My knowledge of travel in Argentina was pretty limited before making a last minute trip there this month. The trodden paths of Buenos Aires and snow peaked Patagonia were the only really thing on my Argentina radar, and they weren’t really that near the top of my bucket list. Skip forward three weeks, and I am totally besotted with the North of Argentina, and utterly bewildered that it’s not getting the press (I feel) it deserves. Here’s 6 reasons why you should book your trip right now!!!
Endless Argentinian mountain sunsets
I’ve caught a million sunsets over deserts and mountains, but I’ve never caught them at such an altitude that I’m above the clouds when it happened. I don’t think I’ve ever cried at so many sunsets in my life!
Argentina’s llama and wildlife spotting
One word. Llama’s! Everywhere! I’m sure this is no longer a novelty to the locals (they breed them for meat and they also run wild). regardless, I was delighted when a little man in his hut gave me some dried corn to feed his two llamas, due to my enthusiasm for them. We saw wild animals all over the North of Argentina, from llamas, to horses to huge condors, most completely disinterested in their human admirers.
The fun doesn’t end at just walking (talking?) animals. We made a shed load of impromptu stops for photographs of llama shaped homes and business buildings. Why don’t we have highland cow shaped buildings in Scotland!?!?
Crazy rock formations
The Salta and Jujuy province routes are lined with towering rock formations dating back thousands of years. The rainbow coloured mountains of Humahauca are sorely overlooked in favour of Peru’s famous range, despite them being much easier to get to! The salta to Cafayete road boasts little dirt track turns offs, leading you to enormous naturally eroded amphitheatres, free of national park exploration fees.
Argentinian Cactus fields
Isn’t Mexico supposed to be the land of cactus? Again, Argentina came up trumps! We drove through endless cactus forests, stopping for way too many selfies of the huge water retaining monsters.
Run down Insta dreams
Take yourself back in time by pulling over to explore run down/ deserted little villages by the side of the road in the Salta province. Old gas stations, burger joints and hardware stores. Photography dreams!
North Argentina Salt plains
Most likely knocked of the radar (again) in favour of its larger Bolivian counterpart, the Salinas grandes (Salt plains) of Jujuy were only an hour’s drive from one of our favourite Northern Argentinian towns; Purmamarca. Free to visit, the ancient dried up river is like something from another planet, the sunlight bouncing off miles of dreamy landscape. Charge your camera battery!!!!
Feeling Argentina? Head over to my post about budget accommodation in Cachi
Have I got you thinking about a trip to Argentina? Have you done this route yourself? What are your favourite spots in the North of Argentina?
4 Comments
Stewie Overseas
You’re right, I was not aware that there were salt flats in Argentina, since the ones in Bolivia get all the attention. From photos, it looks just as interesting.
myveggietravels
the day before we visited them, we met a girl from Korea who did nothing but talk about how bored she was by them! We were really disheartened until we got there. We were mind blow. They were huge and so beautiful. I can only imagine that she was underwhelmed as she’d already done the Bolivian ones.
Stewie Overseas
Travel can be so subjective, can’t it. Someone can be so bored by something another person found fascinating. I’m glad you went and enjoyed yourself despite her attitude.
Pingback: