Program
DAY 1: ARRIVAL BUENOS AIRES – ARGENTINA
Today you take the plane to Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina. After arrival, you will be transferred from the airport to your hotel. Check-in at your hotel and the rest of the day and evening at leisure.
Overnight.
DAY 2: BUENOS AIRES (B, D)
After breakfast today you will discover Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina and the Tango, on your own. In the evening you are expected in one of the most beautiful rooftop bars in the city. After this you are expected for dinner in a wine restaurant.
Overnight.
DAY 3: BUENOS AIRES- SALTA (O)
After breakfast, depart from your hotel with a private transfer to Buenos Aires National Airport for a domestic flight to Salta. Please note, this flight departs from AEP airport, so not the same as where you arrived from Europe. Upon arrival, welcome to Salta airport and transfer to your hotel by private vehicle. Transfer made with an English-speaking guide.
This is followed by a half-day excursion dedicated to visiting the city on foot. Salta, the capital of the province of the same name, is located at an altitude of 1187 meters at the foot of the San Bernardo mountain. The capital of Salta was founded on April 16, 1582 by Hernando de Lerma. Colonial-style houses meet here with modern buildings. In addition to historical buildings, you will visit the 19th-century cathedral and the Cabildo with the picturesque historical museum of the north. You climb to “Cerro San Bernardo” to enjoy a panoramic view of Salta. Then you will discover the recent and very interesting MAAM museum (Museo Archelogia de Alta Montaña), which mainly exhibits mummies found at over 6,000 meters.
Overnight.
Note: Maam Museum is closed on Mondays.
DAY 4: SALTA – QUEBRADA DE ESCOIPE – CACHI (O)
After breakfast you will depart by private vehicle to reach the small colonial village of Cachi which is located at an altitude of 2,200 meters. During this drive of approximately 150 kilometers via the RN33 road, you will cross spectacular landscapes: the Col de la Piedra del Molino located at 3600 meters, the Quebrada de Escoipe, a deep gorge where the green forests contrast with the ocher color of the earth, the mountains of the Cuesta del Obispo, the natural park of Los Cardones, the arid lands full of candlestick cacti and much more …
Cachi is a peaceful Indian village with whitewashed low houses and dominated by the 18th century San José Church with its roof made of cactus materials. We visit the small archaeological museum that presents very nice collections of ceramics from the pre-Inca and Inca period and more, in particular of the Santa Maria culture. This is followed by a short excursion to the village of Cachi Adentro. You will explore the most beautiful landscapes of Cachi, approach snow-capped peaks and mountain streams. Check-in at your hotel.
Overnight.
DAY 5: CACHI- MOLINOS (O)
Today you will discover the first vineyards of this trip in Cachi. You will get to know the region and about the different grape varieties that are grown here. You also participate in a wine tasting. Cachi has a unique diversity of soils, ranging from stony soils to sandy loamy soils. The altitude is about 2600 meters and the thermal amplitude exceeds 20 degrees. These factors form an explosive cocktail and are ideal conditions for the production of premium wines.
After this, depart for the small village of Molinos from 1659 where you will discover a beautiful church and the elegant farmhouse of Governor Isasmendi, the last governor of the city of Salta.
Overnight in a beautiful and charming hacienda.
DAY 6: MOLINOS- ESTANCIA COLOMÉ (O)
This morning, after breakfast, you will leave Molinos and continue towards Colomé. The estancia or wine farm you will visit covers 39,000 hectares and dates from 1831. It is known for its wine but also for the modern art museum James Turrell, a California artist who creates works of art by playing with light effects (Entrance included). Check-in at your hotel in a room with a view of the vineyards.
Overnight.
DAY 7: ESTANCIA COLOMÉ-QUEBRADA DE LAS FLECHAS – CAFAYATE (O)
After breakfast you will leave for Cafayate on the majestic “Quebrada de las Flechas”. It is surrounded by a mysterious moonscape. White dunes announce the proximity to Cafayate, the main town in the Calchaquies valleys, whose economy is based on wine production. Located in the heart of the Calchaquies Valley of the province of Salta, Cafayate is internationally known for the quality of its wines, the mildness of the climate, the friendliness of the inhabitants and the beauty of these landscapes. You will discover the beautiful alleys and the main square of the village.
At the end of the afternoon, visit a local family’s bodega to learn about the winemaking process, discover the vineyards, learn about the region of this region and the different grape varieties. You also participate in a wine tasting.
Overnight in a wine hotel.
DAY 8: CAFAYATE – QUEBRADA DE LAS CONCHAS – CHICOANA (O)
After breakfast, you will return to Salta this morning by crossing the “Quebrada de las Conchas” which undoubtedly offers the most spectacular landscapes of the Argentine northwest: imposing mountains with multi-coloured rocks formed by erosion. A spectacle that nature has prepared for you for centuries and that will certainly surprise you! Early in the evening you arrive in Chicoana, a small village with leftist traditions.
Arrival at the hotel. Here you can take advantage of the services offered by the Finca such as the heated swimming pool or the bicycles available for cycling in the area.
Overnight.
