Travel Guidelines

In adventure tourism, carrying the right luggage is important,
so we have made the following recommendations

What is the weather like and when?

The Northwest region and in particular Salta Province has two different seasons: the dry season starting from mid- April to the end of November, and the wet season from the end of November to the first part of April.

During the dry season it is very rare to have rain in the Salta region. The temperature varies according to the altitude. In Salta City, Quebradas (Ravines/Gorges) and Valleys, during the coldest days (June to August) the temperature is around 8/10 degrees Celsius during the daytime and 0 degrees Celsius during the night. The average temperature is 15/25 degrees Celsius during the day time and 5/15 at night.

In the High Plateau Desert (Puna), the coldest days (June to August) are around 5/10 degrees Celsius during the daytime and -15 degrees Celsius with only 15% humidity, so extremely dry, at night; however we always sleep in well heated hotels or lodges. The average temperature is 10/20 degrees Celsius during the day and -5/5 during the night.

PROS of traveling during the dry season: sunny weather, no rain, perfect road conditions. CONS of traveling during the dry season: cold temperature at high altitude (Puna), possible road closures due to snow or strong wind.

During the wet season it rains especially in Salta City and in the Valleys that connect Salta City to Cachi, Cafayate, Quebrada de Humahuaca and the Puna. Temperature varies in function of the altitude. In Salta, Quebradas (Ravines) and Valleys, the average temperature is 25/35 degrees Celsius during the day time and 18/22 during the night. In the High Plateau Desert (Puna), the average temperature is 20/25 degrees Celsius during the day and -10/15 during the night.

PROS of traveling during the wet season: rains and tropical storms which are an amazing natural wonder. It is the best moment to experience great sunsets and nature is at its apex, displaying its most powerful colors, with an abundance of luscious greenery, especially in Salta Valley.

CONS of traveling during the wet season: you will normally experience some showers and rain. Roads can sometimes be closed due to heavy rains that could affect river beds across the roads. For this reason we recommend traveling with our Guide/Driver and 4×4. For self-drive tours, it is highly recommended to rent a 4×4 car including a professional briefing before departure, for river crossing and passing muddy banks.

How far is it?

Here below you will find a list of all major points of interests and driving times from place to place.

Destination A	Destination B	Highest Altitude (m.a.s.l.)	Road Details	Total Km	Estimated Driving Time
Salta	Cachi	3457 meters Piedra del Molino	130 km paved 35 km gravel	165	3 hs
Salta	Cafayate	1700 meters	paved	180	3 hs
Salta	Humahuaca	2950 meters	paved	260	4 hs
Salta	La Quiaca	3750 meters	paved	411	6 hs
Salta	Paso de Sico	4560 meters	110 km paved 170 km gravel	280	5hs
Salta	Purmamarca	2200 meters	paved	180	2 1/2 hs
Salta	San Pedro de Atacama	4900 meters	paved	650	8 hs
Salta	Tilcara	2450 meters	paved	195	3 hs
Salta	Purmamarca via San Antonio de los Cobres	4170 meters Abra de Lipan	183 km gravel + 142 km paved	325	7 hs
Purmamarca	Humahuaca	2950 meters	paved	73	1 hs
Purmamarca	La Quiaca	3750 meters	paved	242	3 hs
Purmamarca	Paso de Jama	4300 meters	paved	258	4 hs
Purmamarca	Salinas Grandes	4170 meters	paved	60	1 1/2 hs
Purmamarca	San Antonio de los Cobres via Salinas Grandes	4170 meters Abra de Lipan	60 km paved – 95 gravel	156	4 hs
Purmamarca	San Pedro de Atacama	4900 meters	paved	470	6 hs
Purmamarca	Tilcara	2500 meters	paved	27	50 min
Cachi	Cafayate	2200 meters	gravel	162	4 1/2 hs
Molinos	Cachi	2200 meters	gravel	46	2 hs
Molinos	Cafayate	2200 meters	90 km gravel, 25 km paved	116	3 hs
Molinos	Salta	3457 meters	122 km paved, 81 km gravel	203	4 hs
Molinos	Salta x Cafayate	2200 meters	200 km paved road. 130 km gravel road	330	6 hs
Molinos	Tacuil	2630 meters	gravel	36	1 hora
Molinos	Colome	2300 meters	gravel	25	45 min/1 hs
San Pedro de Atacama	Calama	300 meters	paved	105	1,30 hs
San Pedro de Atacama	Geysers del Tatio	4320 meters	gravel	95	3 hs
San Pedro de Atacama	Hito Cajon	4500 meters	paved	45	1 h
San Pedro de Atacama	Paso de Sico	4100 meters	gravel	211	3 1/2 hs
San Pedro de Atacama	Valle de la Luna	2300 meters	gravel	25	45 min

When are the major festivals and where?

