Embark on an exhilarating adventure through the awe-inspiring landscapes of northern Argentina with a guided tour showcasing Salta's extraordinary desert beauty. Traverse the captivating Salt Flats and marvel at the iconic Humahuaca Gorge, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Engage in thrilling activities like sandboarding on giant dunes and a scenic drive along the picturesque Quebrada de las Conchas. Delight in authentic cultural experiences as you explore vibrant local markets and savor traditional cuisine. This unforgettable journey offers a perfect blend of natural wonders and cultural immersion.
AdventureExplorer
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
This was a fantastic trip that lived up fully to its billing, as we saw many spectacular and varied landscapes and we sampled many gorgeous wines. The guide Lucia was very knowledgeable and helpful throughout. My only observation is that it was a hard trip in terms of several very long days travelling of 8 or more hours - over 12 hours on one day - which meant we rarely had the chance to relax and/or enjoy the hotel facilities (e.g. pools in most hotels).
The Trip Notes highlighted this but even so, after more than a dozen Explore trips previously which we thought prepared us for a lot of time on the road , we were still surprised. Essentially the trip was 12 full days and we thought it could have been stretched to 14 to cover the same itinerary - maybe an extra day in Cafayate and in Cachi?
Why for example, did we travel from Mendoza to Aconcagua (a brilliant trip) but then back to Mendoza (3 hours each way) on one day, only to retrace our steps almost all the way back to Aconcagua on the next day, on the way to the next stop? This retracing of the same route wasted 6 hours, or almost a full day? Why did we not go from Aconcagua directly to the next stop, instead of back to Mendoza?
In summary, this is a great tour, but we recommend you review the itinerary and through better planning and some extra time make it a more relaxing tour spread over over one or two more days.
Active and outdoorFood tours
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Hotel, Villa
Age Range
16-79 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Buenos Aires, Cafayate, Mendoza
Buenos Aires, Cafayate, Mendoza, Salta, Humahuaca, Barreal, Villa Union, Belen, Cachi
The trip is incredible. The scenery varies every day and you'll ride on all possible terrains: sand, rock, gravel, tarmac and every day offers a lot of fun. The landscape of the Moon Valley in Chile is surreal and the Tatio geyser excursion is a stunning experience. Chile and Argentina are lovely countries; the areas visited still haven't been reached by mass tourism and you barely see any other tourists while travelling.
ExplorerBicycle tours
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Hotel, Resort, Lodge
Age Range
16-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
San Pedro De Atacama, Quilmes Ru
San Pedro De Atacama, Quilmes Ruins, Molinos, Salta, Moon Valley, Susques, Purmamarca, Tilcara, Cafayate
Discover the adventure of a lifetime with an exhilarating journey from La Paz to Salta. Embark on vibrant city tours, breathtaking Uyuni Salt Flats excursions, and immersive cultural experiences. Traverse stunning landscapes from Bolivia’s Altiplano to Argentina’s rugged mountains. Enjoy thrilling activities like stargazing, historical site visits, and vibrant local markets. Perfect for adventure seekers and culture enthusiasts, this South American odyssey offers unforgettable memories and unparalleled natural beauty. Join this epic journey and explore some of South America's most iconic destinations!
Sightseeing Tours
Tour Type
Group Tour
Accommodation
Hotel
Age Range
18-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
La Paz, Salta, Candelaria, Lagun
La Paz, Salta, Candelaria, Laguna Colorada, San Pedro De Atacama
Discover the stunning landscapes between Salta and La Paz with an adventure-packed travel pass. Immerse yourself in the vibrant cultures of Argentina and Bolivia while exploring UNESCO World Heritage sites, such as the Quebrada de Humahuaca. Wander through La Paz's bustling street markets, marvel at the breathtaking Salt Flats of Uyuni, and hike in the scenic Andes. Perfect for thrill-seekers and nature enthusiasts, this journey promises unforgettable experiences and unparalleled beauty. Get ready for the adventure of a lifetime!
