Argentina- Discovery – Self-guided tour – 17 days / 16 nights
Highlights…:
• Meet the local indigenous people ;
• Discover the Calchaquies Valleys and the Andean Altiplano ;
• Iguazu Falls, natural marvel.
Nature : 
- Culture :
Encounters :
Starting from $ 2545 USD*
The vastness of the landscape, century old cacti and secular traditions; the Andes will catch your imagination and inspire you. Visit the Seven Colour Mountains of the Humahuaca Valley, with its villages and artisans. Explore the exquisite landscape of the Calchaquí valleys carved by time, wind and salt lakes.
Then the contrast: appreciate the thousands of species of plants, colourful birds, butterflies and mammals that make this their home. This is the exuberance of the Argentine rainforest, its rivers and impressive waterfalls, the Jesuit Missions, mate plantations, lemongrass, vegetable sponges, and exotic fruits.
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ITINERARY
Arrival of your international flight
After landing in Buenos Aires, our driver will take you to your hotel, located in the city centre. A member of our team will provide you with a road book and a mobile phone to keep in touch with us 24/7. Explore the most famous and picturesque areas of the capital city: El Caminito and San Telmo, at the origins of Tango, then Puerto Madero area, an old harbour that has been reconverted into a business area.
- Transport : private transfer - 45 min + public transport
- Accommodation: hotel**
- Included meals: none
Flight Buenos Aires > Salta
- Transport : private transfer - 45 min
- Accommodation: hotel**
- Included meals : breakfast
Rental car
Receive your rental vehicle at your hotel. Drive south into the Andes Cordillera to the small village of Cachi at 2300m above sea level. Cross the fertile plains and large tobacco fields and continue up along the slope Cuesta del Obispo reaching the highest point of this trip at 3620m. Discover the National Park of Cardones and take a walk among thousands of these unusually large native cacti. Then to Payogasta where you will spend the night in a beautiful colonial hotel. Only 11 km away is Cachi, a charming little village with its peaceful square and white church made of cactus wood.
- Transport : rental car – 157 km - 3h
- Accommodation: hotel**
- Included meals : breakfast, dinner
Rental car
After breakfast, continue exploring these valleys with incredible geological formations. Appreciate the impressive scenery and quaint villages nestled in the Cordillera. Stop at Cafayate around mid-day to have lunch. El Cafayate is a touristic village, famous for its high-altitude vineyards. Torrontes is a white wine grape variety that adapted incredibly well to this high-altitude terroir (1600m -2400m). Finally, join your host families, small farmers in the area. These people decided to join together into cooperatives to receive and promote local products.
- Transport : rental car – 160 km - 4h
- Accommodation: host family (basic comfort)
- Included meals : breakfast and dinner
Rental car
After a hearty breakfast with your host family, drive further south to the Amaicha del Valle, visit the Pachamama Museum and the ruins of Quilmes, one of the most important pre-Hispanic establishments in Argentina. Return to Salta across the seashell's valley where you will see rock formations that wind and water erosion shaped into peculiar figures.
- Transport : rental car – 258 km - 4h
- Accommodation: hotel**
- Included meals : breakfast
Rental car
Experience the Altiplano, a large plateau lying at more than 3000m above sea level in the hearth of the Andes, extending between Argentina, Chile, Bolivia and Peru. Continue along the Valle del Toro, follow the rails of the Train to the Clouds. On the road, visit the pre-Inca ruins of Santa Rosa de Tastil before reaching San Antonio de los Cobres by mid-day. In the afternoon, continue to Salinas Grandes, one of the largest salt flats of the Argentine Altiplano. The tour will take you to the impressive Lipan Slope, a steep zigzag road, before descending to Purmamarca, at an altitude of 2192m.
- Transport : rental car – 355 km - 6h
- Accommodation: hotel***
- Included meals : breakfast
Rental car
The circuit starts from your hotel going between the colourful hills, a truly magnificent spectacle at sunrise, which can be enjoyed with a nice walk just before breakfast. Explore the colourful and culturally rich valley of Humahuaca with its picturesque villages: Tilcara, an authentic Andean village and its Pucara, a pre-Inca fortified farming village overlooking the valley. Humahuaca, with a splendid landscape, interesting handicrafts and traditional music. By late afternoon, admire the hills of Hornocal, an inverted –V shaped formation of impressive colours. Back to Purmamarca where you will spend the night.
