We hired a little car and tested it to its limits in a week around Salta in north west Argentina. The area is home to some amazing landscapes, changing from red rock canyons of Quebrada de Cafayate, to dry winding roads through fields of vineyards and cactus, and finally through the green, cloud covered roads at 3500m. We visited one of the highest wineries in the world, stayed in tiny towns dust-streaked towns and drove past fields of red peppers drying in the sun. There are only a handful of towns over hundreds of kilometres so petrol and people are hard to come by. Throw in the best empanadas in Argentina and some delicious wines and you get a taste of what the north west has to offer.

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