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

Get in

By bus

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

Remis

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.

Get around

Town may be explored on foot, there are several place which hire bicycles to explore the vicinity.

See

The vineyards (bodegas), the Quebrada de Cafayate.

Do

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.

Buy

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

Eat

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.

Sleep

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
• 1 Casa de Peter, Alvarado 64 (half a block from the post office), ☏ +54 3868 422 390, amigo@casadepeter.com. 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)

Go next

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