- Transport : rental car – 140 km - 2h
- Accommodation: hotel***
- Included meals : breakfast
Rental car
Back to Salta, through the Corniche Road, the ancient road connecting Jujuy to Salta. An iconic road with beautiful landscape deep the Yungas, a subtropical wet forest characteristic of the transition zone between the Andes and the Amazon forest. Back in Salta in the afternoon, you will return your rental car.
- Transport : rental car – 210 km - 3h
- Accommodation: hotel**
- Included meals : breakfast
Flight Salta > Puerto Iguazu
Free morning to discover the last secrets of Salta. By mid-afternoon, transfer to the airport to board your flight to Puerto Iguazu, where you arrive in the late afternoon. You are met by our driver and transferred to your hotel.
- Transport : private transfer - 30 min
- Accommodation: hotel**
- Included meals : breakfast
Explore the Argentinian side of the National Park of Iguazu. Get to the heart of the 275 individual falls forming a 2.7 km wide horseshoe-shaped gorge, including the impressive 90 m high Devil’s Throat. You can follow several walking trails through the park’s tropical rainforest or under the full power of the rushing water: waterfalls can be admired from above, below, or as a whole from several points of view. If the water level is not too high, you can visit the island San Martin in the heart of this huge gorge. A busy day during which you can also observe wild animals (coatis, monkeys, toucans, alligators, turtles, among others).
- Transport: private transfer - 45 min
- Accommodation: hotel**
- Included meals: breaksfast
- Entrance to the park not included (260 pesos/p.p.)
Today you will visit the Brazilian side of the Iguazu National Park. If the Argentine side is all about getting up close and personal, the Brazilian side offers an incredible and breath-taking full frontal view of all the falls. In the afternoon, you can visit the Bird Park, gathering over 160 species including some anacondas, boas, monkeys and butterflies.
- Transport: private transfer - 1h30
- Accommodation: hotel**
- Included meals : breakfast
- Entrance to the park not included (52,3 reales/p.p.)
Rental car
Receive your rental vehicle at your hotel and head south. On the road, you pass by the Wanda mines, deposits of semiprecious stones on the shores of the Parana River. Also recommended is Montecarlo, the national capital of orchid gardens. Finally join the Roth foundation. Visit its mate plantations, the oldest mate mill in the province and the native plant nurseries used to reforest degraded areas. Dinner at the estancia. At nightfall, reach the ruins of San Ignacio Mini for a magnificent sound and light show over the Jesuit ruins dating back to the 17th century. Spend the night at the estancia..
- Transport : rental car – 240 km - 3h
- Accommodation: family run Estancia
- Included meals : breakfast and dinner
- Entrance to the night show not included
Rental car
Choose to spend the morning at the Foundation, deepening your knowledge of mate, plants and history of the early settlers, or exploring the region’s Jesuit missions: San Ignacio Mini, Santa Ana y Loreto. Leave for the small city of El Soberbio following the beautiful scenic route along Uruguay River in the afternoon. From there visit the Moconá Park, one of the best preserved in the region. Stroll in the park and go sailing on the river to experience the amazing Moconá Falls: a 2km long gap in the bed of the river! Finally, spend the night at a beautiful lodge located in the heart of the forest where you can enjoy watching and listening to nature..
- Transport : rental car – 210 km - 3h
- Accommodation: lodge
- Included meals : breakfast
- Entrances to the sites not included
Rental car
Visit the Guarani tribe of Jejy. This tribe is situated close to an incredible forest of tree ferns. Explore the forest and the traditional traps used for hunting birds, rodents, monkeys and cats. Visit the village El Soberbio where you can get an insight in the production of vegetable sponges and citronella oil. In the afternoon, return to your hotel in Puerto Iguazu and leave your rental car.
- Transport : rental car – 246 km - 4h
- Accommodation: hotel**
- Included meals : breakfast
Flight Puerto Iguazu > Buenos Aires
Transfer to the airport for your flight to Buenos Aires where you arrive in the morning. Transfer to your hotel. Continue exploring Buenos Aires, you can choose to take a walk downtown to the Pink House (Government) and Congress, or enjoy the parks and nice buildings of Recoleta and Palermo. In these neighbours you will find interesting museums as well as Plaza Francia’s craftsman fair and Tango dancers.
- Transport : private transfer - 1h15
- Accommodation: hotel**
- Included meals: breakfast
Enjoy a free day. Our suggestions:
San Antonio de Areco, a traditional gaucho town in the hearth of the Pampa. Learn about the lifestyle of the Gauchos in a traditional estancia. Taste a good piece of beef, the legendary asado Argentino and stroll on horseback or by horse buggy.
