This itinerary joined San Juan and Salta, we have designed a new circuit that will allow your clients to visit 5 of the great Argentinean deserts; the big five: Pampa del Leoncito, Valle de la Luna, Talampaya, Los Cardones NP and Salinas Grandes. All completely different and fascinating, due to its contrasts and immensity. Infinite horizon at 360 degrees! There are no fixed departures for this itinerary. Our experience shows that our clients prefer this trip as a 'private' departure rather than as a group.

Price From £1795.00 per person Single Room Supplement £545.00

We can tailor-make a private trip to meet your departure date, time period, group size and budget. Contact us for further information.

No Fixed Departures. Let us know your dates and we will put together your holiday.

Arrival at Buenos Aires International Airport. Meeting and transfer to the hotel (40 minutes). The "Queen of the River Plate Basin" or the "Paris of South America", as Buenos Aires City is called, can be a superlative introduction to the exploration of Argentina, from both the cultural and wildlife points of view. What is certain is that this cosmopolitan city, European in appearance, can keep any culture-oriented visitor busy indefinitely. Its intense cultural and commercial life can fill every minute of any visit with pleasant experiences. In the afternoon, you will enjoy the unique FOUR BALCONIES OF BUENOS AIRES Tour , a trademark of Hidden Trails that approaches Buenos Aires in a peculiar way. It is an exclusive visit of Buenos Aires, in which a guide uses four parks or squares of the city to introduce visitors to Argentina, its history, its contrasts, its contradictions and the characteristic psychology of the "porteños", the inhabitants of Buenos Aires . The places to be visited are Plaza de Mayo in Montserrat, Parque Lezama in La Boca, Plaza San Martin in Retiro and Plaza Alvear in Recoleta.

Transfer to the domestic airport to board your flight to Mendoza . Arrival and transfer to the Hotel. During the afternoon you will visit some of the most famous wineries. The Province of Mendoza is no doubt Argentina's leading wine producer since mid- 16 th century. Of the 210000 hectares of cultivated vineyards in our country, 145000 correspond to Mendoza only.

Departing northwards from Mendoza, you will pass through Termas de Villavicencio (Villavicencio Water Springs) and then continue to Uspallata . The road entails a zigzagging and intricate ascent with 365 curves, called Ruta de los Caracoles (Snail Road). Uspallata is, since its foundation, one of the most important stations in the international route to Chile and the centre of an attractive valley set lengthways between the foothills and the mountains. Las Bóvedas (The Vaults) are colonial clay constructions with dome-shaped roofs. They were probably erected in the eighteenth century for gold and silver exploitation purposes. It is said that the furnaces in these vaults were used to melt the metals to manufacture the armament for the Andes Army. From Uspallata, de trip continues until Barreal , a town located in Calingasta Valley, in the highest part of the Andes Range, dominated by "Mt. Mercedario" (6770 m), which is surrounded by other peaks which exceed 6000 meters high. In the evening, you will arrive at Posada San Eduardo, a colonial building which used to be a stop for travelers and their horses. All rooms overlook an internal yard, surrounded by a beautiful garden, a miracle in the middle of the Calingasta Valley desert! It also has swimming pool and paddle court.

Full day to explore and discover the region. Traveling along secondary roads through the Andes Range you will reach Los Patos River, obtaining beautiful views. Before getting to Barreal (20 Km. / 12 miles) you will visit Pampa del Leoncito , a dry plain where a lake dried out several millions of years ago. You will experience the same magical effect which salt plains produce. Afterwards, you will visit the Observatory and discover the stars world. This observatory is one of the most important in Latin America, its main telescope lens has 2,15 meters of diameter!

Departing northwards and slowly leaving the range behind, you will reach San Juan. First you will see some calcium mines and afterwards you will reach a fertile area dedicated to vine, asparagus, melon, pumpkin and other vegetables production. In the afternoon you will visit Ullum Dam and a winery.

Visit to Ischigualasto National Park and Provincial Reserve, also known as "Moon Valley" , since its landscape is similar to the moon surface. Moon Valley Provincial Park bases its worth and importance in the wild landscape, in the cultural history and in the paleontologic richness of the area. It is a clay formation with a great variety of colors and shapes, slopes with many layers of minerals and sediments where the evolution of Earth can be seen. Nobody would have thought that a huge lake surrounded by thick vegetation where a great variety of species grew and where the breeding of many animals flourished, would currently be a great desert with little rains, strong winds and high temperatures. After the visit, transfer to Finca Media Luna , located in La Majadita, 12 km from San Agustín del Valle Fértil.