Active and outdoor
Tour Type
Group Tour
Accommodation
Hotel
Age Range
18-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
La Paz, Salta, Sucre, San Pedro
La Paz, Salta, Sucre, San Pedro De Atacama, Uyuni Salt Flat, Potosi
Our travel agent, Lucila, designed the best trip ever. Everything was just perfect—from the hotels to the wild experiences. We enjoyed the trip so much; every day felt like a dream. I look forward to organizing a new adventure around the world with Lucila.
Everything was just AMAZING!
Thank you, Lucila and team!
Self-drive or vehicle rental
Tour Type
Private Tour
Accommodation
Hotel
Age Range
12-99 yrs
Operated in
english, spanish
Destinations
Buenos Aires, Iguazu Falls, Salt
Buenos Aires, Iguazu Falls, Salta, Purmamarca, Jujuy, Humahuaca, Tilcara, Cachi, Cafayate, Puerto Iguazu
Embark on an unforgettable adventure from the vibrant culture of Salta to the mesmerizing Uyuni Salt Flats in Bolivia. This 10-day experience offers unique encounters with breathtaking Andean landscapes, ancient ruins, and indigenous villages. Highlights include traversing the awe-inspiring altiplano, marveling at surreal salt deserts, and exploring colorful lagoons teeming with flamingos. Perfect for thrill-seekers and culture enthusiasts, this tour promises an extraordinary blend of nature, history, and adventure for an unmatched South American escape.
AdventureWalking tours
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Hotel, Lodge
Age Range
18-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
La Paz, Salta, La Paz, San Pedro
La Paz, Salta, La Paz, San Pedro De Atacama, Uyuni
Embark on a captivating 9-day journey through Northwest Argentina, where you will encounter stunning natural landscapes and vibrant cultural sites. From the bustling colonial city of Salta to the tranquil, picturesque towns of Cachi and Cafayate, this trip offers a rich tapestry of experiences. Traverse the breathtaking Quebrada de Humahuaca, explore the mesmerizing Salinas Grandes, and savor local wines in Cafayate. Designed with a perfect blend of adventure and relaxation, this itinerary offers both guided exploration and ample leisure time. Experience Argentina’s northwest like never before with Baboo's thoughtful curation, ensuring a memorable cultural immersion.
Skiing and Snowboarding
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
If you love big landscapes, deserts, rock formations, volcanoes, geysers, remoteness and views that go on forever, then this is the trip for you. This was combined with very friendly people, local culture and good wine, making for one of the best trips I've ever had.
This was my first trip with Explore. (All the other members of the group had travelled multiple times with them). I would say the trip exceeded my expectations in every respect. Judging by the comments of the rest of the group, it was one of the best many of them had been on too. I have taken away memories that will last forever and met some wonderful people along the way.
There were six travellers in the group (all solo travellers) as well as Andres our guide, local guides and drivers. This was the first trip run on a new itinerary or at least one which Explore has not sold for a number of years. So in that respect our group were the guinea-pigs for the trip. I felt the group got on very well. I would say six was a good group size for the minibuses. It gave us room to spread out with our bags and snooze if needed on the longer journeys.
Itinerary:
The itinerary covers a lot of ground in a short space of time so is definitely full-on. However, overall, I thought it was well-paced with well-timed rest periods. Given that this was a new itinerary, there are a couple of "tweaks" I would make (mentioned below). However, they are minor changes only to what I found to be a well-rounded and balanced trip.
HIghlights for me included the Uyuni salt flats in Bolivia. I loved the desert, lagoons, volcanoes, flamingoes, the salt hotel and of course, our meal with our wonderful Bolivian guides - which I'll never forget. Another highlight was the sunset and moonrise over the Atacama Desert near San Pedro. I felt the trip was a gift that kept on giving. Just when you had one experience which you thought could not be topped, along came another one. The trip was cleverly planned in that sense.
