3-day Salta tour: Cafayate, Cachi, Humahuaca

Three days through wine country, high passes and colonial towns

A 3-day tour from Salta through the Calchaquí Valleys and Quebrada de Humahuaca, visiting Cafayate, Cachi and Humahuaca with a live guide in English or Spanish. The route crosses the Quebrada de las Conchas with its wind-carved rock formations, includes winery entry and tasting in Cafayate, passes through Los Cardones National Park, and stops at colonial towns and archaeological sites. Pickup from Salta is included. Lunch is on your own.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Explore Cafayate and surroundings

• Travel Salta to Cafayate via Las Conchas gorge
• Visit natural formations in Quebrada de las Conchas
• Tour winery and taste local wines
• Free time to explore Cafayate town and lunch
• Return to Salta with stops in Quebrada de las Conchas
• Technical stop in La Viña or Talapampa

Day 2: Visit Cachi and scenic landscapes

• Depart Salta through Lerma Valley to El Carril
• Stop for bathroom and snacks
• Drive through Quebrada del Escoipe and Cuesta del Obispo
• Cross Los Cardones National Park
• Visit grocers and pepper drying town
• Arrive Cachi for free time and lunch
• Return to Salta with technical stop in Chicoana or El Carril

Day 3: Tour Humahuaca and nearby towns

• Travel Salta to San Salvador de Jujuy with stops
• Technical stop for bathroom and supplies
• Visit Hill of 7 Colors in Purmamarca
• Photograph Palettes of the Painter in Maimará
• Visit Tilcara and its Pucará fortress
• Visit village church and ceramics factory
• Free time in Humahuaca for lunch and tour
• Photograph Tropic of Capricorn
• Technical stop for bathroom and supplies
• Return to Salta with stops

The experience

The first day heads south through the Lerma Valley to Cafayate, crossing the Quebrada de las Conchas along Route 68. Wind and water erosion have carved more than ten natural formations into the canyon walls (the Devil's Throat, the Amphitheater, the Friar, the Obelisk, the Castles) each one a stop on the drive. The landscape shifts from arid scrub to vineyards as you approach Cafayate, a town of single-story colonial and baroque houses from the late 19th century. You'll visit a winery to taste Torrontés, Malbec, Tannat and Cabernet Sauvignon, then have two free hours to walk the town and eat lunch before the return drive through the same canyon, stopping at formations you missed on the way down.

Day two climbs inland toward Cachi. The route follows the Quebrada de Escoipe and then the imposing Cuesta del Obispo (Bishop's Slope), a high mountain pass surrounded by steep terrain. After Piedra del Molino at 3,400 meters, you cross Los Cardones National Park, a landscape of tall cardón cacti and sparse vegetation. The road descends into Cachi, a small colonial town with adobe houses and narrow cobblestone streets arranged in a grid of ten blocks by ten. You get two hours to explore on foot and try regional food before heading back to Salta.

The third day travels north to the Quebrada de Humahuaca, a ravine of towns and archaeological sites. Purmamarca's Hill of 7 Colors is the first stop, followed by Tilcara, where you visit the Pucará, a pre-Columbian fortress on a high ridge. The route passes through Uquia to a ceramics factory, then reaches Humahuaca, the largest town in the ravine, where you have two free hours. On the return to Salta, you'll see the Painter's Palettes rock formation near Maimará and pass the Tropic of Capricorn marker. An air-conditioned vehicle carries the group throughout, with technical stops for bathrooms and snacks along each day's drive.

What’s included

• Air-conditioned vehicle for all three days.
• live guide in English or Spanish.
• pickup from Salta.
• entrance to a winery with wine tasting in Cafayate.
• entrance to Los Cardones National Park.
• visits to all towns in the Quebrada de Humahuaca including Purmamarca, Tilcara, Uquia and Humahuaca.
• all fees and taxes.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 07:00

AgesAdult (4 and older) · Infant (under 4): free

GroupUp to 23

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 16 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by La Quebrada Turismo

Is this one for you?Three full days means you spend each morning and afternoon on the road or walking towns, with two free hours per day to eat and explore on foot. If you need flexibility to rest or skip a stop, a shorter tour would suit you better. This one keeps moving through the itinerary.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Infant (under 4): free.

What is the Hill of 7 Colors in Purmamarca?

The Hill of 7 Colors is a distinctive mountain near Purmamarca whose exposed rock layers display bands of red, purple, yellow, green and other hues created by mineral deposits. It's one of the most recognizable landmarks in the Humahuaca ravine and a photo stop on day three.

Do I need to bring my own lunch on this tour?

Lunch is not included, so you'll buy and eat on your own during the two free hours in each town: Cafayate on day one, Cachi on day two, and Humahuaca on day three. Each town has local restaurants and shops.

What kind of winery visit happens in Cafayate?

You visit a winery in Cafayate and taste wines from the region, which is known for Torrontés as well as red varieties like Malbec, Tannat and Cabernet Sauvignon. The tasting is included. Any wine you buy is extra.

How high does this tour go?

The highest point is Piedra del Molino at 3,400 meters (11,150 feet), which you cross on day two while traveling through Los Cardones National Park on the way to Cachi. The pass can be cool even in summer.

What is the Pucará in Tilcara?

The Pucará is a pre-Columbian fortress built on a high ridge above Tilcara. You visit it on day three as part of the Humahuaca ravine stops.