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Salta, Cachi and Cafayate road trip: the classic valley loop
Day trip from Salta to Cafayate
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What a guided loop costs your party
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- Cafayate and Cachi2 days · for one person from $56
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View - Guided trip, both towns2 days · for one person from $56
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View - With Humahuaca3 full days · for one person from $94
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View - With Salinas Grandes3 days · for one person from $95
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Starting prices as on the booking platform, converted at the ECB reference rate. You see the exact price at booking.
The great circuit of northwest Argentina climbs west to Cachi, follows route 40 down the Calchaqui valley through adobe villages and red canyons, and returns to Salta through the Quebrada de las Conchas.
Editorial team, cafayatetour.click · Updated November 11, 2026 · 7 mins to read
In brief
- Cachi162 km from Salta, at 2,210 m above the sea.1
- Highest vinesVineyards near Molinos grow at 2,700 m.2
- GravelThe province is paving almost 17 km of route 40 near Molinos.3
- Guided optionGuided Cafayate and Cachi trips of 2 days start from $56.
- Back roadRoute 68 through the Conchas returns you to Salta.4
The loop at a glance
The Salta, Cachi and Cafayate road trip joins the great roads into the Calchaqui Valleys. Salta tourism describes the access exactly: provincial route 33 from Salta to Cachi, national route 68 to Cafayate, and national route 40 linking the valley towns between them.4 Drive up one, along the valley and back down the other, and you have the loop.
Along the way the wine route crosses the Quebrada de las Flechas and the Quebrada de las Conchas and old villages such as Molinos, San Carlos, Seclantas and Cachi, in the words of the province.5 Each has its own church, its own crafts and often its own wine, and the landscape changes between them from cactus slopes to sculpted red rock.
It is a trip for several days, not a day trip, and even a guided tour of Cachi and Cafayate sleeps somewhere in between. Molinos alone lies 206 km from Salta, about 5 hours via Cachi, and Angastaco 245 km by route 40.6,7 Add the time you will want to stop, so plan on a couple of nights at the very least to keep the driving pleasant; a third night lets you breathe. On paper the distances are modest, yet every village invites a stop, and the gravel stretches set their own slow pace whatever your plans say.
Town by town
The valley towns on the loop
| Town | From Salta | Known for | Stay? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cachi | 162 km | White town, peaks | Yes |
| Seclantas | 150 or 184 km | Salta ponchos | Short stop |
| Molinos | 206 km | Church, high vines | Yes |
| Angastaco | 245 km | Quebrada de las Flechas | Short stop |
| San Carlos | 220 km | Oldest town, patero wine | Short stop |
| Animana | 207 km | Wine route | Short stop |
| Cafayate | 186 km | Wineries, the plaza | Yes |
Road distances from Salta as Salta tourism gives them, by the shortest stated route.1,16,6,7,14,17,18
Salta to Cachi over the Cuesta del Obispo
The western half begins with a climb. The road to Cachi winds up the Cuesta del Obispo, which takes its name from a bishop who in 1622 had to spend the night halfway up on his way from Salta to Cachi.8 Today the zigzags take hours rather than days, but the views of folded, colored hills are just as slow to leave behind. Stop at the lookouts on the way up rather than at the top only: the light and the shape of the valley change with every bend.
Beyond the pass the road crosses Los Cardones National Park, where Salta tourism says candelabra cacti of 250 to 300 years stand guard over the roads.12 The Recta del Tin Tin runs dead straight here for 18 km at about 3,000 m, a ruler line across a plain studded with cacti.13 Pull over at a safe spot and walk among the cardones for a few minutes: they look small from the car and huge on foot.
Then Cachi, 162 km from Salta at 2,210 m, a white town of cobbled streets under snowy peaks.1 It deserves a night of its own, and our sibling guide to Cachi covers the town, its museum and where to stay in depth. For the loop, it is the natural first stop: fill up, rest, and look at the stars before the valley road.
Route 40 south: Seclantas and Molinos
From Cachi, the valley road follows the river south.4 Seclantas comes first, a village Salta tourism calls the cradle of the Salta poncho, where weavers still use the old palo plantado loom.9 Stop at a workshop if the doors are open: the ponchos are made slowly, by hand, and the weavers are proud to show the process.
