Deserts, Jungle and Wine Tour with 14 Reviews by Say Hueque Argentina & Chile Journeys

12 daysDuration

Private TourPrivate experience, no group joining

99 peopleMaximum group size

5 - 79 yearsAge range for participants

English, SpanishGuide language

Moderate

Involves sustained activity requiring a reasonable level of fitness and endurance.

Starts

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Ends

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Highlights

See salt flats & the Humahuaca Canyon

Taste some of the finest wines in Mendoza

Tour Buenos Aires and enjoy a tango show

Be amazed by lovely Purmamarca town

Itinerary

Northern Argentina’s landscapes are calling! The Deserts, Jungle and Wine trip is a 12-day guided tour designed for young adults with a spirit of adventure. Begin in Buenos Aires, South America’s vibrant capital, with its lively cultural scene and unforgettable tango performances. Then, fly north to Salta—a region famed for its traditional villages, captivating music, and welcoming locals.

Marvel at Jujuy’s vast salt flats and surreal desert vistas. Explore the Calchaquí Valley, known for its dramatic scenery, before heading to Mendoza to sample Argentina’s world-class wines amid rolling vineyards. This trip’s moderate activity level ensures you’ll stay engaged while having plenty of time to savor each destination’s unique charm.

The unique selling point is the diverse blend of natural wonders and cultural experiences—from cosmopolitan city life to remote high-altitude deserts and lush wine country. For travelers seeking an offbeat, immersive South American tour package, this journey is an unforgettable introduction to Argentina’s hidden gems.

day 1 - Buenos Aires

Welcome to Argentina!

Upon your arrival, you will be transferred to your hotel and have the rest of the day to enjoy at your own pace.

Buenos Aires is a marvelous and furious cosmopolitan city, full of colors and different kinds of architecture. Capital of Argentina and described as the Paris of South America, Buenos Aires proudly embraces this title, as well as showing off plenty of its own culture!

Argentines are usually eager to host visitors: if you walk the streets with a map, someone will surely stop and ask if you need directions. That’s our spirit! So, for this first day, feel free to wander the cobblestone streets lined with outdoor cafes, enjoy the mouthwatering aroma of prized Argentine beef sizzling on an open “parrilla” (barbecue) and browse the local antique and artisan markets that offer plenty of bargain shopping. And to travel deeper and have a firm grip of the Argentine spirit, find the perfect leather jacket or handbag (Buenos Aires is home to some excellent local designers) and explore the colorful Palermo Soho neighborhoods.

Type of service: Private

Included: Transportation mentioned above, English-speaking guide

Guide assistance during transfer.

Accommodation:3 Star Hotel

day 2 - Buenos Aires city tour & tango show

Today you will be picked up at your hotel to explore Buenos Aires's major tourist attractions on this tour that hits all of the highlights of this cultural metropolis. Guided by a knowledgeable guide, learn about Porteño’s lifestyle, vibrant culture, and music.

We will visit important historical monuments on your way to Plaza de Mayo and take a moment to admire significant buildings such as the Casa Rosada or the Congress.

We will experience the European flair that has given the city its fame strolling around eclectic neighborhoods; from antique San Telmo and colorful working-class La Boca to fancy and chic Recoleta with its famous Cemetery, representing the elegant and historical Buenos Aires and containing the graves of many Argentina’s emblematic figures, such as Eva Peron.

At the end of the tour, you will have a transfer back to your hotel.

Type of service: Private

Duration: 5 hs

Included: Transportation mentioned above, bilingüal guide (Spanish / English), snack and water

Note: As a private service, the tour can be customized according to your interests and preferences as long as they fit with the schedule

Guide assistance during city tour

Recoleta's cemetery entrance fee included.

In the evening you will be picked up from your hotel to be driven to a mythical place where you will discover one of our most ancient traditions.

You will have a memorable night out in Buenos Aires and will experience the passion of the Argentine tango. Tango is: our immigrant origins, the talent of our local artists, the sensuality of the Argentine woman and our way to deal with a broken heart, dancing our way through tragic and yet eternal love stories.

While having dinner, you will enjoy a professional display of tango and music with a group of local artists on stage immersed in an elegant and alluring place. The manners, ambience, clothes and dance steps which tango lovers used to practice 100 years ago will come to life again and you will travel in time for a night.

At the end of the evening, around midnight, you will be driven back to your hotel, fully in love with the bohemian spirit of our beloved Buenos Aires.

Type of service: Shared

Duration: 3/4 hs

Included: Transportation mentioned above, dinner with beverages, tango show

Note: Formal dress is not required

Accommodation:3 Star Hotel

Meals:Breakfast, Dinner

day 3 - From Buenos Aires to Salta

At the appropriate time, you will be taken to the domestic airport to take your next flight.

Type of service: Private

Included: Transportation mentioned above

Guide assistance during transfer.

Transfer Salta Airport / Salta Hotel

Welcome to Salta!

Upon arrival in Salta you will be transferred to your hotel.

