Salta, Jujuy & the Northwest — Argentina's Andean Heart

Introduction

Argentina's northwest is the country's most photogenic and least visited region — and among the most visually extraordinary places on the continent. Northwest Argentina vacations reward the traveler who comes looking for something genuinely different.

The colonial architecture of Salta city, built from rose-pink stone and preserved over four centuries, stands in the valley below the Andes like a stage set. An hour north, the Quebrada de Humahuaca — a UNESCO World Heritage Site — cuts through mountains that shift through fourteen shades of red, ochre, purple and green depending on the hour. Further still, the high-altitude salt flats of the Puna stretch toward Bolivia in total silence, punctuated by flamingo colonies and volcanic peaks.

This region rewards slow travel and requires the right guide to unlock its history. Our best argentina travel tips for the northwest: go in April or May when the Quebrada light is extraordinary and the altitude villages are quiet, stay at least five days, and let a local show you the market in Tilcara before 8am.