Rafting in Salta

Just two hours away from the city, enjoy an unforgettable full-day adventure that combines an outdoor activity in full contact with nature and the adrenaline rush of sailing the rapids of the famous Juramento River. An aquatic adventure crossing a prehistoric canyon where fossil and geological tracks are in plain sight.

Only 100 km from Salta ́s capital city, the Juramento River canyon shows a rugged landscape, surrounded by geological formations, fossils and dinosaur tracks. A fun way to get to know it is to descend its twelve class II and III rapids by raft. 

The aquatic adventure begins at 10:30 in the morning at the operational base, with an instructional rafting and safety course. The equipment is delivered and the descent through the rapids of the Juramento River begins.

There are ten class III rapids, plus five class II ones, framed by the imposing landscape of the Canyon: a giant open pit between the mountains. 65 million years ago its walls were huge beaches inhabited by prehistoric animals. 

The descent ends 12 km later at the Los Lapachos area. The return to the base its a 20 minute ride. Afterwards, it is possible to stay for a barbecue.

The experience has an intermediate difficulty rating, with an approximate duration of 2 hours. Includes suitable raft guide.

GENERAL INFORMATION

  • Rafting starts every day at 10:30 am (with prior reservation).
  • Difficulty: intermediate
  • Duration: 2 hs
  • Includes: Raft guide. Safety kayak and necessary equipment (helmets, paddles, lifeguards, wetsuits, neoprene boots, jacket and waterproof pants).
  • Optional: Barbecue at the end of the rafting descent. Transportation from the Salta Rafting office to the Juramento River, departure 08:30 hs.
  • Bring a bathing suit, towel, repellent and sunscreen.
  • During rafting, high quality photographs are taken. Optional purchase.

DISCOVER THE UNEXPLORED IN SALTA

A landscape that refers to the farthest past on a trip to the center of the earth in Seclantás, the only town in the Salta Valley that is on the other side of the Calchaquí River.

The Acsibi caves are about 20 kilometers from Seclantás, a town in the Calchaquí Valleys, in Salta. You get there by national route 40, entering the Finca Montenieva.

Fido Abán, owner of the estate, and his son René are in charge of taking visitors to the red canyons of Acsibi, located within this private territory about 10 km wide and about 30 long.

It is a place still little known, which almost nobody visits on their first trip to the Valleys. A magical and very different landscape, to which you must dedicate a whole day.

Fido says he was the first of his family to discover the caves when he was eight years old. While the others hunted guanacos in the canyon, he explored the terrain bordering mountains, until he hit upon passages between the rock and reached a small valley of caves.

Very early in the morning, we depart up the mountain in a 4×4 truck. We drive 12 kilometers along the rocky bed of a dry river. When the track disappears, we get off and begin a 5-kilometer hike.

We walk for about two hours through a magnificent red ravine of sandy soil with the most unlikely forms, to finally enter the caves that were once part of the Hacienda de Urbina, when the Malcachiscos Indians washed gold for the Spaniards.

Getting to Acsibi is to time travel. You can see the old and worn tracks where the colony’s carts passed. This area – practically unexplored from the archaeological point of view – is part of the Inca and pre-Inca road system that was used by the Spaniards during the conquest in the connection of the Río de la Plata with Peru.

This fantasy valley of fluctuating forms, shadow and light invites your imagination to play and find the resemblance to the silhouettes. A natural labyrinth with passages between giant rocks and the magical caves that Fido believes were used as ritual sites by the native people of the area. As it is also a place that usually concentrates lightning during thunderstorms, he named them Acsibi; which means something like “the place where the light or either the fire is”, in the Cacán language.

After going through and exploring this ancient and mysterious environment, we take a picnic break before hiking back the same path to the vehicle. 

When in the North, you can’t miss the opportunity to visit a place in the Calchaquí Valleys where history is mixed with the geographical beauties of the area, all in a family’s “backyard”.

 

GENERAL INFORMATION

  • Min. 2 – Max. 20 pax.
  • Departs at 9 am from Finca Montenieva, returns at 5 pm.
  • Altitude at the trekking starting point: 2700 masl. Altitude at Trekking ending point 2900 masl.
  • Difficulty: Medium.
  • Type of terrain: walk along the river bank, sand and small loose stones terrain, continuous mild ascent for 5.5km. As the river is crossed back and forward in rainy season wet shoes guaranteed.
  • Includes: Transportation from/To Finca Montenieva, guide and pic-nic. 
  • We recommend wearing long sleeves t-shirt or shirt, sun cap or hat and sunscreen.

