On this ride you will cross the Andes in the northwest of Argentina as in colonial times, but with some 21st century amenities. These ancient Inca trails are the ideal back for an unforgettable experience. You will explore a breathtaking landscape. Again and again you will have magnificent views over forested valleys with crystal clear rivers, followed by deserts with colorful mountains and huge cacti and rock paintings.
You ride up to 2,700 meters. At this altitude the forest is replaced by pastures. This is also the home of the Andes condor. After sunset a spectacular starry sky of the southern hemisphere shines above you. The campfire illuminates the night while you drink coffee, tea or the typical mate together.
On the way you will meet again and again the local population, descendants of the Incas. Parts of the old culture are still alive here - high up in the mountains.

Cattle Drive:

For centuries, the beginning of autumn has been the time when the gauchos drive the cattle from the mountains to the pasture . It is time to prepare for the winter. This is the perfect program to experience the criollos working the cattle. It is designed for a small group of experienced rider who want to experience the authentic, unadulterated life of gauchos and drovers in the Andes. You will have to take your horse off the beaten track in steep mountain terrain to ride . We to rear up to 3000 m, where the forest turns into high grassland. This is the home of the Andean condor. When the sun sets, the spectacular stars of the southern hemisphere will cover the sky. Relax in the camp in a peaceful atmosphere. The campfire lights up the darkness of the night while you sip a cup of coffee, tea or mate to drink. All this creates the ideal ambience to feel the timeless spirit of nature and make new friends.

Itinerary

Inca Trail 8 days:

Day 1: Arrival in Salta by 4 pm. Pick up from the airport and visit to the MAAM (Archaeological Museum). It displays finds from the Inca sacrificial site on the summit of the Llullaillaco volcano (6,730 m) and contains the best-preserved mummies in the world. Today you will spend the night in a boutique hotel in Salta and enjoy a welcome dinner with your guide.

Day 2: After breakfast, drive to Piedra del Molino (approx. 2 hours' drive). There you will meet the horses. The drive takes you past the Cuesta del Obispo, from where you can enjoy beautiful views, and the Cardones National Park, where you can see many guanacos (relatives of the llamas). At Piedra del Molino (3,348 meters above sea level) you will get to know the horses and gauchos. After lunch, you set off on your first ride south. Before sunset, you will reach Penas Blancas (2,760 meters above sea level) after crossing a small range of hills. This area is home to wild donkeys, which were brought to countryside by the Spanish conquistadors and eventually set free. Overnight stay in a cabin.

Day 3: After breakfast, you set off on your ride through the valley. Here and there you will see small clay houses and old remnants of past settlements. You to ride head west and enjoy wonderful views over the hill and valleys. A lunch break awaits you at a dried-up riverbed (great for galloping!). In the afternoon, you will see, among other things, centuries-old Indian rock paintings. You will also visit Working Ranch Isonza, where people still work in the traditional way, just as the Incas used to do. Among other things, goat's cheese is produced on the farm. 

Day 4: Today to ride you head towards Amblayo (at 2,400 m above sea level). Gigantic cacti characterize the landscape. Only 150 inhabitants live in village and it is a very special feeling to ride into this small village without cars. Here, Horse is still used as a means of transportation and a beast of burden. It is known for its excellent goat's cheese. On the way there, you will pass an archaeological site with many old shards of pottery. Overnight stay in Amblayo (room with beds and bathroom with hot water water). 

Day 5: This morning you can relax and enjoy your stay in the pretty village . Visit the ancient chapel and have a chat with the locals. In the afternoon, to ride take you to the hills at the foot of the Sierra Pelada, the area where the Incas settled many centuries ago. Overnight stay in Amblayo.

Day 6: A day full of contrasts awaits you. The route heads east over the "Dead Lion" mountain range. The desert changes slow but surely into highland grass plains. You reach an altitude of approx. 3,000 m above sea level. This is the countryside of the condors! With a bit of luck, you will see one of the mighty birds. Then the descent begins down into the dense forest of the Lerma Valley. In the evening you reach the El Churqui mountain camp (1,960 m above sea level), where a hearty dinner awaits you. You will sleep in a hut (in sleeping bags). 

