Humahuaca And Hornocal Full Day Tour

During the course of our recent holiday to Brazil and Argentina we used Viator for local excursions a number of times. This was the only one which disappointed, not for the destination, but for the way in which the tour company Parada Norte Travel ran it. It seemed as if the company was running a number tours of its own rather than the one that we had booked with Viator, picking up two people en route and dropping them off later, and having people on the tour who apparently hadn't paid to go to El Hornocal and offering the chance for them to pay extra or wait 3-4 hours for our return! The day started with a decision by the guide to change the itinerary based on two tourists who were transferring from Salta to stay in Purmamarca. This resulted in us visiting Purmamarca at the end of the day instead of first, not seeing the Hills of 7 Colours in the best light, and missing the opportunity for a panoramic photo as specified in your description of the tour. We were given 30 minutes to see the town and asked the guide if we would have the opportunity of going to a viewing point for photos afterwards. He replied yes but then when everyone was back on the bus it was obvious that he had no intention of doing this and it was only when we challenged him that he said that it wasn't possible and that we had to get back to Salta. This was even more galling given that we later stopped at Maimar for locals to sell us their wares. This stop was not in the programme but made us wonder if they had some arrangement with the tour company. This stop was totally unnecessary as we had already stopped several times and had the opportunity for shopping. The driver did eventually pull over so we could take a photo of the Welcome to Purmamarca sign but did not take us to the viewing area. We were disappointed not to have photos of the Hills of 7 Colours of Purmamarca given that we had come all the way expressly for this. When we told the guide how disappointed we were he suggested signing up for another tour which would have 2 hours in Purmamarca! On arrival in Humahuaca our guide pretty well abandoned us to the care of a local guide and did not come with us up to El Hornocal. We swapped minibuses for one which required a screwdriver and brute strength to open the sliding door, both in Humahuaca and El Hornacal. We feel that this is a safety concern as if there had been an accident it would have been impossible to exit the van. We were also advised by the guide not to buy souvenirs in Tilcara, but to buy them in Humahuaca where the same things would be much cheaper. The souvenirs on sale in Humahuaca were frankly disappointing in comparison and leads us to suspect that again there is some arrangement between the tour company and the guide in Humahuaca. Likewise lunch whilst edible was quite basic in Humahauca with limited choice of food and drinks. We feel very strongly that our itinerary should not have been disrupted to allow for the transfer of two other passengers to a different base. We also felt after the tour that we had been taken advantage of by both the Tour Company and the guide in Humahuaca. We would definitely recommend a visit to El Hornocal Tilcara and Purmamarca but not with Parada Norte Travel.

We had a great day on this tour! We had previously considered doing this drive on our own, but we were grateful that we opted not to as we were in good hands with Julio and our driver. I wish that we had gotten more time in Purmamarca, but it's a long day with a lot to fit in. Would recommend!

Flor (short), was a really good guide and checked on everyone during the tour.

I did the Humahuaca and Hornocal tour with them and had a lot of fun. It’s a great way to meet people as well. The tour guide, Florencia Mendoza, was very nice, and the driver, Sergio, was friendly as well. One thing that was kind of weird was the walking tour we were supposed to get in Humahuaca. The guide there (a different guide) basically just walked into a shop with us, talked about the clothes, and then just disappeared. Very strange. I had fun exploring with friends, so it wasn’t that big of a deal, but it was strange nonetheless. Overall, though, the tour was a really fun experience, and the coloured mountains in the area are an absolute must-see when you are in Salta. The pricing was also very good. Make sure to pay cash, since it is cheaper than paying with a credit card. Don’t forget to bring cash to enter the Hornocal area. They didn’t specify this beforehand, but apparently it is necessary to enter the area.

The trip was amazing, a must if you come to the area . Florencia , our tour guide was exceptionally helpful and friendly. A shout out to our driver Juan .

That's exactly how I would describe this company. Hornocal gave us 15-20 minutes to visit the peak with 14 flowers, not counting the lines for photos. That was barely enough time to take photos. Instead, they repeatedly persuade you, over and over again, to go to a strange market where they sell all sorts of rags as souvenirs. It's sad.

Excellent guide Luciana and driver Eze, wonderful experience!

Expect a long day, but the reward is beautiful and breathtaking scenery. Our guide, Monica was amazing, friendly and very knowledgeable, and in the hands of our driver Maurio, we felt very safe on the windy roads to Hornocal.

Natacha was the best host and David was an amazing driver! You get to see SO much in just one day and Natacha was so informative about the history and culture of each place. Also, as someone very prone to motion sickness I was completely fine thanks to David! Definitely recommed

Amazing Tour, very good organisation, very good guide

We totally enjoyed our experience. Monika was an excellent guide and was very knowledgeable. She took very good care of us.

