No driving
Guided day
Pickup in Salta
- Length12 hours
- StopsGorge and vineyard
- BackSame day
Choose your stop
Salta to Cafayate tour, coach or hire car: the ways in
Day trip from Salta to Cafayate
★ 4.4 · 494 written reviews
Summary
A Salta to Cafayate tour is the easiest way in, since Cafayate has no airport; the coach suits those staying over and a hire car on route 68 gives the most freedom.
Getting-there essentials
View 34 stops
Cafayate, its gorge and its valley on the map
First pick a route, then tap any pin or stop for details and Google Maps.
Where the day trip starts; Cafayate lies 186 km south.
Google MapsWater crossed the highway near here during one storm alert.
Google MapsA village on the highway just north of the gorge.
Google MapsA deep, closed canyon that narrows to a chute you can scramble into.
Google MapsThe second tourist centre of Salta province.
Google MapsFrom here a provincial road leads towards the Quilmes ruins.
Google MapsThe capital of Tucumán province, east of the valleys.
Google Maps
A deep, closed canyon that narrows to a chute you can scramble into.
Google MapsA tube-shaped hollow with near-perfect acoustics, cut by glacial meltwater.
Google MapsA crescent-shaped rise of volcanic deposits along a fault.
Google MapsA rock that wind and rain shaped into a toad.
Google MapsA rock figure the site's day trip passes with a 5-minute photo stop.
Google MapsA roadside stop the site's day trip passes, with 5 minutes for photos.
Google MapsMineral-rich limestone where a gypsum plant once worked.
Google MapsSoft red rock carved into a free-standing pillar.
Google MapsRock windows the site's day trip passes, with 5 minutes for photos.
Google MapsCastle-like towers; one, known as El Titanic, collapsed near km 19 of the highway.
Google MapsRed rock on the guided walk from El Paso to La Yesera.
Google Maps
The main square, where the town's sightseeing bus starts.
Google MapsBuilt in 1885, one of the few South American churches that keeps its five original naves.
Google MapsOpen Tuesday to Sunday, 09:00 to 18:00; a self-guided visit of 30 to 60 minutes.
Google MapsCraftspeople show the old techniques behind their pieces.
Google MapsA small arcade of craft stalls by the main square.
Google MapsThe town's tourist information office, a short walk from the square.
Google MapsA silver workshop on the town's sightseeing bus route.
Google MapsA winery in town: tanks, oak vats, concrete eggs and the old cellar; book ahead.
Google Maps
Dunes up to 15 m high, 6 km from town, for walks and sunset guitar sessions.
Google MapsA rock-art circuit at El Divisadero, 6 km from the centre.
Google MapsWaterfalls on the Río Colorado, reached from El Divisadero.
Google MapsVineyards 6 km northwest of the centre, with a wide view over the valley.
Google MapsHome of the oldest winery in the area, more than 70 years old.
Google MapsThe oldest town in Salta province, at 1,624 m.
Google MapsA village 14 km south, near the remains of a pre-Hispanic town.
Google MapsThe last stronghold of the Quilmes people, open daily 08:30 to 18:00.
Google MapsTilted rock blades forming passes with walls about 20 m high.
Google Maps
© OpenStreetMap contributors, map data
Cafayate has no airport of its own, so every trip starts by road from Salta or Tucuman. Here is how a tour, the coach and a hire car compare, and what to know about the roads.
Editorial team, cafayatetour.click · Updated November 11, 2026 · 7 mins to read
In brief
- DistanceAround 186 km and 3 hours 30 minutes by road, says the province.1
- By tourA guided day from Salta starts from $29 with pickup.
- FlyingAll air traffic to Salta uses its Guemes international airport.2
- Last servicesLa Vina is the last town before the gorge.3
- From TucumanRoute 40 is the way into the valleys from Tucuman.4
The Salta to Cafayate tour: the easy way in
For most visitors the Salta to Cafayate tour is the simplest way to make the trip. Our day collects you in Salta, drives the whole road with a guide speaking Spanish and English, and stops all along the Quebrada de las Conchas before 2 hours in Cafayate. It costs from $29 and lasts 12 hours, which is roughly what you would spend driving the same route with stops yourself.
