Pampa del Leoncito – Valle de la Luna – Talampaya – Parque Nacional Los Cardones – Salinas Grandes
15 days / 14 nights
From $4,068 per person, double occupancy for 2009

Trip cost based on a private tour for 2 passengers - cost will reduce for additional number of travelers. Domestic airfare not included. Day 1: Buenos Aires
Arrival at Buenos Aires International Airport. Airport reception and transfer to your hotel. Overnight at the Elevage Hotel, breakfast included. This afternoon, you will enjoy the unique Four Balconies of Buenos Aires Tour, an exclusive and private tour of Buenos Aires, in which a guide uses four parks or squares of the city to introduce visitors to Argentina, its history, its contrasts, its contradictions and the characteristic psychology of the “porteños”, the inhabitants of Buenos Aires. The places to be visited are Plaza de Mayo in Montserrat, Parque Lezama in La Boca, Plaza San Martin in Retiro and Plaza Alvear in Recoleta.

Day 2: Buenos Aires - Mendoza
Transfer to the domestic airport for your flight to Mendoza. Airport reception and transfer to your hotel. Overnight at the Club Tapiz Hotel, breakfast included. This afternoon you will visit some of the most famous wineries. The Province of Mendoza is no doubt Argentina’s leading wine producer since mid- 16th century. Of the 210000 hectares of cultivated vineyards in our country, 145000 correspond to Mendoza only. (B)

Day 3: Mendoza - Barreal
Departing northwards from Mendoza, you will pass through Termas de Villavicencio (Villavicencio Water Springs) and then continue to Uspallata. The road entails a zigzagging and intricate ascent with 365 curves, called Ruta de los Caracoles (Snail Road). Uspallata is, since its foundation, one of the most important stations in the international route to Chile and the centre of an attractive valley set lengthways between the foothills and the mountains. Las Bóvedas (The Vaults) are colonial clay constructions with dome-shaped roofs. They were probably erected in the eighteenth century for gold and silver exploitation purposes. It is said that the furnaces in these vaults were used to melt the metals to manufacture the armament for the Andes Army. From Uspallata, the trip continues to Barreal, a town located in Calingasta Valley, in the highest part of the Andes Range, dominated by "Mt. Mercedario" (6770 m – 22.211 ft), which is surrounded by other peaks in excess of 6000 meters high. In the evening, you will arrive at Posada San Eduardo, a colonial building which used to be a stop for travelers and their horses. All rooms overlook an internal yard, surrounded by a beautiful garden, a miracle in the middle of the Calingasta Valley desert! It also has swimming pool and paddle court. Overnight at Posada San Eduardo, breakfast included. (B)

Day 4: Mount Mercedario & Pampa del Leoncito
Full day to explore and discover the region. Traveling along secondary roads through the Andes Range you will reach Los Patos River, obtaining beautiful views. Before you reach Barreal you will visit Pampa del Leoncito, a dry plain where a lake dried out several millions of years ago. You will experience the same magical effect which salt plains produce. Afterwards, you will visit the Observatory and discover the stars. This observatory is one of the most important in Latin America, its main telescope lens is 2.15 meters in diameter. Overnight at Posada San Eduardo, breakfast included. (B)

Day 5: Barreal – San Juan
Continuing to the north and leaving the range behind, you will reach San Juan. First you will see some calcium mines and afterwards you will reach a fertile area dedicated to vine, asparagus, melon, pumpkin and other vegetables production. In the afternoon you will visit Ullum Dam and a winery. Overnight at Hotel Viñas del Sol, breakfast included. (B)

Day 6: Moon Valley
Visit to Ischigualasto National Park and Provincial Reserve, also known as “Moon Valley”, since its landscape is similar to the moon surface. Moon Valley Provincial Park bases its worth and importance in the wild landscape, in the cultural history and in the paleontologic richness of the area. It is a clay formation with a great variety of colors and shapes, slopes with many layers of minerals and sediments where the evolution of Earth can be seen. Nobody would have thought that a huge lake surrounded by thick vegetation where a great variety of species grew and where the breeding of many animals flourished, would currently be a great desert with little rains, strong winds and high temperatures. After the visit, transfer to Finca Media Luna, located in La Majadita, 12 km from San Agustín del Valle Fértil. Overnight at Finca Media Luna, breakfast included.

