La Vuelta a Los Valles: A Scenic Drive through Salta

Lunar landscapes, big skies, proud cacti, enchanting wine vineyards, kaleidoscopic color palettes: La Vuelta a los Valles Calchaquíes is a drive through Salta that highlights the beauty of this northern Argentine province.

The province’s capital city of Salta offers a comfortable point of embarkation to the quaint provincial pueblos, Cafayate and Cachi. Visit both towns on a two or three day trip via the poetic, yet unballyhooed circuit, ‘The Return to the Vales.’

Renting a car is the most advantageous method of travel, providing the freedom to stop and capture photos, pick up hitchhikers, hike the terrain, or simply stop and gawk at breathtaking landscapes as frequently as you wish. Alternately, there are tour buses that embark regularly from Salta. For more adventurous budget travelers, hitchhiking is relatively easy on this route. Route 68 headed to Cafayate is also a popular road for biking, but be sure to bring plenty of water and venture out early, as it can be a brutal dessert experience for the unprepared.

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Starting your Salta Roadtrip

Head south from Salta to Cafayate on Ruta 68 towards Valles Calchaquíe. Located in the center of the Calchaquies Valley, Cafayate is a little less than 190 kilometers from Salta, about three and a half hours by car. The first part of the circuit is a rather easy drive; a straight shot down a well-maintained two-lane road.

At first you’re greeted with a pleasant, bucolic landscape, but the truly extraordinary scenery begins as you enter into the Quebrada de Cafayate (also known as the Quebrada de Las Conchas.) The ‘Sea Shell Gorge’ begins at the railway ghost town of Alemanía where you can stop to explore the old railroad depot and cross the train trestle to take a dip in the river.

Twenty minutes down the road you’ll come upon an aptly named red rock formation, Garganta del Diablo (Devil’s Throat). You can make like a mountain goat and scurry up the Devil’s Throat, but beware that getting up is much easier than getting down.

A couple of kilometers further is El Anfiteatro, a natural amphitheater that will delight musicians with its wonderful red rock acoustics. In the summer you may stumble across a concert here. As you continue down the road you’ll come across a slew of capricious rock formations including El Sapo (The Frog), El Fraile (The Friar) and El Obeslico (The Obelisk).

Arriving in Cafayate

Once you reach Cafayate, where most taking this drive stay overnight, drop in the tourist office located in the central Plaza San Martin (Guemes and San Martin) for maps, brochures, information on activities and tours. Be sure to pick up for a map of the local bodegas (wineries).

If you’re arriving here on a Friday or Saturday night reservations are recommended. Options range from to a low-cost dorm bed in a hostel to a range of moderately-priced hotels to the luxury hotel-spa, Patios de Cafayate.

Activities in Cafayate

In spite of a growing tourism, Cafayate has retained its small-town soul. Wander a few blocks away from the main plaza and you’ll find yourself deep inside a vibrant neighborhood of locals, unconcerned with the presence of outsiders. Here, children play soccer in the streets, mothers hang clothes outside to dry, and sleepy dogs lay wherever they may.

Be sure to take a step inside Nuestra Señora del Rosario, an impressive cathedral in the main plaza.

Any given dusty lane will lead you to a vineyard open for tours and wine sampling. Cafayate’s dry climate, high altitude 1,660 meters above sea level, hot days and cool nights makes it a prime location for wine production.

Cafayate is famous for its Torrontés grape, used to create the dry, fruity white wine of the same name. This particular provincial wine has increasingly received international praise, earning it the notable title of ‘The white wine of Argentina.’

For more information on Cafayate’s wine history and culture, visit the Museo de Vitivinicultura (Güemes Sur and Colon).

The trip to Río Colorado, five kilometers outside of town, is nice if you’re looking for some outdoors activity. Hike upstream for about one and a half hours to a waterfall with a pleasant area for a swim.

Taxis are available from Cafayate to the trail entrance. It can be difficult to find taxis for the ride back to Cafayate. Try arranging a pickup time with your driver, or bring water for the 5km walk back. Biking is an easy option when the weather is nice; find bike rentals around the plaza. For those who don’t want to bother with a trail map and compass, there are plenty of guides available in town for reasonable prices.

Just an hour trip south from Cafayate by car, lies Quilmes, a fascinating pre-Inca, indigenous ruins resting in a lonely dessert. Pay a small fee to visit the relics of the once-thriving city.

