10 day Northern Argentina Backpacking Itinerary: From Iguazú Falls to Salta

Steal my 10-day Northern Argentina backpacking itinerary from Iguazú Falls to Salta. Visit wetlands, see baby capybaras, wander through ruins and road trip through Salta and Jujuy.

All conversations about the Northern Argentina seem to only focus on Iguazú Falls and a road trip through Salta and Jujuy. However, did you know the north is home to many stunning destinations that get left off people’s travel plans. 

I have fallen head over heels for the beauty of Northern Argentina and hope you will too.

The 10 day backpacking itinerary through Northern Argentina

Let me introduce to you my 10 day itinerary through the north of Argentina, from Iguazú Falls in the east, to Salta and Jujuy in the west. This itinerary can also be done in reverse – from Salta and Jujuy to Iguazú Falls.

Please note, I have crammed all this into 10 days, however if you are not rushed, slow down, and spend extra time enjoying the destinations and all they have to offer.

Everything in this itinerary is possible as a solo backpacker and on public transport. If you would like to rent a car, check out this website for great deals. 

Here I guide you through:

• Iguazú Falls, one of the 7 Natural Wonders of the World.
• Old Jesuit missions made of rich red material.
• Wetlands where you can walk next to capybaras and caiman.
• A marshland where the sky touches the earth which is almost unknown (despite being voted one of the 7 Natural Wonders of Argentina in 2019).
• The red ravines and wine country of Salta.
• The colourful mountains of Jujuy.

I adore the North of Argentina and hope this trip allows you to see more than what you’d expect of the beautiful north of Argentina.

Day 1-2: Iguazu Falls

Iguazu Falls is one of the 7 Natural Wonders of the world, therefore it is essential for your trip to Argentina! With more than 250 waterfalls, these falls deserve a whole day of taking in the breathtaking views and powerful sounds as the water crashes over the edge.

Plan for Day 1: 

• Take an overnight bus from Buenos Aires to Iguazu Falls. You’ll arrive in the morning and can drop your backpacks off at your hostel (I recommend Tucan Hostel, but check out your options here).
• Catch the local bus to the Iguazu Falls National Park and spend the day exploring.
  • Buy tickets to the National Park online to skip the queue.
  • Take a Rio Uruguay or Kenia bus to the falls. The park opens at 8am and closes at 6pm.

Options for Day 2:

Option 1: Brazilian side of the Falls

• Visit the Brazilian side of the Falls as this apparently has the most beautiful viewpoint.
  • You can take the 120 bus to the Brazilian side of the Falls.
  • Or you can join this affordable tour.
• Visit the Bird Park where you can see toucans, macaws of different colours and many other impressive birds.

*Make sure to check your visa requirements before entering Brazil.

Option 2: Saltos del Arroyo Mbocay

• Visit a local waterfall you can swim in that not many tourists know about.

Option 3: Wildlife and hummingbirds

• Visit the Güirá Oga Ecopark to see jungle wildlife such as monkeys, ocelots and toucans.
• Visit the Jardin de los Colibríes (Hummingbird Garden). Do this in the afternoon as they are more active then.

Day 3: San Ignacio

San Ignacio is known for the ruins of a Jesuit Mission. Its intricately carved, rich red walls tower above you as you walk through, imagining what life was like for the Guaraní people and Jesuits who lived there.

If you happen to be there on Thursdays to Sundays, they offer a great light show where the ruins come to life with actors demonstrating the day-to-day lives of the residents.

Plan for Day 3:

Catch a bus heading to San Ignacio, where you’ll be able to visit one of the old Jesuit Missions.

• Do a day tour of the San Ignacio Jesuit Missions.
• Attend the evening light show (Thursdays to Sundays at 7:30pm and 8:30pm).

Here you have 2 options to enjoy your time visiting the ruins.

Option 1: Only visit for the day

This is only an option if you are rushed for time and are able to manage with your backpack. You may be able to enter the ruins with it, leave it in their office, pay a local hostel to mind it for you, or organise with the bus company to have it put in their storage in the Posadas bus terminal for you to pick up that afternoon.

This night you could stay in Posadas (many affordable options) or catch a bus to Ituzaingo and find accomodation there.

Option 2: Stay for the night in San Ignacio for the light show

This is the option I would recommend as I thoroughly enjoyed the light show. You are taken around in a group and shown the ruins with scenes of mission life projected onto the walls. It was incredibly done.

