The Puna, Then the Vines · Active and cultural
Salta to Mendoza by private 4x4, Argentina
Salta to Mendoza in one private 4x4: the Quebrada de Humahuaca, the salt flats of the Puna, the Seismiles, Talampaya and Ischigualasto, then down to the vineyards.
Desierto del Diablo, the Puna, Argentina
- Length
- 11 nights, 12 days
- Season
- October to April
- Pace
- One vehicle, one guide, long days on the road
- Way of travel
- Active and cultural
- From
- CA$10,500Indicative, per person, confirmed at quote
Overview
The Puna, Then the Vines
Ten days in one private 4x4 with one guide, from the coloured hills above Salta across the Puna at 4,500 metres and down through the Seismiles to the vineyards of Mendoza. We travelled it ourselves in January 2026, and it is the route we describe first when anyone asks about Argentina.
Every journey here is a starting point, not a product. We move the dates, swap a camp, add a night where you will want one, take out the walk your knee will not enjoy, and price it for the people actually travelling.
Night by night
How the eleven nights run
A starting point, not a set tour. The order follows the altitude, and we change the nights and the lodges to suit you.
Nights 1 to 2Salta
Arrive in Salta and take the first days slowly, before the road starts to climb.
Salta
Nights 3 to 4The Quebrada de Humahuaca
North into the coloured hills of the Quebrada and its mountain villages, high enough to begin getting used to the altitude.
The Quebrada de Humahuaca
Nights 5 to 6The Puna
Up onto the high plateau at around 4,500 metres: the salt flats of Salinas Grandes, then the red ridges of the Desierto del Diablo. Long driving days and very few people.
Salinas Grandes · Desierto del Diablo
Night 7The Seismiles
South along the road of the six-thousand-metre volcanoes, and slowly back down.
The Seismiles
Nights 8 to 9Talampaya and Ischigualasto
Two neighbouring national parks of red canyon walls and pale, eroded badlands.
Talampaya · Ischigualasto
Nights 10 to 11Mendoza and the vineyards
Down out of the dry country to the vineyards of Mendoza for the last nights, then the flight home.
Mendoza
Before you choose
How this journey is planned and priced
Questions
Before you choose this journey
How high does the route go?
The Puna crossings reach around 4,500 metres. The route starts low in Salta and the Quebrada so the height comes gradually, and we talk through the altitude with you before you book.
When can it be travelled?
We plan it between October and April. We travelled it in January, which is summer in the high country: warm days, cold nights and the chance of afternoon storms on the Puna.
Active and cultural
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Plan this journey
Tell us your dates and who is travelling, and we will shape this journey around you
A first note commits you to nothing. We reply within one business day, and you will have a written quote before anything is held.
From CA$10,500 · indicativePlan this journey