Day 1
Transfer from Catamarca Airport. Excursion to Cuesta del Portezuelo and a city tour of San Fernando del Valle de Catamarca. Overnight in Catamarca.
Cuesta del Portezuelo – Departure from the hotel toward the Museo de la Zamba, officially declared of tourist, cultural, and educational interest as the “Museo y Monumento a la Zamba Paisaje de Catamarca,” located at the entrance to Cuesta del Portezuelo. This magnificent and winding cliffside road climbs through the mountains, offering stunning landscapes and postcard-perfect views. The viewpoint stands at 1,070 meters above sea level, with panoramic views over the Valle Central and its countless shades of green—an inspiring scene that gave rise to the famous zamba “Paisaje de Catamarca.”
Day 2
Departure to Fiambalá, traveling through Quebrada de la Cébila, Aimogasta, and Tinogasta. Excursion along the Ruta del Adobe, visiting the Andacollo church and the Orquera family oratory. Visit to the Termas de Fiambalá. Overnight in Fiambalá.
Ruta del Adobe – A circuit rich in the historical legacy of the Diaguita indigenous peoples. This 55-kilometer route features churches and ruins where adobe is the predominant building material. Some of these structures are National Historic Monuments and are nearly 300 years old. Along the way, you’ll discover charming villages where skilled hands combined wood and adobe (a mixture of straw, mud, and manure) to create long-lasting houses, estates, chapels, and churches.
Termas de Fiambalá – Fiambalá, whose name in the language of the original peoples means “water that penetrates the mountain,” is a small town located just a few kilometers from Tinogasta. In addition to its pleasant microclimate and warm hospitality, it is famous for its hot springs. Set in natural pools descending from the mountains, the water ranges from 38°C to 70°C, and its mineral properties are highly valued for their therapeutic and healing benefits.
Day 3
4x4 vehicle expedition along the Ruta de los Seismiles (Valle de Chaschuil, Laguna Azul), reaching Balcón del Pissis via the majestic Quebrada de las Angosturas. Visit to Laguna Azul, stop at Hostería de Cortaderas, and a hike through Quebrada del Indio. Overnight in Fiambalá.
Ruta de los Seismiles – The San Francisco International Pass is located 200 km from Fiambalá. The route connecting them is known as the Ruta de los Seismiles, home to 24 peaks exceeding 6,000 meters in altitude. This scenic journey is ideal for photography, showcasing colorful mountains and volcanoes, as well as lagoons and streams along the way. Wildlife sightings may include vicuñas, guanacos, llamas, and pink flamingos. Historically, this route was used by indigenous peoples, later by colonizers entering from Chile, and by muleteers trading livestock and goods. Today, it offers unforgettable landscapes such as Quebrada de las Angosturas, Valle de Chaschuil, and the imposing Andes range, including views of volcanoes such as San Francisco, Incahuasi, Tres Cruces, Bertrand, and Los Patos.
Balcón del Pissis – One of Catamarca’s must-see highlights, located 170 km from Fiambalá. The route includes 100 km along Route 60 and 70 km off-road, requiring a 4x4 vehicle. Even in summer, temperatures can be very low due to extreme thermal variation. This panoramic viewpoint sits at 5,050 meters above sea level, making it the highest point in the world accessible by tourists in a 4x4. From here, you can admire Ojo del Salado, the second-highest peak in the Andes, as well as multicolored lagoons, white salt flats, and the surrounding “Seismiles” peaks. Vicuñas, guanacos, condors, and suris are often seen along the route, all within a pristine and untouched natural environment.
Quebrada del Indio – Located along Route 60, beyond Cuesta de la Aguadita toward the San Francisco Pass. Visitors walk through narrow passages between rock walls over 20 meters high, once the bed of an ancient river, until reaching striking rock formations resembling an indigenous couple almost kissing. The walk continues into a wider canyon where towering rock walls rise like arrows pointing toward the sky.
Day 4
Half-day excursion to the village of Saujil (north of Fiambalá), home to the Dunas Mágicas (optional sandboarding), continuing through Medanitos and the Tatón sand dunes. Later, travel to Belén with a stop in Londres to visit the Shincal de Quimivil archaeological site, followed by a visit to Arañitas Hilanderas at the Cuna del Poncho. Overnight in Belén.