Seclantas can also be reached directly, 150 km from Salta by routes 33 and 42, or 184 km by route 33 and route 40.16 That detail matters for planning: if you have less time, you can skip parts of the valley, though you lose some of the best adobe villages in doing so. For a first visit, take the full valley road; the shortcut is for a second trip or a tight schedule.
Molinos is the jewel of this stretch. Its church of San Pedro Nolasco holds the remains of Nicolas Severo de Isasmendi, the last Spanish governor of the intendancy of Salta del Tucuman.20 The province describes the vineyards around the village as the highest in the world, at 2,700 m, where altitude and intense ultraviolet light shape the fruit.2
Your loop
How to do the valley loop
Pick the traveler you are and the matching way round.
If I love driving and stopping often
Self-drive, slowly
Gravel near Molinos and many viewpoints reward a slow pace.3
If I do not want to drive gravel
A 2-day tour
Cafayate and Cachi with pickup, from $56.
If I also want the far north
The 3-day tour
Cafayate and Cachi plus Humahuaca, from $94.
If I only have a day
Cafayate by day tour
Our 12-hour day covers the Conchas half of the loop.
If Wine matters most
End in Cafayate
Finish the loop with a night among the wineries.19
Ways to do it
Self-drive, short tour or long tour
Short tour
Cafayate and Cachi
Guided, from Salta
- Length2 days
- PickupIncluded
- GuideSpanish, English
Long tour
Valleys and the north
Adds Humahuaca
- Length3 full days
- PickupIncluded
- GuideSpanish, English
Gravel, the right car and which way round
Not all of the valley road is paved. The province has announced it will finish paving the stretch between Molinos and Seclantas, almost 17 km, with its own funds.3 One 2-day tour on this loop warns of around 2 hours on low-quality dirt roads, so plan for slow driving and dust whatever car you hire. Close the windows when another car passes, and keep a cloth to wipe the windscreen.
A high-clearance car is the comfortable choice, and a full tank before each long stretch is essential. Salta's tourism office warns that mountain driving here stretches both kilometers and hours beyond what visitors expect, and asks everyone to check road conditions before setting out.21 In the rainy months add a margin for closures.
Which way round? Going to Cachi first gets the climb out of the way early and ends the trip in wine country with the gorge as a finale. Starting with Cafayate puts the easy paved road first and saves the mountain pass for last. We prefer Cachi first, so the gravel comes in the middle while you are fresh and Cafayate is the reward.
A slow plan
The loop at an easy pace
Angastaco and the Quebrada de las Flechas
South of Molinos the landscape turns wild. Angastaco lies 245 km from Salta on route 40, and around it Salta tourism describes a natural monument stretching 20 km from the village to the Calchaqui river, including the Quebrada de las Flechas, declared a protected Natural Monument in 1995.7,10 It is the most dramatic scenery of the loop for many drivers, and it comes as a surprise after the gentle green of the river villages.
The Flechas are tilted blades of rock that rise beside the road like a stone fleet, and the road threads between them for kilometers. Drive slowly here, stop often and let passengers walk ahead for photos; this is one of the stretches where a guided tour cannot give you enough time. Late afternoon light turns the rock gold and throws long shadows across the road.
Angastaco itself is a quiet adobe village with a strong wine tradition of its own. Its festival of grapes and patero wine, the farmhouse wine pressed by foot, is, the province says, the folk festival of the valley that charges nothing at the gate.22 If your dates match, it is worth planning the loop around it.
Video
On the road between Cafayate and Salta
In Between Lattes on YouTube · Your tap on play is what loads the video.
It crosses places with striking landscapes such as the Quebrada de las Flechas and the Quebrada de las Conchas, and centuries-old villages such as Molinos, San Carlos, Seclantas and Cachi.
Loop checklist
Before you leave Salta
The car3
- Choose a car with good clearance
- Fill the tank in every town that has fuel
- Check the spare tire and jack
The route3
- Check road status before each leg
- Drive gravel stretches in daylight
- Plan photo stops at the Flechas
The stays3
- Book rooms in Cachi and Molinos ahead
- Pack warm layers for cold valley nights
- Carry pesos for small villages
San Carlos, Animana and the run into Cafayate
San Carlos, 220 km from Salta and about 4 hours away, is the oldest town in the province, known as the village of 5 names after repeated failed attempts to found it between 1551 and 1641.14,11 It is also known for very artisanal patero wines, so taste one if you are not driving.23 Its church of San Carlos Borromeo, built from 1801, is one of the largest in the Calchaqui Valley and worth a short stop on foot.24
A little further, Animana lies 207 km from Salta on the wine route, and its name means place of the sky in the Cacan language.17 From here the vineyards thicken and the valley opens toward Cafayate, the second most important tourist center of Salta province.19 The change is obvious when you arrive: after days of quiet villages, Cafayate feels busy, with restaurants, wine shops and a lively plaza in the evening.
