Salta is the capital of the Salta providence in northwestern Argentina. Salta is located in the Lerma valley at the base of the Andes mountains and sits at 3780 feet above sea level. It is the second largest city in northern Argentina and has a population, including the metropolitan area, of over 619,000 residents.
Total anual rainfall is about 25 inches a year.
It was originally ruled by the Inca Indian tribe for hundreds of years until the early 16th century. Salta in Incan language means “a pleasant place to settle down” The Spanish explorer Hernando de Lerma founded the city of Salta on April 16, 1582, for the purpose of being a connection destination between Lima, Peru and Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Salta is a great place for adventure tours. Thrill-seekers can enjoy an off-road jeep tours, white water rafting and zip lining, bungee jumping off the Train to the Clouds Bridge, horseback riding and mountain biking.
In the city You can climb the more than 1,000 steps up the path behind the equestrian statue of Martín Miguel de Güemes. You can sea beautiful views of the city from the top. If 1,000 steps sounds exhausting then you can catch the tram ride to the top.
You can also explore the Museum of High Altitude Archaeology or MAAM as it’s called. The most famous artifact in the museum is known as the Ice Children. They are 500 year old perfectly preserved children that were killed as part of a ritual sacrifice.
There is so much here to explore, Tall, red, Grand Canyon-esc kind of mountains, green rivers, dry highland deserts, snow-capped mountain peaks, outstanding high altitude wineries, and even the occasional heard of donkeys. You can also take the areal cable car for a fantastic view of the city and surrounding areas.
The best time to go is between April and November to avoid the rainy season. Book a reputable tour agency to to see the sights. You simply can not get through the rugged terrain without a 4 wheel drive vehicle.
There are several flight to Salta coming from Buenos Aires. No direct flights are available at this time. Here are a list of airlines that fly to Buenos Aires:
