Home > Programs > International
Trips > Argentina
Country: Argentina
Tour: 16-days including travel
time
Type of tour: mountain bike
touring and camping
Expeditions for: Students
Next
trip: Summer 2011
Detailed
Maps of Route
Overview
TWO WHEEL VIEW operates in a select handful of the
most wonderful regions in the world - Argentina
has been one of our most popular destinations for
numerous reasons including, great food, interesting
culture, incredible biking, beautiful landscapes,
and welcoming people. TWO WHEEL VIEW programs focus
on adventurous, active, environmental and educational
opportunities. You will get to meet locals that
will provide you interesting, accurate, and helpful
knowledge about this region.
Trip Description
Mention Salta to an Argentine, and the response
is often the following: "Ah, Salta the Beautiful." That
this northern province isn't better known to the
rest of the world is an injustice. The road south
from the province's eponymous capital to Cafayate,
home to a cluster of vineyards, boasts breathtaking
scenery, with cliffs of many hues shaped by water
and wind. With the addition of tasty food and a rich
musical tradition, the place should not be missed.
Written by Daniel Altman, New York Times, July 2,
2006.
Northern Argentina Scenery
The northwestern provinces of Salta and Tucuman in
Argentina feature traces of pre-Columbian cultures,
mingled with ruins of indigenous villages, together
with forts and buildings dating back to the time
of the Conquest and Colonization. This region is
very rich in archaeological remains. In Cafayate,
where you will have two days to explore, Spanish
traditions and customs are still kept in the art,
architecture, as well as religious images. Time
seems to have come to a halt in the high plateau
regions, a land bound by mountain ranges, steep
mountain paths and gorges. Villages have been built
in hollows in the ground. Multi-colored and monochromatic
hills, covered on the slopes with huge cactuses,
surround the villages. This region allows you to
enjoy landscapes full of contrast, from the high
peaks to the plains, with the salt pans and the
subtropical rain forests, where Latin American
culture took root.
Group Makeup
- Group: 8 to 12 students, 3
adult leaders
- Language: English / Spanish
Trip Difficulty
- Average daily miles: 50 km (30
miles)
- Longest single day: 75 km mostly
downhill
- Overall difficulty rating: beginner
to intermediate
Sample Itinerary
Detailed
Maps of Route
Day 1 Pre-Trip Orientation: spend
the day participating in team-building activities,
going for bike rides, learning basic bicycle maintenance
skills, and packing your gear and bike.
2 International departure to Salta,
Argentina via Buenos Aires.
3 Unpack bikes and gear at the
airport, ride into the city and camp at perhaps
the largest outdoor swimming pool in the world.
After a long day of travel you can enjoy a shower,
food, and refreshments.
4 Sight-seeing in Salta. Salta
is the capital city of the province. It is situated
in one of the most fertile and scenic areas of
this region. The Colonial architecture of the city
is some of the best in the country.
5 Bike from Salta to Cabra Coral.
The route out of Salta is on highway 68 through
beautiful countryside and small traditional villages
with colonial main squares. We will camp at a campground
near large reservoir called Cabra Coral.
6 Bike from Cabra Coral to Alemania.
The biking route on this day will be gradually
climbing with rolling hills. Toward the end of
the day the road will follow a beautiful river
called the Rio del las Conchas. The scenery includes
lots of red rocks, tall mountains and blue sky.
Alemania is an artisan village in an abandoned
railroad town along the river. We will back country
camp near the river.
7 Bike from Alemania to Sta. Barbara.
Wake up and watch the sun light up the mountain
sides before reaching the river valley. Visit local
artisans in Alemania and then start the gradual
climb through the Quebrada (Valley) de Cafayate.
Tonight we will back country camp along the river.
8 Bike Sta. Barbara to Cafayate.
The town, located in the center of the Calchaquí Valleys,
is surrounded by rivers, sand dunes and vineyards.
9 Day off in Cafayate: Check out
Cafayate and local attractions: shopping, artisans,
hiking, vineyards.
10 Bike from Cafayate to Quilmes.
It’s an easy ride from Cafayate to Quilmes
with the exception of the up hill to the ruins.
The paved road is very, very quiet and there are
virtually no real hills worth mentioning. At the
ruins, we will stay at a unique hotel built entirely
with stones.
11 Bike Quilmes to Ampimpa Observatory:
From Quilmes we will bike down to the river that
cuts through the valley and continue back up to
Amaicha. From Amaicha we will begin one long, long
climb. We will stop before the summit today at
the Ampimpa Observatory. Christian will be our
host and local expert on astrology and local history.
We will take a hike to the mostly untouched ruins
of a civilization that once inhabited this area.
At night Christian will wake us up to observe stars
and planets. We will sleep in rustic cabins overlooking
the valley below.
12 Bike from the observatory to
Tafí de Valle. The first part of the day
will be climbing to the summit at 3,040 m (10,000
feet). Because the pass is surrounded by mountains
the pass looks deceivingly low. It’s not
all up hill as there are a few spots where the
road descends and then climbs again. We will stay
at a local hostel or camp near Tafí del
Valle.
13 Bike from Tafí del Valle
to Tte. Berdina. This is one of the most incredible
downhill rides. We will descend from Tafí del
Valle into the lush, low-lying areas near the City
of San Miguel de Tucuman. The landscape will change
from high alpine desert to lush green, forested
areas. We will stop and camp in a small village
called Tte. Berdina.
14 Bike from Tte. Berdina to Yerba
Buena: This will be our last day of biking. We
will pass by some sugar cane processing plants,
lemon orchards and other farms. We will travel
on a quite road that skirts the base of the mountain
range we descended the day before. Tonight we will
camp in Yerba Buena at a guest house owned by an
adventure cyclist who biked the world for more
than four years. It will be our last night in Argentina
so we will probably want to go out to eat and enjoy
the Argentine cuisine.
15 Pack up our bikes and gear
and fly back to N. America.
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