Hi, this is my turn to ask for advise, we are planning to visit Salta next April or May.
What have been your highligts >? PLease also mentioned if you have rented a car, and which hotels have you loved, or hated for that matter. I am in the preliminary stages of considering what to do.

Are you only going to Salta? How much time do you have?

Hi, Graziella5b:

There is A LOT on the subject in TA including yours truly's:

http://tinyurl.com/jsgu8

Of course, Angie (our resident Salta expert, who calls herself Flintstones in this forum) should soon be along to help.

Have a great trip.

Thank YOu AVrooster, Graziella5b it is very important the time you have and your main interests to planify.
The NW has a lot of spots you should not miss... For instance; Cafayate, is our wine route, most of the boutique wineries are there and they produce almost all kind of wines including the torrontes which unique. You can also taste a wine sorbeet, or wine icecream at Miranda and to taste also goat cheese at Cabras de Cafayate. You need at least two days with one neight overnight to (really) enjoy it. Purmamarca and the Salt Flats and Tilcara are also a "must" in the NW and the time you need is at least two more days. Three if you want to include Humahuaca and Uquia´s church. Purmamarca is a little piece of jewellry, framed byu colourful mountains gives th aspect of a picture of a fantasy. The hotels depend on what you want to pay and what are your interests also. Many people prefers to be close to the shops and buildings like Salta Hotel which is placed just in the heart of the town. Close to the nightlife? You can see Altos de Balcarse just on Balcarse st. and if you love fancy places, El Lagar, which is the house of a traditional family, but too expensive for my taste. Papyrus is highly recommneded but at 10 blocks from town, if you do not mind that the place is beautiful in a nice area. In Cafayate Killa has always been the most recommended and much cheaper and well-located in the heart of the town, in Purmamarca... Manantial is highly reommended but you have more options, if you are not looking or fancy hotels only I recommend EL CARDON which is in town, and has a great view form the two top rooms, Number 7 or 8 The hotels is tiny, only 8 rooms, but very comfortable, private bathrooms, heating in winter, breakfast included and only 1,5 blocks from the mains square. I have been watching some other new hotels in the area and Posada Tanpu Mayu in Tilcara is really nice.
About a car... The automatic cars are expensive and I would rather prefer a normal one instead for the mountains, specially if you are not used to drive longer in mountains. The route to the SAlt Flats, for instance, from Purmamarca rises 2000 mts ( 6561 ft)in only 35 kms, and the slope is very steep to drive with an automatic car. If you do not have more than this 4 or 5 days I would suggest you squeeze your time getting a guide/driver to see everything.
Hope I helped you with these tips and do not hesitate in making questions.
Warm regards,
Flintstones.

I'd second the advice on the Papyrus hotel in Salta. We just returned from 9 days in the NW and stayed at the Papyrus for 3 of the nights (#1, #3 and #8) and liked it very much. It has lovely views and serves a great set course dinner for 50 pesos at night,

I's a easy walk to the main square but more difficult to return since it is mostly up hill at the end. A cab ride in either direction in a little less than 4 pesos.

Our other nights were in Tilcara (1), Cafayate(2, and Colome (2)

Hi Thank you all. We are thinking of going to Salta during April or early May. Good time or bad time>?
I think you have 5 days. I have lovely memories of Salta, I am looking forward to go. Thank you for much inf.
flinstones and avrooster I hope we can stay in papyrus you sold me on that. Gracias.

For us, the highlights were Purmamarca, Cachi, the drive to Cachi and our stay at Estancia Colome. Although really everything was great. Tilcara was really interesting, with the Inca ruins and the market. Salta city was particularly delightful at night. We only had five nights, and I thought it was the bare minimum to do the area justice.

We went in November '06, and I also wrote a trip report on my return. I think I called it "the amazing NW Argentina" or something like that.

You will have a great time no matter which sites you pick.

p.s., I assume you know that "flinstones" is also a guide, well-loved by everyone who travels with her. She is careful to follow the forum rules, so she will never advertise her services, and she is always exceedingly generous with free advice.

Very sweet of her, which speaks tons of the wonderful people one can find in Argentina.