The tour also solves the one-way problem. If you plan to stay in Cafayate, a guided day lets you scout the town and decide where to sleep before you commit. If you are only passing through, it saves you returning a hire car to Salta. And on a stormy day the listing promises the excursion still runs, with the operator's driver at the wheel.
The tour does have limits. You cannot leave the group in Cafayate, because the listing returns by the same route to Salta. If you want to stay on, travel down by coach or car instead, or book a trip of several days. Guided trips of 2 days that add Cachi start from $56 and handle the night for you.
Ways in
Tour, coach, car or the southern road
| Way | From | Stops in the gorge | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guided day | Salta | Many, with a guide | A day out |
| Coach | Salta | None | Staying in town |
| Hire car | Salta | Your choice | Flexible plans |
| Private car day | Salta | Main sites | Small groups |
| Southern road | Tucuman | Quilmes on the way | A road trip |
Stops as the listings and Salta and Tucuman tourism describe them; routes and conditions change, so check before travelling.4,15
By coach from the Salta bus terminal
Long-distance coaches link Salta and Cafayate, leaving from the city bus terminal. They are the budget choice for anyone staying in Cafayate, but they run on fixed timetables and do not stop at the gorge viewpoints, so you see the Quebrada de las Conchas only through the window. Sit on the side away from the morning sun and keep your camera handy for the moments the road runs close to the walls.
We do not print fares or times here, because the coach companies change them and we could not confirm them on an official page. Buy your seat at the terminal a day ahead in busy months, or on the company's own site, and ask which side of the coach gets the best view of the red walls. Arrive at the terminal early with a printed or saved ticket, and keep a snack and water with you, since the coach may make few stops.
A good compromise is to take a tour from Salta to Cafayate on the way down, if the operator lets you stay, or to combine a coach one way with a tour the other. Ask before booking: our day returns to Salta by the same route, so it suits travelers who sleep in Salta. If you will stay in Cafayate, the coach down and a local wine tour once there often make the better pair.
Driving route 68 yourself
Driving gives you the gorge on your own terms. The wine towns are reached from Salta on national route 68 to Cafayate, and the province reminds drivers that its roads are often mountain roads, where distances and times may differ from what they expect.4,18 Rental firms licensed by the province have offices in the city.17
Check the road before you leave. Vialidad Nacional asks drivers to check the state of national routes before travelling, and during a past weather alert route 68 had water across the road between La Vina and Coronel Moldes.5,19 The province advises never to try a flooded crossing, even when the water looks shallow.16
Plan your stops around services. La Vina is the last town before the Quebrada de las Conchas, and the gorge itself has none, so buy fuel, snacks and water before you enter it.3 Drive in daylight where you can; the province recommends planning trips ahead and keeping to daylight hours and main roads.6 Mobile signal can be patchy between towns, so download an offline map before you set off.
Your route
Pick the way to Cafayate
Find your situation and see which way in fits.
If I am based in Salta for a few days
The guided day
Pickup, guide and gorge stops for a single price.
If I want to sleep in Cafayate
Coach or car
The tour returns to Salta by the same road.
If I am coming from Tucuman
Route 40 past Quilmes
The province names route 40 as the way in from Tucuman.4
If Rain is forecast
The guided day
It runs in bad weather; never cross flooded roads yourself.16
If I want every viewpoint
A hire car
Licensed rental firms operate in Salta, and you stop wherever you like.17
Choose your ride
Tour, coach or hire car
Budget seat
Coach
From the bus terminal
- StopsNone in the gorge
- Best forStaying over
- BookAt the terminal
Your own pace
Hire car
Licensed firms in Salta
- StopsWhere you like
- RuleSober driver
- CheckRoad status
Where to stop on the drive south
The joy of a car is choosing your stops. Inside the gorge the walk-in sites are the Garganta del Diablo, a deep closed canyon, and El Anfiteatro, whose curved walls carry sound so well that no amplifier is needed.7,8 The tour gives each of them 20 minutes; with a car you can stay longer and arrive before the coaches.
Further on, El Sapo, La Yesera and Los Castillos line the road. La Yesera recalls the gypsum works that once operated there, and at Los Castillos the rock tower nicknamed El Titanic fell close to the km 19 marker.53,54 Park well off the asphalt at each, and watch for traffic on the bends. Coaches arrive in waves through the late morning, so an early start gives you these rocks almost to yourself.
Before the gorge, pause at La Vina, whose very name recalls the vineyard a priest planted there in 1556, the first in Salta.55 It is a fitting first stop on a road that ends in wine country. Our gorge guide maps every viewpoint, so read it before you set off and decide which ones deserve your time. With a car you can also return to your favorite stop on the way back, when the afternoon sun warms the color of the rock.
Price your group
What a guided ride to Cafayate costs
Pick a guided day from Salta and enter your party size.
Compare all 4 options
What a guided ride to Cafayate costs
Pick a guided day from Salta and enter your party size.
- The day sold here12 hrs, pickup · for one person from $29
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View - Gorge and Cafayate12 hrs, accessible · for one person from $29
≈
View - Day with hotel pickup12 hrs, downtown · for one person from $48
≈
View - Private car day11 hrs, per group · starts at $290
≈
View
Starting prices as on the booking platform, converted at the ECB reference rate. You see the exact price at booking.
From Tucuman, via Tafi del Valle and Quilmes
A tour to Cafayate from Tucuman follows a different road, through the mountains and into the valleys from the south. Salta tourism notes that national route 40 links the valleys and is also a way in from Tucuman.4 The route passes Tafi del Valle, where Tucuman tourism invites visitors to walk, ride and kayak on the La Angostura dam.56
The highlight on this side is the Sacred City of Quilmes, which Tucuman tourism calls the largest pre-Hispanic settlement in Argentina.57 It sits at 1,850 m in the Calchaqui Valley, 180 km from San Miguel de Tucuman; from Amaicha del Valle you follow route 307 for 15 km to route 40, continue 3 km north on it, then take a dirt road of 5 km to the site.58,15
Its story stays with visitors. In 1667 the Quilmes were forced off their land and made to walk to the outskirts of Buenos Aires; of 1,700 who set out, only 400 arrived alive.59 Seeing the terraces where they held out makes the drive north to Cafayate feel like part of a longer history, and our around-Cafayate guide covers the ruins as a trip from town.
Video
Driving from Salta to Cafayate through the Quebrada de las Conchas
In Between Lattes on YouTube · Your tap on play is what loads the video.
Bear in mind that our roads are often mountain roads, and distances and travel times may differ from those you are used to.
Road checklist
Before you set off
Planning3
- Check national route status the day before
- Leave early and drive in daylight
- Book coach seats a day ahead in busy months
In the car3
- Water and snacks from La Vina
- A sober driver for the whole day
- Sunglasses for the bright gorge
If it rains3
- Never drive into flooded crossings
- Consider the guided day instead
- Tell your hotel your route
Flying in: why Salta is the gateway
Cafayate has no airport with scheduled flights today. Salta tourism says the Martin Miguel de Guemes international airport handles all the air traffic to Salta, so that is where flights from Buenos Aires and elsewhere land.2 From there it is a road trip, by tour, coach or car. Many visitors spend a night or more in Salta first, which gives time to adjust to the region and to book the Cafayate day with a calm head.
That may change one day. The province reports that its governor and the national tourism secretary have advanced a project for a new international airport in Cafayate.60 No opening date is given, so plan on Salta for now and treat any news of a Cafayate airport as a project, not a timetable. Until a runway opens, the drive through the gorge is simply part of arriving, and for many visitors it is the highlight.
Flying into Tucuman is the other option if you want to arrive from the south and see Quilmes on the way. It suits a road trip that enters the valleys on route 40 and leaves north through the Quebrada de las Conchas to Salta.4 Ask any rental firm about one-way hire before you plan around it, since returning the car elsewhere is not always possible.
Which way in suits you
If you have a day and want no stress, the tour wins: pickup, guide and stops for a single price, and nothing to pay until later. If you are staying in Cafayate on a budget, the coach is your friend. If you want to stop at every viewpoint and visit wineries out of town, hire a car, choose a sober driver and check the road reports.
Whatever you choose, respect the conditions. Salta tourism advises against driving through intense storms, especially on rural roads and near rivers, and to keep in touch with your accommodation about your route.61 In the dry months the road is easy; in the rainy season it asks for patience. A spare hour in your plans is the best insurance against a closed stretch or a slow convoy behind roadworks.