The light shows run on Thursdays to Sundays, so if you are passing through on those days, I would recommend this option. I stayed in this hostel (Posada Madre America). You could then catch an early bus to Ituzaingo in the morning.

Other activities in San Ignacio if you are staying for longer

• Visit the house of Horacio Quiroga, a famous poet and author.
• Watch the sunset at Playa del Sol
• Explore the Teyú Cuaré Provinical Park for birdwatching, panoramic views
  • There are tours or you can hire a bike
• Visit the nearby Jesuit Missions of Santa Ana and Loreto
• Kayak the Paraná River

Day 4: Ibera Wetlands

I visited the Ibera Wetlands 3 times during my trip to Argentina – and because of my awe of the abundance of wildlife, I took up the opportunity to volunteer. 

Here you can see capybaras, caiman, macaws, marsh deer, jabiru, storks, otters, giant anteaters, endemic birds, armadillos, foxes and so much more.

This place is so wonderful all times of year, but during the spring months, you will see baby capybaras running around. A sure way to melt your heart.

Plan for Day 4

• Catch a bus to Ituzaingo.
• Do a tour of the Ibera Wetlands. I highly recommend the one below because:
  • They take you to the northern part of the wetlands which is notoriously hard to get to without a 4WD.
  • The driver stops frequently so you can see every capybara, caiman, deer and bird that you want to see (and has binoculars to share).
  • You drive through the National Reserve and have the chance of seeing a Giant Anteater or an Aguara Guazu (a marsh wolf).
  • After you arrive at a private reserve where you can walk next to capybaras and caimans, and have the chance of seeing Macaws, a Giant Anteater and endemic birds.
  • From the reserve you will watch the sunset and see the stars begin to come out before heading back to Ituzaingo.

• If you have hired a car, you can drive into Portal Cambryeta and visit the Monte Rey National Park for free. You can also camp there for free. FYI: the roads are incredibly difficult to manoeuvre if it’s been raining.

That night you can stay in Ituzaingo or catch a bus to Resistencia to prepare for your trip to Bañado las Estrellas. Check out Resistencia hostels here.

Other activities in Ituzaingo if you are staying for longer

• Visit the Centre of Iberan Birds
• Relax on one of the many beaches
• Do a day trip to Isla Apipe Grande
• Visit the Yacyreta Dam on a free day trip

Activities if you choose to stay in Resistencia

• Visit Growild Natural Park for affordable wakeboarding, beers and weekend yoga
• Wander through the sculptures and statues of the Parque Intercultural 2 de Febrero
• Explore an abandoned factory (Ex Fábrica la Fabril Financiera)
• Visit Colonia Benítez to the north for the botany and the Los Chaguares Natural Reserve

Day 5-6: Bañado las Estrellas

Bañado las Estrellas – which translates to Marshland of the Stars in Spanish – had me awestruck. 

It gets its name from the nighttime experience, when the sunset and stars touch the water, making it feel like you are floating in a canoe between two worlds. During the day the vines creep up and over the palms in strange formations. As you cruise between lilypads and reeds, it feels like dinosaurs are about to emerge around the corner.

Please note, the bañado only exists during May to Nov when the rain from Bolivia overflows the Pilcomayo River. You can still explore the bañado during the other months of the year when it is dry, but its beauty is amplified when filled.

Plan for Day 5: 

• Day 5 is a full day of travel to get to Bañado las Estrellas (see details below)
• After dinner, walk to the bañado and enjoy how the marshland reflects the stars like a mirror

You’ll leave Resistencia in the morning and catch a bus to Las Lomitas. You’ll then be able to organise transport to Fortín la Soledad, the town on the marshland.

I organised my trip with Carlos from @turismo_estrella_soledad. I had planned my tours of the marshlands with him, and he helped me to arrange my accommodation in town, and my transport from Las Lomitas to Fortín la Soledad. 

He arranged for me to get a lift with a local who was in Las Lomitas for the day for some errands. I jumped in with her on the way back, which cost me a fraction of the price of a taxi.

You can contact him on his instagram or through his Whatsapp (+54 9 3704 03-9022), but plan ahead so he can arrange your travel.

Plan for Day 6:

These are the different options to experience the marshland.

