Humahuaca and Hornocal Full Day Tour from Salta: 14 colors

Fourteen color bands on a single mountainside, 75 million years in the rock

A full-day guided tour from Salta through the Quebrada de Humahuaca, a UNESCO Cultural and Natural Heritage site, visiting four villages and ending at the Serranía del Hornocal. The tour includes pickup from your accommodation, an air-conditioned vehicle, and a guide in English or Spanish. You arrange your own lunch in Humahuaca. The route covers National Route 9 north through San Salvador de Jujuy, with stops at Purmamarca's multicolored fair and Hill of the Seven Colors, Maimará's Painter's Palette, Tilcara, and the Hornocal's 14-color mountain formation.

Step-by-step itinerary

Full day tour to Humahuaca and Hornocal

• Depart from Salta at 6:30 am
• Pass through Jujuy to Humahuaca Gorge
• Stop in Purmamarca for photos and 30-minute visit
• Visit Tilcara for 30 minutes
• Explore Hornocal hill of 14 colors for 60 minutes
• Lunch and visit in Humahuaca for 120 minutes
• Return to Salta and drop off passengers

The experience

The day starts at 6:30 am from the office in Salta, heading north on National Route 9 toward the Quebrada de Humahuaca. The first stop is Purmamarca, where you get 30 minutes to walk the village square and see the adobe houses, the church of St. Rose of Lima, and the Hill of the Seven Colors rising behind it. From there the route passes through Maimará, where the mountainside shifts into the Painter's Palette: bands of mineral color that shift as the light moves across the rock face.

In Tilcara you have time to walk the town itself, then the tour continues to Huacalera to see the monolith marking the Tropic of Capricorn. By midday you reach Humahuaca, where you stop for lunch (on your own) and can visit the Monument to the Inca and the Heroes of Independence. The final destination is the Serranía del Hornocal, also called Cerro de los 14 Colores, the 14-color mountain. The geological layers here date to the end of the Cretaceous, 75 million years ago, and the mineral deposits create the color bands that made the site famous enough to be filmed for the movie "Mi Obra Maestra."

The vehicle is air-conditioned and the guide speaks English or Spanish. Pickup is included from your accommodation in Salta, and the return drop-off is at your hotel. The tour runs about 14 hours total, so plan for a long day. The payoff is seeing four distinct villages and two of the region's most photographed geological formations without arranging transport or navigation yourself.

What’s included

• Air-conditioned vehicle.
• live guide in English or Spanish.
• hotel pickup and drop-off in Salta.
• stops in Purmamarca, Tilcara, Humahuaca and the Serranía del Hornocal.
• all fees and taxes.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 06:30

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (3 to 11 years) · Infant (under 3)

GroupUp to 19

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 today

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Parada Norte Travel

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to see the Quebrada de Humahuaca's most famous geological formations and villages in a single day without renting a car or navigating National Route 9 yourself. The fixed schedule and included transport mean the 14-hour day holds together without you building it.

Traveler reviews

4.89★★★★★★★★★★

327 verified traveler reviews

5 ★300

4 ★20

3 ★5

2 ★1

1 ★1

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 11 years); Infant (under 3).

What is the Hill of the Seven Colors in Purmamarca?

The Hill of the Seven Colors is a mountain formation rising behind Purmamarca's central square, displaying distinct mineral bands that create the multicolored effect. You see it during the 30-minute stop in the village.

How much time do I have to explore each village on this tour?

Purmamarca gets 30 minutes for a walk around the square and the fair. Tilcara and Humahuaca allow time to explore the towns themselves. Humahuaca is also where you stop for lunch. The other stops are shorter photo and viewing points.

What is the Serranía del Hornocal and why is it called the 14-color mountain?

The Serranía del Hornocal, also known as Cerro de los 14 Colores, is a mountain formation where mineral deposits create 14 distinct color bands visible in the rock layers. These layers formed at the end of the Cretaceous period, 75 million years ago, and the geological colors range across reds, greens, purples and browns depending on the mineral composition.

Is lunch included in the tour price?

Lunch is not included. You arrange and pay for your own meal during the stop in Humahuaca. The tour gives you time to eat in the town.

Does the tour include pickup from my hotel?

Yes, pickup is included from your accommodation in Salta at the start of the tour, and the driver drops you back at your hotel at the end of the day.