Luxury the Puna
Tours made for you
Marvel at Salinas Grandes
a seemingly endless salt flat
Explore the pumice stones
of Campo de Piedra Pomez
Visit Laguna Grande
and spot brightly-coloured flamingos
The desolate, mars-like beauty of Argentina's northwest Altiplano
The stark beauty of Argentina’s north-western Altiplano, the Puna, is quite something to behold.
Between Salta to the west and the borders of Chile and Bolivia this elevated (4,500m) plateau of wildly striking and desolate landscapes is filled with the rare sights of salt flats, flamingos, ancient Incan trails, desert labyrinths, herds of llamas and vicuñas, the turquoise ponds of Ojos del Mar, the oasis of Antofajita and clay-brick pueblos (towns).
Tolar Grande is the largest of the clay-brick towns north of the Puna and a good place from which to begin your explorations of this underrated and almost (for most travellers) unknown destination. Include the Puna in one of our luxury Argentina tours, and you can rest assured that you won’t be bumping into many package tourists.
We offer private 4WD drives with our expert local guides through the magnificent Puna from Salta to San Antonio de las Cobres and Tolar Grande right down to the frontier-town of El Penon, stopping at the various sights and the magnificent transition of landscapes as you move south. From salt lakes, extraordinary colours, flamingos, clay deserts, Mars-like landscapes, dunes, strangely eroded atolls and pumice fields – you will feel like the only people on a planet that looks nothing like Earth.
Highlights
Scenic 4WD tours and drives through the desert with expert local guides
See the Cono de Arita, the Oasis of Antofajita, Salt Flats, Llullaillaco Volcano and Ojos del Mar
Take the Train of the Clouds across the Puna (into Chile if you’re going that way)
Visit a Pena (traditional folk venue)
Lily Bunker
Senior Travel Designer
The Puna is an adventure playground like no other. Spot Vicuñas grazing on a hike around Laguna Grande, venture across the slopes of the surreal Campo de Piedra Pómez pumice fields or follow in the footsteps of ancient shepherds as you cross the Arizaro Salt Flat.
Lily Bunker
Senior Travel Designer
Luxury accommodation in northwest Argentina
Why book with Jacada?
Personalised design
We’ll plan your trip around your specific interests, tastes and preferences, providing helpful tips and honest advice based on first-hand knowledge of the destination.
Authentic experiences
Our expert guides and brilliant travel concierges are hand-picked to provide a genuine experience, bringing your destination to life with care and passion.
Responsible travel
Our luxury trips are designed with responsible travel principles that prioritise travel experiences that are both good for you and good for the planet.
Trip inspiration
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Where to go
Bahia Bustamante
Located on the ruggedly beautiful Patagonian coast just south of Peninsula Valdes, Bahia Bustamante is a unique and very much off-the-beaten track destination.
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Buenos Aires
The city features an abundance of classical architecture and tree-lined boulevards reminiscent of its European counterparts.
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Calchaqui
Very much the Wild West of Argentina, this is scenery on an epic scale, with arid canyons and mountains flanking the dusty elegance of sleepy colonial towns.
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El Calafate
The glacier region is without doubt one of the country’s most beautiful areas and watching monumental chunks of glacial ice crash into the water is a spectacular experience.
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El Chalten
An unassuming village, El Chalten's location makes it one of the premier trekking and climbing destinations in Argentina.
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Ibera
One of Argentina‘s best-kept secrets, Esteros del Iberá is a haven for wildlife and a fantastic spot for bird watchers and nature lovers.
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Iguazu Falls
Surrounded by the lush subtropical forest of the Iguazu National Park, the 275 cataracts of the the Iguazu Falls are a truly remarkable sight.
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Mendoza
As well as enjoying the good life sampling the excellent wine in Mendoza, there is a plethora of activities from rafting in the foothills and exploring the land by bike or on horseback, to enjoying world-class restaurants.
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Misiones Rainforest
A continuation of the magnificent Iguazu national park, the Missiones Rainforest is a crucially important haven for an array of rare wildlife.
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Peninsula Valdes
Look out for Southern right whales, sea lions, orcas (killer whales), Magellan penguins and elephant seals as well as many other species, all interacting in their natural habitat.
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Salta
The city sits in a fertile green valley surrounded by more adventurous and dramatic landscapes just a short drive away. It’s an ideal place to relax and soak up the pleasant climate for a few days.
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The Lake District
This is the perfect place to enjoy the great outdoors with all manner of outdoor activities possible including hiking, mountain biking, fishing, horse riding, kayaking and skiing.
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The Pampas
Experience wide open spaces, fresh air and a more relaxed pace of life that has remained unchanged for centuries.
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Ushuaia
A frontier city at the end of the world, Ushuaia has grand appeal of really being on the last outpost of civilisation before the icy sweeps of the Antarctic.
Discover moreMeet your Latin America team
When to visit
One of the best times to visit the Puna is from March to November, due to the cooler temperatures. During these months, you can discover the red rocks, white salt flats, azure blue lagoons, rural villages and pink flamingos on 4×4 tours and hikes.
The north of Argentina can be visited all year round, but during the summer (December to February) it can get incredibly hot, which isn’t ideal for longer hikes and outdoor activities.
Warm, sunny days
April
Hiking across salt flats
March – November
Argentina travel guides
Argentina or Chile: Where Should I Go?
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Luxury Travel to Argentina: An Insider Guide
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The 20 Best Things to Do in Argentina
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Argentina vs. Chile: Which Has the Best Wine Region?
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Eight Amazing Activities for a Family Vacation in Argentina
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Our Guide to the 9 Best Festivals in Latin America
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Best Places to Visit in South America in Winter
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The World’s 25 Best Luxury Wellness Retreats
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Plan your trip to the Puna
Whatever you want from your adventure in the Puna, our team of expert travel designers are ready to help.
We used Jacada to help plan a trip to Argentina. No one in our group had ever been to the country and Jacada's expertise and experience proved extremely valuable. From hotel accommodations, tours, travel, dinner reservations and everything else it was first class and so smoothly coordinated! Really glad we used Jacada and will definitely use them again.
Buenos Aires: 4 days/Alvear Palace Hotel El Calafate: 2.5 days/Eolo Iguazu Falls: 4 days/Awasi Buenos Aires: 1 day/Alvear Palace Hotel Our experience with Jacada was an A+ every step of the way. Lily and Melanie worked with us prior to the trip in every detail of the planning. They asked great questions about our interests and what we were hoping…
Our trip was fabulous from start to finish. Our travel designers were detail oriented; our travel progress was seamless. We enjoyed highlights of Argentina and Chile that we would otherwise not have known about, thanks to thoughtful planning. This was not our first Jacada trip nor will it be our last, if we have it our way!
We booked our honeymoon in Chile and Argentina with the Jacada team and we wouldn't recommend anyone else! Jacada took our interests, desires and preferences to heart and developed the most amazing week itinerary/ From the quality of local guides to the hotel bookings and food suggestions, all of our needs were met and exceeded. We did not encounter a…
Delfina and Carlos planned an amazing trip for my mom, sister and I to visit Argentina and Chile. From arrival in Santiago, until we traveled back to the United States, everything was planned perfectly. The hotels were fantastic, we went on some of the best excursions that we’ve ever experienced, and transfer between the locations was seamless. Would highly recommend…
Plan with peace of mind
When you book a trip in today’s world there’s a lot to think about. But with the right advice and expert planning, you can do it with confidence.
If you book to travel with us but your plans are impacted by circumstances you can’t control, we’ll change your reservation or cancel your booking for a full credit towards future travel.