Salta has it all: the geographical diversity (green, red and brown mountains) and the historical richness. Do not forget that, in these lands, one day they fought for the independence of Argentina! It also has exquisite and well-preserved colonial architecture, picturesque and very crowded cafes in the main square (a great place to sit and watch the locals in their daily hustle and bustle!), and the characteristic and fun peñas, places where Salteños sit and listen to their local folklore idols, and then end up dancing (after one or two encouraging glasses of wine) together.

The perfect base to explore the Argentinian Northern area is Salta city

Keep in mind that religion is very important here: religiously speaking, people take a siesta in Salta... so between 1:00 and 3:00 p.m. it will be more difficult for you to find the places open, so take advantage of it to take your first northern siesta!

Type of service: Private

Included: Transportation mentioned above

Accommodation:3 Star Hotel

Meals:Breakfast

day 4 - Safari to the Clouds - Salt Flats - Purmamarca

Today, we will pick you up from your hotel in Salta to go on a two-day excursion. For this exploration, we recommend leaving your luggage in your hotel in Salta, and just taking a day pack on the tour.

Early in the morning, we will pick you up at your hotel to start our journey along the same route of the famous Train to the Clouds, zigzagging on lonely roads between the blue sky and the high desert plains. On our way, we will be able to observe historic ruins, scattered houses, small villages, and amazing landscapes.

Our first destination will be the small town of Campo Quijano and later on the impressive Quebrada del Toro. From here, we will visit Santa Rosa de Tastil, a pre-Incan city of the XIII century. Afterward, we will visit San Antonio de Los Cobres - one of the smallest villages in the region- and after an hour-and-a-half drive, we will reach the surreal landscape of the Great Salt Flats. The Great Salt Flats are perfect for amateur and professional photographers alike- where the natural light and reflections provide ample opportunities to test your creativity to the fullest.

Later in the afternoon, we will reach the highest point of the route, the Abra de Potrerillos (4170 masl or 13681), to finally begin our descent and arrive in Purmamarca. This northern town is located at 2300 masl or 7546 ft, at the foot of the 7 colors hill, on a curved road with amazing landscapes.

Overnight in Purmamarca.

Type of Service: Semi-private

Duration: 10/11 hours

Included: Transportation, guide, snack, water

Not included: Meals

Accommodation:3 Star Hotel

Meals:Breakfast

day 5 - Humahuaca Gorge

Today, we will continue our tour along the Humahuaca Gorge, declared a UNESCO Heritage Site in 2003.

On this day, we will discover Maimará, which has colorful slopes known as “Paleta del Pintor” (it’s a photo stop on the road), Tilcara and its famous “ Pucará de Tilcara” (an ancient fortress), the Tropic of Capricorn and its white monolith, Uquía and its chapel with the famous “Angeles Arcabuceros”, and finally, the small town of Humahuaca, which gives its name to the Quebrada and it’s home to its largest population. It has cobbled streets and iron lanterns in the corners and it’s also the highest point of the route at 2,940 m.a.s.l. or 9645 ft.

After enjoying the final views of the day, we will return to your hotel in Salta.

Type of Service: Semi-private

Duration: 9 hours

Included: Transportation, guide, snack, water

Not included: Meals, entrance fee to Pucara de Tilcara

Accommodation:3 Star Hotel

Meals:Breakfast

day 6 - Calchaqui Valley excursion

In the morning, we will pick you up at your hotel to start a journey to the south through the fertile Lerma Valley along National Route 68.

Passing by several villages we get to Las Conchas Gorge which immediately precedes the Calchaqui Valley. The Wind and rain erosion though million years are responsible of capricious formations as the Devil´s Throat, the Amphitheater (a formation with excellent acoustics), El Sapo (The Frog), and El Fraile (The Friar) among others.

The arid landscape gradually morphs into vineyard areas that continue even inside Cafayate, a little colonial town that dates back to the late 19th Century and is one of the most popular regions in the Calchaqui Valley.

When we arrive at Cafayate, we visit some wineries, famous for their production of Torrontes, with special characteristics due to the particularities of the climate and land.

After lunchtime, we will return to Salta by the same road and take you back to your hotel.

Type of service: Semi-private

Duration: 11 hours

Included: Transportation mentioned above, bilingual guide (English/Spanish)

Not included: Food and drinks, Pick up in San Lorenzo and hotels located more than 5 km away from downtown, entrance fees to museums, ruins, national or provincial parks (if applicable)

Age restriction: Due to high altitudes, this tour not recommended for passengers with heart problems - consult a doctor

Note: It is not possible to take your luggage. In case of force majeure the itineraries can be modified without previous notice. Distance: 235 miles

Accommodation:3 Star Hotel

Meals:Breakfast

day 7 - From Salta to Mendoza

At the appropriate time, you will be transferred to Salta Airport to take your flight.

Type of service: private

Included: Transportation mentioned above

Transfer Mendoza Airport / Mendoza Hotel

Welcome to Mendoza!

It is Argentina's main wine region and heartland of Malbec grape and has also impressive mountains (like Aconcagua, climbers world known summit), outdoor sports (adventurous rafting) and breathtaking landscapes.

Upon arrival, you will be driven to your hotel.