Day 7: You to ride to La Vina along the Las Pircas river. This path has been used for centuries and is still used today by the local inhabitants as a connection between the villages. The minibus will be waiting for you in La Vina to take you to Salta (approx. 2 hours). Overnight stay in a boutique hotel and farewell dinner.

Day 8: After breakfast you will be taken to the airport.


Inca Trail 11 days:

Day 1: Transfer to the domestic airport & flight to Salta. We visit the MAAM (Museum of High Mountain Archaeology) (closed on Mondays). Recently opened to show the objects found at an Inca human sacrifice site on the summit of the Llullaillaco volcano (6730 m - 18000 ft. high). It contains the best preserved mummies in the world. Check in at the boutique hotel. Enjoy a welcome dinner with your guide.

Day 2: After breakfast, we will drive to the horses. The ride takes us along the Cuesta del Obispo with its breathtaking views and the Cardones National Park, where you can usually spot guanacos (Andean camelids). When you reach Piedra del Molino (3348 meters high), you will meet the horses and gauchos. Lunch at the corral. You start your ride south at this high altitude location. Before sunset, you reach Peñas Blancas (2750 meters high) to spend the night in a hut with beds after crossing a small range of hills to our left. Along the way are herds of wild donkeys released by the Spanish conquistadors.

Day 3: After breakfast, get ready for your journey. On this day to ride you will follow the lifeline that this valley has had for centuries. Along the way, you will see small mud houses here and there and the archaeological remains of old settlements. The journey begins by heading west until you reach the very steep slopes of the Chilo, which separate two valleys. The view is magnificent and lets you feel the power of nature. Lunch in a dry riverbed that is perfect for galloping. On the way you stop to see the old pictographs painted centuries ago by the local Indians. You will visit Isonza, a working Ranch, whose old way of life is still intact, and Leuca Burgos, which produces goat's cheese. The way they milk the goats, make cheese and grow their crops is centuries old and inherited from the time of the Incas.

Day 4: They are mainly moving south towards Yaslaguala. The giant cacti are everywhere and set the stage. After lunch you will drive to town Amblayo (2450 meters high) where we will spend the night. It has only 150 inhabitants and its main means of transportation is Horse. The town is famous for its goat cheese. Feel the sensation of arriving in this tiny town with almost no cars! An unforgettable experience. To get there, to ride you first pass through archaeological areas where you can see scattered pieces of painted pottery. You look around with the understanding not to remove any of the finds.

Day 5: After breakfast, enjoy this picturesque town and visit the old chapel and the 17th century paintings brought back from Peru, chat with the neighbors... After lunch to ride you head to the foothills of the Sierra Pelada. These multicolored hill are unique. You will also to ride on the Río Salado, which is a great place for galloping! Traditional goat barbecue for dinner.

Day 6: The ride will offer a day full of contrasts. On the way east, we will cross the Dead Lion area. The desert gradually gives way to high grassland. This is the countryside of the condor. Once you reach about 3000 m, you will have the opportunity to see some of them. You begin your descent into the dense forest of the Lerma Valley. At sunset, you will reach the El Churqui mountain camp (1960 m high), where an energizing home-cooked meal awaits you.

Day 7: Riding west, you will cross the Dead Lions Mountains again, but now through narrow paths of the enchanted valley to Ayuso (2500 meters high). This is the home of a local family in a place that overlooks the Calchaquí-valley . These old adobe bricks that make up the small house will make you feel like you are in a world so different from your own. We set up the tents for the night.

Day 8: The last two days have been spent crossing high mountains. On this day we will circle Cerro Bola. It's a perfect day to gallop along the dry riverbeds of the Salado River and have lunch in the shade of the ancient algarrobo trees. You will stay overnight in Ayuso again, so you will only take the essentials for the day.

Day 9: We leave Ayuso and drive through narrow creeks far south into the Calchaquí valleys towards our next stop in Rastrojitos (1900 meters high). They have now moved into Cafayate Creek, which has rock formations similar to those of the Grand Canyon, only smaller. These are the region's landmark. At the mountain hut of Rastrojitos, you are greeted with a typical mud-oven roast goat . You pitch your tents for the night.

Day 10: You to ride downhill towards the Las Conchas river. Some parts of our route are very slow steep. Today you have the opportunity to see one of the best views in Salta. The river Las Conchas is our end point. Say goodbye to the horses in Puente Morales (1300 meters altitude). Transfer back to town Salta. End of the ride. Check in at the boutique hotel. Farewell dinner.

