Getting to the Calchaqui Valleys

Given the rich geological and cultural variety, as well as the historical importance of the landscapes and settings in this region, it is highly recommended to book a guided tour to get the most of your trip to the Calchaquí Valleys.

If you would rather travel on your own, you should probably start your trip in Tucumán. Aerolineas Argentinas and Austral operate daily flights to San Miguel de Tucumán. If you are willing to plan your trip in advance, you can achieve significant savings, by buying the ticket before leaving your country. (Show Details)

Bus service to Tucumán starts at the Retiro Bus Terminal in Buenos Aires (Avenida Ramos Mejía 1680) [ ] . Since the drive takes no less than 20 hours, you might probably want to get an overnight bus with “bed-seats” –that is, totally reclinable seats- as well as food service and a bar on board. San Miguel de Tucumán is one of the few cities in Argentina at which you can also arrive by train. Here you can get your own cabin for about 200 pesos, which surely helps making the 24 hours drive.
Once in Tucumán, the best option is to take one-day excursion to each to the main attractions in the area. Then, you can take a bus to Salta where you can also complete one-day excursions and get back to sleep in Salta. You can return to Buenos Aires from Salta, either by plane or bus.

Please note that, although in some cases it might be possible to travel to tourist destinations in the Calchaqui Valleys by taking a local public bus, their service is usually not so reliable and their frequency rather low (in most cases, only one bus a day). Plus, the favourable current exchange rate makes travel agencies rates so affordable, that it really makes sense to take advantage of the knowledge and flexibility of tourist guides in order to get the most out of your trip!