Inspiration for your own tailor-made trip
Argentina – Buenos Aires – El Calafate – Salta – Cafayate – Cachi – Purmamarca
100% customisable for you
Passports at the ready: your epic Argentinian adventure begins today. Head to the airport, speed through security and enjoy a pre-flight tipple in the airport lounge before boarding your overnight flight to Buenos Aires. With a quick stopover, the flight will take around 17 hours, and you’ll touch down the following morning.
On arrival in Buenos Aires, you’ll be met and privately transferred to your hotel for a two-night stay. You’ll likely be tired after all that travelling, so sit back, relax and spend the rest of the day soaking up the sun. Come evening, enjoy a tasty meal in the hotel restaurant or head out to sample some of the local cuisine – our clued-up Concierge is on hand to recommend the best restaurants in town.
It’s your first full day in Buenos Aires, so kick the day off right with a café con leche at a neighbourhood café before venturing out to explore.
This morning, discover the city alongside a resident insider, who’ll ask about your interests and shape a walking route accordingly. As you wander, your guide will offer personal insights into local life, point out hidden gems and teach you all about the city’s social scene – including the world of the milonga, atmospheric dance halls where locals tango the night away.
There’s ample time to explore independently, too. From the polished façades and cultural landmarks of Recoleta to Palermo’s design-led shopping streets, Buenos Aires truly has something for every traveller. Wander the grand sweep of Avenida 9 de Julio, browse antiques in historic San Telmo or linger over a long lunch at a traditional parrilla – it’s up to you.
For a deeper immersion into Argentine culture, an evening of tantalising tango with dinner and a show can also be arranged.
It’s time to say goodbye to Buenos Aires today as you’re privately transferred back to the airport for your three-hour-and-15-minute flight south to El Calafate. On arrival, collect your trusty hire car and drive to your hotel, where you’ll be staying for the next three nights.
Set on the edge of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, El Calafate is perhaps best known as the gateway to Los Glaciares National Park. Spend the rest of the day relaxing in your pretty natural surroundings, soaking up the mountain views and preparing for more exploring tomorrow.
Today is all about exploring the Perito Moreno Glacier. This 200ft-high and 3-mile-long glacier is one of Patagonia’s most extraordinary natural spectacles and the emblem of Los Glaciares National Park. Hop in the car for the short drive into the park before meeting your private guide, who’ll lead you along forested walkways to panoramic viewpoints overlooking the vast glacier and Lake Argentino below.
Once you’ve snapped the perfect icy shot, you’ll be treated to a traditional picada – an Argentinian picnic featuring meat, cheese, olives and bread – overlooking the glacier. Next, embark on a boat cruise across Lake Rico to see the glacier’s towering southern wall, where enormous blocks of ice frequently snap away and crash into the water below. It might sound scary, but don’t worry: you’ll stay a safe distance away, so you can appreciate this spectacular natural display without getting splashed.
If you’re still feeling adventurous, saddle up for an optional horseback ride around Lake Argentino.
Today is yours to explore Los Glaciares at your own pace. Head towards the quieter reaches of the park around Lago Roca, where native lenga and nire tree forests frame views of mountains and glacial lakes. The area provides excellent walking, wildlife spotting and wide Patagonian horizons, with condors often circling and swooping overhead. Fancy yourself a keen hiker? Challenge yourself to the Cerro Cristal trail, a steep hike that offers fantastic views over Perito Moreno and the Torres del Paine mountain range.
While you’re here, we’ve arranged for you to enjoy a traditional Patagonian asado (Argentine barbecue) at a working estancia in the heart of the park. Outlined by grazing horses and distant peaks, meats are slow-cooked over open flames – a ritual as much as a meal. Afterwards, there’s time to walk the surrounding land, taking in the scale and quiet of Patagonia and the enduring rhythm of gaucho life.
After a tasty breakfast this morning, return your hire car at El Calafate Airport and fly north via Buenos Aires to Salta, set in the Andean foothills. Depending on the length of your stopover, the journey will take around six to seven hours, and a private driver will be waiting to whisk you to your hotel for an overnight stay.
Known as Salta la Linda (‘Salta the Beautiful’), the city is celebrated for its well-preserved architecture and relaxed pace. If you’re not too tired after your flight, head out on foot (either independently or with a friendly guide) to discover the Cabildo, the Basilica of San Francisco, and the San Bernardo Convent, alongside lively markets and shaded plazas.
Come evening, we can also arrange for you to experience a traditional pena, a lively social spot where regional music and cuisine present a vibrant introduction to the culture of Argentina’s north-west.
Today, collect your shiny new hire car and begin the three-and-a-half-hour drive south to Cafayate. As you glide along the roads, pass through the Quebrada de las Conchas, a dramatic UNESCO-listed canyon where wind and water have carved vivid red sandstone formations into the landscape.
Later, arrive in Cafayate, a small Andean town surrounded by vineyards and archaeological sites. After checking into your hotel and dropping your bags, head out to explore Cafayate’s quiet streets, distinctive cathedral and local bodegas, where life moves at an unhurried pace beneath vine-shaded patios. Later, enjoy an ice-cold glass of local vino as the sun sets – it would be rude not to.
