Uwe K.
The motorcycle tour through northwestern Argentina, especially in the Salta and Jujuy regions, offered very thorough support. The multilingual guides not only i...
MOTORCYCLE-TRIPS · ARGENTINA
Motorcycle trip northwest Argentina: Andes and Salta
On this 13-day motorcycle trip through northwest Argentina, you will ride the BMW GS through the provinces of Salta and Jujuy: past red-colored gorges, over white salt flats, and up to Andes passes at almost 5,000 meters high.
How long?
13 Days
When?
Spring, Autumn
Price
€ 7,850
/ Person
The Journey
Motorcycle adventure through Salta, Jujuy and the Andes
Welcome to the colorful Northwest of Argentina! This 13-day motorcycle trip through Salta and Jujuy takes you into some of the most original landscapes of South America. Covering around 2,800 kilometers, about 40% of which is on dirt roads, you will ride through deeply cut valleys with bizarre rock formations, through traditional Andean villages, and over high mountain passes. In the mountain desert Puna, you will encounter vast plains, dazzling white salt flats, remote lagoons, and mighty volcanic cones. If you ride a motorcycle safely and do not lose your nerves on gravel, this motorcycle trip through Salta is your adventure.
Key Highlights of the Trip
Key Highlights of the Trip
01
Red Canyons of the Andes
01
Red Canyons of the Andes
Drive through the Quebrada de las Conchas and the UNESCO World Heritage gorge Quebrada de Humahuaca with its red-colored sandstone formations.
02
Abra El Acay at almost 5,000 m
02
Abra El Acay at almost 5,000 m
You conquer the highest pass in Argentina and look down from the saddle over the vast plains of the Puna.
03
Salinas Grandes and Route 40
03
Salinas Grandes and Route 40
Motorcycle ride over the dazzling white salt lake Salinas Grandes and stages on the legendary Ruta 40 through the Andes.
04
Culture of the Andes
04
Culture of the Andes
Visit the ruins of Quilmes from before the Inca as well as the petroglyphs and rock paintings of Las Cuevas.
05
Mountain villages and wineries
05
Mountain villages and wineries
Overnight stays in picturesque villages like Cachi, Iruya, and Cafayate, the wine capital of northern Argentina.
Days 1–13
Salta, Arrival and Acclimatization
We will pick you up at the international airport of Salta and take you to the hotel where your motorcycle trip through Northwest Argentina will start the next morning. During a brief introduction, we will discuss the itinerary of the tour and give you tips about Salta. You have the rest of the day free to explore the Andean city on your own.
Cafayate, through the Quebrada
On the first stage of your motorcycle journey, you leave the city of Salta heading south and follow the Lerma Valley until it narrows into the Quebrada de Cafayate. Wind and weather have shaped the red sandstone into bizarre forms like the Frog or the Amphitheater. After lunch at the Plaza of Cafayate, you visit the ruins of Quilmes and roll over the Little Hell Pass into the green valley of Tafi del Valle. About 300 km of paved road.
Andalgala, Cloud Forest and Mountain Pass
First, you visit the menhir field of El Mollar, before the Sosas Gorge leads down through dense tropical fog forest into the fertile plains of Tucuman. After lunch, the adventurous Los Alisos Pass takes you back into the mountains to the remote town of Andalgala, where the national stone rhodochrosite is mined. This stage of the motorcycle trip Andes Argentina measures about 250 km, of which about 100 km are dirt road.
Cafayate, on Route 40
You ride your motorcycle over desert-like tracks to Belen at the foot of the Central Andes. Back on the legendary Ruta 40, you follow the Santa Maria River north to Cafayate, the wine capital of northwestern Argentina, where a fairy-tale hotel awaits you. This stage of the motorcycle trip in northwestern Argentina is about 400 km long, of which about 100 km are tracks.
Cachi, through the arrow gorge
Today you follow the Rio Calchaquí through narrow gorges and vast valleys, a highlight of the motorcycle trip in Northwest Argentina. You cross the jagged rock landscape of the Quebrada de las Flechas, the arrow gorge, which resembles a distant planet. For lunch, you stop at a top-notch winery. Overnight stays are in the picturesque mountain village of Cachi, dominated by a mountain range over 6,000 m high. About 190 km, of which 170 km are unpaved.
Salta, Los Cardones National Park
From Cachi back to Salta, you first cross the Los Cardones National Park with its thousands of cacti. Over the Cuesta del Obispo pass, the gravel road winds down through the Valle Encantado. This stage of the motorcycle trip from Salta is about 160 km long, of which about 40 km is on dirt road, before you spend the night again in the provincial capital.
Iruya, Quebrada de Humahuaca
An intensive day: A winding asphalt road takes you through wooded mountains into the Quebrada de Humahuaca, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2003. You reach the 4,000 m high Abra del Condor and the enchanting mountain village of Iruya, which is situated at a narrow point of the valley between colorful rock walls, via winding gravel roads. This stage of the motorcycle trip Andes Argentina measures about 300 km, of which approximately 50 km are on track.