Cafayate is where the loop slows down. Spend at least a night: the wineries, the plaza and the wine museum fill a day easily, and our town and wine guides help you plan it. Then the last leg runs north through the Quebrada de las Conchas back to Salta, the same road our day trip follows. Leave in the morning so the gorge is lit from the east, and stop at its viewpoints even if you saw them from a coach before.
Where to sleep, and doing the loop on a tour
The classic overnight stops are Cachi, Molinos and Cafayate. Cachi suits a first night after the pass, Molinos a quiet second night in the middle of the valley, and Cafayate the last, with its restaurants and wineries. Book ahead in the busy months, when the valley villages have few rooms. Small inns in old adobe houses are part of the charm, but they fill early on long weekends and during festivals.
If you would rather not drive, guided trips cover the loop or parts of it. A guided trip of 2 days covering Cachi and Cafayate starts from $56, and a second version of the same pairing starts from $56. For a full tour of Salta, Cachi and Cafayate with Humahuaca added, 3 full days start from $94.
Read the itineraries carefully: some multi-day listings return to Salta each night rather than sleeping in the valleys. Ask the operator before booking which nights are spent where. Either way, booking with free cancellation leaves room to adjust if the roads or the weather change your plans. A tour that sleeps in the valley is the closest thing to driving it yourself.
FAQ
Quick questions get quick answers.
How many days does the loop need?
A few nights.
Molinos alone is 206 km and about 5 hours from Salta via Cachi, so allow several nights.6
Is route 40 paved?
Not all of it.
The province is finishing almost 17 km of paving between Molinos and Seclantas.3
Which roads make up the loop?
Routes 33, 40 and 68.
Route 33 to Cachi, route 40 down the valley and route 68 from Cafayate.4
Can I do the loop on a tour?
Yes.
A guided trip of 2 days to Cafayate and Cachi starts from $56 with pickup.
Where are the highest vineyards?
Around Molinos.
Salta tourism places the highest vineyards in the world there, at 2,700 m.2
How high is Cachi?
2,210 m.
Salta tourism puts Cachi 162 km from Salta at 2,210 m above sea level.1
What is the Quebrada de las Flechas?
A protected rock landscape.
It is part of a natural monument near Angastaco declared in 1995.10
Sources
- 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) · Paving of national route 40 between Molinos and Seclantas ↩
- Salta Ministry of Tourism and Sports (visitsalta.ar, official tourism site of Salta) · La Vendimia 2026 se vive en Salta ↩
- Salta Ministry of Tourism and Sports (visitsalta.ar, official tourism site of Salta) · Ruta del Vino de Altura ↩
- 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) · Angastaco ↩
- Salta Ministry of Tourism and Sports (visitsalta.ar, official tourism site of Salta) · Cuesta del Obispo ↩
- Salta Ministry of Tourism and Sports (visitsalta.ar, official tourism site of Salta) · Seclantas ↩
- 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) · San Carlos ↩
- Salta Ministry of Tourism and Sports (visitsalta.ar, official tourism site of Salta) · Parque Nacional Los Cardones ↩
- Salta Ministry of Tourism and Sports (visitsalta.ar, official tourism site of Salta) · Valle Encantado, Cuesta del Obispo y Recta del Tin Tin ↩
- Salta Ministry of Tourism and Sports (visitsalta.ar, official tourism site of Salta) · San Carlos ↩
- 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) · Seclantas ↩
- 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) · Cafayate ↩
- 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) · Molinos ↩
- 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) · Angastaco ↩
- Salta Ministry of Tourism and Sports (visitsalta.ar, official tourism site of Salta) · San Carlos ↩
- Salta Ministry of Tourism and Sports (visitsalta.ar) · San Carlos ↩
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