Remember too that the valley climate swings widely. Between midday and night the valleys can cool by 10 to 15 C, so the province suggests a light coat even in summer, plus a hat and sunglasses for the day.62 Pack for both, wherever you start from. A fleece that rolls into a daypack, a water bottle and a hat cover most of what the road will throw at you.
FAQ
Quick questions get quick answers.
How far is Cafayate from Salta?
Does Cafayate have an airport?
Which road goes from Salta to Cafayate?
National route 68.
Salta tourism says the wine towns are reached on route 68 to Cafayate.4
Where can I buy fuel and food on the way?
Before the gorge.
La Vina is the last town before the Quebrada de las Conchas, which has no services.3
Can I drive after a winery tasting?
No.
Drivers in Argentina must show a reading of 0 when tested for alcohol, so the driver skips the wine.63
Can I reach Cafayate from Tucuman?
Is a tour cheaper than driving?
For a solo traveler or a couple, often.
A shared day starts from $29 with transport and guide included.
Sources
- Salta Ministry of Tourism and Sports (visitsalta.ar, official tourism site of Salta) · Cafayate ↩
- Salta Ministry of Tourism and Sports (visitsalta.ar, official tourism site of Salta) · Como llegar ↩
- Salta Ministry of Tourism and Sports (visitsalta.ar, official tourism site of Salta) · La Vina ↩
- Salta Ministry of Tourism and Sports (visitsalta.ar, official tourism site of Salta) · La Vendimia 2026 se vive en Salta ↩
- Vialidad Nacional (argentina.gob.ar) · Estado de rutas ↩
- Salta Ministry of Tourism and Sports (visitsalta.ar, official tourism site of Salta) · Recomendaciones para viajeros ante condiciones climaticas adversas ↩
- Salta Ministry of Tourism and Sports (visitsalta.ar, official tourism site of Salta) · Quebrada de las Conchas ↩
- Salta Ministry of Tourism and Sports (visitsalta.ar, official tourism site of Salta) · Quebrada de las Conchas ↩
- Salta Ministry of Tourism and Sports (visitsalta.ar, official tourism site of Salta) · Cachi ↩
- Salta Ministry of Tourism and Sports (visitsalta.ar, official tourism site of Salta) · Molinos ↩
- Salta Ministry of Tourism and Sports (visitsalta.ar, official tourism site of Salta) · Animana ↩
- Salta Ministry of Tourism and Sports (visitsalta.ar, official tourism site of Salta) · San Carlos ↩
- Salta Ministry of Tourism and Sports (visitsalta.ar, official tourism site of Salta) · Angastaco ↩
- Salta Ministry of Tourism and Sports (visitsalta.ar, official tourism site of Salta) · Cafayate ↩
- Ente Tucuman Turismo (tucumanturismo.gob.ar) · The Sacred City of Quilmes: living history in the heart of the Calchaqui Valley ↩
- Salta Ministry of Tourism and Sports (visitsalta.ar, official tourism site of Salta) · Recomendaciones para viajeros ante condiciones climaticas adversas ↩
- Salta Ministry of Tourism and Sports (visitsalta.ar, official tourism site of Salta) · Como llegar ↩
- Salta Ministry of Tourism and Sports (visitsalta.ar, official tourism site of Salta) · Como llegar ↩
- Salta Ministry of Tourism and Sports (visitsalta.ar, official tourism site of Salta) · Recomendaciones para viajeros ante condiciones climaticas adversas ↩
- Salta Ministry of Tourism and Sports (visitsalta.ar) · Quebrada de las Conchas
- Salta Ministry of Tourism and Sports (visitsalta.ar) · Quebrada de las Conchas
- Salta Ministry of Tourism and Sports (visitsalta.ar) · Quebrada de las Conchas
- Salta Ministry of Tourism and Sports (visitsalta.ar) · Quebrada de las Conchas
- Salta Ministry of Tourism and Sports (visitsalta.ar) · Quebrada de las Conchas
- Salta Ministry of Tourism and Sports (visitsalta.ar) · Quebrada de las Conchas