Carnival (February or March is defined every year) is a major Fest week in the Quebrada de Humahuaca, with lots of people and native shows in the streets, bear in mind that since this is one of the most important celebrations and long weekend in Argentina, hotels get fully booked with a lot of time in advance, and the roads can be blocked or slow because of the affluence of vehicles.

Easter week offers great religious ceremonies in Tilcara and Yavi, there is also a special pilgrimage in Quebrada de Humahuaca.

Among the best known local festivals, there is the Casabindo one with “Toreo de la Vincha” (15 of August): in a small village in the Puna, the local community gets together to celebrate a special bull fight in which the Toreador must steal a stripe of textile from the Bull’s Horn. It is one of the most popular Fests in NW Argentina.

Early November and December at Laguna Blanca Community, close to El Peñon, there is the CHAKU. The community of Laguna Blanca will try to get wild vicuñas into their huge fences in the desert in order to catch them and cut their precious wool. Tourists are invited to assist the activity. It is very authentic and little visited by tourists.

At the end of January and end of February we have the best Folklore Music Festivals such as the Serenatas of Molinos and Cafayate, with thousands of music fans and a local rodeo known as doma.

When is the best time to visit?

The best months to travel are March and April (summer but with less rain) and October to mid-December (summer temperature and rarely rains).

Which are the highlights of NW Argentina? 

The highlight is the NW itself! Its uniqueness lies in the whole region being an area of interest itself; the journeys between destinations are just as much a highlight as the supposed main areas of interest. It is an area of magnificent landscapes, scenery and culture.

To give you a short summary: Quebrada de Humahuaca (Jujuy Province): Andean Villages in a Colored Gorge, with a visit to the dry salted lake of Salinas Grandes (3.600 meters) Calchaquí Valley:
A desert valley with green vegetation on the river. Los Cardones National Park, Colonial Villages (Cachi, Molinos, Seclantás), lots of bird life, thousands of cardones (cactus species), and fantastic landscapes. Also home to some of the highest wineries of the world and some of the oldest located in the Molinos Area.

Cafayate is the capital of the Wine Region in NW Argentina, easy Hub to explore the surrounding natural wonders such as the Quebrada de las Conchas (an 85 km long colored Canyon), Quebrada de las Flechas (a desert of limestone and ashes of quartz, shaped by wind and water in hundreds of thousands of giant arrow peaks), Quilmes Ruins (Best Pre Inca Ruins in Argentina).

Puna Region: at 3.400 meters lies a different world. A region that offers the best highlights of all the NW especially for travelers seeking Deserts, unlimited nature, wildlife and trips off the beaten path. Its highlights are simply the variety of unique and vast landscapes, some of which include: Pumice Stone Field, the high altitude andean lakes and white sand dunes at El Peñon, Labyrinth Desert at Tolar Grande, Mina Casualidad (Ghost town at 4.000 mts), Ojos del Mar at Tolar Grande (natural salted water pools) … and the list goes on and on! This is definitely among some of the best trips you can do not only in Argentina, but in all of South America.

Is there wildlife to see and what are the best travel seasons for this?

Warm months are always better, so from September to the end of April is perfect. In the region we mainly find: Andean camelids (Llamas, Vicuñas and Guanacos), wild donkeys, condors and many other bird species (there are options for bird watching adventures).

What is the altitude of the particular destinations? 

All our itinerary descriptions include the highest point of altitude per day and the altitude at the final destination. The altitude in the Puna Desert Region is always above 3.400 meters. For this reason, we require an information form to be completed by all passengers, detailing any health condition that could affect them at high-altitude (e.g. heart disease or high blood pressure).

