Saddle up for a desert spin to pedal the Devil’s Throat canyon, a winding ravine of ochre walls etched by time and rare rainfall. Continue to the whitewashed San Isidro’s Chapel, a humble landmark that presides over scrublands and distant volcano silhouettes.

The route mixes packed gravel with gentle rises, delivering a tactile sense of the Atacama—salt ridges, whispering wind and shifting light—before a quiet roll back towards town under the broad desert sky.

Start at Los Artesanos viewpoint to climb the switchbacks of Cuesta del Obispo, topping out at Piedra del Molino with big-sky views and a chance to spot soaring condors at Los Ojos del Cóndor. It’s a memorable high-Andes achievement by bike.

Roll into Los Cardones National Park, where giant cacti guard ancient routes and you pause at the Mirador del Camino del Inca. Arid plateaus and silent valleys lead you onward to the stone-built village of Cachi.

Begin near the roadside Nuestra Señora de la Merced Chapel and ride south on compact gravel toward the vine-draped Calchaquí Valley. Cactus groves, sandy arroyos and distant ridges set a cinematic frame for smooth, scenic cycling.

Pause in San Carlos, reputedly Argentina’s second-oldest town, to admire its shaded plaza and low colonial facades. The route concludes among vineyards, with mountain light settling over the rows in the late afternoon.

Cycle the Valley of the Moon from San Pedro into the wind-sculpted Cordillera de la Sal within Los Flamencos National Reserve. Pedal past salt crusts, rust-red ridges and dunes that resemble a lunar landscape, with wide horizons and crisp desert air sharpening every contour.

Extend the ride to the Mirador de Ckari (Piedra del Coyote), where sweeping views reveal layered mountains and an otherworldly landscape carved by sun and wind. Photographers will relish the dramatic light and the vast sense of scale.

Travel into the high Andes to watch sunrise at El Tatio, one of the world’s largest geyser fields. In the cold morning air, steaming fumaroles surge against the volcanic backdrop, while breakfast served on site warms hands and spirits at this remarkable high Andes altitude.

On the way back, pause in the tiny Machuca village, where adobe and cactus-wood architecture reflects Atacameño traditions and pastoral life on the altiplano. It’s a vivid contrast to the stark geothermal plateau.

Ascend the spine of the Andes to cross the Jama Pass, scanning the vast puna for vicuñas and the mirror surfaces of Altiplano lagoons within the Los Flamencos National Reserve. The air thins, the horizons widen, and the mountain light turns crystalline.

Near the frontier hamlet of Jama, mount up for a ride beside the salar, where blinding whites and serrated salt polygons meet distant volcanoes. Expect endless sky and meditative pedalling across the high desert.

Glide across the immense Salinas Grandes, where you can ride on the salt itself amid hexagonal crusts and azure pools cut by salt workers. A scenic picnic heightens the surreal setting—white horizons, blue sky, absolute stillness.

From the Abra de Potrerillos viewpoint, enjoy a thrilling descent toward Purmamarca, as the Quebrada’s mineral palette intensifies into the famed Hill of Seven Colours. It’s a day of sensory contrasts, from saline glare to multihued mountains.

Swap desert for rainforest on a paved serpentine road linking Jujuy and Salta, curling beneath bromeliads and mossy boughs in the Yungas cloud forest. The air turns cool and fragrant as you pedal shaded curves and listen for birdsong.

Pause for a picnic near La Caldera before continuing toward the provincial capital. This classic mountain corridor blends Andean scenery with colonial history, a natural gateway from the puna to the green northwest.

Follow the gently undulating old National Route 40, tracing adobe hamlets and dry riverbeds through the Calchaquí region. Stop in El Colte to see loom weavers at work, their Andean textiles dyed by earth and plant pigments and patterned with generations of memory.

Continue to Molinos, a colonial settlement of white chapels and cobbled lanes, where an 18th-century hacienda shelters the night. The day blends easy pedalling with living craft traditions.

Pedal to the foothills for a guided tour of the Sacred City of Quilmes, a sprawling complex of terraces and citadels that once anchored the Diaguita-Quilmes culture. Stone walls trace an urban plan adapted to arid slopes and sentinel hills.

Hear stories of resistance and ritual at this pre-Hispanic citadel, and gaze across the Calchaquí Valley from lookout points threaded by ancient paths. The past feels close in the rustle of dry grasses and wind-worn stone.

Follow the Conchas River through the Quebrada de las Conchas, where ochre cliffs and sculpted ravines guard natural amphitheatres. Pause at El Anfiteatro and La Garganta del Diablo to feel the acoustics and trace the geologic strata etched by wind and water.

Finish at the abandoned Alemania station, a relic of the old Belgrano line bleaching in the sun—rusted rails, wide skies and time-softened timber offering evocative photo moments before the final transfer to Salta.

Visit the Museum of High Altitude Archaeology (MAAM) on Salta’s main square to learn about the Andes’ most extraordinary finds, including the Llullaillaco Children, discovered atop a 6,700m volcano. Exhibits illuminate Inca ritual, trade routes and mountain sanctuaries.

This museum experience brings context to peaks you’ve ridden beneath, connecting landscape with belief. This visit is at additional cost, bookable on tour; your Tour Leader can assist with timings and tickets.

Join a naturalist for guided bird-watching at Finca Cielo Verde, a private reserve in the Yungas foothills near Salta. Gentle trails and strategic viewpoints offer chances to spot hummingbirds, tanagers and other Andean-subtropical species amid lush forest.

Learn how elevation and forest structure shape avian life while enjoying a slower-paced morning outdoors. This experience is at additional cost, bookable on tour; ask your Tour Leader about availability and transfers.

Gather in the adobe oasis of San Pedro de Atacama to meet your Tour Director and fellow cyclists for a relaxed briefing and a convivial group dinner. Taste regional Chilean flavours as you get acquainted with the route, bike support and high-altitude settings awaiting in the desert and the Andes.

Set against volcanic horizons and a starry desert sky, San Pedro’s Atacameño heritage and slow, small-town pace create the perfect backdrop for the start of your journey and the camaraderie that fuels great rides.

Hotel breakfasts are normally buffets, and lunches are either at convenient restaurant stops during our rides or packed lunches. There is a variety of tasty food on offer in the hotels and local restaurants for the evening meals that are not included in the price of the trip. Chile and Argentina traditionally have a lot of meat dishes in their cuisine; however, vegetarians can be catered for throughout the trip. Please ensure you advise us of any dietary requirements before you travel so we can make the necessary arrangements on your behalf.