I stayed at the Papyrus 2 years ago and for the money I did not think it was worth it. The hotel was fine and really no complaints with staff or the room but it lacked ambience and warmth. I could have been in any hotel in any part of the world. There was nothing that said Salta or north west Argentina. There are other hotels in Salta that have a more colonial feeling to the place.
Maybe when I was staying at Papyrus I wasn't feeling too well either but what I noticed was that being such a small hotel, the other guests were very snobby and not friendly at all. It could simply be that during those days that I was there just happened to be those types of guests were staying there as well. By contrast, I stayed in Cordoba, BA and the falls at places about the same size and the staff and guests happened to be fantastic. Very friendly and talkative. I like staying at smaller hotels and B&Bs because it does provide you with opportunity to exchange ideas with other travelers. I believe many of you would agree.

I agree. While the Papyrus was OK for me, I feel Angie (Flintstones) should be able to suggest several places with more of a "local feel".

Hi Flingstones et all - We are also planning a trip to Salta. We actually have only 4 days. So far we plan to be one day at Embalse Cabra Corral area, then one night and day at Cafayate. Next day drive by Cachi and head up to Quebrada de Humahuaca for a 2 nights in time to get back to Salta for a flight out. How long is the drive tfrom Cafayate to La Quebrada de Humahuaca stopping by El Salar? Do you think is a good plan? We are planning to rent a car ( do we need a 4 wheels drive?) I read some bad stories on rentals. We drive stick and Spanish is my first language. Thanks Deerna1

You do not need a 4x4 to drive around the normals circuits. On the other hand you only have four days... YOu will not have to See everythiung but I can resommend what to see and what to leave aside.
Salta- HumahuacaGorge and overnight in Purmamarca
Purmamarca - Salt Flats - back to Salta...
Salta _ Cafayate - winereis and goat cheese factory
Cafayate - Amaicha (Pachamama Museum) - Cafayate for lunch - Back to Salta you can get into Cabra Corral 12 kms detour into the lake...
That is what you have time for...
Warm regards,
Flintstones...

When I was in Salta a couple of years ago, I stayed at the Solar de la Plaza, and found it charming, and the people who ran it were very very nice. There are several good, smallish hotels, I don't remember the names of the others we looked at. but the Solar was perfectly fine. I think it was a lot less expensive than the Papyrus.

We spent 9 leisurely days in the NW this past November. One hotel in Salta that we visited, but did not stay in, was Legado Mitico -- it was really lovely and located near Balcare St.
We rented a car and loved driving around ourselves -- we found it very easy to get around and had no problems at all. It's hard to pick a favorite place because we truly enjoyed our entire time there. Hotel Killa stood out as the best hotel -- just a delightful hotel with wonderful owners.
I've got a trip report posted with lots of details, The Fascinating NW.
have a great trip!

very helpful answers,as i and another fellow plan on spending 7-10 days in this area arriving around may 6. we plan on renting a car and wandering the area. will look forward to more info from those in the know.

We spent several weeks in the North West an loved it! Too many highlights to list so here here is a link to our blog:

http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog...5860/tpod.html

I would strongly recommend renting a car and driving the circuit of the area - probably the hightlight of our year long trip. For somewhere to stay just outside of Salta which is a little different to the usual hotels check out

http://www.lacasahernandez.com.ar/

and in Cachi, Finca La Paya was superb

Happy to answer any specific questions you may have

Hi Clive and Carolyn,(crellston)

How are you ? This is nice... Thank you so much for recommending us!!
You already found something?

Big Abrazo

Alex y Rijkje

u also may want to check out Trip Advisor for trip reports and additional information.

I lived all my life in Salta and for me the beauty of the town could have become common, normal... But I learnt to look at it with the eyes of visitors...
Driving or getting a tour, with a family or with a couple, in summer or in winter... IT IS BEAUTIFUL!
Just enjoy it. There are many samll hotels in the area, but the idea is you do not stay all the time in the hotel looking for details that let you know youa re in Salta. Go to a peña at night, eat empanadas, try our wines, or our beer. I do not think a hotel should be sooooo important at the the moment of feeling a place. I mean IT IS important to stay in a comfortable and nice hotel but not at the point to expect to make friends. There are, in all case, a chance to meet salteños, people polite, nice and friendly open to talk to foreigners...
Anyway... I like Posada del MArques, Solar de la PLaza, EL solar del Convernto... La candela... SALTA hotel... Papyrus is a nice hotel and the service is good. I prefer something closer to downtown...
Flintstones