It was fine until Humahuaca. Then we changed bus and guide twice, no more English explanation and you pay extra (bring cash!) for everything (even though it said "Entrance to Hornocal inclusive, so I have no idea what I actually paid for). If you have the time: rent a car, go to Pumamarca, stay there a few nights and go to Hornocal, Humahuaca and Salinas grandes from there.

Very experienced guide Martin and Diego were very helpful and professional..: I suggest this tour 100

Thank you to driver Charlie and guide Silvana for making the experience unforgettable! Charlie was very careful and Sil really knew it all about the territory. They both took care of the group in the most kind and fun way. 11/10.

The itinerary was very well planned — even though we visited many small towns, it never felt rushed. Hornocal was truly stunning. I’m very grateful to our guide, Gourde Abel, and our driver, Mauro. Although the journey was long, it was a very comfortable experience.

We used Parada Norte for 2x Full day tours (one to Cafayete and one to Humahuaca / Hornocal). Both tours were amazing, but for our Humahuaca tour we had Abel as our tour guide and he was an absolute LEGEND! We were the only two English people on our bus but he made us feel so involved and went to the lengths of telling jokes / making quips about us or the other guests in both languages to make the whole bus feel really fun despite being unable to understand each other. Outside of this, Abel was so passionate about Salta and Argentina as a whole, it made the tour so informative and interesting, we had such a great day out. Highly recommend Parada Norte & If you get Abel as your tour guide you are extra lucky!

This was an amazing trip and I highly recommend it! The views were just spectacular! However, it was our amazing guide, Abel, and his very kind driver, Charly, that made all the difference! They worked so well as a team and really took every step (and went out of their way) to make sure that each and everyone of us was having a great time!! Charly was of course driving and so Abel entertained us and worked very hard to make sure that we were having a great time. His standard of English was very high and he was so helpful and very kind! I highly recommend this tour, absolutely 10 out of 10!

We thoroughly enjoyed the breathtaking views and beautiful towns. Many thanks to Emanuel, our excellent driver, and especially to Abel, who led us the entire way, spoke passionately, and conveyed the fascinating history of the country and the locations we were seeing. We could sense how much these people loved what they do. This had a significant impact on the actual journey. We grateful.

We have mixed feelings about our tour with Parada Norte to Humahuaca and Hornocal. Plus side - well maintained comfortable van, excellent driver (Pablo) and the guide Rafael spoke English as well as Spanish. The scenery and stops were amazing and at a good pace. Negative side - there was confusion about our tickets (only us - not the other 13 people on bus - apparently only bought ticket to Humahuaca so were suddenly asked if we wanted to pay 16;000 pesos per person to go to Hornocal as everyone was changing to a new van. Felt this could have been clarified earlier rather than put on spot last minute.). Also, Rafael often didn’t give us as much info in English - we understand enough Spanish to know we were missing pieces. Thought he could have given us more information about the little towns we stopped at as they were short stops so could have used time better with more information and orientation.

Wir waren mit Maria als Reiseführerin und Joel als Fahrer unterwegs. Es war ein herrlicher, aber auch sehr anstrengender Tag für alle, der sich sehr gelohnt hat. Wir haben viel über die Kultur und das Leben im Norden erfahren. Es war sehr lustig und wir hatten viel Spaß. Sehr gut organisiert!

Cette excursion est absolument unique. La route est plutôt longue mais vaut chaque minute pour se rendre sur ce site exceptionnel.

Great, it has been an excellent tour, Agus López the guide has been very attentive and the explanations have been very accurate and fun, our driver Mauro Gutiérrez has also done an excellent job.

Beautiful experience! Without a doubt I would choose Parada Norte again. Agustín López great guide. Fun, friendly. He was explaining things to us throughout the entire tour. Mauro Gutierrez our driver took us wonderfully and provided the music for our trip to the Hornocal.

Excellent Service from Parada Norte Tourism Agency

We visited Salinas Grandes! Everything was beautiful, our guide Emi and Sergio driving! A duo that made our experience safe, Emi was always very attentive to the group, a good host overall, thank you!!

Very nice excursion! Wonderful places and Charly, the guide, was very attentive and a lover of the places we toured. The departure from the agency was delayed, but the van was comfortable and the tour was worth it.

The excursion was incredible. Hornocal was indescribable!!! The landscapes, the shopping, everything perfect. The guide Agustín is very attentive and caring with everyone.

