At around 3,450 metres above sea level, the Salinas Grandes is one of Argentina's largest salt flats — a vast white crust stretching to distant mountains in every direction. The route there from Jujuy climbs steeply through the quebrada before crossing the high puna, a landscape of coarse yellow grassland and scattered herds of llamas. The salt flat is actively worked: small cooperatives cut geometric pools in the crust and harvest the salt by hand, and visitors can walk among them. The light here is extraordinary, particularly around midday when the glare is brutal and the horizon dissolves. Bring sunscreen and sunglasses.
Salinas Grandes
Vast white salt flat at 3,450m, still actively worked by hand by local cooperatives