DAY 9: SALTA – SAN SALVADOR DE JUJUY – SALINAS GRANDES – PURMAMARCA (O)
After breakfast you will leave today for San Salvador de Jujuy. You continue your way to reach a vast white expanse that contrasts sharply with the pure blue sky. You are in the middle of one of the largest salt deserts in Argentina (1,200 km2). After a few kilometres of winding path to reach the Lipán Pass at 4170 meters, you will arrive at the last leg of the day: Purmamarca, which means “village of the Holy Land” in Aymara language. This city is known for its 7 coloured mountain or “Cerro de los siete colores”, a kind of mineral rainbow.
Overnight.
DAY 10: PURMAMARCA- TILCARA- HUMAHUACAN – LA QUIACA – TARIJA (B)
After breakfast you start your day nice and quiet and enjoy the Cerro de los 7 colores view and the village of Purmamarca. You continue your Andean road towards Pucará de Tilcara. This pre-Hispanic village is over 900 years old and dates from the time of the Omaguaca civilization. You will visit this beautiful village and see the remarkable collections of the local museum. It mainly houses mummies, corpse vases, jewellery and other objects that come from the archaeological sites of the Argentine northwest.
After this, visit a winery in the Quebrada de Humahuaca region and take part in a wine tasting. Thanks to the scarce rainfall and the long, cool autumn, grape varieties such as the Malbec, the Cabernet Sauvignon and the Syrah reach their optimal ripeness during the harvest season. They also retain a high concentration of flavours, aromas and colours. The bodega benefits from the purity of the underground water to irrigate the soil.
Departure to the village of Humahuaca located at 2940m, an important former trading center. In the early afternoon, continue to the Argentine-Bolivian border and on to Tarija.
Overnight.
DAY 11: TARIJA (B)
After breakfast, leave your hotel and head towards the Tarija area. We visit wine estates and family vineyards where the best Bolivian wines such as Singani are produced. Tasting of hams and cheeses.
Most of the production of Bolivian wines takes place in the region of Tarija and is located in the south of the country at an altitude between 1,700 and 3,000 meters. These wines owe their identity to the great height at which the vines grow, one of the highest in the world. As a result, the grapes and vines are exposed to high ultraviolet radiation, which increases the aroma. Most of the vineyards are located in the valleys of Santa Ana, Concepción and Los Cintis, where the prestigious Aranjuez, Campos de Solana and Concepción can be found. These valleys also produce a very sweet wine called Porto (not to be confused with the Port from Portugal) and the Singani brandy.
Singani is a brandy made from the distillation of Muscat wine. The first productions correspond to the arrival on the Bolivian territory of the Jesuits and Augustinian missionaries in the sixteenth century, when they planted vines to produce their own mass wine. These plantations first developed in the southern valleys of Potosi, during the Golden Age of the mining town. Today, most of this liquor is produced in the central valleys of the Tarija region. The two most famous Singani cocktails are the Chuflay (Singani, Ginger Soda and Lemon Juice) and the Yungeño.
At the end of the day you will return to Tarija.
Overnight.
DAY 12: TARIJA (B)
After breakfast, visit San Lorenzo, the homeland of ex-guerrilla chief Eustaquio Méndez “El moto Méndez”. You will visit his house which has now been converted into a national museum. Then you will go to the local church and to the local market (discovery of culinary specialties such as rosquetes and empanadas blanqueadas).
After this you will visit a wine cellar where the best Bolivian wines are made, including the famous Singani (distilled alcohol). Wine tasting with hams and cheeses. At the end of the day you will return to Tarija.
Overnight.
DAY 13: TARIJA (B)
After breakfast you drive about 45 minutes to San Pedro de Sola, an ideal place to enjoy nature in all its splendour. You will first visit the local community and then hike the Monteal Sendero trail. Here you will learn a wide variety of plants and their healing properties as you walk along paradisiacal paths. These hiking trails lead you to various waterfalls, springs, beautiful natural lakes, and other attractions such as La Piedra Letrera, Piedra Caballo, La Poza Verde or La cueva del Zorro. Return to Tarija.
Overnight.
DAY 14: TARIJA – SANTA CRUZ (O)
After breakfast, a driver will pick you up from your hotel and transfer you to the airport for your domestic flight from Tarija to Santa Cruz. Upon arrival, you will receive a private transfer from the airport to your hotel.
Overnight.
DAY 15: SANTA CRUZ – SAMAIPATA (B, L)
You leave early in the morning after breakfast for Samaipata. Upon arrival, visit a beautiful winery and the estate winemaker will tell you about the history and experience of this Cruceño terroir.
After a full tour of the vineyards you will taste a variety of wines including the Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Tannat, etc. Lunch at the domain. The 1750 wines (the name of the wines) are produced in the Samaipata Valley near Santa Cruz. The cellar is dedicated to the production of high-quality wines on a small scale. Thanks to this wine tasting you will have a chance to better understand and know the nature of making these wines from the Samaipateño region while enjoying the beauty of the valley.
Overnight.
DAY 16: SAMAIPATA- SANTA CRUZ (O)
After breakfast, depart early in the morning from Samaipata to Santa Cruz. After arrival you have plenty of time to explore Santa Cruz.
Overnight.
DAY 17: DEPARTURE (B)
Depending on your international flight times, you will have a private transfer to the airport for your flight back home.
DAY 18: ARRIVAL AT HOME
After a transfer in Madrid (depending on the chosen company) you arrive home in the afternoon or evening. End of the journey.
