Salta, Sayta & Cafayate

Horse riding in Sayta ranch

The 10 hour bus ride from Chile to Argentina was stunning, crossing desert, mountains and salt flats and ending with green farming landscapes that could have been in Southern Europe.

Rock formations near Cafayate

The city of Salta was nothing special, but the day and night I spent at Sayta ranch nearby was a real treat. We started with 3 hours of horse riding and continued through the day with more steak and wine than I could possibly consume (although I gave it a damn good try) and conversations degenerating as the evening wore on.

The view from bodega Domingo Molina

My next stop was Cafayate, a small town in the NW's wine region. The bus ride itself was another spectacular one and I spent a very pleasant few days exploring the incredible local geology and eating some of the best epanadas I've ever tasted (think small, baked Cornish pasty with a variety of fillings) as well as wine flavoured ice cream.

Vats of wine waiting for oaking or bottling

And of course I couldn't visit Cafayate without going to a Bodega (vineyard), or in fact four, of which Domingo Molina was my firm favourite for the wine, scenery, tour, and general hospitality.









I could have stayed in Cafayate for much longer but after four days it was time to take on the 25 hour bus ride to Puerto Iguazu, home to Iguazu falls.