Day 7: Finca Media Luna – Talampaya - Chañarmuyo
Early departure north to visit Talampaya National Park, declared a World Wide Heritage by UNESCO. The beauty of the landscape is notably integrated with the cultural and archaeological interest that the region provides. This zone is over 220 million years old. One can appreciate the erosion processes that have taken place over time to form ravines surrounded by tall, thick walls. Wind erosion has created oddly-formed columns that give shelter to the condors. Preserved on these walls are pictograms and petroglylphs from the prehispanic natives. After visiting the Park, you will start traveling along Cuesta de Miranda, which leads to National Route 40. This spectacular winding road is notable for its vibrant red color, which stands out from the surrounding green vegetation and makes it a feature of incredible beauty. Arrival at Posada Chañarmuyo. Overnight at Posada Chañarmuyo, dinner and breakfast included. (B,D)

Day 8: Chañarmuyo
Full day to enjoy at the lodge and the activities it offers: wine tasting, vineyards and winery tours, horse-riding and trekking, 4x4 and visits to the dam. Chañarmuyo Estate is a winery that combines both high technology and the exclusive resources of a unique terroir in its production processes. Its vineyards extend across the Paimán range foot, Chañarmuyo, at 1,720 meters above sea level. There, the differences of temperature between day and night are considerable, and a gentle breeze blows over the fiercely beautiful, uninhabited landscape. Overnight at Posada Chañarmuyo, all meals included. (B,L,D)

Day 9: Chañarmuyo - Londres - Quilmes
Traveling northwards along National Route 40, you will arrive at Londres, a small village founded in 1508 by the Spaniards, where you will visit “El Shinkal” Inca ruins. Continuing northwards, the road leads to Quilmes, where you will visit the prehispanic Ruins. This is a native settlement, an impressive stepped citadel built on the slope of a hill, which, for more than a century, successfully stood the Spanish conquest. It's a real fortress in the slope of the hill. In 1664 the native Quilmes were defeated and condemned to travel to Buenos Aires, although just a few of them survived and got to the area that bears their name nowadays. After visiting the ruins, accommodation at the hotel located at the foot of the ruins. Overnight at Hotel Parador Ruinas de Quilmes, breakfast included. (B)

Day 10: Quilmes - Cafayate - Molinos - Cachi
Departing from Quilmes, the trip continues to Cafayate. This city has become the most important site in the Calchaquí Valleys. Located at 1,660 m above sea level, it is well known because of its famous torrontes wine, product of the exquisite combination of temperature and humidity that provides the ideal environment for the growth of this sweet and deep fruit flavour vine, as well as Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Syrah and Chardonnay. Then you will drive along the impressive Quebrada de las Flechas (Arrows Gorge), with its extraordinary geological formations produced by erosion on the colorful sedimentation of sandstone over the past 60 million years. During the way, you will visit Molinos, a small town that was founded in the middle of the XVII century. The plan of the town is completely irregular, with adobe houses and clay roofs. The road continues northwards until Cachi, a beautiful town with white buildings, adobe houses, stone-paved streets and impressive architectural and cultural constructions. Cachi means "salt" in quechua due to the fact that natives mistook the top of "El Nevado" with a salt mine. Visit of the town, its church and museum. In the evening, transfer to the hotel. Overnight at Hostería de Cachi, breakfast included. (B)

Day 11: Cachi - San Antonio De Los Cobres
Leaving Cachi behind, you will start traveling along the Puna, until reaching San Antonio de Los Cobres, traditional town located almost 4,000 m./13,123 ft), known for the famous Train to the Clouds. Overnight at Hostería de Las Nubes, breakfast included. (B)

Day 12: San Antonio De Los Cobres - Salinas Grandes - Purmamarca
From San Antonio de Los Cobres, continuing through the arid lands of the Puna, you will reach Salinas Grandes, great salt plains of 12.000 hectares. Then you will start descending through the Lipan Slope, a winding road that leads to Purmamarca. Purmamarca is a small prehispanic town settled at the foot of the polychromatic "Cerro de los Siete Colores" (Seven Colors Hill), where purple, reddish, green, ocher, brown, yellow and white rocks illustrate various geological ages. The village, with adobe buildings of cardon roofs and mud tiles, was designed around the Main Church, built between 1648 and 1779 in front of an “algarrobo”, characteristic tree of the region, more than 500 years old! As in many churches of this area, you will notice they are built with cactus wood and house paintings and outstanding sculptures brought from Cuzco. A crafts fair takes place in the square, with regional products such as pottery, handmade tapestry, ponchos, musical instruments and typical clothes from the Quebrada. Overnight at Hotel El Manantial del Silencio, breakfast included. (B)

Day 13: Purmamarca - Tilcara - Salta
Departing northwards, you will start discovering the magnificent Humahuaca Gorge until reaching Tilcara. This town is located at 2.465 m. on the verge of Grande River. Surrounded by incredible scenery of multicolored hills and gorgeous panoramic views, its colonial heritage can be seen in low adobe buildings and narrow streets everywhere. It is considered the Archaeological Capital of Jujuy due to its museum, one of the most important in this specialty, and the Pucará - meaning fortress- which was built by the original inhabitants of Humahuaca Gorge on both polychromatic hillocks. Discovered in 1903 and restored in 1951, nowadays it has a cactus garden. After visiting the town, the trip continues to the city of Salta. Overnight at Hotel El Lagar, breakfast included. (B)

Day 14: Salta - Buenos Aires
In the morning you will enjoy a city tour of Salta. Afterwards, you will be transferred to the local airport to board your flight to Buenos Aires. Airport reception and transfer to your hotel. Overnight at Hotel Elevage, breakfast included. (B) On Day 15, you will transfer to the international airport for your flight. (B)