Cafayate Voyage Tips and guide

Cafayate is a city in Salta (province). Cafayate is known for its vineyards and for its fantastic rock formations.

Salta - 4 hours 6 daily departures $75 with FlechaBus (Jan 2013)

Tucumán - 5 hours, 4 daily departures $106 with Aconquija (Feb 2012) **the route is sometimes closed during the rainy season

Salta - 3 hours, cars leave in front of the Teleferico. Cost for the one-way trip was about USD 40 (blue rate) in October 2023.

The town may be explored on foot, though there are several places where you can hire bicycles to explore the vicinity.

The tourist information office on the western side of the central plaza is a useful source of information. Summer is rainy season here and the roads are often flooded or closed on account of rockfall. The office has up to date information about the state of the roads leading out of Cafayate. If you need information and the office is shut you might try the tourist police at the bus station.

The central plaza is small but beautiful, it has much less traffic than bigger cities and makes for an enjoyable stroll.
The vineyards (bodegas), the Quebrada de Cafayate.

The trip to or from Salta in the Calchaquies valley is an adventure in its own right as is the journey to or from Calchi.
You can take a taxi or drive just 10 minutes southwest out of town to Las 7 Cascadas del Rio Colorado. You can do a hike there passing different waterfalls and a cave. Just be aware that since a year (2021) it is obligatory to go with a guide if you're not a local, even though it is not a national park. Apparently some people got lost on the trail in the past. The guides have quite an aggressive, 'maffioso' style of approaching you. Unfortunately it is not negotiable.

• Quilmes (about one hours drive south of Cafayate). These are ruins of the settlement of Andean peoples who managed to fight off or at least coexist with the Inca and resisted the Spanish for about 150 years until they were finally rounded up and sent on a death march to Buenos Aires in yet another infamous Spanish episode. The survivors give their name to the town/suburb south of the capital. The settlement is well fortified but has a large residential area. You can spend a few pleasant hours wandering around. There is a small museum and a great little cafe there. AR$12,000 (as at 2026). (updated Apr 2026)

Casa Cultural Pedro Lavaque - half a block off of the main square, they have very nice items. Closed on Sundays and Mondays, it seems.

There is a small mall on the north side of the central plaza with a number of artisans working on site.

Traditional empanadas, tamales and humitas are easy to find and delicious. Be sure to try ice cream made from local wines - Ruta Nac. 40 between C.Q de Nino and Cordoba has a few ice cream shops.

• Machacha, General Guemes Norte 28 (head north from the north east corner of the central plaza for a couple of doors). This is a bit of an odd spot. It's a small bar but the rooms facing the street have been loaded up with bric a brac for sale. However it is a bit better priced than the places on the plaza and the food is reasonable. Some wok and fish dishes are available in addition to the standard fare. AR$25,000 with wine (as at 2026). (updated Apr 2026)

Accommodation is generally no problem in Cafayate, there are a multitude of cheap small hostels as well as more expensive and more luxurious hotels.

• El Balcon Hostel, centrally located, offering free breakfast, WIFI, internet, kitchen use, outdoor patio areas, dorms from AR$50 (Feb 2012)
• Killa Cafayate, hotel de charme located in the heart of town offers buffet breakfast, swimming pool, car parking, wireless Internet. The hotel receives guests from all over the world. Gay friendly
• -26.0698-65.97541 Casa de Peter, Alvarado 64 (half a block from the post office), ☏ +54 3868 422 390, [email protected]. Check-in: 12:00, check-out: 11:00. A bed and breakfast in the center of Cafayate, featuring fine art photography gallery, photography studio and two rooms available for travelers: private bathroom, independent entrance, parking, Wi-Fi, breakfast included.  (updated Mar 2015)
• Vieja Posada, steps from the main square, gorgeous large green property with a pool, breakfast included, WiFi, very good restaurant on site. Cheapest double room is around USD 40 (using the “blue” rate). (Updated October 2023)
• Andino Hostal, San Carlos 80. This place has rooms set around the pool. They are all neat and tidy. Breakfast is not included in the price but is available. It has good views over the nearby vineyards and hills and is situated in a very quiet street about 8 minutes walk from the main plaza AR$43,000 per double (as at 2026). (updated Apr 2026)

• Salta ー medium-sized city with gorgeous colonial architecture
• Purmamarca ー very touristy but beautiful town