• Sunrise tour as the birds begin to wake up, bathing the marshland in a soft pink hue.
• Afternoon and sunset tour (my favourite). You get to see all the birds and creatures in the afternoon, enjoy some mate, and then watch as the sky creates the most incredible sunset behind the silhouettes of the palm trees.
  • You can also extend this tour to last for 4 hours (which I think is worth it).
• Hire a kayak to explore on your own
• Go for a walk in the marshland

You can then arrange to be dropped back in Las Lomitas after dinner and take an overnight bus from Las Lomitas to Salta. A bus leaves daily at 11pm.

Day 7-10: Salta and Jujuy

And we are at your last stop of the Northern Argentina backpacking itinerary! Once you’re in Salta, you will have access to some of the most phenomenal landscapes in the northern Andes.

You could spend a long time exploring the Salta and Jujuy regions of Argentina, and I highly recommend you do. However, if you are short on time I recommend these options.

Plan for Day 7:

Drop your bags at your hostel* and explore the city of Salta:

• Join a free walking tour of Salta
• Take the teleferico (gondola) up to Cerro San Bernardo for panoramic views of the city
• Visit the many museums, including the Juan Martin Leguisamón Anthropology Museum and the Güermes Museum

*MAKE SURE YOU USE HOSTELWORLD to book your Salta accommodation. This is because Salta/Jujuy is best experienced via a road trip and most backpackers will use the Hostelworld chat to share if they have an available seat in the car they’re renting. Try stay at a hostel with other backpackers: you can see which countries most guests are from. If there’s very few countries it might mean there are mostly Argentinians in the hostel, and likely not looking for a road trip.

Option 1 for Day 8-10: Go south for the wines and ravines

To the south of Salta lies my favourite valley in Argentina – Quebrada de las Conchas. The bright red valley walls boast many formations, making it a very popular route for those wanting to bask in the beauty of the province.

Cafayate and the region south of the valley is known for its wineries. Take advantage of the all the wine tours and tastings!

• Catch a bus to Cafayate
• Visit the different rock formations through the Quebrada de las Conchas
  • You can do this by bus, hitchhiking, or you can hire a scooter for a day
• Visit as many wineries as you can: many offer free or cheap tours and tastings, making it the perfect place to relax after a long journey
• Do a wine and cheese tour at the Cabras de Cafayate goat farm
• Visit the artisanal markets in the main square
• Join a horseback riding tour
• Visit Los Médanos, enormous sand dunes just outside of the city

You can do all this via bus, however hiring a car in Salta will mean you can take advantage of your limited time.

Option 2 for Day 8-10: Go north for the culture and coloured mountains

Heading to the north of Salta and into Jujuy will take you through rainforest and to a region with mountains of many different colours.

Here you’ll be able to see many llamas, alpacas and vicuñas, do some wonderful hikes, and browse artesanias. If you’re feeling challenged by the altitude, chew on some coca leaves to help (and stay hydrated!)

Activities if you stay in Purmamarca

• Catch a bus to Purmamarca to use as your base (check out hostels here)
  • There’s no direct bus so you’ll need to take a bus towards Tilcara, get off at the access point to Purmamarca and walk, taxi or hitchhike to the town.
• Explore the artisan market. Look for women selling unique items, as less people buy their stuff but it is handmade!! They were on the southern edge of the square.
• Walk through the valley to admire the Hill of Seven Colours
• Spend sunset at a rooftop bar to see the colours of the hill shift in the fading light
• Head over the Andes to visit the Salinas Grandes, the third largest salt flats in the world

Activities if you stay in Tilcara

• Catch a bus to Tilcara to use as your base (check out hostels here)
• Visit the Serranías de Hornocal, a mountain range of 14 colours. Keep your eyes out for vincuñas, one of the most beautiful Argentinian animals and a relative of the alpaca
• Walk to Garganta del Diablo and visit the llama farm
• Explore the ruins of Pucará de Tilcara
• Hike the Quebrada de las Señoritas and learn about the Andes myth

Option 3 for Day 8-10: Experience north and south with tours

If you don’t have access to a car but want to get tastes of what both the north and south of Salta and Jujuy have to offer, I recommend jumping on some tours to reduce the challenges around scheduling.

Here are some great afforable options.

Where to next?

If you’re looking for the next destinations in your trip, check out my articles on The Sacred City of Quilmes and staying with an Indigenous man in the Argentinian Desert.