El Tigre, a residential suburb located on the delta of the Parana River. It offers pleasant walks along the river and sailing tours.
- Accommodation: hotel**
- Included meals: breakfast
Departure of your international flight
Some free time to continue visiting the capital city of Buenos Aires. Three hours before your international flight, a transfer vehicle will pick you up at your hotel to take you to the airport.
- Transport : private transfer - 45 min
- Included meals : breakfast
This program is only given as an indication. Transhumans reserves the right, directly or through its local partners, to replace transportation, accommodation, itinerary, as well as dates and departure times, without the participants being able to claim any compensation.
Dates and prices
PRICES 2016 (in USD per person)
| N° of participants | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| Price per person ($) | 2975 | 2915 | 2915 | 2798 | 2689 | 2655 | 2545 |
The price includes:
- 3 domestic flights : Buenos Aires > Salta ; Salta > P. Iguazu; P. Iguazu > Buenos Aires ;
- Ground transfers as mentioned in the program ;
- Rental car for 6 days in Salta;
- Rental car for 3 days in Puerto Iguazu ;
- 2 nights in hotel***; 11 nights in hotel**; 1 night with host family, 1 night in Estancia, 1 night in lodge (DOUBLE ROOM) ;
- All the meals as mentioned in the programme ;
- A road book with all the information necessary for the smooth running of your stay; ;
- A mobile phone to be in contact with us 24/7.
The price does not include:
- International flights ;
- Entrances to the parks ;
- The single occupancy supplement : USD 315 (no single room available with the host family) ;
- Drinks and personal expenses ;
- The comprehensive insurance and repatriation assistance.
... and more generally all that is not mentioned in « the price includes » section.
Some important facts
- National flights are included ;
- Transfers to/from airport/hotel/airport are included ;
- Accommodation is included and selected based on quality and hygiene ;
- Local partners are fairly compensated ;
- 3% of the price of your trip goes directly to support a local educational project for cultural and environmental development .
Practical Information
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Accompanying English and Spanish speaking guides
The day of your arrival, you will be received by an English speaking member of our staff. He/she will hand you a road book and a mobile phone, allowing you to be in contact with us 24/7 if needed. If specified in your program, he/she will also accompany you around the capital, giving you the basic practical information about the country or countries you are visiting.
During excursions, you will be accompanied by a local Spanish speaking guide, often also speaking English.
When to travel the North of Argentina?
In the Northwest, precipitations tend to concentrate from December to February: short-lived but intense bursts of rainfall usually occur in this period. Parts of this geographical area have record levels of sunshine as the Valley of Calchaquies or Humahuaca Valley. The altitude is a key factor in temperature variation. For example, at 3000m in winter time it is possible to have temperatures of around -15 ° C.
In the Northeast, there is rainfall distributed throughout the year, storms are generally short and intense. The temperatures are very high in the summer (30 to 40 degrees) with a high humidity. In winter, temperatures are cooler with occasional frosty mornings.
Local Transportation
Travelling by bus is the most popular and cheapest way to discover the country. Classes range from Semi-Cama to Cama Suite with wider seats which are reclining to a horizontal position almost like being in bed. Distances are long and it takes more than 20 hour bus ride from Buenos Aires to Salta. Bus lines connect major cities together. The buses run at an average speed of 80 km/h. For long distances, the plane remains the most convenient mean of transportation.
NOTE : TransHumans offers the option of booking for you the international flight ticket; we will seek and book for you the best deals. Price may vary depending on the time of purchase but can vary between $1000 and $1600 insurance included .
Formalities
PASSPORT & VISA : A valid passport is sufficient for most European and US citizens; a tourist visa will be issued at entry to the territory. If the stay exceeds the three months, it will be necessary to apply for a visa at the Embassy in your country. However, U.S. citizen tourists must pay a $160 reciprocity fee prior to arrival in Argentina. Contact your local embassy, or consulate for the most up-to-date visa requirements. IT'S YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO HAVE THE CORRECT TRAVEL DOCUMENTATION.
REMINDER : Make copies of all your important documents (passport, flight tickets, insurance, and credit card). Leave one copy of each at home and pack one with you.
EQUIPMENT
GOOD GEAR WILL ALLOW YOU TO BETTER ENJOY YOUR TRIP…
Clothing:
Given the great variation in temperature between day and night in the Northwest it is necessary to pack both light and warm clothes.
Remember to take good insect repellent, hat, cap and sunglasses (minimum lens category 3)!