Dunes – This region forms an extreme desert environment. The excursion covers approximately 140 km, visiting the dunes of Tatón, Saujil, and Medanitos. Here you’ll find the dune known as “Federico Kirbus,” named in honor of the journalist and writer who documented it; at 1,230 meters high, it is considered the tallest dune in the world. Near Saujil, about 20 km north of Fiambalá, the “Duna Mágica de Saujil” rises 190 meters with a 45-degree slope, making it ideal for sandboarding. Tatón features the largest concentration of massive dunes and was once considered the toughest stage of the Dakar Rally.
Arañitas Hilanderas – A textile cooperative formed by women from Belén and Catamarca in 2001 during a period of national crisis. Led by Rosa Husqueda de Vega, the cooperative focuses on social inclusion and the recovery of ancestral spinning and weaving techniques. Today, it is a national reference for both its solidarity-based cooperative model and its high-quality artisanal textiles, attracting visitors and fashion design students from Argentina and around the world.
Day 5
Departure from Belén to El Peñón, traveling through the Quebrada de Belén, Puerto Viejo, and Villa Vil, continuing to Barranca Larga with an ascent along the Cuesta de Randolfo, reaching the Médanos de Randolfo (optional walk on the dunes). The journey continues to the Campo de Piedra Pómez. Overnight in Antofagasta.
Quebrada de Belén – An 11-kilometer stretch north of the city along Route 40, providing access to the northern part of the department. The municipal reserve “Quebrada de Belén” features sculptures of native animals such as the quirquincho, hare, and suri scattered throughout the landscape.
Villa Vil – Located 80 km from Belén, this district lies in a transition zone between the pre-Puna and the Puna. Once inhabited by the Huillahuiles—meaning “Hare’s Watering Place” in the cacán language—Villa Vil is rich in archaeological remains, traditional crafts, music, folklore, and local cuisine. Nearby are the Castillos de Villa Vil, impressive rock formations sculpted by wind and water into shapes resembling Gothic castle towers.
Campo de Piedra Pómez – A striking landscape shaped by vast accumulations of pumice stone formed through volcanic activity and erosion over thousands of years. The area is characterized by extreme aridity, wide temperature variations, low atmospheric pressure, and reduced oxygen levels typical of the high-altitude Puna environment. The protected area covers 75,489 hectares, with elevations ranging from 3,050 to 4,850 meters above sea level.
Day 6
Volcán Galán excursion, beginning at the edge of the sand dune, visiting Laguna Cavi and Laguna Grande—one of the largest reserves of pink flamingos—reaching an average altitude of 4,300 meters above sea level. Overnight in Belén.
Volcán Galán – Departing from Antofagasta de la Sierra, the journey combines rugged tracks and gravel roads leading to the immense caldera of Volcán Galán. Considered one of the world’s mega-volcanoes, its crater measures approximately 23 by 46 kilometers. The route includes Laguna Grande, which in summer becomes one of the world’s most important pink flamingo nesting areas, hosting an estimated 18,000 to 25,000 birds.
Further ahead, the crater rim reaches 4,740 meters above sea level, offering sweeping views of the caldera and the inner Laguna Diamante, whose striking color comes from salinity levels eight times higher than seawater. You’ll also see the inner crest of Volcán Galán, rising to 5,912 meters and permanently capped with snow. Hot springs with temperatures nearing 90°C reveal ongoing volcanic activity deep within the volcano.
Day 7
Visit to the El Shincal de Quimivil archaeological site. Return to San Fernando del Valle de Catamarca. Overnight in Catamarca.
El Shincal de Quimivil – Located in Londres, Belén department, along Route 40, this site was built and inhabited by the Incas between 1457 and 1536 on territory previously occupied by Calchaquí groups. Designed following the urban layout of Cuzco, it served as a provincial capital and became the southernmost city of the Inca Empire. The complex includes more than a hundred structures, many of them monumental. Nearby remains of the ancient Capac Ñan (Inca Road) have also been identified. The site takes its name from the abundance of a local shrub known as shinki.
Day 8
Transfer to Catamarca Airport.
