Things to Do in Salta: Complete Guide + the Best Places

The best time to travel to Salta is between April and October, when the weather is milder and drier. This season is ideal for driving the scenic routes, visiting towns and going on tours without complications. In summer (November to March), rain is more frequent and can make some areas hard to reach, but the hills turn green and the vegetation blooms, giving you a different landscape, more tropical and humid. It all depends on the kind of experience you're looking for.

Salta is very well connected with the rest of the country, so getting there is pretty easy:

• By plane: The airport receives direct flights from Buenos Aires, Córdoba, Mendoza and other major Argentine cities. It's just 20 minutes from the city center.
• By bus: Several long-distance companies arrive at Salta's bus station (Terminal de Ómnibus), a few minutes from the center. It's a comfortable, inexpensive option.
• By car: From Buenos Aires it's about 1,600 km on Route 9 (Ruta Nacional 9). If you're coming from Jujuy, the trip is about 120 km and takes around 2 hours on a paved road.

Getting around Salta and its surroundings is a key part of the experience, especially if you want to discover its most striking landscapes. These are the best options:

🚗 Rental car: This is the option we most recommend for touring the Valles Calchaquíes at your own pace and reaching remote places like Cachi, the Cuevas de Acsibi, Molinos or Cafayate. Having your own vehicle gives you total freedom to explore without depending on schedules.
🔗 Check prices and rent a car here

🚌 Guided tours: If you'd rather not drive, there are organized tours from Salta city that take you to the main sights, like the Quebrada de las Conchas, Cachi, Salinas Grandes or the famous wine route.
🔗 See all the available tours here

1. Salta city

Your trip will most likely start in the city of Salta, one of the best-preserved colonial historic centers in Argentina. We recommend giving it at least half a day to explore its main sights, enjoy the local life and try its delicious food.

What to see in the city of Salta

• Plaza 9 de Julio: The heart of the historic center, surrounded by the imposing Cathedral, the Cabildo (the colonial town hall) and museums worth visiting.
• Museo de Arqueología de Alta Montaña (MAAM): Home to the famous Llullaillaco mummies, three Inca children found at more than 6,700 m (21,982 ft). It's one of the most important archaeological finds in South America.
• Iglesia de San Francisco: One of the most photogenic, with its striking red and gold facade.
• Cerro San Bernardo: You can walk up or take the cable car. From the top you get one of the best panoramic views of the city.
• Folk music peñas: You can have dinner at a peña and enjoy live music, traditional dances and typical dishes like empanadas, locro (a corn stew) or tamales. Some peñas we recommend: La Casona del Molino, La Vieja Estación.
• Free Walking Tour Salta: An excellent way to learn the city's history and secrets with local guides. The tour is tip-based and covers the main points of the center. 👉 Book your spot on the Salta Free Walking Tour

Where to stay in Salta city

• Legado Mítico Salta: Boutique hotel. Ideal if you love design and comfort.
• Solar de la Plaza: An elegant colonial-style hotel, ideal for couples or families.
• Hotel del Antiguo Convento: Quiet, with excellent service. Perfect for resting after a day of sightseeing.
• Dos Santos Hostel: Colorful, well located and with a great vibe. Ideal for backpackers or travelers looking for atmosphere on a budget.

2. Cachi and the Valles Calchaquíes

Cachi is one of the most picturesque destinations in Salta. It sits at more than 2,000 m (6,562 ft), among hills and valleys, and has kept its colonial architecture, with cobblestone streets and white adobe houses. Getting there from Salta is an experience in itself: the road passes through imposing landscapes like the Cuesta del Obispo and Los Cardones National Park. It's one of the most beautiful scenic stretches in Salta.

How to get to Cachi: the scenic drive from Salta on Route 33 (Ruta 33)

• Distance: 160 km from Salta city
• Estimated time without stops: 3:30 h (but you're going to stop a lot)
• Highest point: 3,457 m (11,342 ft) above sea level at Piedra del Molino

What you'll see along the way:

• Cuesta del Obispo: A cliffside road with tight curves and incredible views. On rainy days it can be tricky, so check the weather beforehand.
• Los Cardones National Park: A protected area with millions of giant cardón cacti. The Recta del Tin-Tin is one of the most iconic stretches.

