Train to the Clouds & Tucuman-Buenos Aires Railway Journey

Welcome to enchanting Argentina. Meet your travel guide at the airport and head to your hotel in Salta. Unpack your luggage and go on a 3-hour tour to explore the city, known as the “pretty one”. Ride a cable car to the top of Cerro San Bernardo Hill and absorb the panoramic view of the city and the adjacent landscape below. Visit the inspiring Salta Cathedral, the 18th-century Cabildo, and the bustling center of Plaza 9 de Julio. Make your way to the regal Church of San Francisco and the formal Town Hall. Then acquire some local knowledge by seeing the exhibits and displays at the Archaeology Museum of the High Mountains, and enjoy bargaining at the local handicrafts market. Afterward, return to your hotel and gaze at the beautiful northwest Argentine skies as the sun sinks into the horizon.

Today, depart by bus from the city of Salta to El Alfarcito, where you will enjoy a delicious country breakfast and learn about the incredible work of the Alfarcito Foundation. Continue through Quebrada de las Cuevas and the Muñano plain until you reach San Antonio de los Cobres. Here, board the famous Train to the Clouds and travel to the Polvorilla Viaduct - an impressive engineering feat! Enjoy a one-hour route, passing through an amazing nineteen tunnels, twenty-nine bridges and several steep ravines, while relaxing and enjoying the breathtaking scenery.

After 30 minutes at the Viaduct, return to San Antonio de los Cobres by train. During the return, make a final stop in Santa Rosa de Tastil, a small, rural area with a fascinating history. Visit the local museum and browse the handmade crafts at the Artisans Center.

Embark upon a full-day excursion to see the amazing rainbow rock formations of Quebrada de Humahuaca. Explore the rich history of numerous indigenous villages such as Purmamarca and Tilcara with its incredible pre-Hispanic fortress, the Pucara. Stop along the route to visit rural, pre-Hispanic villages. See the lagoons of Yala situated at 2000m above sea level and encircled by aromatic pine forests, and continue onto the geological wonder of the Hill of the Seven Colors and the cavernous Humahuaca Canyon, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Discover significant archaeological sites in the lush landscape where the Río Grande flows before returning to Salta city.

Travel south to Cafayate, the ideal base from which to explore the Calchaquíes Valleys. Cafayate’s mild weather and low humidity provide the perfect conditions for cultivating wine grapes and is famous for its unique Torrontés variety. Transfer to your hotel and after settling in, opt for a visit to a wine cellar (ask your travel consultant to arrange a guided tour of the wine cellar) or simply relax at your accommodation.

Discover the smallest region in Argentina, the historic Tucumán province. Learn about the Quilmes civilization, the largest pre-Columbian settlement in the country. Stop to visit the fascinating Quilmes ruins and get lost in the labyrinth-like stone constructions. Arrive in San Miguel de Tucumán and head to your hotel to spend your last night in the captivating Argentine northwestern region.

Take a ride on the Ferrocentral train that passes through Tucumán, Santiago del Estero, Santa Fe and Buenos Aires provinces. Your guide will arrange your tickets so simply sit back and relax on the journey and take advantage of the dining and snack car services.

Please note the train schedules:

Departure: Wednesday - 1:00pm. Arrival: Thursday - 8:10pm.

Departure: Saturday - 1:00pm. Arrival: Sunday - 8:10pm.

Upon arrival at the train station, meet your guide or driver and head to your hotel. This bustling capital of Argentina lies on the banks of the Rio de la Plata and boasts the title of being the “Paris of South America”. Get a sense of the city and take an easy walk around the neighborhood or enjoy some local cuisine at one of the fine restaurants.

Explore the cosmopolitan capital of Buenos Aires on a half-day city tour. Feel the beat of tango culture in the traditional neighborhoods in the south: La Boca and San Telmo. Encounter the famous Caminito which exhibits colorful houses built by working-class Italian immigrants that arrived at the beginning of the 20th century. Then admire the quaint colonial buildings formerly owned by the aristocratic classes before they migrated north in the mid to late 19th century. Be impressed by the cultural elegance of Recoleta and its diverse range of museums, churches and restaurants. Cap off the tour in trendy Palermo and stroll amongst the boutiques, open plazas and its eclectic mix of architectural styles.

Escape from the concrete and steel of the city and head north to Tigre, an oasis from urban life. Just an hour from Buenos Aires, Tigre is full of flowing, serene rivers, lush vegetation and more than 200 bird species to identify. Sail through the Parana River delta on a catamaran boat and take in the natural beauty of the area. Learn about the lifestyle of the islanders and observe charming customs such as the lancha almacén, a boat which travels up and down the river from where locals can purchase goods during the day. After lunch, return to your hotel in Buenos Aires. In the evening, put on your dancing shoes and enjoy an unforgettable dinner and tango show at one of the city's famous tango houses.

Note: The tour does not operate on Sundays.

Your tour ends today in Buenos Aires. Enjoy a few moments to record some final memories of your time in Argentina before transferring to the airport for your flight home or to your next Argentina travel destination.