Salta, Purmamarca & Atacama

The province of Salta lies in the far north west of Argentina, sharing borders with Chile, Bolivia and Paraguay. It stands out from other Argentine provinces for its geographic and climatic diversity. On one side of the province you have the desert coldness of the Andes and the high-altitude grassy plains of the Puna. On the other side you have the sub-tropical heat of the Yungas jungle, with cool fertile valleys, mountains and rivers in between. 

Jujuy owns  spectacular arid landscapes, deep narrow canyons and immensely colourful rock formations. It's a province with an incredibly turbulent history that dates back 10,000 years. Jujuy is considered to have one of the richest cultures in the whole country.  One of Jujuy's greatest attractions is the UNESCO World heritage site Quebrada de Humahuaca, a narrow mountain valley that leads down from the high plateau that for years was an important trading route in and out of Bolivia. Dotted along the Quebrada you can find several quaint Indian villages and towns to explore. Humahuaca and Purmamarca are two of the most appealing, the later being famous for its Cerro de Siete Colores (Seven Colours Mount). 

The Atacama Desert is a 1,000km rainless plateau located in the north of Chile and considered to be one of the driest places in the world, having only rained twice or three times in the last hundred years. The whole area is completely desolate, replete with bizarre land formations, giant sand dunes, jagged canyons, salt pillars, boiling geysers, and a smoking volcano. The only bit of civilisation within the desert is a small oasis village called San Pedro de Atacama, a quaint, unhurried place, with a tiny centre of no more than 12 streets and a pleasant bohemian vibe to it.