Miscellaneous:
-Toiletry bag (biodegradable products are preferred)
-Small quick-drying towel
-Sunscreen lotion
-Insect repellent DEET (+ 40% for good protection). This is also useful against fleas which can be a nuisance for people with sensitive skin.
-Head torch (with spare batteries and bulbs)
-Bottle and/or camel bag
-Pocket knife (checked luggage)
-Money belt or pouch to safely store your passport, currency, credit cards, personal papers, insurance papers.
-A copy of your passport.
-Power sockets in Argentina are type C and I; Voltage: 220 V.
Medical Kit:
-Antidiarrheal medication (i.e. Smecta and Imodium)
-Antihistamine
-Plasters, sterile dressings and antiseptics
-Medicine for pain or fever (such as acetaminophen, aspirin, or ibuprofen)
-Elastic adhesive bandage
-Anti-inflammatory ointment or cream
-Water purification tablets
NOTE : Most of these products are also available in local pharmacies.
Luggage:
Please arrange your belongings in two bags:
-Small backpack (capacity 25/40 litres).This is your hand luggage you will take with you on the plane as well as every day during hikes, excursions and transfers.
-Large waterproof backpack to check-in (capacity 60 to 90 litres).
-Large plastic bag to protect from moisture your belongings in your backpacks.
HEALTH
Vaccines
The country does not present any health risks, and the water is potable almost everywhere. No vaccine is mandatory for Argentina, but some are recommended:
-Tetanus-diphtheria
-Polio
-Pertussis
-Hepatitis B
For children and those born before 1980: measles, mumps - rubella.
Other risks
Try to avoid contact with insects. Fleas tend to be a nuisance for sensitive skin. Regular insect repellent is also effective against fleas and dengue.
Altitude sickness
Altitude sickness is due to a rapid ascent to higher altitudes and the decreasing level of oxygen available at those altitudes. The symptoms include shortness of breath, irritating dry cough, severe headache, nausea and exhaustion. The first solution is to descend to a lower altitude (at least 500 m).
Proper acclimatization of the body to increasing altitudes is the best way to prevent altitude sickness. Once above 3000 meters it is wise not to increase the altitude at which you sleep by more than 500 meters. Stop a day if the altitude increases by 1000 meters in a day, keep hydrated and avoid drinking alcohol and smoking.
The best way to acclimatize to the altitude is to climb gradually. Given enough time, your body will adapt to the decrease in oxygen at a specific altitude.
Medical Assistance
Medical care is excellent in most tourist areas in Argentina. For more remote areas, in case of urgent medical assistance, contact your Embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina. We highly recommend you to contact your insurance as soon as possible.
LOCAL CUSTOMS
Guarani people - Missiones
The Guarani are culturally-related indigenous people of South America, specifically Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. They inhabit the Amazon rainforest and other forests, such as the Yungas and the Selva Paranaense in Argentina, Paraguay and Bolivia. They are divided into several ethnic groups, each one with its own customs and beliefs. They are nomadic hunter-gatherers who, under pressure from governments and landowners, transitioned to more sedentary forms of subsistence. They believe in the spirits of the forest, use a wide variety of medicinal plants and are skilled craftsmen. Much of the Guarani population of Argentina still speak Guarani and only very little Spanish. They are typically a much closed society and often struggle to understand "modern society" to which they were force to adapt in less than two generations. Despite this, the Guarani are warm, hospitable and friendly people. Feel free to talk with the elders; they can be a little shy but have a lot to say about the incredible changes to the lifestyle of their tribes in the last decades.
Responsible Tourism
RESPONSIBLE TOURISM
Our Vision & Commitment
Cultural awareness is very important to us. Sensible to the local cultural traditions and beliefs, the beauty of the landscapes and the biodiversity of the ecosystems, we choose to limit the negative impact of our activities on the local environment. In addition to designing trips that aim at preserving the natural, cultural and social resources of the territories in the long term, we also include the concept of “Territorial Compensation”. The idea of Territorial Compensation is to help local people protect and conserve their ecosystem, enhance their cultural heritage and develop sustainable projects for their territory.
Based on this concept of Territorial Compensation, TransHumans donates 3% of the total price of each trip to this cause. The money goes directly into a solidarity fund that finances our ERECA program (Education Relative à l'Environnement et aux Cultures Aborigènes), an environmental and cultural program. Since 2007, we have supported various projects aimed at training and awareness-raising for the local communities.
If you want to know more about this+ : http://www.transhumans.fr/en/solidarity-project-transhumans
