Safari to Salta

explored by private-guided overland expedition

Set in the extreme northwest corner of Argentina, the Salta region is a relatively little-visited part of the country, flanking and extending up into the dramatic Andes Mountains.

Starting in the east, the landscapes are comprised of low-lying sub-tropical farmlands, rising up through a broad band of virtually unexplored cloud forests.

Above the forest belt lies a mid-altitude shelf of land, a transition zone, where the climate is much more Mediterranean in style. Here we find the old Spanish city of Salta, surrounded by verdant farmland and some very scenic winelands, especially further south around Cafayate.

From there we climb on up into the high Andes, where increasingly remote valleys rise up to the characteristic mountain deserts and salt lakes of the altiplano, with some stunning geological formations, volcanoes and soda lakes. These areas are much more like Bolivia in character, complete with villages of colourful indigenous peoples whose heritage dates back to the pre-Inca period.

The whole region feels rather more off-the-beaten-track than other better-known parts of the country. In these remote parts of the altiplano you are likely to encounter only a tiny fraction of the vehicle traffic of the main routes through Bolivia. This really is frontier territory, remarkably so.

The best way to explore is definitely to undertake a private guided overland safari, usually over 7-10 nights, which will enable you to access the truly remote and extraordinary areas of the high Andes. If you are short on time, then you can cover the major highlights in 4-5 nights by including one or two short charter flights.

Whilst the Salta area is most commonly connected to the rest of Argentina by air, it’s also possible to connect on by road, either west to San Pedro de Atacama in Chile or north to reach Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia, creating some seriously cool and adventurous multi-country trips.

The best time to visit the Salta region is rather complicated, as the weather conditions vary enormously as the altitude changes.

If you are mostly focused on the high Andes, then Nov-Mar is best. If you are focused on the lower altitude areas further east, then Apr-Oct may be better. If you are interested in spending a good amount of time in both areas, then it may be worth looking at the two shoulder season periods of Oct-Nov and Mar-Apr.

Summer : Nov-Mar

In the high Andes areas to the west, rainfall is very low and sunshine is high year round, so the primary issue is temperatures. The best time is therefore considered to be during the Nov-Mar summer season, when days are hot and nights are comfortable.
However the lower altitude wine-growing and cloud-forest areas further east experience a good deal of rain during Nov-Mar, peaking in Dec-Mar around 150mm (6″) per month, which is pretty high. This rain tends to come in the later afternoons, with big storms rolling in from the east.

Winter : Apr-Oct

During the Apr-Oct winter season, the high Andes experience some pretty extreme low temperatures, especially at night, so expeditions up here can become a lot more challenging (although still feasible).
The lower altitude areas further east are also cooler, still with daytime temperatures reaching 20C/68F, but with nights dropping towards 4C/39F. Rainfall drops dramatically to around 12mm (0.5”) per month. The Jan-Feb period is particularly pleasant, with various colourful festivals.

Getting there

The Salta region is generally accessed via the Martín Miguel de Güemes International Airport (SLA), which lies just to the southwest of the city of Salta.
The airport has direct connections with Buenos Aires, Cordoba and the Iguazú Falls.

Heading the other direction, to the northwest, there are also occasional direct flights to Lima in Peru.
The other option is to continue from here by road, travelling either north to reach the Salar de Uyuni area of Bolivia, or west to San Pedro de Atacama in Chile, making for some really interesting multi-country trips.

When planning a trip to the high Andes areas, it’s essential to take altitude acclimatisation into account. It is really important to spend at least 2-3 nights in mid-altitude areas around Salta before heading up into the mountains.

can be explored year round