Our First Week in Salta
On Monday the 15th of September, Salta experiences an enormous religious festival. The origins of the Fiesta del Señor y la Virgen del Milagro (Feast of the Lord and Virgin of the Miracle) date back to 1692, following a series of devastating earthquakes that miraculously ceased after religious processions bearing sacred images took to the streets. To this day, a grand procession featuring these holy statues sets off from the main cathedral.
To attend this event—one of the largest religious gatherings in Argentina, attracting up to 650,000 people—tens of thousands of pilgrims walk, cycle, or ride on horseback across hundreds of kilometres. Some extreme routes, such as those from Santa Victoria Oeste, take up to 12 days and descend from altitudes exceeding 5,000 metres above sea level. Other long-distance treks cover over 400km from remote valleys and rural outposts. In fact, we had passed a group of these very pilgrims as we crossed the high-altitude pass over the Puna the previous week, having wondered at the time why a group of people was walking through the desert.
Now that we had all arrived in the city — us arriving in a decidedly less religious fashion — we decided to attend the gathering outside the cathedral. None of us are religious, but it’s fascinating to experience such an event. The gathering continued for a couple of hours as a kind of open-air church service. The plaza was rammed with people, and large TV screens had been erected so the crowd could see the procession better. Three distinct religious statues were carried out from the church by groups of men, borne on heavy wooden litters much like a casket — though these looked significantly heavier, with some requiring 12 people to bear the weight. The procession moved slowly from the church towards the Monumento 20 de Febrero, with the pilgrims following behind in the streets.
It was remarkable to observe just how devout the crowd was: nearly every person who passed the cathedral made the sign of the cross, and people at the front of the congregation wept openly. It was taken with immense seriousness, and everyone appeared deeply involved. We decided we’d return later for a walking tour when things were quieter; the pilgrims would begin heading out of the city over the next few days, allowing the bustle to calm down.
Meanwhile, the glorious weather held. Deciding it was time for another walk, we headed up to a cloud forest northwest of the city in the suburb of San Lorenzo. This pretty area offers a great selection of trails, and we chose to link a few together to create a nice circular route. It was a little gentler than the hike we’d done the previous day, but offered fantastic views nonetheless. We were treated to these right from the start as we crossed an uneven boardwalk with sweeping views back over the city below.
From there, we diverted up through the forest, following a trickle of a stream and spotting plenty of guans—or "forest turkeys"—along the way. The path climbed steadily until we reached the end of the initial trail, where we joined another path to head back down via several panoramic viewpoints.
It was lovely to have such a picturesque walk right on our doorstep, and we resolved to return later to tackle some of the other routes we’d missed.
The following day was a special one: it was my mum's birthday, and we had plans. For that evening, Lee had found and secretly booked a private meal and wine tasting hosted in the home of a local chef. It was a surprise, which left us with the entire day to fill beforehand. We decided to go on our first proper day trip from the house: driving up to the mountain town of San Antonio de los Cobres and onwards to the famous Polvorilla Viaduct.
It used to be possible to make this entire journey by rail aboard the Tren a las Nubes (Train to the Clouds) — one of the highest tourist train routes in the world. Nowadays, the train runs only on the short section from San Antonio to the viaduct, where it pauses before returning to town. That 42km return trip costs a jaw-dropping £94 per person (including the bus link up from Salta), but it features spectacular mountain scenery along the way. Fortunately, as the railway line closely parallels the main road up from Salta, you can enjoy virtually the exact same views by driving it yourself—completely free.
We set off early that morning so we could reach the viaduct in time to watch the train cross at midday. Packing a picnic lunch, we began the three-hour drive winding up into the mountains. The weather was a little cloudier today, but that didn't detract from the beautifully coloured hills lining the valley route. We climbed continuously as we approached the viaduct at an elevation of 4,200 metres.
