or Casonas, which are restaurants where musicians gather to play traditional folk music together. We visited a different one each night, but our favorite was La Casona Del Molino. We loved everything from the authentic vibe, the multiple rooms with music, and the amazing food and wine. We ordered the Parrillada Por 2 personas, which means they bring a small grill to your table with various cooked meats.
Restaurants
That brings us to our next topic, restaurants. Honestly, every restaurant we tried in Salta was good. La Casona Del Molino was our standout favorite. I always recommend asking locals what their favorite spots are, or looking on google maps at nearby restaurants and their reviews. Make sure to try the typical dishes including the Empanada Salteño, tamales, humitas, and locro.
Quick tip before we move on to Jujuy- Before leaving Salta make sure to change your dollars on the blue dollar exchange, as it is more difficult to do so in Jujuy. You can easily find people in the 9 de Julio main square and exchange your dollars with them.
Day 3-5: Jujuy
After 2 nights in Salta, we rented a car from a rental car agency at the Salta airport drove about 3 hours up to the region of Jujuy, where we spent the next 3 nights.
Jujuy is a mountainous desert region scattered with cacti, beautiful landscapes, and quaint villages. It’s the perfect region for road trips, as things are pretty spread out, and there are endless scenic places to stop throughout.
Accommodation
We actually didn’t book anything before coming, as we weren’t sure how far we would want to drive, or which village we would want to stay in, and wanted to keep our options open. In comparison to Salta Capital, we found there were fewer accommodation options, as the towns are not so built up, and it was slightly more expensive than Salta.
We ended up staying in Tilcara the first night, Humahuaca the second night, and at a hot spring hotel the third night. In Tilcara we stayed at Tinku Cabañas en Tilcara, an adorable little bed and breakfast up on a hill overlooking the valley.
In Humahuaca we stayed at a little casita called Cabaña El Cardon, down in the valley with beautiful views of the nearby scenery and distant mountain views.
The third night we were feeling like we wanted some time to relax, so we drove back down to the southern end of Jujuy and stayed at Termas de Reyes, a Thermal Bath hotel situated in a river valley and surrounded by luscious greenery.
Every location was very different from another, but all beautiful in their own unique ways. Looking back I’m super happy that we decided not to stay in one place the whole time, as the Jujuy region is so big and it was nice to be able to explore specific areas of the region each day, and then stay closeby to where we ended.
Transportation
We used our rental car the whole time to get around. If you don’t have a car you can organize day trips with tour companies from the different villages. Or if you want to explore solo you can take buses around, however from what I heard they have limited schedules.
What To Do
We visited three different towns in the region, and found that each one has its own unique style and culture. You are sure to find artisans displaying their handcrafted goods, delicious street food, restaurants, and scenic nature views.
Purmamarca
On our way into Jujuy we drove to Purmamarca, a small village set at the base of the famous Seven Colors Hill. You can walk up the nearby hills for spectacular views of the colorful mountains. If you are feeling like taking a longer hike, you can also head up the Paseo de Los Colorados trail. In the town you will find adobe houses lining the streets, musicians playing music in the alleys, and in the main square 9 de Julio, a craft market with artisans selling traditional handmade goods. Even though it was the smallest of the 3 towns we visited, we were there on a Saturday afternoon and it felt more crowded than the others, so if you can I would avoid coming on weekends, or come earlier in the day.
Tilcara
We stayed our first night in Tilcara and found it to have a very lively and busy vibe. It seemed like a very strategic and central place to stay in Jujuy, as there are many things to see in the surrounding area. It also has an abundance of restaurants and Peñas in comparison to the other villages, so if you are looking to stay somewhere with more nightlife, Tilcara is a good option.
Humahuaca
Our second night we ended up in Humahuaca, the furthest north, most quaint and least touristic feel of the 3 towns we visited. In the center you will find a small square with an artisanal market, and a few streets with traditional restaurants. Just outside the center you can drive or walk up to Peñablanca, a tranquil little hill to walk around and see beautiful views of the valley.
Quebrada de las Señoritas Hike
There are numerous quebradas or canyons throughout Jujuy, but the one we chose to visit was Quebrada de las Señoritas, located between Humahuaca and Tilcara. The trek is not difficult and flat most of the way, and will lead you into beautiful, red colored slot canyons.
Salinas Grandes Salt Flats
The third largest salt flats in the world, the Salinas Grandes Salt Flats are definitely worth a visit. They are located a bit further out of the Jujuy Valley. You have to drive first through Purmamarca and then up a huge mountain pass. From Purmamarca it took us about an 1.5 to get to the Salt Flats, as the roads are very windy and steep and should be driven with caution. Once you arrive you will see how vast and grand the salt flats truly are. Make sure to wear sunscreen and bring sunglasses, as the reflection of the sun off the salt flats is very intense! Also pack water and fill up on gas before leaving, as facilities like shops, restaurants and gas stations are extremely limited.