We recommend leaving Salta very early to enjoy the soft morning light and make your stops without rushing.

What to see and do in Cachi

• Stroll around the main square, surrounded by colonial houses, a historic church and small museums.
• Visit the Iglesia San José de Cachi, built of adobe, with a cactus-wood roof.
• Visit a local winery on the outskirts, like Bodega Puna, which offers tastings with views.

Where to eat in Cachi

• Oliver: A modern restaurant with a new take on local cooking and veggie options.
• La Merced del Alto: The restaurant inside the boutique hotel, with regional products and spectacular views.
• Puna Restaurante: Ideal for lunch after visiting the winery.
• El Bistró de Cachi: Regional cooking, with folk music peñas on some nights.

Where to stay in Cachi

• La Merced del Alto: A boutique hotel 2 km from the center, with a pool, spa and restaurant.
• Loma Puskana – Casas: Rural houses 4 km from the center, with a view of the Nevado de Cachi.
• Terra – Casa de Campo: 10 km from the center. Rustic style, with breakfast included and a natural setting.

3. Cuevas de Acsibi (Seclantás)

A little-known spot in the Valles Calchaquíes. The Cuevas de Acsibi are a formation of reddish canyons that look like something from Mars, and you can only get in with a guide, since they're on private property.

The outing includes lunch and an easy 4-hour hike through a canyon that keeps narrowing until you reach an intensely red cave.

🔗 You can book this tour to the Cuevas de Acsibi from Cachi.

4. Quebrada de las Flechas

One of the incredible stretches of Route 40 (Ruta 40) is the Quebrada de las Flechas, with pointed rock formations that look like spears stuck in the ground. It's an ideal place to stop, walk a little and take photos.

🔗 If you don't have a car and want to go from Cafayate, you can book this tour to the Quebrada de las Flechas.

5. Cafayate

This picturesque town is famous for its Torrontés wine, with a landscape of vineyards, wineries and mountains.

Standout wineries

With the full experience (tasting + restaurant)

• Piattelli Vineyards
  Modern architecture overlooking the vineyards, a gourmet restaurant and well-kept gardens. Ideal for lunch over a few glasses of wine.
• Bodega El Esteco
  Historic and elegant, with full guided visits and luxury lodging at Patios de Cafayate.
• Finca Las Nubes
  On the outskirts, up on a mountain with dreamy views. A family atmosphere, ideal at sunset.

Smaller or more traditional wineries

• Vasija Secreta
  One of the oldest. A simple tasting in a relaxed atmosphere.
• Bodega Nanni
  Right in the center of Cafayate. An organic winery, ideal if you're looking for a more natural approach.

💡 Tip: Some wineries offer free or very low-cost tastings. If you want to have lunch there, book ahead, especially in high season.

Where to stay in Cafayate

• Patios de Cafayate: An elegant hotel surrounded by vineyards, ideal if you want relaxation and luxury.
• Grace Cafayate: Inside La Estancia de Cafayate, with golf courses and incredible views.
• Villa Vicuña: A colonial-style boutique hotel. Perfect for a romantic or relaxing getaway.

6. Quebrada de las Conchas

The road between Salta and Cafayate crosses a beautiful landscape of northern Argentina: the Quebrada de las Conchas, a corridor of reddish formations sculpted by wind and water over millions of years.

What to see in the Quebrada de las Conchas

We recommend taking your time on the drive and stopping at its most photogenic points:

• Garganta del Diablo
• El Anfiteatro
• Los Castillos
• La Yesera

💡 Traveler's tip: leave Salta early to make the most of the soft morning light and stop in peace, without so many people around.

🔗 If you don't have a car and want to go from Salta, you can book this tour to the Quebrada de las Conchas and Cafayate

7. Salinas Grandes

The Salinas Grandes are one of the most incredible landscapes in northern Argentina: a vast sea of white salt at more than 3,450 m (11,319 ft) above sea level, between Jujuy and Salta. The contrast of the cracked ground with the intense blue sky looks like another planet.

