Train to the Clouds / Salt flats

Train viaduct near Salta

Train line to San Antonio

The train to the clouds is a train line that climbs 4200m into the Andes through spectacular scenery. I wanted to take the actual train but Lonely planet warned that its 140USD, 18 hours and very cold with a boring desent so i took the cheaper option of a tour that follows the route up to 4100m.

The scenery was really spectacular. The tour had another advantage in that you could get out and walk around and admire the sheer scale of the project. The route took a series of well paved roads that climbed very gradually out of the the Salta valley. The climb was so gradual that it was only when we stopped at a remote settlement in the middle of nowhere and i tried walking around that you could really appreciate it.
This part of the route ended in a San Antonio de los cobres, a really bizarre little town that sits on the top of a huge desert plateau at 3750m. We stopped there for lunch.

Salt, Flat

After San Antonio we headed across miles of very flat desert to the Salinas Grandes, giant salt flats 3,200 mi² in area. I´m sure they will be dwarfed by Bolivia´s in comparison, but i hadn´t up to this point ever seen anything like it, miles of salt sretching into the horizon, they were amazing. I´ll save all the zany getting eaten by giant crocodile optical illusions for Bolivia, so only straight forward pics this time.....(!)

The desent from the summit was equaly as spectacular, following a series of tight bends as the road dropped sharply back into the valley below. The drive back to Salta was long, making the day 13 hours long. Tomorrow i get to spend another 10 hours on the bus, i´m heading to San Pedro De Atacama in Chile.

Winding descent from the 4100m summit

Sky Blue Sky

San Antonio de Los Cobres