From Jujuy: Salinas Grandes, Purmamarca & Los Colorados Hike

The great hook here is the sudden change from striped mountain slopes to the vast white floor of Salinas Grandes. You also get two very different walks: the high route toward the salt flats and the shorter Los Colorados trail near Purmamarca. I like the mix of scenery and local life, especially the stop in Purmamarca, and I like that the tour includes a bilingual guide. The tradeoff is a long day on rough roads, with altitude reaching about 4,200 meters.

I also like the chance to spot vicuñas and llamas along the route, and the free time to browse Purmamarca’s craft market rather than simply taking a quick photograph and leaving. Bring about $5 in cash for community entrance fees, and remember that lunch is not included. Recent departures have featured guides such as Martin, whose explanations cover local history and scenery, but the bus audio may be difficult to hear.

Key points at a glance

• Salinas Grandes at 4,150 to 4,200 meters: See a huge white salt plain beneath a deep blue sky, with volcanic peaks around it.
• Purmamarca and the Seven Colors Hill: Visit the village below the famous multicolored mountain and allow time for its narrow streets and craft market.
• Two contrasting walks: Follow the high route toward the salt flats, then take a 30 to 40 minute walk through the red-toned Los Colorados area.
• A full 510-minute outing: Plan on about eight and a half hours from pickup in Jujuy to your return.
• Real high-altitude conditions: The tour is not suitable for pregnant women, children under five, or people with mobility impairments.
• Good basic value at $42: Transport, pickup, drop-off, and a Spanish and English-speaking guide are included, but food and community fees are extra.

From Jujuy to the Quebrada

Your day begins at the YPF gas station at Vilcapugio 1986 in San Salvador de Jujuy. Wait at the coffee shop and arrive 15 minutes early. The vehicle may be a bus or minivan, depending on the group size, and the ride takes you through Yala, Volcán, and Tumbaya.

These early stops are mainly part of the scenic approach, but they help you see how quickly the setting changes outside Jujuy. The road leads through dry mountain country, with steep slopes, open views, and small communities along the route. If you enjoy watching a region change through the bus window, this section gives the day a proper sense of place.

The tour runs for 510 minutes, or roughly eight and a half hours. That is enough time to include several stops, but not enough to make each one leisurely. You should expect a structured day, with the guide keeping an eye on the clock so the group can complete all three major sights.

The vehicle is a practical part of the experience. A recent departure used an older, somewhat dirty bus, and the audio quality made it hard to hear the guide. That may not happen on every departure, especially since group size affects the vehicle, but you should not count on perfect sound from the back row. Sit near the guide if hearing explanations matters to you.

Seven Colors Hill and Purmamarca

The first major sight is the Seven Colors Hill viewpoint. Sunlight brings out bands of red, orange, yellow, green, and other earthy tones in the mountain. The colors are not painted stripes, of course. They come from different mineral layers in the rock, and the changing light can make the hill look quite different from one moment to the next.

The viewpoint gives you the classic broad view, while Purmamarca puts you close to the mountain. The village sits at the base of the hill, with narrow streets, mountain views, and a craft market. This is where the tour feels less like a quick scenic transfer and more like an introduction to the local towns and people.

You will have free time in Purmamarca after returning from the high route, so this is your chance to eat lunch, browse crafts, and walk without the group moving every few minutes. Lunch is not included, and the exact choice of food is not specified, so carry enough cash and time for your meal.

I would use this stop for more than a rushed plate of food. Walk the narrow streets, look back toward the mountain, and take time at the market. The village is compact, so you can see a fair amount during the allotted break, but keep track of the meeting time. The salt flats and the high mountain road still await.

The climb toward Salinas Grandes

From Purmamarca, the route heads upward through Cuesta del Lipán, Cuesta del Saladillo, and Abra de Potrerillos. The road reaches about 4,150 meters during the described route, while the practical information for the tour gives a maximum of up to 4,200 meters. Either figure means serious altitude.