Within easy reach of Cafayate are the spectacular Ruins of Quilmes, a former fortified Incan settlement that once sheltered thousands of inhabitants. Head out this morning to marvel at the ancient dwellings still tracing the hillside and admire the views across the valley and Andes mountains from the restored fortresses, paying a visit to the museum on the way home.
Once the sun has set, we’ve booked you a table at one of the finest wine bars in town. The region’s high altitude and abundant sunshine (beaming over 300 days of the year) create ideal conditions for winemaking, and you’ll have the chance to taste a variety of local wines, accompanied by some tasty nibbles.
Travelling with a connoisseur? If you’d like to dive further into Cafayate’s wine scene, we can arrange a visit to a nearby estate, where you’ll gain an insight into the distinctive character of local vintages – a character best discovered through tasting, of course.
Hit the road again this morning, driving four hours through the Calchaqui Valleys towards Cachi. En route, you’ll have the opportunity to pause at a rural community for insight into the lifestyles, traditions, beliefs and cuisine in this remote Andean landscape.
Once you arrive in Cachi, drop your bags and relax after the long drive. Set almost 8,000ft above sea level, Cachi is strikingly beautiful: think whitewashed houses, cobbled streets and a pepper-tree-shaded square framed by mountain views. Still raring to go? Venture out of the hotel for a stroll or visit the village’s archaeological museum, which displays finely crafted Inca ceramics and a particularly well-preserved mummy known as the ‘Lady of Cachi’.
It’s time to head back to familiar territory this morning as you begin the three-and-a-half-hour drive back towards Salta, passing through some of north-west Argentina’s most dramatic scenery. The route crosses Los Cardones National Park, where vast landscapes are punctuated by towering columns of cacti and, with a little bit of luck, sightings of guanacos (part of the llama family), viscachas (part of the chinchilla family), and condors circling overhead. Pause at Piedra del Molino for boundless views over the winding Cuesta del Obispo, before descending into the fertile plains of the Lerma Valley.
On arrival in Salta, settle in for the night, whether you’d rather lounge in the sun, take a dip in the pool or get straight into the sundowners.
It’s time for the final leg of your Argentinian road trip. This morning, enjoy a hearty breakfast before leaving Salta behind and driving towards Purmamarca. The scenic six-hour route first crosses through the Quebrada del Toro, revealing high-altitude valleys, cactus-dotted slopes and traces of ancient settlements, including the important archaeological site of Tastil.
Next drive through San Antonion de los Cobres, a small desert town set high in the Andes, before continuing across the vast Salinas Grandes, a brilliant white salt flat sat at an altitude of over 11,000ft. Along the way, stop for another relaxed picada to refuel, then hop back into the car to complete the journey. Later, arrive in Purmamarca, a small indigenous village set in the heart of the UNESCO-listed Quebrada de Humahuaca. You’ll likely be tired after all that driving, so sit back, relax and soak up the sun before a tasty dinner in the hotel restaurant this evening.
Spend today exploring Purmamarca’s surroundings at your own pace. In this pretty village, adobe houses blend seamlessly into the rocky terrain while mineral-rich mountains provide a dramatic backdrop. Fancy yourself a keen hiker? Pull on your walking boots and stroll along the Paseo de los Colorados rail, which begins in Purmamarca and ends with you standing before the colourful stripes of the Cerro de los Siete Colores (or ‘mountain of seven colours’). Further afield, the ‘Painter’s Palette’ at Maimara and the jagged, multi-toned ridge of Humahueca’s Hornocal mountain offer equally remarkable panoramas.
This evening, a table is reserved for you at one of Purmamarca’s most celebrated restaurants, where you can enjoy delicious local flavours in a setting that best captures the spirit of Argentina’s high Andes.
It’s back to the beginning today as you make the two-and-a-half-hour drive back to Salta Airport for your two-hour flight back to Buenos Aires. On arrival, you’ll be privately transferred to your hotel for the night.
It’s your last day in Argentina, so it’s up to you to choose how you spend it. If you’re knackered after the last two weeks, spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing; if you’re still full of beans, head out to wander along cobbled streets, admire grand façades and soak up the city’s distinctly bohemian spirit.
For your last supper, consult our handy Dossier for our pick of the best restaurants in town (steak and sundowners, anyone?).
It’s sadly time for your Argentinian adventure to come to a close. Today, enjoy one last Buenos Aires breakfast before being privately transferred to the airport for your direct overnight flight home. With a quick stopover, the flight will take around 16 hours, and you’ll touch down in the UK the following day, ready to regale your family with tales of Argentina’s vast landscapes and lively cities.
Everything in this itinerary is entirely customisable, down to the smallest details. Here are some more suggestions of what could be included
Each of our trips is entirely tailor-made with originality, quality and cultural immersion in mind. Our team of destination specialists will craft itineraries based on your tastes, using their first-hand knowledge and the help of our in-country team of Concierges and guides. All trips are accompanied by a wide range of additional services, including a 24-hour helpline, the Original Travel app, fast-track airport services and much more.
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We work with you to build an ultra-personalised holiday itinerary with your choice of accommodation, experiences and activities
All of our holidays include little extras designed to make a big difference to your trip, from fast-tracking you through airport check-in and security to our network of local Concierges