In terms of amendments, I would suggest the following:
HIgh altitude is a feature of this trip and perhaps needs to be emphasised and explained a little more fully in the trip notes so that travellers can take a view. However, for me, any discomfort was more than compensated for by the remoteness and beauty of the landscapes we saw.
I particularly loved Bolivia and perhaps Explore could consider adding that another day to this leg of the trip. This would allow more time to get to know this fantastic country and its people but would also allow more time to acclimatise.
We had a wonderful day in the wine region of Cafayate. Both wine and food were delicious and plentiful. However, I think we all felt the number of tours and tastings should be reduced a little to allow us to relax into one wine tour and the meal without worrying about time.
Guiding:
Andres was our Explore guide and I cannot speak highly enough of him. Most of the group had travelled extensively over the years with Explore and said that he was one of the best guides they had ever had. Andres was excellent in every respect - professional, knowledgeable, organised but relaxed and very person-centred, attending well to the different needs of the group. The trip ran very smoothly and to time. Andres paid close attention to detail, making small changes to the itinerary as needed, He found good places to eat, and timed visits to avoid any crowds in particularly popular places. As far as I am aware, there was one small logistical glitch during the whole trip. This was beyond Andres' control but he took it in his stride, dealt with it and it did not affect the group. Definitely 5* for Andres.
The local guides and drivers in each country were very friendly and efficient. I would say the guides in Argentina and Bolivia were particularly knowledgeable. The warmth and kindness shown to us was lovely. I would single out Wilbur in Bolivia for particular praise.
Accommodation:
Before the trip, I did not have particularly high expectations of the hotels, thinking that location would take priority over hotel standard and that budget hotels would be used to keep costs down. To a certain extent this proved to be the case. I would say in most places the standard was 3*. I found all of them were perfectly acceptable although some had variable hot water and wifi which is only to be expected really given the region. All hotels were very friendly and in a very good location. Some hotels stood out as having more character and better service than others. The Salt Hotel (Laguna Salada) on the Uyuni flats was something truly special. The stunning location, the hotel design and the friendliness of the staff there were something I will never forget. The Hotel Los Flamencos at the Laguna Hedionda was graded as "simple" and we warned to take warm sleepwear as it can get cold at night. However, I found the hotel to be warm and characterful and again, the location was stunning. Standing outside the hotel (albeit at about -5 degrees Celsius), watching the flamingos on the lagoon and the sun come up over the volcanoes behind was something truly memorable.
San Pedro de Atacama was the most touristy place we visited and I would say the hotel there reflected that. It felt a bit more generic than the others, although the barman was excellent and served some knockout Pisco sours.
Overall, I would give this trip 5* without hesitation. Unforgettable - in the best possible way. Any quibbles are very minor ones to me. I would highly recommend.
Sightseeing Tours
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Hotel
Age Range
16-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Buenos Aires, San Pedro, Santiag
Buenos Aires, San Pedro, Santiago, Salta, Cafayate, Purmamarca, Tilcara, Tupiza, Uyuni, Incahuasi, San Pedro De Atacama
In this 16 day tour in Argentina you will discovery the most amazing destination of Argentina.
You travel from the Jungle and north of Argentina to El Calafate and its Perito Moreno Glacier and Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world. On this trip, you’ll see the highlights of one of South America’s most beautiful countries.
We know that Argentina is a very big country and sometimes it is difficult to select which destination to visit. On this tour the group of our travel experts selected those places that you can not miss if you are travelling to Argentina: Buenos Aires, Iguazu Falls, Salta and Purmamarca, El Calafate and Ushuaia.
Explorer
Tour Type
Independent TourTypically a private tour undertaken by one or two travelers
Age Range
1-99 yrs
Operated in
english, spanish
Destinations
Buenos Aires, Iguazu Falls, El C
Buenos Aires, Iguazu Falls, El Calafate, Ushuaia, Salta, Purmamarca, Perito Moreno Glacier, Beagle Channel Cruise, Tierra Del Fuego National Park, Iguazu Falls, Salinas
