Rainbow Mountain and Red Canyons

The Salta Loop is a magnificent circuit through Argentina's rugged, colour-drenched northwest — a land where red-rock canyons recall Utah's Bryce Canyon, ancient Inca roads cross 11,000-foot plateaus bristling with giant cacti, and some of the world's highest vineyards produce wines at altitudes that would leave most grapes gasping. Starting and ending in the elegant colonial city of Salta, the route carves through three radically different landscapes: the deep canyon country of the Quebrada de las Conchas heading south; the remote, dusty Ruta 40 through dramatically folded geological strata heading north; and the soaring Cuesta del Obispo descent from high desert into subtropical forest heading east back to Salta. Along the way you encounter pre-Columbian ruins, whitewashed colonial villages, shifting dune fields, and vineyards planted at 8,000 feet — all beneath vast Andean skies. This is northwestern Argentina at its most raw and rewarding.

Key Stops

Salta - "La Linda" (The Beautiful) - The starting and ending point of the loop. One of Argentina's best-preserved colonial cities, with elegant plazas, pastel-coloured buildings, baroque churches, and the outstanding MAAM museum housing Inca mummies found at high-altitude summits. The city's peñas (folk music venues) offer a spirited introduction to northwest Argentine culture. Fill your tank before departing — this is critical.

Embalse Cabra Corral - Heading south from Salta on RN 68, you skirt this large reservoir whose whitewater outlets are popular with kayakers and rafters. The landscape begins its transition from green subtropical lowlands toward the arid canyon country ahead.

Quebrada de las Conchas (Quebrada de Cafayate) - The drive's first showstopper. This 80 km stretch of road winds through a natural reserve of spectacular red, ochre, and rust-coloured rock formations sculpted by millennia of wind and water. Named formations punctuate the route:

• El Anfiteatro (The Amphitheater) - A natural circular chamber with extraordinary acoustics, carved by a waterfall into the sandstone
• Garganta del Diablo (Devil's Throat) - A narrow, towering slot canyon
• El Sapo (The Toad) - A rock formation uncannily resembling a crouching toad
• Los Castillos (The Castles) - Turret-like sandstone towers rising from the canyon floor
• Los Médanos - Shifting sand dunes marking the approach to Cafayate

There are no services through the canyon — carry a picnic, plenty of water, and sunscreen.

Cafayate - The crown jewel of northwestern Argentine wine country and the ideal overnight stop. Sitting at 1,660 metres, this charming colonial town is Argentina's second most famous wine region after Mendoza. The high-altitude terroir produces exceptional Torrontés (a fragrant white unique to Argentina) and increasingly acclaimed Malbec. Visit bodegas for tastings, stroll the central plaza, and sample local empanadas and goat cheese. Multiple wineries within walking distance of the town centre.

Ruins of Quilmes - A 34-mile (54 km) detour south of Cafayate to one of Argentina's most important archaeological sites. This 30-hectare pre-Columbian fortress was the largest indigenous settlement in the country, occupied for nearly 1,000 years. The Quilmes people resisted Spanish conquest for 130 years before being forcibly relocated in 1665. Guided tours reveal terraced dwellings climbing the hillside with commanding valley views.

San Carlos - North of Cafayate on RN 40, this is the last town before the pavement ends. A quiet agricultural village and a good spot to top off fuel. Beyond here, the road becomes narrow, dusty, and unpaved.

Quebrada de las Flechas (Arrow Gorge) - Between San Carlos and Angastaco, the road passes through dramatically tilted slabs of sedimentary rock jutting from the earth like giant arrowheads. One of the route's most otherworldly and photogenic stretches.

Molinos - A sleepy colonial village 55 miles north of San Carlos, with whitewashed adobe buildings and a historic church containing the preserved body of the last Spanish governor of Salta. The village feels frozen in time, with dusty streets, grazing llamas, and a profound quiet.

Estancia Colomé - 11 miles (18 km) west of Molinos, possibly the world's highest winery in continuous operation (founded 1831, sitting at roughly 8,000 feet). Beyond the vineyard tastings, it houses the James Turrell Museum — an extraordinary contemporary art space dedicated exclusively to the American light artist's work, utterly unexpected in this remote desert setting.

Seclantás - A tiny hamlet of around 500 inhabitants known for traditional poncho weaving. The artisans here produce the famous red Salta ponchos using techniques passed down through generations.

Cachi - One of the route's most picturesque towns. Sitting at 2,280 metres beneath the snow-capped Nevado de Cachi (6,380 m), this colonial settlement has a beautiful central plaza, a small archaeological museum, and adobe streets that glow golden at sunset. An excellent overnight stop.

Payogasta - A small village 7 miles east of Cachi where the paved RP 33 begins. From here the road becomes an arrow-straight line climbing into the high desert.

Recta del Tin Tin (Los Cardones National Park) - One of the route's most remarkable stretches. This 15 km dead-straight road was originally traced by the Incas around 1480-1535 as part of their road network, at nearly 3,000 metres elevation. It cuts through Parque Nacional Los Cardones, named for the towering cardón cacti (similar to saguaros) that dot the landscape at altitudes over 11,000 feet. The austere beauty of the high desert with its sentinel-like cacti stretching to the horizon is mesmerising.

Cuesta del Obispo - The loop's climactic finale. The road peaks at 10,985 feet (3,348 m) before plunging down one of Argentina's most spectacular descents — a dizzying series of zigzags dropping from the arid high desert into subtropical woodlands in a matter of minutes. The landscape transformation is dramatic and abrupt. At the bottom, you rejoin RN 68 heading north back to Salta.

Driving Tips

• Fuel strategy: Leave Salta with a full tank. Fill up again in Cafayate and Cachi. Between towns, fuel stations are nonexistent or extremely limited. This is the single most important piece of advice for this route.
• Unpaved RN 40: The section of Ruta 40 between San Carlos and Cachi is unpaved gravel and dirt. A regular sedan can manage in dry conditions, but a vehicle with higher clearance is more comfortable. Average speeds on this stretch top out at around 40 km/h.
• Altitude: Portions of the route exceed 3,000 metres. Drink plenty of water, avoid heavy meals, and be aware that your car may lose power at altitude. Allow time to acclimatise if you're not used to elevation.
• Cuesta del Obispo descent: Use low gear for the steep zigzag descent to preserve your brakes. The drop is dramatic and the curves tight. Oncoming traffic includes buses — stay alert.
• No services in canyons: The Quebrada de las Conchas has no fuel, food, or water stops. Pack a picnic, bring at least 2 litres of water per person, sunscreen, and a hat.
• Duration: Allow at least three days, ideally more. Three days is a minimum with overnight stops in Cafayate and Cachi. Five days allows proper time for wineries, ruins, hiking, and the sheer pleasure of slowing down.
• Cash: Small towns along the route may not accept credit cards. Carry Argentine pesos for fuel, food, and entry fees.
• Photography timing: Morning light is best for the Quebrada de las Conchas (formations face east). Late afternoon golden hour is spectacular in Cachi and on the Cuesta del Obispo descent.
• For more information visit: argentina.travel