We took 2 excursions with Parada Norte (Purmamarca with Hornocal and Cachi), both excellent thanks to the advisor Claudia Parada who explained every detail to us, very attentive and cordial with her service.

All the excursions with this company were excellent; today was a perfect day with the guide Agustin Lopez and Juan, super professional providing a quality service!

The excursion to Hornacal and Humahuaco with the driver, Juan, and the tour guide, Agustin, was absolutely fantastic! Agustin is friendly, very professional, patient, and always concerned with explaining everything to the guests as precisely as possible. Because of that, I didn't have any problems with the altitude, because he kept pointing out how to prevent it. Juan drove very calmly and safely. I can only recommend this tour! They are fantastic landscapes, a magnificent mountain world, beautiful colors, and very nice people who greet you warmly.

Very nice day. The guide Agustín and the driver Juan were excellent, very kind, very clear in the explanation. Everything highly recommended!

Excellent, Lucas and Juan explained it to us very kindly and politely

An incredible experience! Second day of the excursion with the company and from the very first moment they stood out. Our guide for Hornocal was María; if you get her, you won't be short on laughs!! Super professional, she conveys everything she knows with great joy. Juan, our driver, very professional and a great colleague. I also want to highlight our guide in Humahuaca, Alejandro. Highly recommended, we will be back!!

Beautiful experience; in my case, it is the 2nd time we have booked with the agency. Cafayate and Humahuaca. Juan the driver was excellent in his work, super professional and very respectful. Maria, as a (local) guide, is a show!!! Both of them are hilarious, they are two of a kind. We had a great time with my partner, the company is highly recommended! Postscript; what a crazy place Hornocal is!!!!!!! Room for improvement? The time to explore the town in Humahuaca is perhaps too short for walking around and shopping.

Professionalism and punctuality.

He also readily agreed to the offer to meet up from Pulmamarka. Since they contacted me before arrival, we were able to meet without any problems. It was a truly fulfilling day, as I was able to visit many places while listening to the explanation. Thank you to Lucario-san, the guide, Fernando-san, the driver, and Mario-san, who guided us through Umauaka.

The guide Martín was punctual and communicated at all times; during the trip he told us about Argentine history and the culture of the north. He indicated to us at every stop what time to be back. He added a stop for us that was not on the itinerary, the church of San Francisco de Paula. The transportation was also excellent, with the driver Sergio, a van that allowed the whole trip to be very comfortable. The tour is long, with many stops, but it is really worth it.

It was good that I was able to see a considerable magnificent view that is rare to see in life. But what was best was being moved by how considerate the guide Luciana was, carefully guiding everyone not just in Spanish but also in English.

Highly recommended. It was nice to be able to see the best view. Also, I was touched by how considerate the guide Luciana was. It was good that you explained it politely in English.

The trip was great and entertaining, with Maria and Fernando

Everything excellent, Fernando and Maria are highly recommended

I want to leave my thanks and praise to the entire team at Parada Norte agency for the excellent service! From the first contact, through Claudia, we were very well advised and received all the necessary support. Guide Cris's attention made all the difference so that we could enjoy every moment peacefully. Congratulations to the entire team for the excellent work!

We saw the best places, primarily thanks to the advice of Alberto, who made sure everything turned out perfectly. The guide Agustín López and the driver Fernando were super friendly and warm. We had the opportunity to be their copilots on the way to Hornocal and we had a great time. We learned a lot and enjoyed everything to the fullest

Beautiful experience and beautiful place. The landscapes are amazing, the Argentine North 🇦🇷❤️. Special mention for Maria and Fernando, excellent guide and driver.

An excellent experience from start to finish! Everything was a 10, from the organization to the good vibes during the whole excursion. I want to especially highlight Agustín López, our guide, for his kindness, willingness, and the excellent way he accompanied us throughout the tour. I also want to thank Conejo, the driver, for his professionalism and for driving us safely. You can tell when there is a team that enjoys what they do and cares about the passengers having a nice time. Highly recommended! Without a doubt, an experience to repeat. Thanks for everything. 🙌✨

The day we spent in Humahuaca and Hornocal with the driver-guide Franco was excellent, we had a 10/10 time, thanks!!

Excellent service from Dario as a driver, companion, and excellent guide Very good vibe and willingness to help Impeccable vehicle As well as the guides we had in the different towns .. highly recommended

The truth is it was really beautiful. We have a country with too much beauty. The guide Flor Mendoza is a genius, and the driver Dani is the best DJ. Super attentive to the route. Drove with caution. Both were super kind.

Excellent attention, each leg with a good conversational explanation that was also fun and super accompanied in each beautiful place.