Questions about the tour itinerary?
Our tour guide is happy to answer any questions about the day-by-day route, stops, and details.
Iruya, mountain hike above the valley
In the morning, a roughly five-hour mountain hike takes you up to a plateau with a wide view over the valley of Iruya. The afternoon is free for you to experience the hustle and bustle of the traditional mountain village and enjoy the quiet country life in the highland, a rest day on your motorcycle trip in Northwest Argentina without a long stage.
Yavi, at the Bolivian border
Over the Abra del Condor, you return to the paved road and drive north until just before the Bolivian border to the remote village of Yavi. There you can visit the historic Iglesia de San Francisco, the rock paintings of Las Cuevas, and the petroglyphs of Laguna Colorada. This stage of the motorcycle journey Salta measures about 210 km, of which about 100 km are unpaved.
Tilcara, Laguna de los Pozuelos
You explore the extreme northwest corner of Argentina and reach the deeply cut Angosto Canyon before you circle the vast landscapes of the Laguna de los Pozuelos National Monument. This lagoon at nearly 4,000 m is home to a special fauna and flora. Then it's down to the Quebrada de Humahuaca for an overnight stay in Tilcara. This stage of the motorcycle trip Andes Argentina measures about 370 km, of which 250 km are off-road.
Salinas Grandes, Viaduct La Polvorilla
First, you visit the ruins of the fortress village Pucara de Tilcara from the pre-Inca period. Over the 4,200 m high Cuesta de Lipan pass, you reach the dazzling white salt flat Salinas Grandes, a highlight of this motorcycle trip in Salta. A sandy gravel road takes you through a hidden valley to the La Polvorilla viaduct of the cloud trains and further to the mining town San Antonio de los Cobres. Around 280 km, of which 130 km is unpaved.
Salta, over the Abra El Acay Pass
Today you are expecting the greatest motorcycle adventure of the journey: You will conquer the 4,895 m high Abra El Acay, the highest pass in Argentina. From up there, you will enjoy the view over the vast plains of the Puna. Afterwards, you will ride on a good asphalt road back through the colorful Quebrada del Toro to Salta. This stage of the motorcycle trip in Northwest Argentina measures around 200 km, of which 100 km are mountain tracks.
Salta, Departure
At the end of your motorcycle trip through Northwest Argentina, we will take you to the airport in Salta. In your luggage, you will take home many impressions of red gorges, white salt lakes, and high Andes passes. The exact travel itinerary may change at short notice due to local conditions.
Want a detailed description of all tour days?
Our expert will walk you through the full itinerary and answer all your questions.
Verified Reviews
What riders say about Motorcycle-trips in Argentina
5.0
Lars K.
The motorcycle tour through Northwest Argentina stood out for its thoughtful organization. The daily briefings with clear GPS tracks enabled an enjoyable route-...
Stefan B.
The motorcycle tour through Northwestern Argentina, especially in the regions Salta and Jujuy, offers a precisely planned route. The passage through the Quebrad...
PRICE
from
€ 7,850
/ person
Price Options
Self-driver with rental motorcycle BMW F800GS
€ 7,850
Self-rider with rental motorcycle in BMW F900GS
€ 8,200
Self-driver with rental motorcycle BMW R1200GS
€ 8,500
Self-driver with rental motorcycle BMW R1300GS
€ 8,750
Passenger motorbike
€ 4,350
Additional Options
Surcharge for single room
/ Person
€ 1,200
Trip includes
- Rental motorcycle including fuel
- Liability insurance
- Customs documents for border crossings
- Multilingual travel guide (English, Spanish, also understands German)
- 4x4 support vehicle
- Satellite phone
- Mechanic on site
- Toll fees and ferry fees
- Maps
- All overnight stays in double rooms in local high-quality hotels
- Breakfast and dinner
- Snacks and water during the trip
- Luggage storage
- Airport transfer
- Travel security certificate (insolvency protection according to BGB §651r), mandatory for all OVERCROSS trips
- Comprehensive insurance (4,000 US dollars deductible)
FAQS
-
You should have experience in riding motorcycles, including on gravel. Then the tour is open to you.
-
You will ride robust enduro motorcycles, optionally BMW F800GS, F900GS, R1200GS or R1300GS.
-
Expect about 5 to 6 hours of riding time per day.
OVERCROSS note on itinerary
The above travel description is a non-binding online proposal and does not represent a binding travel itinerary. We expressly reserve the right to make changes to the route, schedule, and accommodations (§ 651d BGB in conjunction with Art. 250 EGBGB). The terms and conditions of OVERCROSS apply.Terms and Conditions of OVERCROSS
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