TOLAR GRANDE: DiSCoveRINg the highlands
Background information:
Maximum Altitude: 4560 meters.
Overall length: 3 days & 2 nights.
Operates: March to November
DAY 1 – SALTA / SAN ANTONIO DE LOS COBRES / TOLAR GRANDE
Itinerary: Salta – San Antonio de los Cobres – Tolar Grande
Distance: 360 km.
An early start to leave the city of Salta towards west through the national rout 51 following the tracks of the famous Train to the Clouds, a good opportunity to admire this major engineering feat done between the years 1921 to 1948. One the highest railways on the world it reaches 4475 meters of altitude in 554 km of length crossing the hole Andes Mountain Range. By mid-morning stop in Santa Rosa de Tastil, a small village where local artisans offers their products like ceramics and textiles in llama’s wool.
In the old mining town of San Antonio de los Cobres there will be time to have lunch
Right after that and before enjoying the best views among volcanos, salt flats, the best landscapes of the day we need to pass the highest point of the RN 51 at 4560 in the place known as Alto Chorrillo. Depending on the time we can also hike in the “Desierto del Diablo” (devil´s desert).
We will finish the day watching the sun set over the mountains in Tolar Grande, located at 3500 meters with just 150 inhabitants, this village emerged with the arrival of the railway line that used to connect: Salta, Socompa and the harbour of Antofagasta in Chile, when mining industry was at its peak
Accommodation in the Communal Shelter or homestays (Private room – shared bathroom)
DAY 2 – TOLAR GRANDE
Itinerary: Tolar Grande – Ojos de Mar – Salar Arizaro – Tolar Grande
Distance: 170 km
Day dedicated to discover the surroundings. After breakfast we going out of the village to admire the “Ojos de Mar”. An incredible place, not only because of its beauty but also for the elements contributed to science for a better understanding of the beginning of life on Earth and other planets like Mars. Researchers have found in this place, prehistoric microorganisms called stromatolites who are still alive and inhabited our planet 3.5 billion years ago!!
Before going back to the village we are going to “el Arenal” and a viewpoint to see the seven volcanos in the Western Andes Mountain Range: Llullaillaco, Socompa, Aracar, Guanaqueros, Pulares, Salin and Arizaro. Then it will be time for lunch and after that we need to cross the Arizaro Salt Flat to reach the Cono de Arita (a striking formation similar to a volcano in the middle of the salt flat.
Accommodation in the Communal Shelter or homestays (Private room – shared bathroom)
DAY 3 – TOLAR GRANDE / SAN ANTONIO DE LOS COBRES / SALTA
Itinerary: Tolar Grande – Santa Rosa de Tastil – Salta
Distance: 360 km.
After breakfast we driving back to San Antonio de los Cobres by the same road used days before enjoying the incredible landscapes with another sun light position.
Time for lunch in San Antonio de los Cobres and after that we going to hike in the largest archaeological site in the Northwest of Argentina, the Ruins of Tastil and two hours later we will be in Salta
End of our services.
Other services.