2 days · 1 night · private
Quebrada de Humahuaca & Salinas Grandes
The coloured mountains of Jujuy, El Hornocal and the salt flats, without rushing them into a single day.
USD 1,066 for 1 to 4 travellers
Day-by-day itineraryTravel guide · Salinas Grandes
Salinas Grandes: how to visit the salt flat
The Salinas Grandes are a salt flat of about 212 km² on the Puna, between Jujuy and Salta, at about 3,450 m. You reach them from Purmamarca on National Route 52, a paved road of 67 km (about 1 h 25 min) that climbs the Cuesta de Lipán to 4,170 m. From December to March rain can flood parts of the salt and turn it into a mirror.
- Where
- The Puna of Jujuy & Salta, 67 km from Purmamarca
- Altitude
- About 3,450 m
- Road
- RN 52, paved, over the Cuesta de Lipán (4,170 m)
- Mirror effect
- Rainy season, December to March
- Tours on the salt
- Run by local communities, pay on site
How do I get there?
From Salta, drive 188 km to Purmamarca (about 2 h 50 min), then 67 km west on RN 52 over the switchbacks of the Cuesta de Lipán. The road is paved all the way. From Purmamarca it takes about 1 h 25 min.
What do you do on the salt flat?
Walk on the salt and take photos. Guides from the local communities run tours about 10 km into the flat, and you can see the pools where the salt is extracted and buy salt crafts at the stop by the road. Driving onto the salt on your own is not advised unless you know the tracks.
When is the best time to go?
In the dry season, April to November, the salt is dry and the roads are easiest. From December to March rain can flood parts of the flat and make the mirror effect; then the vehicle tours change to guided walks, and you should check the road before you go. From July to January the wind can carry dust that turns exposed areas beige or brown.
What should I bring?
Warm clothes, sunscreen, sunglasses, a hat and good shoes. You go from 1,187 m in Salta to over 4,000 m in a few hours, so walk slowly and drink water. Community tours and crafts are paid on site.
Sources: Size, altitude and access: Wikipedia and argentina.travel. Community tours, flooding and dust: TodoJujuy (9 January 2025). What to bring: argentina.travel. Times: Google Maps.
Travel with Pablo
See it on a private trip
Both of Pablo's Jujuy trips reach the Salinas Grandes after a night in the Quebrada, so you arrive a little more used to the height.
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 · Cafayate wine guide · Cachi guide · Quebrada de Humahuaca guide · 5-day Salta & Jujuy itinerary
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- Based inSalta, Argentina · pickup at your hotel or the airport