Type of service: Private

Included: Transportation mentioned above

Accommodation:3 Star Hotel

Meals:Breakfast

day 8 - Mendoza wine tour

In the morning, we will pick you up to explore Argentina’s famous Wine Road and visit some of the regions most highly acclaimed wineries. Accompanied by expert guides we learn about the production facilities, the different styles of wine-making, the gastronomy and we will have a great wine tasting. You will visit Maipu or Lujan de Cuyo depending on the operativity of the wineries.

Maipu is located just 15 minutes from Mendoza city and is the first viticultural area in Argentina. It was the location chosen by the first European immigrants to continue their most beloved family tradition; wine-making. Here the residents found the perfect climate and soil conditions to maintain their passion, eventually gaining international recognition for the excellence of their wines. In this region, olive-groves and vineyards sit side-by-side, making it the perfect place to enjoy an Argentine wine and olive-oil experience.

Lujan de Cuyo, the region known as The Cradle of Malbec. Surrounded by gentle hills and over-looked By America’s highest mountains, Lujan de Cuyo is known for its country houses, tree-lined streets, fine restaurants, Malbec vineyards, olives and world-renowned wineries. This quaint, picturesque town is the perfect place to enjoy a captivating wine experience.

In the area, we visit some of the regions most prestigious wineries where we will have guided tours and the opportunity to learn about the production facilities, the different styles of wine-making, the gastronomy and we will have a great wine tasting.

We will enjoy a winery lunch prepared by a renowned chef, who has developed the best gourmet dishes to accompany the various varietals of wine produced here.

After lunch, we will take you back to your hotel, with a clear picture of the diversity involved in the world of wine, the gastronomy and Mendoza’s landscape.

Type of service: Semiprivate

Duration: 8/9 hours

Included: Transportation mentioned above, bilingual guide (English / Spanish), gourmet wine-pairing lunch in a winery (3 steps), visit to 3 different wineries

Age restriction: Wine tasting only for people older than 18 years

Note: Have a good breakfast before starting the tour to enjoy the tastings. The visits in the wineries are not private (other people may be at the winery at the same time). Wineries may change according to season. They will be confirmed when booking.

Accommodation:3 Star Hotel

Meals:Breakfast

day 9 - Andes Mountains

After breakfast, we will pick you up at your hotel in Chacras de Coria and depart to the Aconcagua Provincial Park, located 185 km or 115 miles away from the city of Mendoza. As the journey takes you along the emblematic route 7, you will begin to discover the beautiful mountains of Mendoza and its river. Not only will you enjoy the colorful transition of landscapes, but also some of the small villages that can be found along the way, such as Cacheuta, Potrerillos (and its water reservoir), Uspallata (a quaint little town) and Penitentes (a Ski Resort).

You will also visit “The Inca’s Bridge”, known for its curious natural formation! As your journey continues, you will go through the three mountain ranges: Pre Andes, the Front Range, and the Main range.

Upon arrival at Aconcagua Provincial Park in Horcones Valley, you will have the chance to go on a 2-hour hike to Durazno Gorge or take a short trail to a scenic lookout point (45 min). After enjoying some unique views of this natural environment framed by the majestic Aconcagua Mount you will start your journey back to your hotel in Chacras de Coria.

Type of service: Private.

Duration: 11 hours

Difficulty: Moderate.

Included: Transportation mentioned above, guide, snack, entrance fee to Aconcagua Provincial Park.

Not included: Lunch.

Accommodation:3 Star Hotel

Meals:Breakfast, Lunch

day 10 - From Mendoza to Buenos Aires

At appropriate time, you will be transferred to the airport.

Type of service: Private

Included: Transportation mentioned above

Transfer from Aeroparque airport to hotel, private service with English speaking guide

Upon arrival in Buenos Aires, you will be taken to your hotel.

Type of service: Private

Included: Transportation mentioned above, English-speaking guide

Guide assistance during transfer.

Accommodation:3 Star Hotel

Meals:Breakfast

day 11 - Day at leisure in Buenos Aires

Our suggestion is to explore the Pampas, with a visit to a working ranch in San Antonio de Areco, El Ombu, about 1h45 minutes from Buenos Aires. This quaint town is considered "the birthplace" of the gauchos, the Argentine cowboys.

This is not included in your program, but we'd be happy to quote this for you, just let us know!

Accommodation:3 Star Hotel

Meals:Breakfast

day 12 - Buenos Aires, last day of your Argentina trip!

At the appropriate time, you will be transferred to the international airport for your flight. ¡Buen viaje!

Type of service: Private

Included: Transportation mentioned above, English-speaking guide

Guide assistance during transfer.

Meals:Breakfast

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What's Included

Destination host local supportBuenos Aires tourA dinner & tango showSalt Flats / Purmamarca tourHumahuaca Gorge tourCafayate full-day tourMendoza tourTransfers mentioned in the itinerary4 nights in Buenos Aires, 3 in Salta, 1 in Purmamarca, 3 in MendozaBreakfasts and meals mentioned on the itineraryBilingual local guide (English / Spanish)

What's Excluded

Customer Reviews

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