From Purmamarca, you go up the Cuesta de Lipán (70 km). You can also get there from Tilcara or Salta city. The road is paved, but it has lots of curves.

For a one-of-a-kind experience, you can spend the night in domes inside the Salinas. Ideal for seeing the sunset and the stars and waking up in this surreal landscape.

📍 Recommendation: Pristine Luxury Camp — book ahead!

🔗 Tour from Salta

8. Tren a las Nubes (Train to the Clouds)

The Tren a las Nubes is one of the most famous tours in Salta and a classic of northern Argentina. The most iconic point of the journey is the crossing of the La Polvorilla Viaduct, at more than 4,200 m (13,780 ft).

💬 We didn't do this tour ourselves, but we're including it because it's one of the most popular with people visiting Salta.

The tour isn't just the train. It's a full-day outing that leaves the city of Salta by bus, crosses the Quebrada del Toro and passes through places like Campo Quijano, El Alfarcito and San Antonio de los Cobres, where you finally board the train.

The train section lasts about 40 minutes each way and crosses an imposing landscape of the Puna (high plateau) as far as the viaduct.

💡 If you have a car, you can also drive that stretch on your own as far as San Antonio de los Cobres and take only the train from there.

🔗 Book the Tren a las Nubes tour

9. Tolar Grande

If you're looking for an out-of-the-ordinary experience in northern Argentina, Tolar Grande is the place. It's a remote town in the middle of Salta's Puna, surrounded by volcanoes, endless salt flats and landscapes that look like another planet.

From the Ojos de Mar to the majestic Cono de Arita.

📍 Access: It's key to go by 4x4 and with a guide if you don't know the area.

👉 We tell you everything you need to know in our full post:
🔗 Guide to visiting Tolar Grande: what to see, how to get there and tips

To really enjoy Salta province and its incredible landscapes, we recommend having at least 5 to 7 days. That way you can see everything from the vineyards of Cafayate to the extreme landscapes of Salta's Puna, like Tolar Grande.

5-day Salta itinerary

This itinerary is ideal for a first visit to Salta if you don't have many days but want to see its most emblematic landscapes: valleys, gorges, wineries and a bit of adventure.

🗓️ Day by day:

• Day 1: Arrive in Salta city, walk around the historic center and Cerro San Bernardo, and have dinner at a traditional peña.
• Day 2: Cuesta del Obispo, Valle Encantado and Los Cardones National Park on the way to Cachi. Night in Cachi.
• Day 3: Set off on Route 40, passing through Seclantás and the unmissable Cuevas de Acsibi (tour or local guide required). Night in Cafayate.
• Day 4: A full day to enjoy the wineries of Cafayate, like Piattelli, El Esteco or Finca Las Nubes. Return through the Quebrada de las Conchas, stopping at Garganta del Diablo, Anfiteatro and La Yesera.
• Day 5: Free day in Salta city, or an outing to San Lorenzo or the Yungas. Flight or trip home.

7-day Salta itinerary (with Tolar Grande)

If you're looking for a more complete, one-of-a-kind trip through Salta, this itinerary includes extreme and little-known landscapes, like those of Salta's Puna and the incredible town of Tolar Grande.

🗓️ Day by day:

• Day 1: Arrive in Salta city. Walk around the historic center, the MAAM museum and the Cerro San Bernardo viewpoint.
• Day 2: Head to Cachi over the Cuesta del Obispo, passing through Valle Encantado and Los Cardones National Park.
• Day 3: On to Cafayate on Route 40, stopping in Seclantás for a tour to the Cuevas de Acsibi. Night in Cafayate.
• Day 4: Tour the wineries of Cafayate, with lunch among the vineyards. Return through the Quebrada de las Conchas. Night in Salta.
• Days 5 to 7: Adventure in Salta's Puna: a 3-day tour to Tolar Grande, visiting sites like the Cono de Arita, Ojos de Mar, Salar de Arizaro and more.

📖 Want to see a complete itinerary for Salta and Jujuy, day by day, with maps and practical tips?
Don't miss our post:

🔗 What to do in Salta and Jujuy | Complete 10-day guide to northern Argentina