Roads in NW Argentina
 

I am looking for information about some roads in north west Argentina. One of us has a bad back and long drives on rough roads are out of the question. This is a birding trip if you are wondering about the selection of locations.

1) From Salta to Cayfate to Tafi del Valle.

2) From Salta to Parque Nacional Calilegua.

Your #1 we drove and it was on paved roads that were fine. Cant speak to #2.
I would ask this question also on Trip Advisor.

I believe we don't need TA for this.

Angie should be around soon with a knowledgeable answer.

Gavin:

Hola. Que tal?

Last year we rented a car and did the drive you are referring to in reverse. We started in Tucuman and drove #307 to Tafi del Valle, Cafayate, and on to Salta via #68. The road is paved the entire way. However, if you decide to go to Salta via Molinos and Cachi (turnoff is in Cafayate), then you will be on a very long dirt road and have to go over a very windly mountain pass and possibly ford some small creeks that flow accross the road at certain times of the year. The drive from Salta to Cafayate on #68 is very beautiful and you will go through a gorge called Quebrada de las Conchas. There are about 10 signed places to pull over in that area (its a stretch of about 30 kilometers, more or less) starting in Cafayate) and view fabulous rock formations, gullies, and other scenic views. The hiking in this area is great and you can possibly see condors. The drive is several hours long, but not bumpy. I suggest you stay the night in Cafayate if you can't do long drives; Kila Hotel is really a great place to stay there and there are others. The drive to Tafi from Cafayate is not far. Be sure to stop at the Quilmes Ruins on the way. There is some great birding there. We saw lots of raptors and song birds flying around the ruins, and also in the hills adjacent to the ruins. There were lots of birds hanging out on the tall cactus plants. Also, don't miss the Pachamama Museum in Amaicha de Valle. FYI- I think there may be a hotel at the ruins in Quilmes also.

Sorry, but I can't answer your #2. We tried to go to Calilegua in late October, but were told by our local travel agent in Salta not to bother because there can be flash floods in the area making the roads impassable. Make sure you check this out very carefully with a guide or the National Park first to ensure you can get into this area.

By the way, just got back from my second trip to Argentina two weeks ago and I went to Parque Nacional Quebrada del Condorito. You only have to hike in about three miles to get to the main condor viewing area. It was more than incredible seeing mature condors flying overhead. If you can't do this much hiking, there are viewpoints in the area where you can also see the condors from roadside viewing areas. The park is about a 2-3 hour drive from Cordoba.

Happy birding!

Thanks for the replies so far. When I read crellston's road trip report around the northwest I became concerned that his description of some of the roads and their depiction on my map did not coincide, leading me to doubt my map.

ElPelar, can you (or anyone else) elaborate on the flash flood issue in PN Calilegua in October? It happens that our trip is the first half of October next year.

My planning on this trip is a bit backwards because the we are using points for biz seats. These go fast and when I saw availability I booked the flights before I had a basic plan.

Gavin, You are quite right to doubt your map. The maps we used bore little resemblance to the reality! Some of the roads on the map were described as tarmac were , in fact gravel, and vice versa. The road from Calafate to Salta was half gravel and half tarmac and not too bad at all. I too, suffer from a dodgy back and the roads didn't cause me any problems. We did the trip in a very small car. I would imagine that a bigger car would be more comfortable. Please don't let my trip report put you off, it was a great experience and well worth the effort!

I think I am a little confused now as to where you want to drive. Gavin, if in
"1) From Salta to Cayfate to Tafi del Valle"
you are referring to Cafayate, we just drove that road less than a week ago and it is a normal paved road-tarmac or other surface - the entire route. It was not a gravel road for any of the trip. Unless you plan to go as El Pelar said from Cafayate to Cachi and then on to Salta you will not have gravel roads.
I do agree that a larger car would be more comfortable overall. We had a VW golf and at times during our trip thought I should have gotten a larger car.

Yestravel: You were able to read what I meant, not what I typed; I meant "Cafayate". On the Rough Guide map the trip looks like a straight shot on a main road.

It is -- easy driving and no different than driving in the US. I've been trying to recall what map we had because it was accurate in terms of showing whether a road was secondary, paved, unpaved etc. You'll love the NW -- it's stunning!

Hi, yestravel!

I believe you probably rented a VW GOL not GOLF. Am I right?

The VW GOLF is a comparatively high end car here, whereas the GOL is the local bestseller.

Hey AV -- right you are I bet-- the little, cheap VW. So GOL not GOLF... As u can now tell, cars are definitely not my thing!
Heard its cooled off a lot down there.

Yes, we are back to our normal, wonderful spring weather, but it should get progressively warmer.

Thanks yestravel, your reasurance is most helpful. It's one thing to be doing a day trip and discover that a road is unsuitable but quite another to find that a key link in the trip is a problem.

Crellston, your wonderful report is not putting us off the trip but has helped us made decisions. We can't do everything that we would like to do and must make choices. I learned in our trip to Chile that less can be more. We had a better quality trip by spending more time in fewer locations. This works much better with my wife's physical limitations. One of the areas that I had been considering was Laguna de Pozuelos near Abra Pampa to see some of the local high elevation specialties like Giant Coot and Andean Flamingo but now realize that going there would be unwise for us. Instead we will use the time somewhere else.

Well, I am sorry to be absent. I hope the reply get in time. First, if you are coming between December and April, forget about Calilegua... The mud is impossible... better think aout Cafayate - Tafi del Valle. Forget Cachi-Cafayate if you want to reach complete at the end of the trip. Forget San Anotnio de los Cobres or route 40 between San Antonio de los Cobres to the Salt Flats,Or from teh Salt Flats to Abra Pampa...
Forget about Calilegua, BAritu or EL REY this time of teh year...
Hope to be helpful!
Flintstones....

Gavin:

Concerning your question about Calilegua Park in October, here are my suggestions:

1. Contact Irene Mintzer at Active Argentina in Salta; she was our travel agent there who did a great job and knows the national parks very well. The website is: http://www.active-argentina.com/ and she is at Zuviria 982, Salta phone: 54 387 [email protected]
2. Active Argentina operates tours in the Salta area and provides small vans for individuals and groups. For example, we used their services for a tour to the the salt flats Salinas Grandes near Purmamarca. Anyway, she will be able to track down definitively if the national park is open and perhaps even arrange a tour for you.

By the way, if you go to Cafayate, check out the goat cheese factory, Cabras De Cafayate. They have incredible cheese and a plant tour. Its on the edge of town. On the way there, we passed a small field where someone had dumped grape pulp and there were about 1000 parrots getting drunk in the field! You will get a kick out of the goats, also. Another place to check out is Miranda's Ice Cream. Finally, there are many great wineries in the area for sampling. Enjoy your trip.

Thanks Flintstones. No need to apologize for being away. Our trip is the first half of October 2009. You wrote: "Forget about Calilegua, BAritu or EL REY this time of the year...". Am I correct to assume you mean December to April? El Rey is also on the birding map.

Thanks for the tips ElPelar. A thousand drunken parrots sounds like an interesting spectacle. Do you know which species?

Birds? All over! In October - NOvember even YAvi in the border close to La quiaca is a brding place. Different kind of humming birds,(spelling?)But all over. At themoment I do not feel you need to go so far away. This year I met some birdwatchers and they made me get into the birds. It was July and even in winter there were plenty of them all over. So, I would garantee you will see lots.
Tell me what you want to see and I wil tell you where. You do not need to drive so far, really.
Flintstones