La Vuelta de Los Valles: Day Two

On day two of your drive you’ll take Ruta 40 out of town towards Cachi. Ruta 40 winds seductively through Quebrada de las Flechas (Arrow Gorge), offering some of the most stunning, arid visuals on the planet. Be attentive while driving Route 40 — at times it is a precarious, narrow gravel road,

The small mountainous pre-colonial town of Cachi lies 165 kilometers north of Cafayate (about five and a half hours by car).

Once you arrive in Cachi, rest up and try some northern Argentine favorites like empanadas, locro or tamales. The town has quite a few shops selling typical northern Argentine arts and crafts. Most everything you need, including the Cachi Tourist Office, is centered around the main plaza. Visit the Church of San Jose and the small but interesting archeology museum.

With a spectacular panoramic view of the town and the Nevado de Cachi mountain range, Cachi’s picturesque hilltop cemetery is a must-see attraction in the 5,000-person town.

If you have time to stretch your trip out you can stay in Cachi overnight. Before heading out of town, pick up some local mountain herbs and spices for sale in the plaza.

The trip back to Salta from Cachi via Route 40 is a strikingly beautiful ride (160 kilometers, about three hours) through the Quebrada de Escoipe and Cuesta del Obispo. Visual delights await you the final hours of the trip, with an ever-changing landscape that sometimes appears to pertain to another planet.

— by Avery White

La Vuelta de Los Valles three-day round-up:

Day 1: Salta to Cafayate: 180km. Good road conditions. 3.5 hours (through Quebrada de Cafayate)

Day 2: Cafayate to Cachi: 165km. Rough road conditions 5.5 hours. (through Quebrada de las Flechas)

Day 3*: Cachi to Salta: 160km. The first 1/3 of the route is unpaved followed by paved roads. Some parts of this route wind around steep mountain terrain. 3-4 hours (through the Quebrada de Escoipe and Cuesta del Obispo)

* For a two-day trip, Cafayate to Salta can be done in one long day.

• It is important to note if driving that there are not many gas stations in between Salta and Cafayate, and no gas stations between Cafayate and Cachi. There are several gas stations in Cafayate and Cachi. It’s best to fill up the tank before leaving Salta.

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Alemanía, Salta’s Railroad Ghost Town

The Argentine ghost town of Alemanía, a stop on the La Vuelta a Los Valles drive through Salta, is a not-to-be-missed spot for adventurers.

Alemanía is the starting point for the Quebrada de las Conchas (The Shells Gorge), the 60-kilometer stretch of multicolored rock formation between here and Cafayate.

A depot of Argentina’s once-expansive railway system, the town is said to have been coined ‘Alemania’ (without an accent) in 1617 by local indigenous tribes. Most locals now say the town was named in honor of German workers who worked on the railway lines through here (‘Alemania’ means Germany in Spanish, but the explanation doesn’t account for the accent later added on the ‘i’).

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Alemanía was the last stop on the Belgrano railway line from Salta, which was supposed to be continued onward to Cafayate. Between 1916 and 1920 the town held a few hundred residents, attracted by the abundance of work brought by the expansion of the railway lines.

The town’s folklore likens it like the wild west — a refuge of debauchery, where people came to earn lots of money and party for days at a time, enjoying the local Torrontés wine. The railroad work was put on hold during World War I and was never completed.

The railway line was closed for good in 1971 and today only eight families reside in the immediate area. The old train depot has been converted into an art gallery with some unique arts and handicrafts on sale. The few die-hard descendants of the railroad workers who remain here have their land titles and not much else. They live without modern conveniences such as electricity or telephones, and are so eager for visitors that they will likely treat you like long-lost friend.

Ask for a ghost story and explore the turn of the 20th century buildings and railway wagons.

The most action that Alemanía sees these days is as the setting for film sets, such as 2010’s remake of the horror movie, ‘And Soon the Darkness’:

You can camp in Alemanía, or just take a dip in the Río de La Conchas, (Conchas River), but you’ll have to carefully cross the old train trestle to reach the accessible side of the riverbank.

The residents will provide you with fresh water, just throw them a few pesos as thanks — visitors will notice that they have no source of income here aside from the few pottery, wood carvings and wool products they produce and sell.

