Salta & the Andean Northwest

North of Jujuy, the memorable Quebrada de Humahuaca snakes north toward Bolivia. It’s a harsh but vivid landscape, a network of dry yet river-scoured canyons overlooked by mountains with sedimentary strata that have been eroded into spectacular scalloped formations revealing a spectrum of colors in undulating waves. The palette of this World Heritage–listed valley changes constantly, from shades of creamy white to rich, deep reds; the rock formations in places recall a necklace of sharks’ teeth, in others the knobby backbone of some unspeakable beast.

Dotting the valley are picturesque indigenous towns offering a fine variety of places to stay, plus handicrafts and homey restaurants serving warming locro and llama fillets. It's no surprise that the region has experienced a tourism boom in recent years, but it remains an under-the-radar world-class destination. You won't be alone here, but with landscapes this magical, it will hardly matter.

One of Argentina’s most enchanting rural zones is a winning combination of rugged landscapes, traditional weavers' workshops, striking adobe villages and top vineyards. Small but sophisticated Cafayate, with its wineries and paved highway, presents quite a contrast to more remote settlements such as Angastaco or Molinos, while Cachi, accessible from Salta via a spectacular road that crosses the Parque Nacional Los Cardones, is a peaceful, adorable and increasingly popular base. Vernacular architecture merits special attention: even modest adobe houses sport neoclassical columns or neo-Moorish arches.

The indigenous Diaguita (Calchaquí) put up some of the stiffest resistance to Spanish colonialism.

This lovely hill town, set in a green valley with fabulous vistas of the surrounding mountains, is where Tucumán folk traditionally head to take refuge from the summer heat. It's no wonder. Tafí makes a fine spot to hang out for a few days; it offers crisp mountain air, hiking options, budget accommodations, memorable estancias, and a laid-back scene.

The journey from Tucumán is spectacular: a narrow river gorge with dense subtropical forest on all sides opens onto the reservoir-filled valley beneath the snowy peaks of the Sierra del Aconquija. The precipitous mountain road merits a window seat.

An enchanting adobe town, backed by snowcapped Andean peaks and fringed with high-altitude vineyards that produce world-class wine, Cachi will make your heart quiver. It's the biggest place hereabouts by some distance – you’ll hear locals refer to it as ‘the city’ – but it's more of a pueblo (small town). A damn handsome pueblo. One with fresh highland air, sunny days and crisp nights. The cobblestones, adobe architecture, tranquil plaza and the opportunities on hand to explore the surrounding wilds mean that it’s the sort of place that can easily eat extra days out of your carefully planned itinerary. Go ahead and torch that thing. Cachi will make everything alright.

With a gorgeous situation among low rocky hills, backed by the Sierra de Famantina (a range of mammoth, snowcapped peaks), Chilecito, a pit stop for most on RN 40, has several interesting things to see, including an abandoned cableway leading to a mine high in the sierra. With its mining heritage and the slopes around town dotted with cardón cacti, Chilecito is an interesting place to spend a few quiet days. It’s also a base for spectacular excursions into the sierra.

Sophisticated Salta is a favorite, engaging active minds with its outstanding museums and lighting romantic candles with its plazaside cafes and the live música folklórica of its vibrant peñas (folk-music clubs). It offers the facilities of a larger city, and aside from the morning gridlock, retains the comfortable pace of a smaller town.

Salta now the most touristed spot in northwest Argentina, and it offers numerous accommodations options. The center bristles with tour agents: this is the place to get things organized for onward travel. A popular option is to hire a car here, hit the road and explore the northwest.

Argentina’s second center for quality wine production, Cafayate is a popular tourist destination but still has a tranquil small-town feel. It’s good-looking territory, with the green of the vines backed by soaring mountains beyond, and is one of northwest Argentina’s most intriguing destinations. With a selection of excellent accommodations for every budget, and several wineries – from boutique upstarts to burly behemoths – to visit in and around town, it invites an extended stay.

Cafayate is famous for its torrontés, a grape producing aromatic white wines that can be a bit round when aged in oak. Thankfully there are progressive wineries in the area decoupling that traditional pairing, resulting in dry(-ish) torrontés. Bodegas hereabouts also produce fine reds from cabernet sauvignon, malbec and tannat, and some dry rosé too.

Parque Nacional Calilegua is an accessible, beautiful, biodiverse park that stretches up the Serranía de Calilegua range to peaks offering boundless views above the forest and across the Chaco to the east.

There's a spectacular 22km road that winds through the park, ascending from 550m to 1700m and taking you through the three types of forest that characterize the park's different altitude layers. Along this road are trailheads for 10 marked hikes, from 10-minute strolls to tough descents down to river level. The best places for bird- and mammal-watching are near the stream courses in the early morning or late afternoon. Most trailheads are within easy walking distance of the park entrance. Rangers offer guiding services on the longer trails.

It takes some effort to reach western Catamarca, but your sweat will be rewarded. The area is home to historic adobe churches, vineyards, and stunning views from the hot springs above Fiambalá, an oasis town set in an arid valley among dunes. Its spectacular mountainscapes have been favorite terrain for the Dakar Rally since it moved from Africa. In the far west, a cluster of awe-inspiring peaks form the planet's second-loftiest ensemble after the Himalaya range. The main settlements are Tinogasta, a forgettable dust-bowl town, and Fiambalá, a vibrant desert encampment, set 30mi (50km) apart. If you don't have transportation, tours from Belén or Catamarca will get you here.