Most people visiting Argentina spend their time in the capital, Mendoza and Patagonia and unfortunately miss out on the beauty of the North. If you’ve got the time, we highly recommend making your way to Northwest Argentina.

After leaving Iguazu Falls we took a very long bus ride to Salta located in Salta Province. We had an overnight stay in the city of  Corrientes but we didn’t a get a chance to see any of it as I was sick in bed. Little did we know that I’d remain sick for the next week. It absolutely sucks being sick when travelling.

Salta is a major stopover city for those flying from Buenos Aires on their way North to Jujuy Province. We stayed in Salta for three nights with me mostly laid up trying to shake my cold while Brent exchanged our money, did laundry and bought our next bus tickets. Finally, on our last day, we walked around the town taking in the gorgeous baroque architecture including the Basilica de San Francisco, the Catedral Basilica de Salta, and the July 9th Square. I was sad we missed taking the Teleferico San Bernardo, a lift that overlooks the entire city. Wouldn’t that have been romantic at night?

From Salta we took a bus ride to Purmamarca, our home for the next three nights. The bus didn’t directly drop us off in Purmamarca rather on the highway where we hoped a taxi would be waiting to take us the remaining 3km into town. We were lucky enough to get off the bus with a young man from Buenos Aires who spoke English. Within minutes he had us on the next local bus and we were making our way to central Purmamarca. 

Purmamarca is a quaint village of under 1000 residents and home to the Cerro de os Siete Colores. There are many accommodations at a variety of price points. We stayed at the Hosteria La Pushka right inside the village close to the shops and hiking.

Although the Hill of 7 Colours is omnipresent, there are two main hikes you can take to experience it in all its glory. The first is within the town itself. Past the purple house, you’ll find a set of stairs that takes you to a small platform where you can take all your Instagram shots. This is of course after paying a few pesos to the elderly lady at the entrance. I feel like she’s graced a lot of IG accounts. 

From here, it’s a pretty easy 3km walk around the Hill. I did it with half my lung capacity. The vistas are breathtaking. The village is literally surrounded by mountains in every direction. My mother’s worst nightmare who is a little claustophic. For me - pure beauty and pleasure.

The second hike is located across the highway. It’s a steep 45 minute climb to the top and one that should be done in the morning to ensure you’ll see the mountain in all her colours. From here, you’ll get a wider perspective of the mountain making for great photos. Unfortunately, we missed this hike as I wasn’t well enough for the climb.

On our third day, we took a tour to Salinas Grandes - the Argentine Salt Flats. Although tours can be made in advance, same day arrangements can be made right in town. We shared a taxi/van with a small group of visitors at a minimal cost.

Although only 60 km from town, it takes about 1.5 hours to navigate the numerous hairpin turns, most without guardrails. And if your not nauseated from the highway, you might be from the elevation as Salinas Grandes sits at 4100 meters.

We stopped at a couple places to buy trinkets, use the banos and take the obligatory photo op before entering the Salt Flats. After paying a nominal entrance fee, we were escorted by a guide on a motorcycle to the flats. Here, we learned about the history and how the salt is mined. Brush up on your Spanish because that’s the language of the guides or do what I did before the trip and Google it. The tour of the Salt Flats itself was about 45 minutes giving us lots of time for more IG shots. I’m not kidding - it’s a thing you do there.

On our 4th day, we headed to the town of Tilcara. Tilcara is home to approximately 6200 people and is located about 30 minutes North of Purmamarca. Some people prefer to stay in Tilcara and use it as basecamp for day trips. I prefer Purmamarca for the quaintness.

After landing in Tilcara early morning, we took another bus North to Humahuaca, a World Heritage Site and home to approximately 11, 000 inhabitants. The bus dropped us at the Omnibus Terminal where we immediately booked our drive to El Hornocal, home of the 14 Coloured Mountain. Don’t fret about booking a ride to El Hornocal. The guides are waiting for you right at the terminal and you can go the same day. They do insist on taking a minimum of 4 people before heading to El Hornocal, although I’m sure they’d take you if you pay them more dinero.

After a 45 minute wait and with a full SUV, we embarked on another very sketchy ride to El Hornocal where the Fourteen Coloured Mountain is located. Let me tell you…the ride is worth it. The minute I got out of the car, I was mesmerized by the enormity and beauty of the mountain in front of me. It took my breath away. The little breath I had as we were at 4300 m. We took a short hike from the parking lot and took it all in for a few moments. How were the colours formed? How were the rock formations made? How was this all possible? Instead of “thinking” too much, I just tried to be still and appreciated the beauty all around me - until it was time for the IG shots!

The next day, back in Tilcara, we hiked the Garganta del Diablo or Devil’s Throat, before our overnight bus ride to Mendoza. If you come to the area, you can’t miss this. I suggest taking a taxi up the mountain and then hike down which is what we did. Again, the whole experience exceeded our expectations.

Honestly, we weren’t sure if we were going to come to the Northwest on our trip. It truly is a long trek even if you fly. But, I’m so glad we made the effort because the sheer beauty of the land and people will probably the highlight of our trip.

Check out our Youtube video for a visual of the trip. It doesn’t do it justice, but it gives you an idea.

Northwest Argentina