Cafayate (Private Service)

General information

Destination	Category
Salta, Argentina	Sightseeing Tours

Program details

Savour the land of contrasts that is Cafayate with this intriguing tour that takes in the breathtaking badlands of the Quebrada de las Conchas and the picturesque wine country. Expect to see unusual geological curiosities and stunning scenery in this land of contrasts, and to taste wonderful wines.

Your adventure begins with a southward drive from Salta along Route 68 – which runs parallel to an ancient Inca trail – through the striking Lerma valley dotted with remote villages. This is the road that leads to the extraordinary Quebrada de las Conchas (Gorge of Shells) where over thousands of years, wind and water erosion have combined to carve out some spectacular shapes in the rocks. Look up in awe at a landscape of colours that features every shade of red, scarlet, orange, ochre, amber, brown, bronze, gold, copper and khaki imaginable. Look closely and observe the layers of limestone, each a different shade, piled upon each other. Among the somewhat fanciful monikers that have been dreamed up to try to capture these forms are the Amphitheatre, the Devil’s Throat, the Toad and the Castle but no name can truly convey the impressive grandeur of the actual rocks.

Continue to Cafayate, the centre of a wine-producing area that goes back to the early 19th century. The wine country’s fertility offers a stark contrast to the arid badlands. The region’s unique climate and soil contribute to the special properties of its wines, and there will be plenty of opportunities to visit some of the many wineries in the area, which is famed for the Torrontes wine.

Meeting/pick-up point: Hotel collection.
Duration: Full day tour.
Start/opening time: 7am.
Languages: English, Spanish, French and German.