2 days · 1 night · private
Calchaquí Valleys Express
Cardón forests, colonial Cachi and the high-altitude vineyards of Cafayate, sleeping in the valley.
USD 1,066 for 1 to 4 travellers
Day-by-day itineraryTravel guide · Cafayate
Cafayate: wine, Torrontés & the Quebrada de las Conchas
Cafayate is the wine town of the Calchaquí Valleys, at 1,683 m in the south of Salta province, 197 km from Salta city (about 3 h 15 min on RN 68). Its signature wine is Torrontés, an aromatic white that in Salta grows in vineyards more than 1,600 m above sea level. The valleys get under 250 mm of rain a year.
- From Salta
- 197 km on RN 68, about 3 h 15 min
- Town altitude
- 1,683 m
- Signature wine
- Torrontés, an aromatic white
- Best season
- April to November
- Time to stay
- 2 to 4 days
Why is Cafayate wine different?
Height and dry air. In Salta, Torrontés grows on sandy soils more than 1,600 m up, and these hard conditions give the grape high acidity and strong flavours. The climate is semi-arid, with under 250 mm of rain a year and a big gap between warm days and cold nights.
What is on the road from Salta?
The Quebrada de las Conchas, a ravine of red rock along the Las Conchas river and RN 68, protected as a nature reserve since 1995. The best-known stops are the Garganta del Diablo (Devil's Throat) and the Anfiteatro (Amphitheatre); others are called El Sapo, El Fraile and Los Castillos. With stops, the drive takes longer than 3 h 15 min.
What can I do in Cafayate?
Visit wineries and vineyards on the wine route, the Museo de la Vid y el Vino (vine and wine museum), the main square and the craft market, and try the wine-flavoured ice cream. Winery visits and tastings are paid on site: check each winery's hours before you go.
How many days do I need?
Argentina's official tourism site suggests 2 to 4. A day trip from Salta means about 6 h 30 min on the road, so a night in Cafayate leaves time for the wineries. From Cachi, Route 40 reaches Cafayate in 156 km, about 4 hours, through the Quebrada de las Flechas.
Sources: Town, season, time to stay and things to do: argentina.travel. Torrontés: Wikipedia. Rainfall: Wikipedia (Cafayate). Quebrada de las Conchas: Wikipedia. Times: Google Maps.
Travel with Pablo
See it on a private trip
Pablo's Calchaquí Valleys trip and his 4-day loop both reach Cafayate on Route 40 and come back to Salta through the Quebrada de las Conchas. Tastings and winery tickets are paid separately.
4 days · 3 nights · private
A Taste of the Argentine Northwest
Cloud forest, the Quebrada de Humahuaca, the Salinas Grandes, Route 40 and the Cafayate wine valleys in one private loop from Salta.
USD 2,132 for 1 to 4 travellers
Day-by-day itineraryMore travel guides: Best time to visit Salta & Jujuy · Altitude sickness in Salta & Jujuy · Self-drive or private guide in Salta · Salta & Jujuy driving distances · El Hornocal guide · Salinas Grandes guide · Cachi guide · Quebrada de Humahuaca guide · 5-day Salta & Jujuy itinerary
Plan your trip
Write to Pablo
Tell him your dates, how many you are and what you'd like to see. Your message opens in WhatsApp, ready to send, and Pablo replies with the itinerary and a quote for your private group.
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- Based inSalta, Argentina · pickup at your hotel or the airport