ROAD TRIP THROUGH NORTHERN ARGENTINA: SALINAS GRANDES
Everyone who visits the north-west of Argentina ends up talking about Salinas Grandes, a large salt flat located in the provinces of Jujuy and Salta. The most popular is Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia and it's totally still on my bucket list, but I couldn't resist the urge to visit the Argentinian side whilst in Salta!
An enormous salt desert stretching 212 km2 and over 3000 meters above sea level, its vast dazzling whiteness is enough to make you think you're heading towards snow. Cruising along the landscapes, the blinding white salt seemed neverending against the backdrop of the Andes. An area mainly used for mining purposes, it was originally formed from a dried up lake leaving behind an immaculate salt landscape.
How to visit Salinas Grandes
I had originally wanted to do a tour with an agency to visit Salinas Grandes in one day. However, after having done a tour to visit the seven coloured mountains, I was in two minds. Whilst going with a tour company had the convenience of being organised, it didn't really leave much time to enjoy the area and was pretty rushed.
A private tour would have been possible but didn't seem worth the price tag unless the cost could be shared amongst a group. Left brain-storming ideas with a friend from my hostel we originally decided to hitchhike it, changing our minds at the last minute and opting to rent a car. Thankfully we did!
Road Trip Northern Argentina Salinas Grandes | Oops I Booked Again
If you do decide to use a tour company, there are many options in the centre of town located near to the main square. My tour to the seven coloured mountains was with Tiamar, who provided an English speaking guide (my Spanish is not up to scratch yet!)
To rent a car there are many rental agencies to choose from. If you are going during peak season you may want to reserve in advance. After shopping around and we generally found that most rental agencies were charging between 1500-2000 pesos (around $50- $70) a day and some even wanted to block up to $700 on your credit card as a guarantee!! We both thought this was slightly ridiculous and thankfully we found an agency where the guarantee wasn't necessary. We paid 1000 pesos (around $30 at the time) for a 24-hour rental.
Road Trip to Salinas Grandes
The road trip to Salinas Grandes from Salta is long. Don't trust everything on Google when it comes to roads in Argentina. A Google estimate advised it would be around 3h15mins however, in reality, we drove 4h30mins. Keep in mind that the roads are not always of the best condition, some of the highways have one lane and it's very easy to get stuck behind a slow-moving truck. When you start climbing on highway 52 there are many lorries that'll you'll need to slow down for along the way.
The best route to get there from Salta is to take route 9 out of Salta. You'll pass numerous towns where you can stop off for a break. If you stop off at Purmamarca, get some empanadas (they were divine)! Then take a moment to visit the 7 coloured mountains, it's totally worth it!
From Purmamarca, you'll take route 9 where you'll be climbing to around 4000 meters before descending. You'll pass wild llamas and stunning views of the mountains, it's worth stopping for a couple of minutes for a quick pic!
Handy tips:
1. Go early. It's a reeeeally long drive. We arrived before sunset which was great as we had Salinas Grandes to ourselves. However driving back in the dark was not the best of ideas.
2. Don't trust google on everything. In other words, sometimes google will tell you to turn left on an Avenue but this isn't always permitted even if Google advises you to do it. Always read the road signs.
3. On the way back there were numerous police checks, these are mostly random. We slowed down for at least 6 control points and were stopped once to have our documents checked. Make sure you have a valid driving licence with you at all times, and if you've rented the car, carry all your rental and insurance documents with you.
4. Roads quality can be poor at times so be mindful especially when you start climbing the mountain that there may be large lorries passing.
Salinas Grandes
Getting closer and closer to Salinas Grandes, we were both excited and relieved to arrive! Boy was that a long drive! Wandering around, we had plenty of time for photos and even mates! The scenery is absolutely gorgeous! There's no admission fee to enter the salt flats so you can wander as you please to your heart's content. If you would like a guided tour once there, you can pay a small fee to have someone drive around the salt flats with you.
The sunset was stunning!
Handy tips:
1. Bring sunglasses and sunscreen.
2. If you're visiting in winter, bring a jacket. It can get chilly at that altitude.
3. Bring some mates. You can get hot water from the locals selling souvenirs.
4. There aren't really any restaurants, so come prepared with snacks!
Would I do a road trip like that again?
Totally! The best part was I could just enjoy the stunning views until I wanted to leave!
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