The setting changes as you climb. The slopes become more open and stark, and volcanic peaks appear against the sky. Keep your eyes outside the vehicle when you can. Vicuñas and llamas may appear along the way, which adds a welcome touch of wildlife to what could otherwise feel like a purely geological trip.

This is not a gentle lowland outing. You will be riding on low-quality dirt roads, and the height can affect how you feel even if the hikes are not long. Move slowly, drink water, and avoid treating the high point like a place for a hard workout. Comfortable shoes matter, but so do sunglasses, a hat, sunscreen, and a passport or ID card.

The road itself is part of the experience, though it is also one of the clearest drawbacks. Rough surfaces can make the ride tiring, and the vehicle may feel crowded if the group is large. If you need a smooth, relaxed transfer, this is not the right day trip. If you want access to scenery that is difficult to reach without organized transport, the rough ride is part of the bargain.

Salinas Grandes under a blue sky

At the top, the white expanse of Salinas Grandes creates the day’s strongest visual contrast. The salt plain spreads across the valley like a pale sheet, while the sky and volcanic peaks provide darker color around it. The scene is spare, bright, and very different from the red and ochre mountain walls around Purmamarca.

The schedule allows about 45 minutes at the top. That is enough for photographs, a walk around the designated area, and time to take in the scale of the salt plain. It is not a long visit for anyone who wants a slow study of the area, but the short stop works well within an eight-and-a-half-hour program.

The route description also refers to blue volcanoes near the high point. Their cooler tones add another layer to the view, especially beside the white salt and the warm-colored rock. This is the place to have your sunglasses ready. Bright salt and strong sun can be hard on your eyes, even on a cool day.

Bring your camera, but do not spend the entire 45 minutes looking at a screen. The best part of Salinas Grandes is its size. A photograph can show the color, but it cannot fully convey the open space around you. Take a few steps away from the group, where permitted, and let your eyes adjust to the scale.

The local community charges an entrance fee for Salinas Grandes. Set aside about $5 in cash for this and the fee at Paseo Los Colorados. These charges are separate from the tour price, so the advertised $42 is not the full spending total.

Returning to Purmamarca for lunch

After the high point, you follow the route back toward Purmamarca. This return gives you another chance to watch the scenery change as the elevation drops, though the dirt road may feel less charming after a long morning in the vehicle.

The lunch break is not only a practical pause. It gives you time to see Purmamarca at your own pace, which is valuable on a tour that otherwise follows a fixed schedule. You can eat, visit the market, and admire the Seven Colors Hill from below before the final walk.

Food and drinks are not included, so plan your budget accordingly. The tour price covers transportation, pickup and drop-off from Jujuy, and a bilingual guide, but not meals. If you are sensitive to altitude, lunch is also a good time to slow down and make sure you feel fit for the Colorados walk.

The guide’s role can make a real difference here. Martin has led departures with detailed explanations of the area’s history and scenery. If your guide is Martin, sit close enough to hear him. More generally, staying near the guide helps when the bus audio is weak.

Los Colorados for a shorter final walk

After lunch, you take a 30 to 40 minute walk along the Los Colorados trail. This route enters the desert scenery between the mountains, with red-toned rock and a more enclosed feeling than the open salt plain.

The contrast is useful. Salinas Grandes gives you width and brightness, while Los Colorados gives you texture, warmer colors, and a closer look at the dry mountain setting. It is a short final walk, but it keeps the afternoon from becoming only a series of bus stops.

Do not expect a long trek or a technical mountain route. The information describes a short hike, not a demanding expedition, but the tour is still unsuitable for people with mobility impairments. Children under five and pregnant women should not join, and the high altitude is another reason to take the physical demands seriously.

The entrance fee for Paseo Los Colorados is separate. Keep the cash you bring handy rather than burying it in your luggage. At the end of the trail, the group returns to Jujuy, closing a day that moves from village streets to high passes, salt flats, and desert rock.

What $42 gets you

At $42 per person, this is a strong value if you want the main sights in one organized day. You receive pickup and drop-off from Jujuy, transport by bus or minivan, and a Spanish and English-speaking guide. Reaching Salinas Grandes independently would require arranging transport over rough roads and coordinating the high route yourself.