Although the weather wasn't terrible, it was cold up at that altitude, so we sat inside the car to eat our lunch while waiting for the train. Unsurprisingly, it was running late. Half an hour after its scheduled arrival, we finally heard its horn echoing up the valley and spotted its bright blue carriages making their way towards the steel structure. We weren't the only ones who had driven down to the base to watch; several other cars had gathered below.
Once the train had crept across the bridge, it came to a halt before reversing back across to begin its return journey down to town.
As the other cars dispersed, we followed behind them. We decided to stop at the ruins of Tastil on the way back down — stopping at multiple points makes a long drive feel far more worthwhile.
We also made a brief stop at some ruined thermal pools to show my parents, though funnily enough, no one fancied a dip in the sulphuric waters, even with the place entirely to ourselves this time!
The ruins of Tastil are the remains of a vast pre-Inca settlement perched on a hill just off the main road. It’s a short detour up to see what was once a thriving town housing around 3,000 people. Turning off the highway, we took a narrow dirt track up the hillside. A friendly gatekeeper let us through (entry is free), explaining that his colleague was at the top and would happily answer any questions. We drove up the rough track to park in a small car park, where a guide was indeed standing beside an information board. He explained the scale of the site, which comprises over 440 buildings constructed entirely of dry-stone masonry without mortar. He added that there was a museum with further exhibits in the nearby village, and pointed out the best trail for a view across the entire complex. There are two walking routes available, but with our evening plans looming, we were a little pressed for time, so we walked the short trail to the main viewpoint for an impressive vista over this ancient stone city.
Further down in the village, we stopped at the museum to learn more about the site's history and view some of the archaeological finds. Tastil served as the capital of this pre-Inca civilisation between 1000 AD and 1450 AD. The settlement was a dense network of dwellings built defensively on the hilltop, with many entries located through the roofs to shelter inhabitants from the howling winds. Extensive remains of llamas and stone corrals were discovered on site, demonstrating that these animals were raised and used as pack beasts to transport trade goods across the region. Sea shells and peanut seeds were also excavated, proving the existence of an extensive long-distance trade network. The surrounding area also contains an extraordinary concentration of rock art, boasting over 6,000 distinct petroglyphs.
After our brief museum visit, we put our foot down to get back to Salta on time. We arrived with just half an hour to change and get straight back out the door — this time taking a taxi so we could all enjoy the wine tasting. We headed to a house inside a gated community and, after a fair bit of negotiating at the security gate, were finally allowed through. We pulled up outside a striking modern house featuring large glass doors, exposed timber, and polished concrete floors, where our host, Maria, greeted us warmly at the door.
She welcomed us into a spacious, open-plan living area and sat us on the sofa with a glass of wine and some nibbles. She reassured my mum that the entire menu met her dietary requirements, pointing out that the delicious bread provided was made from almond flour. I don't think I've ever tasted such good gluten-free bread—it had none of the dry, crumbly texture usually associated with gluten-free baking, and was genuinely delicious.
After a short while, we moved to the dining table for our first course: roasted carrots served on a bean dip base, accompanied by more almond bread and devilled eggs. Maria is both a professional chef and a qualified sommelier who runs a cafe down in Cafayate, but wine is her true passion.
Alongside the main course came another bottle of wine, every bit as exquisite as the first.
For mains, she served quinoa with a vegetable curry alongside a pasta dish, placing generous bowls in the centre of the table for us to help ourselves while we enjoyed the red wine.
Finally, dessert arrived: poached pears in mulled wine, with my mum's serving complete with a birthday candle! Maria also brought out a final bottle of wine from the vineyard where she works. It was a Tannat, but unlike any I had ever tasted—smoky yet remarkably fresh, with a unique and delicious profile. We all agreed that every single wine had been outstanding. It was a real treat to sample bottles not easily found on supermarket shelves, making for a truly special birthday dinner. Maria had been an exceptional host, and Lee had done a fantastic job finding such a memorable evening out. We left full and content, carrying the remainder of two unfinished bottles to enjoy another day.
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