The San Martin Tour
Argentina Holidays - 20 Night Itinerary

Day 5 - Fly to Salta

Today you will fly west to the colonial city of Salta, which sits in the Lerma valley surrounded by mountain peaks in the Northwest of Argentina. You will have the afternoon at leisure to enjoy this city of fine plazas, beautiful colonial architecture and magnificent churches.

Day 6 - Cafayate Desert Landscapes and Winery

In this full day you will venture out into the dramatic scenery which unfolds south of the city, reaching Cafayate and then returning to Salta for the evening. En-route you will stop at the Quebrada de las Conchas (the Gorge of Shells), where wind and water erosion have carved curious shapes on the rocks, creating several distinct formations with vivid names, including the Amphitheater and the Devil's Throat. 

Upon arrival in Cafayate you will visit one of the local wineries, famous for their production of Torrontes, with special characteristics due to the particularities of the climate and land. In the afternoon there will be time to explore the town and visit the magnificent colonial church, stroll around the leafy square, browse the handicraft stalls and shops, or visit the fascinating modern wine museum. You will then return to Salta along the same picturesque route.

Day 7 - Self-drive from Salta to Purmamarca

Today you will collect you car to start your round trip between Salta and Pumamarca. The provinces of Salta and neighbouring Jujuy are well-known for their high mountain and desert landscapes, with wind-sculpted gorges and red-ochre coloured rock formations, high altitude salt flats and winding mountains roads. 

Among this desert scenery there are a number of rivers providing green foliage which contrasts the dry surroundings, as well as micro-climates which produce humid forests and jungles, like the one which stretches between the cities of Salta and Jujuy. You will drive north from Salta along these roads, stopping in Jujuy to admire the colonial churches if you wish. Continuing north will bring you to the town of Purmamarca, an ancient settlement surrounded by towering mountains, including the famous ‘Seven Colours Hill’.

You may also with take visit the Salinas Grandes, a 90 minute drive up through the mountains, to see the high salt flats. Overnight at Purmamarca.

Day 8 - Self-drive from Purmamarca to Salta

The following day you will continue north, along the main road through Humahuaca Gorge, to the thriving colonial town of Humahuaca. Here you can visit the historic church and the monument to independence heroes. You then head back south towards Salta, with a possible stop at the small colonial town of Tilcara and the pre-Inca archaeological site ‘Pucara de Tilcara’. Return to Salta in the evening and return the car.

Day 11 - Transfer to Posadas via San Ignacio Ruins

The tour continues with a scenic drive from Iguazu to Posadas, the gateway to the Iberá Wetlands - one of the continent's premier wildlife destinations. On the way to Posadas you will stop at the Ruins of San Ignacio Miní, one of the best preserved Jesuit missionary settlements in South America. Nestled amid lush vegetation, as well as showcasing a fine baroque architecture style, the ruins also teach us about the fascinating existence of the Jesuits, their efforts to evangelise the local Guaraní people and how they ultimately were suppressed and the mission destroyed in the early nineteenth century. 

You will then continue on to your lodge, where you will stay for the next two nights.

Day 12 - Iberá Wetlands excursions with lodge guides

The Iberá Wetlands are undoubtedly one of the best places to observe wildlife, birds and exotic flora in Latin America. It is a huge reserve made up of shallow swamps, lagoons, marshland and rivers, fed by fresh rainwater during the rainy season and full of lush vegetation. These conditions provide a perfect habitat for wildlife, with marshland deer, rhea, capybara, collared peccary, maned wolf, caiman, otters, and many species of birds seen at various points of the year. As part of your stay at the lodge you will be able to undertake an escorted excursion into the wetlands.

Day 18 - Return car & fly to El Calafate

Today you will fly further south, deeper into Argentine Patagonia, where your base for the next three nights will be the charming town of El Calafate, on the shores of the glacier-laden Lake Argentina, surrounded by mountains.

Day 19 - Perito Moreno Glacier

One of the highlights of Argentine Patagonia is the chance to get up close to the immense Perito Moreno Glacier, standing proud in Lake Argentina in Los Glaciares National Park. This shared excursion will give you the chance to enjoy a short cruise to bring you face-to-face with the towering wall of ice and to follow the wooden walkways for breathtaking panoramic views. It is from here that you can best enjoy one of nature's great spectacles, as huge chunks of ice detach from the glacier, collapsing dramatically and crashing thunderously into the icy waters below.

Day 20 - Glaciers & Patagonian Lakes Cruise

A fine way to end your Argentine odyssey is with a spectacular cruise through Lake Argentina towards the Upsala and Spegazzini glaciers. Flanked by Patagonian forests and rolling glacier-covered mountains on either side, the vessel will navigate its way through the narrow channels, charting a course through giant icebergs to reach these two mammoth and remote glaciers.