DESTINATION	ALTITUDE MTS	ALTITUDE FEET
Cachi	2280	7480
Cafayate	1620	5315
Colomé	2300	7546
El Peñon	3400	11155
Geysers del Tatio	4300	14108
Hito Cajón	4480	14698
Humahuaca	2936	9633
Iruya	2780	9121
La Rioja	498	1634
Molinos	2020	6627
Paso de Jama	4208	13806
Paso de Sico	4092	13425
Purmamarca	2192	7192
Salinas Grandes	3415	11204
Salta	1187	3894
San Pedro de Atacama	2475	8120
Susques	3896	12782
Tafí del Valle	2200	7218
Tilcara	2461	8074
Tolar Grande	3520	11549
Tolombón	1590	5217
Villa Unión	1180	3871

For self-driving, what should clients consider?

They must have good driving experience; there are quite a lot of unpaved roads, and some mountain roads with passes above 4.000 meters. It is always better, safer and more comfortable to rent a 4×4, SUV or medium size car with enough height for the mountain roads.

Do you have a map that shows asphalted roads, dirt roads and what roads are difficult to self-drive?

All our itinerary descriptions include information about paved / unpaved roads, plus estimated driving time. We also offer the option of a “briefing” to self-drive travelers – with extra cost – which includes tips, directions and a road map. A GPS can also be rented at extra cost with the car hire and a digital map.

Can we travel across the Andes to Chile?

Ref.Paso de Jama. Source: Google Maps
Yes, we can travel to Chile, to San Pedro de Atacama via Paso de Jama (4208 mts) or via Paso de Sico (4092 mts). Paso de Jama is located in the Province of Jujuy, and it takes a full day to drive there from Salta.

The road is all paved and in good condition as it is the main Pass for trade between the two countries and key to the region of Mercosur. Paso de Sico is a mostly gravel road and is usually used to transport goods, so less people travel across this Pass for tourism even though the landscape is breathtaking.

How do permits to exit the country with Passengers work in Argentina?

The local authority that regulates the transportation of Passengers in Argentina is CNRT (Comisión Nacional de Regulación del Transporte). Socompa has a license as a transportation company (renewed every 5-years). At the same time, each vehicle of the company has its own license, valid throughout NW Argentina and bordering regions. The National License also allows our company to travel with Passengers to bordering countries, with a special permit issued Ad Hoc for each Trip. This permit is in “Closed Circuit” meaning that we can only drive passengers in the following situations:

In a tour beginning and ending in Argentinean territory. i.e. Salta – Purmamarca – Paso de Jama – San Pedro de Atacama – Paso de Sico – Salta

On a tour beginning in Argentina and ending in San Pedro de Atacama or vice versa, but we must present our permit and must be approved by the transportation authorities.

It is important to take note of the following recommendations about the trips crossing the Andes into Chile: In some cases, when the clients are already in Chile, a local operator would be required to do the section of the tour from San Pedro de Atacama to the border, given that situation, an authorized Chilean company must be hired to do the transfer and we can wait for the Passengers in Paso de Jama or Paso de Sico, on the Argentinean Side. The passengers must exit the country with the authorized Chilean Tour Operator.

During winter (June to August), both Passes to Chile can be blocked due to heavy snow, normally Paso de Jama receives immediate attention and machines to unblock the road because it is the main road into Chile. Under this particular situation, our office will assist 24 hours to provide an alternative itinerary, sometimes the alternative pass may be open, but sometimes we have to return to Argentina and change the itinerary. The month with a major probability of snow is July.

Is there a bus that travels from Salta to San Pedro de Atacama and vice versa?

Yes! There are three Bus companies that travel six days a week to and from San Pedro de Atacama (via Paso de Jama only). The bus can also be taken in Purmamarca, instead of Salta. We recommend the tickets to be purchased directly by the travelers.

Is it possible for Socompa to drop off passengers at the Border between Chile and Bolivia: Hito Cajón?

No. The option is no longer available due to changes in the Chilean transport regulations. Our vehicles are authorized to drive passengers in Chilean territory but not to drive them to the Border with Bolivia. Therefore, a transfer must be arranged with a Chilean or Bolivian Tour operator.

Is it possible for Socompa to pick-up passengers at the Border between Bolivia and Argentina?

Yes, however the guide cannot pass into Bolivia so can only meet the passengers once they have passed through the Argentine immigration and customs. This border is open 24hrs.

Please note: US passengers require a visa for the Bolivian side.

It is required by the passengers to pass through immigrations on both sides (Bolivia (Villazon) & Argentina (La Quiaca)). Passengers must be very attentive once they have passed through both immigrations, as the guide will be waiting with a welcome sign on the Argentine side.