Early departure northwards to visit Talampaya National Park , declared World Wide Heritage by UNESCO. The beauty of the landscape is notably integrated with the cultural and archaeological interest that the region provides. This zone is over 220 million years old. One can appreciate the erosion processes that have taken place over time to form ravines surrounded by tall, thick walls. Wind erosion has created oddly-formed columns that give shelter to the condors. Preserved on these walls are pictograms and petroglylphs from the prehispanic natives. After visiting the Park, you will start traveling along Cuesta de Miranda , which leads to National Route 40. This spectacular winding road is notable for its vibrant red color, which stands out from the surrounding green vegetation and makes it a feature of incredible beauty. Arrival at Posada Chañarmuyo.

Full day to enjoy at the lodge and the activities it offers: wine tasting, vineyards and winery tours, horse-riding and trekking, 4x4 and visits to the dam. Chañarmuyo Estate is a winery that combines both high technology and the exclusive resources of a unique terroir in its production processes. Its vineyards extend across the Paimán range foot, Chañarmuyo, at 1,720 meters above sea level. There, the differences of temperature between day and night are considerable, and a gentle breeze blows over the fiercely beautiful, uninhabited landscape.

Traveling northwards through National Route 40, you will arrive at Londres , a small village founded in 1508 by the Spaniards, where you will visit " El Shinkal" Inca ruins. Continuing northwards, the road leads to Quilmes , where you will visit the prehispanic Ruins. This is a native settlement, an impressive stepped citadel built on the slope of a hill, which, for more than a century, successfully stood the Spanish conquest. It's a real fortress in the slope of the hill.In 1664 the native Quilmes were defeated and condemned to travel to Buenos Aires, although just a few of them survived and got to the area that bears their name nowadays. After visiting the ruins, the trip continues until Cafayate .

This city has become the most important site in the Calchaquí Valleys. Located at 1,660 m above sea level, it is well known because of its famous torrontes wine, product of the exquisite combination of temperature and humidity that provides the ideal environment for the growth of this sweet and deep fruit flavour vine, as well as Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Syrah and Chardonnay. Then you will start traveling along the impressive Quebrada de las Flechas (Arrows Gorge) , with its extraordinary geological formations produced by erosion on the colorful sedimentation of sandstone over the past 60 million years. During the way, you will visit Molinos , a small town that was founded in the middle of the XVII century. The plan of the town is completely irregular, with adobe houses and clay roofs. The road continues northwards until Cachi , a beautiful town with white buildings, adobe houses, stone-paved streets and impressive architectural and cultural constructions. Cachi means "salt" in quechua due to the fact that natives mistook the top of "El Nevado" with a salt mine. Visit of the town, its church and museum. In the evening, transfer to the hotel.

Leaving Cachi behind, you will start traveling along the Puna, until reaching San Antonio de Los Cobres , traditional town located almost 4000 m.a.s.l., known for the famous Train to the Clouds. Accommodation.

From San Antonio de Los Cobres, continuing through the arid lands of the Puna, you will reach Salinas Grandes , great salt plains of 12.000 ha. Then you will start descending through the Lipan Slope, a winding road that leads to Purmamarca. Purmamarca is a small prehispanic town settled at the foot of the polychromatic "Cerro de los Siete Colores" (Seven Colors Hill), where purple, reddish, green, ocher, brown, yellow and white rocks illustrate various geological ages. The village, with adobe buildings of cardon roofs and mud tiles, was designed around the Main Church, built between 1648 and 1779 in front of an "algarrobo", characteristic tree of the region, more than 500 years old! As in many churches of this area, you will notice they are built with cactus wood and house paintings and outstanding sculptures brought from Cuzco. A crafts fair takes place in the square, with regional products such as pottery, handmade tapestry, ponchos, musical instruments and typical clothes from the Quebrada.

Departing northwards, today you will start discovering the magnificent Humahuaca Gorge until reaching Tilcara . This town is located at 2.465 m.a.s.l. on the verge of Grande River. Surrounded by an incredible scenery of multicolored hills and gorgeous panoramic views, its colonial heritage can be seen in low adobe buildings and narrow streets everywhere. It is considered the Archaeological Capital of Jujuy due to its museum, one of the most important in this specialty, and the Pucará - meaning fortress- which was built by the original inhabitants of Humahuaca Gorge on both polychromatic hillocks. Discovered in 1903 and restored in 1951, nowadays it has a cactus garden. After visiting the town, the trip continues to the city of Salta .

In the morning you will enjoy the City Tour. Afterwards, you will be transferred to the local airport to board your flight to Buenos Aires. Arrival, meeting at the airport and transfer to the hotel.

Transfer to the International Airport to board your flight back home.