If you’re camping you can hike the surrounding hills and visit the Cascada de Alemanía (Alemanía waterfall) three hours away, ask locals for directions.

Getting there:

Alemanía – 99 km south from Salta on Route 68, at kilometer 107. You’ll pass by here if on the popular La Vuelta a las Valles scenic drive.

Lodging:

Camping is your only option in Alemanía. Bring all your own supplies — the closest place to buy food is a few kilometers up the road. Also secure your food well as there is lots of wildlife in the area. Be sure to meticulously clean up your campsite, pack out all your refuse, and be generous with the locals, who share their territory free of charge.

Shopping:

The artisans in Alemanía make some very interesting art, wood, pottery and wool items that you won’t find elsewhere. Since there’s no radio, TV or even many neighbors to hang out with here, the residents dedicate a lot of time to their crafts, which are very reasonably priced.

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Cafayate Dining, Travel & Festival Info

Cafayate with its mild, dry climate, abundance of local vineyards, colonial charm and laid-back pace is an ideal place to stay to explore the surrounding Calchaquíes valleys, a highlight to any visit to Salta. This is where you’ll most likely make your overnight stop if you’re on the popular scenic drive, La Vuelta a Los Valles.

The 12,000-person town is named after a local tribe that inhabited the area prior to the arrival of the Spaniards. Cafayate is growing thanks to immigration from surrounding provinces and growing recognition as a ‘wine and golf’ retreat for international home buyers with the introduction of the American-owned La Estancia de Cafayate, a 350-plot luxury homestead with an 18-hole public golf course.

⇒ Book a five-day luxury Salta tour to see Cafayate, the Quebrada de Humahuaca and the Altiplano town of Iruya

When to go:

All year, although it’s chilly in winter and can get pretty warm in summer.Spring is ideal for hikers and bikers.

Getting there:

Buses leave daily from Buenos Aires, Salta, Tucuman to Cafayate.

El Indio (Tel. +54 0387/431439) is a reputable bus company for travel from Salta to Cafayate. Buses leave three times per day. The trip is approximately three hours. All bus tickets can be purchased in Salta’s bus terminal. (Avenida Hipolito Yrigoyen s/n) Tel. 0387/4011143

There are several car rental companies in the Salta airport, including Avis and Hertz. There is an even larger selection of rental car agencies (with slightly better prices) in downtown Salta around the main plaza. Be aware that it can be difficult to find an automatic car and stick shifts are preferred for the curvy — and in some areas — gravel roads.

If you are arriving at the Cafayate airport, be aware that it is about 25k outside of town. You can get a taxi at the airport, or the Ves Patagonia airport shuttle.

Dining

Northern Argentina’s Salta region is celebrated not just for its wines but flavorful foods. Ask virtually anyone in the Argentine capital, Buenos Aires where to find the best empanadas, and they will tell you Salta. Cafayate has a fine selection of restaurants for a town its size, serving regional favorites and the best local wine.

Baco
Av General Güemes & Rivadavia
Tel: (0-3868) 15-4028366

Baco is another popular spot for typical Argentine foods like beef, tamales, humitas, pastas, pizzas and empanadas. Baco also offers a substantial menu of local wines. Prices are good and so is the atmosphere.

La Casa de Empanadas
Mitre 24
Tel: (0-3868) 15 454 108

For a taste of the distinguished ‘Salteña’-style empanadas at a good price, try La Casa de Empanadas.

Heladería Miranda
Av General Güemes, Town Center

For a memorable dessert, stop in at Miranda Ice Cream and try some of their much-celebrated local wine flavored ice creams.

Shopping:

Mercado Artesenal
Across from Plaza San Martin, town center.

Local arts and crafts and artisan treats. Try the grape jellies and liquors made from local grapes.

Attractions:

The Museo Arqueologico

Colon 191/corner Calchaqui
Tel: (03868)/421-054

• Hours: 11am-8pm, daily
• Admission: AR $2/suggested donation

An archeological delight, check out the historian and archeologist, Rodolfo Bravo’s, private collection of pre and post-Colombian regional relics.

