NW Nomad

THE Local Guide to Salta - Available Now!

Finally...We have been working for ages on this guide ever since we stopped the monthly, then bi-monthly publication of NWNomad News (mostly due to constant printer problems and late delivery).

Publishing the ultimate guide to a location has to be spot on and we think the BACK.Yard Guide to Salta (and Jujuy) - the first of many BACK.Yard Guides to follow, is just that.

What you'll see in BACK.Yard Guides is...

A local's advice on the best itinerary and how to make the most of your valuable time, What to bring, when to go, driving and renting a car. Each area, from Salta city, to Cafayate, to the pueblos in the north have a dedicated page featuring what to do, where to stay and eat and some history of the sights and sites. It's just like having a guide with you on the road although BY Guide is best read before leaving home as it offers a ton of invaluable and, more importantly up-to-date, information on the area you're investing your hopes in.

All about renting a car and managing driving in a foreign culture, BY Guide helps all the way.

There are special pages on handicrafts, local foods and even a recipe for the revered Salta Empanadas.

Even better, the 36-page guide makes a great souvenir, loaded with professional photos.

The BY Guide to Salta is only $7.99 and can be purchased here or by clicking the "BUY NOW" button on the sidebar. Please come back and let us know what you think.

 

Coming soon - BY Guide to Buenos Aires and BY Cook Salta.

Catamarca - Termas and Inca Ruins (Salta to Mendoza Day 1)

Catamarca - The province below Salta and Tucuman is very little visited but with some great sites and sights for people who have the time to journey the hundreds of kilometres off the well-beaten track through Salta and Jujuy.

Ruta 40

People often say they don't want to visit a heavily touristed site but when I suggest a remote place, they decide the 'books' haven't said it's worth it. Argentina is full of places that are worthwhile and untouristed but the distances are large and the services are few.

few services but great vistas

When we travel to the ruined sacred city at Quilmes, 50km south of Cafayate, there are always a ton of tour buses on site.Continue down Route 40 and there will likely be not another car on the high desert road.

Inca ceremonial Platform

In Londres (London), Catamarca there are the Inca ruins at El Shincal where there will likely be no one at all aside from goats as you wander around the village and climb the steps to the ceremonial platforms.

Inca steps

Continue on to Fiambala and discover a town remote enough that the Dakar Rally passed through the sand dunes in 2010. Bodega Don Diego is right in town with some great reservas, especially the castana - aged in barrels from Australia, only 1800 bottles produced each year.

The capilla at Bodega Don Diego

14km further into the mountains, you come to the termas (thermal baths). Natural springs containing sulphur and other minerals from deep in the hills, beneficial for arthritis, digestion and skin complaints, the termas were much used by the Inca and are still found all along the Andes.

Termas at Fiambala

Fiambala's termas consist of 14 pools descending by waterfall from about 60 degrees to 20, waterfalls under the mountains. They are open from 7am to midnight so you can soak under the stars or the sunrise. Re romantico.

Cafayate to Fiambala is 450km, so almost halfway to Mendoza or Day 1 of the 3-day journey.

Colome with Salta Guide

Just back from a five day trip with two world-trotting and great fun Canadians. When we planned the itinerary, I suggested Colome over Hacienda de Molinos for the location and the activities. The client wasnt sure she wanted to spend $US400 but one advantage of certain hotels in the NW is that they give the guide complimentary accomodation and the client doesn't have to finance the guide.

We had lunch with the oenologist at an artesan bodega in Cachi and continued along the ripio road south. The road from Molinos is savage but not a problem in the SUV although the client (who usually rents a car when travelling) said they couldn't imagine driving it in a rental.

The art museum with the magical light show at sundown is a cultural treat apart from the quality of the bodega. The special reserve Syrah is only available at the estancia as they have only made 1200 bottles. The client declared it his favourite in the area (And I made sure he sampled them all). Breakfast on the terrace overlooking the pool, massages, horse-back riding, tennis - if you can take the heat. They said they wished I had pressed them into staying two nights.

The pool at Colome

It is slightly complicated when planning the trip for people to understand the distances and difficulties involved in this beautiful landscape. People can ask us for all the advice they need and hopefully they understand that our recommendations are based on our desire to see everyone enjoy their visit rather than to extend to a pricier option.

From Colome we continue back to Ruta 40, see the Vicuna farm and artesans at Molinos when open and then travel to Cafayate through the incredible Quebrada de las Flechas (Arrow Gorge). No client from anywhere in the world has ever seen anything like it.

On top of the world in the Quebrada de las Flechas

 

Grape Harvest - Finca las Nubes, Cafayate, Salta

A beautiful Saturday at Bodega Mounier - Finca Las Nubes - in Cafayate. Everyone picked a few grapes but the real draw was the party - All said it was like a civilised Serenata. To me it seemed like a swanky wedding with everyone under a marquee shading from the fierce heat of the altitudinal sun, drinking great wine straight from the bodega and dancing folklorico along with the pros.