A two-week loop through north-west Argentina from Salta: the Quebrada de las Conchas, the vineyards of Cafayate, Ruta 40 on gravel to Cachi, then the Quebrada de Humahuaca, Purmamarca and the Salinas Grandes. You drive on ripio, climb above 4,000 m, and petrol stations are few and far between outside the villages.
| Days | Stop | Drive |
|---|---|---|
| Days 1 to 2 | Salta | Start |
| Days 3 to 5 | Cafayate | 189 km · 3h10 |
| Days 6 to 7 | Cachi | 156 km · 3h40 |
| Day 8 | San Salvador de Jujuy | 271 km · 4h20 |
| Days 9 to 10 | Purmamarca | 66 km · 55 min |
| Days 11 to 13 | Humahuaca | 69 km · 1h |
| Day 14 | Back to Salta | 243 km · 3h10 |
Road route calculated from the stops (OpenStreetMap). Driving times assume no stops and no traffic: add time for photo breaks.
The dry southern winter (June to August) is the recommended season for the Quebrada de Humahuaca, with freezing nights at altitude. In summer (December to March), afternoon storms can trigger rockfalls and flash floods on the gravel roads.
🚗 189 km · 3h10 of driving from Salta
Paved RN68 through the Quebrada de las Conchas: 83 km of red rock, with viewpoints by the roadside.
🚗 156 km · 3h40 of driving from Cafayate
RN40 on ripio for about 150 km; corrugated surface after Cafayate (20 to 25 km/h), allow 5 hours, never at night.
🚗 271 km · 4h20 of driving from Cachi
RP33: the paved Recta del Tin Tin, then the Cuesta del Obispo on ripio. After Salta, the RN9 via La Caldera or the tolled expressway.
🚗 66 km · 55 min of driving from San Salvador de Jujuy
Paved RN9 through the Quebrada de Humahuaca, then 4 km on the RN52 to the village.
🚗 69 km · 1h of driving from Purmamarca
Paved RN9 north via Maimará, Tilcara and Uquía; you cross the Tropic of Capricorn.
🚗 243 km · 3h10 of driving from Humahuaca
In 8 days: Salta 1 night, Cafayate 2, Cachi 1, Jujuy 1 and Purmamarca 2, with a return trip to the Salinas Grandes. On the last day, drive up to Tilcara and Humahuaca, then back to Salta on the RN9.
| Small car (Kwid, Gol), Salta | from ≈ €27 a day |
|---|---|
| Compact SUV (Tracker, Duster) | ≈ €45 to €57 a day |
| 2026 average, August (cheapest month) | ≈ €40 a day |
| 2026 average, January (most expensive month) | ≈ €61 a day |
| Vehicle | An SUV with high ground clearance is recommended for the ripio; a 4x4 is essential for the Abra del Acay. |
|---|---|
| Where to pick it up | Salta airport or city centre; on a loop, no drop-off fee. |
| Insurance | At Europcar, CDW and theft cover are included, but not unpaved roads or rollovers; windows only with the premium option. |
| Gravel roads | Hertz bans gravel and dirt roads for standard cars: insist on written authorisation from the rental company. |
| Age and card | Age 23 and one year's driving experience at Europcar; a physical credit card, no debit or prepaid cards (Hertz). |
⚠️ The RN40 and the Cuesta del Obispo are ripio: with Hertz and Europcar, driving them in a standard car leaves you without cover.
Argentina is a signatory to the Geneva and Vienna conventions; carry an International Driving Permit alongside your licence.
Drive on the right and overtake on the left, as in mainland Europe.
40 km/h on streets, 60 on avenues, 130 on motorways (Law 24.449). On corrugated gravel, 20 to 25.
Law 27.714: no alcohol at all tolerated at the wheel, nationwide.
Compulsory on national roads, whatever the light (art. 47).
Required along with your licence, registration document (cédula) and proof of insurance (art. 40): check when you pick up the car.
The French foreign ministry (France Diplomatie) advises against it throughout the country; on ripio, arrive before dark.
RN40 Cafayate-Cachi, Cuesta del Obispo, the road to Iruya. Slow down, keep your distance, check your contract.
Cuesta de Lipán; 4,000 m towards Iruya. France Diplomatie warns of the risk of oedema: climb in stages.
Online map of national road conditions, or 0800-222-6272.
≈ €1.26 a litre (ARS 2,174, national average on 21 September 2026)
Price recorded in September 2026: it changes every week, sometimes by 10 to 20 cents in a month. Check it before you go.
⛽ 994 km at 7 l per 100 km: about €90 at September 2026 prices, to share between passengers.
YPF in Cafayate, Cachi, Tilcara and Humahuaca; no petrol station in Purmamarca. Fill up in Cafayate before the RN40, and in Tilcara before the Salinas Grandes.
| RN9-RN34 expressway, east of Salta | One toll booth; the RN9 via La Caldera avoids it |
|---|---|
| RN68, RN40, RP33, RN52, RN9 north of Jujuy | No tolls recorded on OpenStreetMap |
| Los Cardones National Park | Free entry |
| Abra del Acay (RN40, 4,895 m) | 4x4 track; snow in winter, rockfalls after rain |
|---|---|
| RN40 Cafayate-Cachi (ripio) | Open all year; avoid at night |
| Cuesta de Lipán and RN52 | Paved, open all year (the Jama Pass route) |
| Quebrada de Humahuaca | Afternoon storms in summer; dry winter, the recommended season |
| Tren a las Nubes | High-altitude train, cancelled in bad weather |
Two weeks: our loop has 13 nights and about 1,000 km from stage to stage, nearly 1,500 with the Salinas Grandes, Hornocal, Iruya and Quilmes. In 8 days, keep Cafayate, Cachi and Purmamarca, and make Humahuaca a day trip on the last day.
Car hire: from €27 a day for a small car, €45 to €57 for a compact SUV (Discover Cars, September 2026), so about €380 to €800 over 14 days. About €90 of fuel at September 2026 prices for some 1,000 km from stage to stage, plus excursions. Los Cardones park is free.
No: the 150 km of ripio can be driven in any vehicle, at 20 or 25 km/h on the corrugated stretch after Cafayate, in about 5 hours. The problem is the contract: Hertz bans gravel for standard cars and Europcar does not insure it. An SUV with written authorisation is the safer choice.
An EU licence together with an International Driving Permit: Argentina has signed the Geneva and Vienna conventions, and the United Kingdom requires its drivers to carry this document. Europcar also requires drivers to be at least 23 with one year's driving experience.
By climbing in stages: Cafayate and Cachi first, then Purmamarca (2,192 m) and Humahuaca (2,939 m) before the high points visited as day trips: the Cuesta de Lipán at 4,170 m, the Salinas Grandes at 3,450 m, the Abra del Cóndor at 4,000 m towards Iruya. France Diplomatie warns of the risk of pulmonary and cerebral oedema.
It is the highest point of the RN40 (4,895 m on the sign), on 46 km of track between San Antonio de los Cobres and La Poma, recommended for 4x4s: wind, sheer drops, fords, snow in winter, rockfalls after rain. It links Cachi to the Puna without going back through Salta; our loop avoids it.
Driving rules, prices and closures checked in September 2026; hotels checked on OpenStreetMap and then on Booking. Rules change: read the official source before you leave, and check your own government's travel advice for the country. Stop photos: Wikimedia Commons, authors and licences under each image.
Off We Gooo road trip guide · offwegooo.com/en/road-trips/argentina · by Pierrick, updated 1 October 2026