Vitiviniculture Museum
Güemes Sur and Colon
Tel: (0-3868)/ 421-125
• Hours: Mon-Fri: 10am-1pm and 5pm-8pm
•Admission: AR $1

For more information on Cafayate’s wine history and culture, visit the Museo de Vitivinicultura (Museum of Grape Growing and Wine-Production)

Iglesia Nuestra Señora del Rosario
As in most small towns in Argentina, Cafayate’s church, is one of the town’s main attractions. You’ll find the circa 1895 cathedral, Nuestra Señora del Rosario, right on the main plaza. When you here the bells on Sunday morning, head to mass to meet locals and get a view into small town Argentine life.

Quilmes
If you have time for a day trip, just an hour drive south from Cafayate, lies Quilmes, home to Argentina’s largest settlement of pre-Colonial ruins, resting quietly in a lonely dessert. Pay 10 pesos to enter the ruins. To get to Quilmes by bus, El Aconquija is a good option. El Aconquija is located at Avenida Güemes and Cordoba, (03868)/ 421-052

Río Colorado
The trip to Río Colorado, five kilometers outside of town, is nice if you’re looking for some outdoors activity. Hike upstream for about an hour to two hours to a waterfall with a pleasant area for a swim. An easy enough hike without a tour guide, but guides can easily be found through the tourist office or walking around.

Medical:

There are five pharmacies in Cafayate. Thanks to a rotation system in place, a pharmacy is available 24 hours a day. Ask a local which pharmacy is open at any given time.

Money:

There are several ATMs in Cafayate. One can be found in the main plaza and another half a block away from the main plaza.

Internet:

La Salamanca.Com
Av. Güemes Sur 155

Post Office:

Correo Argentino
Güemes Norte 197

Festivals:

• Serenade to Cafayate

The Serenade to Cafayate is one of the most important folklore festivals in Argentina. Enjoy regional foods, music, art and merriment. The festival usually takes place the third week in February, ringing in the end of summer and the start of fall.

• La Fiesta de la Virgen is held every year on the 7th of October. On October 10th is the Día de la Tradición another day celebrated with folkloric music and dancing.

• The Torrontés Wine Festival

Enjoy music, dancing, food and, of course, great wine! The Torrontés Wine Festival is held every November when the wines reach their maturation. This is the lower-key version of Mendoza‘s Vendimia Wine Festival which takes place at the same time of year.

Cafayate Tourist Office:

Plaza San Martin (Güemes and San Martin)
Tel: (03868) 422-223
• Hours: 8 a.m.-9 p.m.

Check hotels in Cafayate on Booking.com

Accommodation in Cafayate

There are plenty attractive places to stay overnight in Cafayate, with a range of prices to accommodate all budgets. On the weekends and during festivals it is recommended to reserve a hotel or hostel, as Cafayate is typically filled with tourists Friday through Sunday. In a pinch there are friendly locals who rent out rooms or will allow camping on their land with access to facilities at a very reasonable cost.

Budget

El Balcon International Hostel
Pasaje 20 de Febrero 110
Tel: (03868) 421-739

For budget lodging, El Balcon International Hostel is a good choice. Centrally located just one block from Plaza San Martin, you’ll find tidy and comfortable shared rooms starting at 8 U.S dollars per night. El Balcon offers organized tours of surrounding attractions and a nice terrace space to chat with other travelers.

Hostel Ruta 40
Avenida Guemes Sur 178
Tel: (03868) 421-689

Hostel Ruta 40 is another reputable option for budget travelers and is also centrally located. Rooms facing the street in both hostels can be a bit noisy at night due to their close proximity to the plaza, which is generally pretty bustling with tourists dining and drinking.

Mid-Range

Hotel Asturias Cafayate
Gral. Guemes 154
Tel: (03868) 421-328

A peaceful three-star hotel with a pool, beauty center and babysitting services. Pleasant, if slightly generic rooms, with a refrigerator and air conditioning for a very reasonable cost of under US$100 per night.

Hotel Killa
Colon 47
Tel: (03868) 422-254

The mid-range Hotel Killa is a charming bed-and-breakfast with 16 distinctly decorated rooms with air conditioning and wireless internet. After breakfast, take a dip in their lovely pool or relax in the hotel garden. Hotel Killa offers a wide range of services, from babysitters to bike rentals for a cost of about AR$350- per night.

High End

La Casa de La Bodega
Route 68/ Km 18.5
Tel: (03868) 421-888

For a vineyard experience a bit outside of town, try La Casa de La Bodega, a high-end family run hotel, vineyard and restaurant with organic wines offered in the house restaurant. Although the hotel offers exclusivity with its eight rooms and stunning scenery, the price, starting at about AR$-500 in the high season, is a bit steep for the services offered.