Day 11: Transfer to Salta airport and flight to Buenos Aires.

Andes Cattle Drive:

Day 1: Plan to arrive at Salta airport before 4pm for pick up at the local airport. We will visit the MAAM (Museum of High Altitude Archaeology). It was recently opened to show the findings of an Inca sacrificial site on the volcano Llullaillaco (6730 m). The world's best-preserved mummies are kept here. Check in at the boutique hotel. Enjoy a welcome dinner with your tour guide.

Day 2: After breakfast, we drive to our horses. The ride takes us along the Cuesta del Obispo with its breathtaking views and the Cardones National Park, where you can usually see guanacos (Andean camelids). This is a program in itself. We reach Peñas Blancas (2750 meters high) where we meet the horses and gauchos. Lunch. In the afternoon to ride we walk along the lifeline of this valley, which has existed for centuries, while we go in search of the cattle scattered everywhere. Here and there along the way we can see small adobe houses and archaeological remains of old settlements. We stop to look at the old pictographs painted by the local Indians centuries ago. We visit Isonza, a Ranch, where the old way of life is still intact, and Leuca Burgos, who makes goat cheese. The way the goats are milked, the cheese is made and the crops are grown is centuries old and a legacy from the Inca era. Along the way, there are herds of wild donkeys that were set free by the Spanish conquistadors.

Day 3: After breakfast, we get ready to go riding. We will spend the whole day searching the area and rounding up the cattle . The ride initially takes us west until we reach the very steep Chilo slopes that separate two valleys. The view is magnificent and lets us feel the power of nature. Lunch on the way. By sunset, we should be able to reach the stables without leaving a single cow behind.

Day 4: The stables we will be working in were built from clay over 200 years ago and have been used ever since. We get ready to sort, brand and doctor the cows and calves. A lot of work, while the local officials from the Food and Drug Administration check the health of the animals. Now gaucho and horse unite in a reining performance that has made them world famous. You can just relax and watch or head to the corral and join the gauchos!

Day 5: After breakfast, we finish the work left over from the previous day. We then drive back to Peñas Blancas, where we spend the night.

Day 6: Today we drive the cattle south to Amblayo. We drive past Yaslaguala. The huge cacti can be seen everywhere and form the back . After lunch to ride we head to town Amblayo (2400 meters high), where we will spend the night. The village has only 150 inhabitants and its main means of transportation is Horse. It is known for its goat cheese. Feel the sensation of arriving on horseback in this small town where there are almost no cars! An unforgettable experience. To get there to ride we first pass through archaeological areas where you can see scattered painted pottery. We take a look, making sure not to remove anything.

Day 7: After breakfast, explore this picturesque town. Visit the old chapel and the 17th century paintings brought back from Peru, chat with the neighbors. After lunch, we drive to the foothills of the Sierra Pelada. These multicolored hill are unique. We also to ride on the Río Salado, which is perfect for galloping! Traditional Argentinian BBQ for dinner.

Day 8: After breakfast, drive to Cachi. This area is known for its high altitude vineyards (most 2000 to 2500 meters high). It has only 1% of all vineyards in Argentina, but receives 10% of the total investment. This means one thing above all: high quality. Some of Argentina's best wines are produced here. So your Argentine experience wouldn't be complete without a private visit to a local winery and tasting some of their best wines. Lunch and 3-hour transfer to Salta town. Check in at boutique hotel. Dinner not included.

Day 9: Breakfast and transfer to the airport

Accomodation

5 nights cabin/mountain hut (including 2 nights with shower) in shared rooms, 2 nights in a boutique hotel in Salta and 1 night in a hotel in Buenos Aires
In the evening you will receive a warm meal and at noon a picnic. During the tour all drinks are included, in the hotels extra. Our partner can also offer different tours and extra days in Argentina for those who would like to stay longer in Argentina (e.g. Salta City Tour, Quebrada de Humahuaca, Cafayate & Wineries)

Saddle & Tack: South American Recado Saddles.

Experience: Slow riding pace with possibilities for trot and gallop, about 5-6 hours in the saddle daily. You should be physically fit and comfortable in all gaits.

Horses: Criollo and Paso Peruano Mix