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Voykit pocket guide · Argentina
San Antonio de los Cobres
Half-day stop on the way to Salinas Grandes or a full day if you ride the Tren a las Nubes; not a base.
San Antonio de los Cobres is a high-altitude town (3,772 m) in Salta province, best known as the lunch stop for the Tren a las Nubes and the gateway to Salinas Grandes. The town itself has a few blocks of low houses, a market and the Quinoa Real restaurant. Most travellers arrive by bus from Salta, eat quinoa, see the viaduct and continue.
- Country
- Argentina
- Best months
- Apr–Nov
- Avoid
- Dec–Mar (rainy season, road closures possible)
- Stay
- 0 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- ARS
- Money
- Currency is the Argentine peso (ARS, $). About ARS 1,450–1,600 per US dollar in mid-2026 — check; inflation has slowed but prices still move, so do not rely on old guides.
- Daily spend
- Budget ARS 5,000–8,000 · Mid ARS 8,000–15,000 · High ARS 15,000+ (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Claro, Movistar and Personal cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their shops with a passport, or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police 911 · Ambulance 107 · Fire 100
- Plugs
- Types I, C · 220 V · 50 Hz · Type I sockets are like Australia's, but with live and neutral reversed; bring a universal adapter.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: About 10% in cash; the cubierto (cover charge) is not a tip.; Taxi / app: Round up.; Hotel porter: ARS equivalent of US$1–2 per bag.; Tour guide: US$5–10 per person a day.; Ushers at tango shows / football: Small tip customary.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable in Buenos Aires and most cities; in the Northwest and rural areas ask or use bottled.
- Toilets
- Use cafés, shopping centres and bus terminals (small fee sometimes); carry tissues.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Quinoa dish at Quinoa Real | ARS 1,500–2,500 |
| Coca tea (mate de coca) | ARS 200–400 |
| Bus Salta–San Antonio de los Cobres, one way | ARS 1,500 |
| Tren a las Nubes (bus+train combo) | ARS 2,570 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- SLA · Martín Miguel de Güemes International Airport (Salta)
- About 3 h by bus or car from San Antonio de los Cobres
Typical fares
- Bus Salta → San Antonio de los Cobres
- about ARS 1,500, about 3 h (check)
- Tren a las Nubes combo from Salta
- about ARS 2,570, all day (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Walkable in 20 minutes. Buses to Salinas Grandes and Purmamarca leave from the main square.
See and do
Known for
- Tren a las Nubes (Train to the Clouds)
- La Polvorilla Viaduct
- Quinoa Real restaurant
- Salinas Grandes salt flats
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Salinas Grandes | Bus or tour from San Antonio de los Cobres, about 1 h | About 1 h each way |
| Purmamarca | Bus via Cuesta de Lipán, about 1.5 h | About 1.5 h |
| Salta | Bus, about 3 h | About 3 h |
Sleep
- Town centre
- A handful of hostels and basic hotels; book ahead in high season.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| How much is it? | ¿Cuánto cuesta?KWAN-to KWES-ta |
| Where is the bus to Salinas Grandes? | ¿Dónde está el bus a Salinas Grandes?DON-de es-TA el BOOS a sa-LEE-nas GRAN-des |
| I need coca tea, please. | Necesito mate de coca, por favor.ne-se-SEE-to MA-te de KO-ka por fa-VOR |
| Thank you | GraciasGRA-syas |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: One cheek kiss among friends; handshake in business; avoid: Refusing a kiss from a new acquaintance's friends
- Mate circle: Drink the whole gourd and hand it back to the server; avoid: Stirring the straw
- Dinner: Eat late and linger; avoid: Expecting service at 18:00
- Punctuality: Arrive 15–30 minutes late for social events; avoid: Arriving early at a home
- Conversation: Talk football, food, family; avoid: Opening with the Falklands or Peronism
Scams and watch-outs
- Altitude sickness: drink coca tea, walk slowly, avoid alcohol.
- Coca tea is legal in Argentina but can leave traces in blood for two days.
- Tren a las Nubes tickets must be booked in advance from Salta.
- No ATM in town: bring enough cash from Salta.
Safe town; main risks are altitude sickness and sun exposure at high altitude. Keep valuables out of sight on buses.
One and two days
No timed day plan for San Antonio de los Cobres yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Tren a las Nubes (Train to the Clouds)
- La Polvorilla Viaduct
- Quinoa Real restaurant
- Salinas Grandes salt flats
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: San Antonio de los Cobres, revision 5256311 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5256311
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/san-antonio-de-los-cobres). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.