Salinas Grandes & Purmamarca day trip from Salta: 13 hours

Salt flats, a seven-colored mountain, and the landscape between them

A 13-hour guided day trip from Salta Capital to two of Northern Argentina's most photographed sites: the Salinas Grandes salt flats (one of Argentina's seven wonders) and Purmamarca, a World Heritage town at the base of Cerro de Siete Colores. The route crosses the Cuesta del Lipan pass both ways, with stops for the landscape and the town itself. Air-conditioned vehicle and a live guide in English or Spanish are included. Lunch and breakfast are not.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Purmamarca20m · entry included
2. Great Salt Flats45m

Visit Purmamarca and Salinas Grandes

• Stop in Purmamarca town
• Walk to base of Cerro de Siete Colores
• Tour and walk Paseo de los Colorados
• Stop at Cuesta del Lipan for photos
• Visit Salinas Grandes and Salt Pileons

The experience

The day starts in Purmamarca, where you walk from the town center to the base of Cerro de Siete Colores, the Seven Colors Hill, on your own time. The mountain's bands of red, purple, yellow and green mineral deposits are the reason the town draws visitors, and the Paseo de los Colorados (the path along the back of the hill) is where most of the photographs happen. You'll drive that stretch too, stopping to see it from the vehicle before moving on.

The real distance opens up on the way to Salinas Grandes. The route crosses the Cuesta del Lipan, a high pass where the landscape shifts from green valleys to sparse, high-altitude terrain. Stops are built in so you can step out and photograph the view. This is the kind of drive where the road itself is the attraction. Once you reach the salt flats, you walk on the salt ponds themselves, where the white expanse stretches to the horizon and the salt pilleons (the piled salt waiting for harvest) sit like sculptures across the ground.

The return follows the same pass, with the same stops available. The whole day runs 13 hours from pickup to drop-off, which accounts for the drive time, the walking and the pauses. An air-conditioned vehicle keeps the heat manageable during the long stretches between towns.

What’s included

• Air-conditioned vehicle for the full 13 hours.
• live guide in English or Spanish.
• all entry fees and taxes.
• stops at the Cuesta del Lipan pass on both the outbound and return journey.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 06:30 and 08:00

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (18 to 69 years) · Youth (13 to 17 years) · Child (3 to 12 years) · Infant (under 3)

GroupUp to 23

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyInfant seats availableNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by AGENCIA DE TURISMO TIAMAR EVT

Is this one for you?This is a shared guided tour, not a private transfer or self-drive option, so you travel with other passengers and follow a fixed schedule. The long day and high-altitude terrain suit travelers with reasonable fitness who don't mind spending most of the day in a vehicle. The stops and walking sections are moderate, but the altitude and the drive time matter if you're sensitive to either.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (13 to 17 years); Child (3 to 12 years); Infant (under 3).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is the Seven Colors Hill in Purmamarca like when you get there?

Cerro de Siete Colores is a mountain striped with bands of mineral deposits in red, purple, yellow, green and other shades: the colors shift depending on the light and the angle. You walk from the town center to its base and can also drive the Paseo de los Colorados, the path along the back of the hill, where most visitors photograph it.

How long is the drive from Salta to Salinas Grandes?

The full day trip is 13 hours total, which includes the drive both ways, the stops at the Cuesta del Lipan pass, time in Purmamarca and time at the salt flats themselves. Most of that time is in the vehicle, with built-in stops for the landscape.

What happens at the Cuesta del Lipan?

The Cuesta del Lipan is a high mountain pass on the route between Purmamarca and Salinas Grandes. Stops are made both on the way there and on the way back so you can step out and photograph the landscape as it changes from green valleys to high-altitude terrain.

Can you walk on the salt flats at Salinas Grandes?

Yes, Salinas Grandes is a working salt flat where you walk on the salt ponds themselves. The salt pilleons (piled salt waiting for harvest) are scattered across the white expanse, and the landscape stretches to the horizon in all directions.

Is lunch included in the day trip?

Lunch is not included. You'll need to arrange a meal in Purmamarca or bring food with you, as there are limited options at Salinas Grandes itself.