As planned, I returned to Argentina (see previous post) and went up to the north-west, this time without my family.

The area around Salta didn't disappoint. It was absolutely amazing, a real adventure with a rough- around-the-edges feel to it, even though I was looked after and guided excellently by my tour operator (Optimundo).

It is a vast area and distances shouldn't be underestimated. If you want to see the best of the north west you need a few days and you can't just base yourself in Salta. You must stay overnight in the smaller towns too.

I can particularly recommend:
Quebrada de Humahuaca, Chalchaquies Valley, Cachi, Molinos and Cafayate.
The scenery is amazing: snow capped mountains, salt flats, deserts, green valleys, vineyards and rocky canyons. The people are also great, very friendly and willing to show you their homeland; not to mention their wonderful cuisine.

If you don't get a private guide and decide to hire a car, you need to get a good vehicle with clearance as most of the roads are compact dirt and can be quite bumpy. My guide told me that there is a great drive over in to Chile that follows the route of a famous train "train to the clouds" - ironically names as there are no clouds to be seen. Oh well, maybe Chile next year, but still so much to see in Argentina!

www.optimundo.com

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Excellent bed and breakfast in the centre of Salta. Recently renovated townhouse with sizable and very comfortable rooms run by Silka and Ricardo. Their hospitality was exceptional and they are very knowledgeable on what to see and do in both Salta itself and Argentina's north-west region.

We stayed there at the beginning and end of our tour of the Salta and Jujuy regions and they arranged our car hire before we left for Argentina.

Delicious breakfasts with homemade bread, pcs with internet access in each room, lovely city garden and library.

www.bedandbreakfastsalta.com

Tel.: +54 0387 4218736

Urquiza 329
Salta (A4402AYG) - Argentina

Google map: tinyurl.com/kj2vo7

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