Patios de Cafayate Hotel and Spa
Route 40 at Route 68
Tel: (03868) 422-229

This 30-room luxury hotel next door to the El Estenco Winery bills itself as Argentina’s first wine spa. The former hacienda-style estate has expansive fully equipped rooms, a solarium, steam room and sprawling gardens. This is the most luxurious option in Cafayate with rooms starting at about AR$1,200 per night (US$ 350 per night).

Five Winery Tours in Cafayate

Any dusty road in Salta’s small wine town of Cafayate will take you to a bodega (winery) open to the public for tours and wine sampling. Cafayate’s dry climate, high altitude, hot days and cool nights makes it a prime location for wine production.

Cafayate is most famous for its Torrontés grape used to create an aromatic, dry, fruity white wine that may even win over those who normally prefer reds.

Torrontés Riojano variety wine has received a great deal of global praise, earning it the notable title of, ‘the white wine of Argentina.’

Thanks in large part to French wine-maker, Michel Rolland, in recent years the area has been getting more attention for its red wines as well.

Principal among the red wines from this region are Malbec, of course, and Cabernet Sauvignon. The blends with Cabernet Sauvignon give more depth to Malbec, adding hints of plum and blackcurrant, and are typically aged in oak barrels.

There are a handful of bodegas to choose from, many in relatively close proximity to Cafayate’s main plaza. Ambitious wine connoisseurs could certainly visit all of them in one day, but should plan on a brutal hangover the next morning.

To go further afield, signing up for a group wine tour is recommended unless you prefer to rent a car and have a saintly friend willing to serve as a designated sober driver.

Popular Bodegas in Cafayate

Bodega El Esteco is a high-end vineyard founded in 1892 by two French brothers. El Esteco has a variety of tour options from one-hour to six-hour tours. El Esteco also has a luxury hotel and spa set in a grand colonial building for those who feel like splurging. Tours daily,English tours are available upon request.

Patio de Cafayate/ Bodega El Esteco
Route 40 at Route 68
Tel : (03868) 421-283
Cell: (03868) 15 566-019

Bodega Las Nubes is a lovely choice for a vineyard tour. A tour is free with the purchase of a bottle of wine. This small organic vineyard is located about five kilometers from the town center, but Las Nubes’ exceptional scenery makes this a worthwhile stop. A charming lunch service is available upon advanced request via email.

Finca Las Nubes
El Divisadero (at the foot of El Cajón)
Tel: (03868) 422-129

Bodega Nanni is a popular organically certified and sustainable vineyard that offers wine tours. The family has been producing wine for 110 years. They also have a lovely Tannat for the red wine lovers. The on-site restaurant gets good reviews.

Bodega Nanni
Chavarria 151
Tel: (03868) 421-527

Vasijas Secreta, Cafayate’s oldest vineyard, is set in a colonial-style property and offers free one-hour tours and wine tasting. There is also an interesting museum displaying old-fashioned wine making equipment and old black and white photos.

Vasijas Secreta
Ruta 40 -CP 4427
Tel: (03868) 421-850

Bodega La Rosa is another popular winery founded in 1892, most famous internationally for its ‘Michael Torino’ Torrontés’. Their Finca La Escondida and CXV-Cientoquince are other popular blends, especially on the Japanese market. The winery offers free tours in Spanish from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. , Monday through Friday.

Michel Torino/Bodega La Rosa
Route 40 at Route 68/ 3km outside Cafayate (4427)
Tel: (03868)/421-201

Cafayate’s Wine Museum

Not a winery but a must-visit for any wine-maker, sommelier or high class wino. The Cafayate Wine Museum/Museo de la Vid y el Vino is is a museum solely dedicated to grape growing and wine production. A place for great panoramic views and to learn more about Cafayate’s wine-making history and culture.

Museo de Vitivinicultura
Güemes Sur at Colon
Tel: (03868) 421-125
• Hours: Tue-Sun: 9 a.m.-8 p.m.
•Admission AR-$

Those who want to ensure they get tours and tastings in English will want to call ahead to check if they give English tours on request, or better yet sign up for full-service tour such as the Full Day Wine & Valley Tour of Cafayate from Salta.