- Salta Ministry of Tourism and Sports (visitsalta.ar) · Quebrada de las Conchas
- Salta Ministry of Tourism and Sports (visitsalta.ar) · Quebrada de las Conchas
- Salta Ministry of Tourism and Sports (visitsalta.ar) · Quebrada de las Conchas
- Salta Ministry of Tourism and Sports, experiences platform (licensed providers) · Trekking del Canon del Paso a La Yesera
- Salta Ministry of Tourism and Sports, experiences platform (licensed providers) · Bus Turistico Cafayate
- Salta Ministry of Tourism and Sports (visitsalta.ar) · Cafayate
- Museo de la Vid y el Vino, Cafayate (official site) · Museo de la Vid y el Vino
- Museo de la Vid y el Vino, Cafayate (official site) · Museo de la Vid y el Vino
- Salta Ministry of Tourism and Sports (visitsalta.ar) · Cafayate
- Salta Ministry of Tourism and Sports, experiences platform (licensed providers) · Tours y degustaciones (Bodega El Porvenir)
- Salta Ministry of Tourism and Sports, experiences platform (licensed providers) · Tours y degustaciones (Bodega El Porvenir)
- Salta Ministry of Tourism and Sports (visitsalta.ar) · Quebrada de las Conchas
- Salta Ministry of Tourism and Sports (visitsalta.ar) · Cafayate
- Salta Ministry of Tourism and Sports (visitsalta.ar) · Cafayate
- Salta Ministry of Tourism and Sports (visitsalta.ar) · Cafayate
- Salta Ministry of Tourism and Sports (visitsalta.ar) · Animana
- Salta Ministry of Tourism and Sports (visitsalta.ar) · San Carlos
- Salta Ministry of Tourism and Sports (visitsalta.ar) · San Carlos
- Salta Ministry of Tourism and Sports (visitsalta.ar) · Cafayate
- Salta Ministry of Tourism and Sports (visitsalta.ar) · Cafayate
- Tucuman Tourism Board (Ente Tucuman Turismo) · Sacred City of Quilmes (archaeology)
- Tucuman Tourism Board (Ente Tucuman Turismo) · Ciudad Sagrada de Quilmes - Centro de Interpretacion de Quilmes
- Salta Ministry of Tourism and Sports (visitsalta.ar) · Angastaco
- Salta Ministry of Tourism and Sports (visitsalta.ar) · La musica y la identidad vallista vuelven a encontrarse en la Serenata a Cafayate
- Salta Ministry of Tourism and Sports (visitsalta.ar) · Cafayate
- Tucuman Tourism Board (Ente Tucuman Turismo) · Sacred City of Quilmes (archaeology)
- Salta Ministry of Tourism and Sports (visitsalta.ar) · Recomendaciones para viajeros ante condiciones climaticas adversas en Salta
- Salta Ministry of Tourism and Sports (visitsalta.ar, official tourism site of Salta) · Quebrada de las Conchas ↩
- Salta Ministry of Tourism and Sports (visitsalta.ar, official tourism site of Salta) · Quebrada de las Conchas ↩
- Salta Ministry of Tourism and Sports (visitsalta.ar, official tourism site of Salta) · La Vina ↩
- Ente Tucuman Turismo (tucumanturismo.gob.ar) · Tafi del Valle ↩
- Ente Tucuman Turismo (tucumanturismo.gob.ar) · The Sacred City of Quilmes: living history in the heart of the Calchaqui Valley ↩
- Ente Tucuman Turismo (tucumanturismo.gob.ar) · The Sacred City of Quilmes: living history in the heart of the Calchaqui Valley ↩
- Ente Tucuman Turismo (tucumanturismo.gob.ar) · The Sacred City of Quilmes: living history in the heart of the Calchaqui Valley ↩
- Salta Ministry of Tourism and Sports (visitsalta.ar, official tourism site of Salta) · Avanzan en la creacion de un nuevo aeropuerto internacional en Cafayate ↩
- Salta Ministry of Tourism and Sports (visitsalta.ar, official tourism site of Salta) · Recomendaciones para viajeros ante condiciones climaticas adversas ↩
- Salta Ministry of Tourism and Sports (visitsalta.ar, official tourism site of Salta) · Clima y geografia ↩
- Government of Argentina (argentina.gob.ar), Derecho Facil · Ley simple: Transito y consumo de alcohol ↩
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