Seven days is the ideal length for the complete NOA loop — the circuit that never retraces its path. This itinerary covers everything the Argentine Northwest has to offer: Salta city, the UNESCO-listed Quebrada de Humahuaca, the Salinas Grandes salt flats at 3,450m, Cachi via the Cuesta del Obispo, the legendary Route 40 through the Quebrada de las Flechas, and Cafayate with its high-altitude Torrontes wineries. The loop departs and returns to Salta without doubling back (out via Cachi/Route 40, back via Route 68). You'll need your own car or a rental for days 4-7 (Cachi-Cafayate-Route 68); days 2-3 can be done as guided day trips from Salta. Estimated budget excluding flights: $300-500 USD per person, including tours, mid-range hotels, meals, and winery visits.
Day 1: Salta City — Historic Center & San Bernardo Hill
Arrival in Salta. Colonial center: Plaza 9 de Julio, Cathedral, Cabildo, San Francisco Church. MAAM museum in the afternoon. Cable car to San Bernardo Hill at sunset. Dinner at a pena folklorica on Calle Balcarce.
- Colonial center
- MAAM -- Inca mummies
- Panoramic cable car
- Pena folklorica
Day 2: Quebrada de Humahuaca — Purmamarca, Tilcara, Humahuaca
Full day to the Quebrada de Humahuaca (UNESCO). Purmamarca (Hill of 7 Colors, artisan market), Tilcara (Pucara, Devil's Throat), Humahuaca (monument). Overnight in Purmamarca or Tilcara to enjoy the Quebrada sunset.
- Hill of 7 Colors at sunrise
- Pucara de Tilcara
- Living Andean culture
- Overnight in the Quebrada
Day 3: Salinas Grandes — The White Sea at 3,450m
From Purmamarca, ascend the Cuesta del Lipan to the Salinas Grandes. Perspective photos, salt artisans, vast white immensity. Return to Salta in the afternoon. Free evening to explore Calle Balcarce or rest.
- Cuesta del Lipan (4,170m)
- Salinas Grandes
- Salt artisans
- Iconic photos
Day 4: Cachi via the Cuesta del Obispo
Early departure toward Cachi via Provincial Route 33. The Cuesta del Obispo is a winding mountain road climbing to 3,348m with valley views. Cross Los Cardones National Park (fields of giant cardones cacti) and the Recta del Tin Tin (a perfectly straight 18km road). Arrival in Cachi: an adobe village at 2,280m with stone streets and absolute silence. Overnight in Cachi.
- Cuesta del Obispo (3,348m)
- Los Cardones National Park
- Recta del Tin Tin
- Cachi -- Andean village
Day 5: Cachi to Cafayate via Route 40
Adventure day: Route 40 between Cachi and Cafayate (160 km, 5 hours). Partially unpaved road through stunning quebradas, the Quebrada de las Flechas (incredible tilted rock formations), and the villages of Molinos and Angastaco. The wildest and most authentic stage of the circuit. Arrival in Cafayate at sunset. Note: check road conditions during rainy season (January--March).
- Route 40 -- the legendary road
- Quebrada de las Flechas
- Villages of Molinos and Angastaco
- Landscapes without tourists
Day 6: Cafayate — Wineries & High-Altitude Wines
Full day in Cafayate. Morning: winery tour by bicycle or guided tour (Piattelli, Nanni, El Esteco -- choose 2-3). Lunch with wine pairing at Patios de Cafayate (El Esteco's restaurant). Afternoon: village, crafts, Museum of Vine and Wine, wine ice cream at Heladeria Miranda. Overnight in Cafayate.
- Wineries: Piattelli, Nanni, El Esteco
- Torrontes tasting
- Wine ice cream at Miranda
- Sunset on the plaza
Day 7: Route 68 — Quebrada de las Conchas to Salta
Return to Salta via Route 68, Argentina's most scenic highway. Stops at all rock formations: Devil's Throat, Amphitheater (test the acoustics), the Obelisk, the Friar, the Castles. Arrival in Salta by midday. Free afternoon for shopping at the Artisan Market or a final visit to San Lorenzo (easy trekking, 15 min from the city). Farewell dinner: locro stew at a downtown restaurant.
- Complete Quebrada de las Conchas
- Devil's Throat and Amphitheater
- Salta Artisan Market
- Farewell with locro stew
