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These provinces are 2 hours, by plane, north-west of Buenos Aires. Sub tropical forests leading up the foothills of the Andes, to finally reach a high semi-arid plateau, at an altitude of about 4.000 metres (about 13.000 feet) set in the mountains.

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These were the southern reaches of the Inca Empire, where the native population have a strong influence on life styles. This area was the first to be populated by the Spaniards on their way south from Peru. Quiet and peaceful, with big changes in the terrain within short distances, a part of Argentina just being discovered by visitors who look for fresh open spaces and great natural beauty. Try the “Train to the clouds”, a 14 hour train journey from Salta (about 800 metres altitude) to San Antonio de los Cobres (about 4.000 metres altitude) and back, this railway used to continue to Antofagasta in Chile, one of the most challenging railways ever built.