 

LEAVE YOUR URBAN ART MARK IN BUENOS AIRES

Street artists place urban art in plain sight. What was once clandestine, today is celebrated in the most popular neighborhoods of Buenos Aires. Feel like a street artist for a day!

The streets of Buenos Aires are today a colorful open sky gallery; art is spread around everywhere. Amateur and renown urban artists display their talent on the city walls. You might think that the artistic intervention is spontaneous, but not always this is the case.

On this street art experience, first we will take an “inspiration walk” to watch some of the most impressive murals and learn about the artists behind them. Coming to know about the past and present of urban art in Argentina will give us an overview of its context. Among street art there’s many other media besides the traditional spray paint graffiti, such as stencil art and stickers.

Not everything is about history and facts. We will also soak in the fundamental graffiti techniques and skills. Hopefully, after all this information, we will be eager to get down to work and contribute to the city with our own artistic intervention.

Beginning the open air workshop guided by an urban artist, we will loosen our hands sketching a little bit. At this point we already know that -usually- they actually prepare their work before setting it up on the wall. One mate after another, we will chat and have fun immersing in this particular artsy world. 

 

Once we are ready, we will finally go to a specially prepared (and authorized) wall in the streets, to leave our mark in Buenos Aires. An attempt at permanence in an impermanent arena of contemporary art.

After having finished up our work, we will relax at the first gallery ever dedicated to promoting, exhibiting and selling street art in this city.

 

GENERAL INFORMATION

  • 3 hs regular excursion. Operates on Wednesdays and Saturday at 3 pm.
  • Meeting point to be confirmed closer to the operation date. 
  • No minimum age required. Participants can also bring their children under 2 years old.
  • Includes: Materials and art tools. The guidance of a contemporary top notch street artist. Exclusive access to his/her workshop. Class on urban art techniques and street art walking tour. Visit to a street art gallery.

 

CULTURAL EXCHANGE IN MENDOZA

We bring you the latest tourism and cultural project in the province of Mendoza that has already captivated locals and foreigners for almost a year.

To the wide spectrum of experiences that take place in Mendoza in the mountain and wine tourism areas, an original alternative has been added: to visit the desert and to meet native people. This full day excursion allows you to meet and interact with descendants of the Huarpes, visit the Altos Limpios and the Bosques Teltecas reserve, as well as enjoy a lunch served in a typical rustic home of the community.

From our hotel, we will start our journey going east towards La Asunción, in the town of Lavalle. On the way, we will stop for a short hike through the Altos Limpios -with Sahara desert like dunes- and the Teltecas Reserve, crossing its native forests of carob trees and observing characteristic fauna while we appreciate the great desert that is Mendoza.

We will continue our trip to La Asunción; a town inhabited by descendants of native people who practice ancestral rites and traditional celebrations according to their culture, fused with the influence of Spanish religious missions.

The Huarpes were located in the provinces of San Juan, San Luis and Mendoza in the mid-sixteenth century. They were a polytheistic community; they worshiped the sun and the stars, the moon and the lightning, the hills and the river. Currently, in Mendoza there are eleven Huarpe communities that preserve and exhibit their culture, beliefs, traditions and productive and handicraft activities. Here in La Asunción, we will learn more about them.

We will visit a family from the community, who will be waiting for us with the lunch ready: homemade empanadas, bread and chivito (goat), all cooked in the external clay oven.

After lunch, those who want to be part of an interesting cultural exchange, will be able to participate in a small workshop of loom and leather crafts to learn the different techniques and go home with a souvenir made by themselves. 

The crafts of the Huarpes are characterized by not using chemicals. Artisanal spinning, leather goods, pottery and the manufacture of bovine or goat leather footwear, in addition to hand work such as knitting with sheep or rabbit wool.

This is a unique and authentic opportunity to get closer to the history and present of these original inhabitants and their traditions; to experience a different side of Mendoza.

For more information, please contact your Kallpa Tour coordinator.

GENERAL INFORMATION

  • 9 hs private excursion.
  • Departure time at 8 am. Estimated arrival time at 5 pm.
  • Includes: Vehicle, bilingual guide, technical equipment, snack, regional lunch/gourmet tasting lunch.