The price is less attractive if you prefer small-group flexibility or polished transport. The vehicle depends on group size, and at least one recent bus had poor audio and a tired interior. The schedule is also fixed, so you will not have unlimited time at the salt flats or in Purmamarca.

You should add lunch and about $5 for the two local entrance fees. Even with those extras, the total remains reasonable for a full day that includes three major stops and mountain transport. The value rests on access and convenience, not luxury.

The bilingual arrangement is useful if you speak English or Spanish. Explanations may cover local culture, history, geology, and the surrounding scenery. A recent guide named Martin received special praise for the amount of information and the way he kept the day entertaining. Still, weak bus audio can limit how much you hear, so your seat matters.

Preparing for altitude and rough roads

The altitude is the biggest practical issue. The route reaches between 4,150 and 4,200 meters, or roughly 13,615 to 13,780 feet. That is high enough to affect your breathing, energy, and comfort, even if you usually manage short walks with ease.

You do not need special gear listed beyond comfortable shoes, sunglasses, a sun hat, sunscreen, and identification. Still, dress for strong sun and changing mountain conditions, and bring water and any personal items you need for a full day. Food and drinks are not supplied by the tour.

The tour is not recommended for children under five, pregnant women, or people with limited mobility. The combination of high altitude, dirt roads, and walking makes that restriction sensible. If you have concerns about altitude, ask a medical professional before booking rather than hoping you can push through it.

Give the guide a phone number that the local partner can reach at booking time. The meeting point is specific, but you should still arrive early, go to the coffee shop inside the YPF station, and wait there for the bus and group.

Who will enjoy this day most

I would choose this tour if you have limited time in Jujuy and want the region’s signature sights without arranging several separate transfers. It suits you if mountain scenery, geology, village markets, wildlife sightings, and short walks all appeal to you.

It is also a good fit for visitors who want a bilingual guide to explain what they are seeing. The cultural side is not confined to a formal museum visit. It comes through Purmamarca, the craft market, the local communities connected to the access fees, and the towns along the road.

I would hesitate if you dislike long vehicle days, rough roads, fixed schedules, or high altitude. You should also think twice if you want a quiet private outing, since transport can be a bus or minivan and the group size is not stated.

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure and reserve-now, pay-later booking make planning less risky. Those policies help if your Jujuy schedule is still shifting, but they do not change the physical demands of the route.

Should you book the Salinas Grandes tour?

Book it if you want a budget-friendly, full-day introduction to Purmamarca, Salinas Grandes, and Los Colorados in one sweep. The strongest parts are the dramatic change from Seven Colors Hill to the salt plain, the short final walk through red desert rock, and the chance to hear local context from a bilingual guide such as Martin.

Skip it if you need easy roads, a low-altitude outing, or plenty of free time at each stop. For everyone else, the $42 price offers useful access to a difficult-to-reach part of northern Argentina, provided you arrive prepared for sun, rough roads, extra entrance fees, and a long day.

FAQ

Where does the tour meet in Jujuy?

The meeting point is the YPF gas station at Vilcapugio 1986, Y4607EKF San Salvador de Jujuy. Go to the coffee shop and arrive 15 minutes before the activity begins.

How long does the activity last?

The tour lasts 510 minutes, or about eight and a half hours. Check availability for the exact starting time.

What is included in the price?

The $42 price includes pickup and drop-off from Jujuy, transport by bus or minivan, and a Spanish and English-speaking guide.

Are lunch and drinks included?

No. Food and drinks are not included, and you have free time in Purmamarca to arrange lunch yourself.

How high does the tour go?

The route reaches about 4,150 meters at the salt flats, while the tour information gives a maximum elevation of up to 4,200 meters above sea level.

What should I bring?

Bring your passport or ID card, comfortable shoes, sunglasses, a sun hat, and sunscreen. You should also carry about $5 in cash for the Salinas Grandes and Paseo Los Colorados entrance fees.

Who should not join the tour?

The tour is not recommended for children under five, pregnant women, or people with mobility impairments. It also involves high altitude and low-quality dirt roads.