I sent an email to the tour operator only a couple weeks before arriving in Salta. Mateo from their company arranged 3 full day tours - even though one fell on a major holiday - the 200th anniversary of Argentina's independence!
He is clearly one of the most knowledgable travel agents we have ever used. The first day our tour took us to almost 14,000 feet - the viaduct where the train to the clouds travels. Being with him was so much better than a long bus ride and 20 km on the train!! He constantly checked on us to make sure we were not getting sick from the altitude. He adjusted our trip to stop and see everything, or just to take pictures. When we arrived back in Salta, he made sure we had great local food for dinner.
The second day, Mateo again arrived bright and early so that we could see all the little villages on our way to Cafayate. As we drove through the amazing views, Mariano knew exactly where to stop to avoid the crowds. He picked an amazing inn outside of the city for lunch, so that we would not fight the crowds. AND he was incredibly patient as we walked the mercado in search of a chess set!!
Our days in Salta and jujuy were wonderful and left us wanting more!!! We all highly recommend their travel agency, ask for Mateo and hold on for the ride!!!
