Your full-day journey to San Antonio de los Cobres begins with pickup at your Salta hotel. The drive to the northwest of Salta follows Argentina's famous Tren a las Nubes (Train to the Clouds) but traveling by coach allows passengers to disembark, snap photos and see sights along the way.
Arrive at Quebrada del Toro (Gorge of the Bull) and admire the 79-foot (24-meter) El Toro Viaduct. Pass the impressive Alisal and Chorrillo bridges as you listen to your guide's commentary on the area's history and geology. Watch the scenery change from rocky terrain and cacti to dense vegetation as the coach makes its way up toward the Andes.
Stop to snap photos and stretch in several picturesque towns including Alfarcito, El Gólgota, and El Candado. Visit Santa Rosa de Tastil, a rural village that is home to the ruins of a pre-Incan city. Visit the archaeological museum and purchase a snack here (own expense).
Continue through Finca La Encrucijada to reach the highest point on your journey at 13,386 feet (4,080 meters) in Abra Blanca. View the native llamas and condors in their natural habitat as they pick their way through the mountain landscape.
Complete the final leg of your journey to San Antonio de los Cobres, where you stop for views of the Polvorilla Viaduct. Explore the streets full of traditional adobe homes on your own and taste regional dishes for lunch (own expense) during your two hours in one of Argentina's highest-elevation towns.
Then board the bus for your return trip to Salta, where your excursion ends with drop-off at your hotel.