Restaurants
Both nights we ate at Peñas, restaurants with live music and had a fun experience. For lunch we found roadside restaurants which both turned out to be very good. If you visit the salt flats, I would recommend eating at La Pekana, a restaurant on the side of the road a few kilometers before the salt flats with a great view. I recommend getting the empanadas, as they were very fresh and “some of the best in Argentina”, said my Argentinian husband, which is saying a lot.
After the Salt Flats we drove a couple hours back down to go stay a night at the Terma De Reyes hot springs hotel. This was a super relaxing experience for us and we would highly recommend it if you want a little break from traveling. When you book a room with the hotel, it gives you access to the spa area, where you can enjoy the pool, sauna, and private thermal baths, and also includes a breakfast buffet. There is also a beautiful restaurant on site serving delicious Argentine cuisine. If spas aren’t of interest to you, I would recommend staying a night in the city of San Salvador Jujuy, or if you are a wine-lover, then head to Cafayate a day early.
Day 6-7: Cafayate
To be honest, Cafayate was one of my favorites places we visited in all of Argentina. From Jujuy it's about a 5 hour drive, and the last 2 hours of the drive are absolutely gorgeous. You will drive through a magical valley between red colored mountains, alongside a river with beautiful greenery, then through a desert with beautiful shaped red rock formations. Once you arrive in the quaint town of Cafayate you won’t run out of things to do.
Accommodation
We stayed in a 2-bedroom Airbnb in the city center. The grounds were beautiful and had a large garden with a pool, firepit, grill and small outdoor kitchen. It was a 3-minute walk to the main square, where you can find an array of restaurants and wine tasting rooms. I will leave the link in the description below.
Transportation
Unlike Jujuy, Cafayate is easier to get around without a car. In the main town you can easily walk everywhere, and if you want to venture out of the town, you can take a taxi or rent a bike.
What to Do
For us, the highlight of Cafayate was the wine culture there. You can also do adventurous activities like horseback riding and hiking. I will explain more…
Wine Tasting
We spent one full day dedicated to wine tasting. We left our place at 10:30 in the morning and spent the day visiting three different wineries outside of the town. First we went to Finca Las Nubes, a winery at the base of the mountain, where you can sit in the garden and admire the beautiful vineyards and scenery. Just on the outskirts of town, the second winery we visited, Bodega El Esteco, is set on a stunning 17th century estate. You can walk around the huge property and admire the gardens and architecture. In the tasting room, you have the option to pour your own tastes using the fancy wine dispensing mechanism they have. This was super fun for us, as we had never seen anything like it before, and we loved being able to taste the wines when we wanted and decide how much of each. You basically get a card that you insert into the machine, select which wine you want to taste and which size, and then it pours your wine. At the end you simply go to the front desk with your card and pay for what you tasted. The third winery we went to was Bodega Domingo Molina, set further up into the hills on a property overlooking the valley. We enjoyed how the staff working there treated us like family, giving us a very personalized experience.
If you would like to go wine tasting in the town, you also have several options. You can easily follow the wine trail around town, visiting several tasting rooms all within walking distance of each other. Many of these places are tasting rooms, so they don't have vineyards or wine making facilities on site. This is a great option for a partial day activity, or if you don’t have transport to take you around.
HorseBack Riding
Aside from wine tasting, you have many other activities to do. We went horseback riding one morning through the vineyards, river, and desert which was an amazing experience. You can reserve a time at Bodega El Esteco and leave from there.
Hiking
There are also dozens of hikes in the area to checkout closeby to town. Unfortunately we ran out of time for hiking in Cafayate, so ended up stopping at a couple scenic places alongside the road on our way back to Salta. There are many beautiful lookout points and rock formations that you can stop off at and explore.
Restaurants
Cafayate had some of my favorite restaurants of the trip. We fell in love with the wine bar called Bad Brothers Wine Experience. They have a beautiful patio and garden where you can sit and enjoy their wines as well as alternative dishes infused with spices, herbs, and local wines. Our other favorite was another Peña called Doña Argentina. It has a fun and lively, laid back vibe, and every night they have live musical performances where you can hangout and enjoy delicious food and wine.
Last Notes
After Cafayate we drove back to Salta to return the car and take a bus to another region of Argentina. Salta does not have a commercial airport, so flying in or out of there isn’t an option.
I hope you guys liked this video and have a better idea of how to travel through this beautiful part of Argentina. Don’t forget to like this video and subscribe. It’s an easy and free way of supporting the channel. Until next time, we’ll catch ya later!