Everyone’s favorite race around the world has started again. Last night participants of CBS’s The Amazing Race Season 20 set off from Santa Barbara, California. Their first destination: Santa Bárbara, Argentina.
Situated in the northwestern Salta province, Santa Bárbara was the perfect place to start the race. Teams skydived over a picturesque landscape, and a grueling empanada-making challenge with a tough judge made many teams wonder if they would ever be allowed to move forward and look for that leg’s pit stop. As always, the reality TV show was entertaining. But what about real reality? What would it be like to be a tourist in that region—minus The Amazing Race?
In person, the Calchaquíes Valleys, where the colonial town is located, are even more breathtaking than they appear on TV. After seeing for yourself the landscape of oranges, reds, purples, and more, you will begin to understand why Salta is often referred to as Salta La Linda. And visitors starting their journey in bustling Buenos Aires will appreciate the contrast the Northwest has to offer: here things move at a slower pace, but that’s not a bad thing.
As shown on The Amazing Race, empanadas are indeed a popular food. Slightly spicy and generally filled with hand-shredded beef, potato and a mixture of mouthwatering spices, empanadas salteñas, in my opinion, are among the best in all Argentina. Yet one should not forget the other delicious foods of the northwestern region, many of which combine Hispanic and Indigenous traditions. Try the delicious humitas (grated corn wrapped in corn husks), the savory locro (white corn, squash, sausage and beef stew) and spend an afternoon sipping yerba mate with a local.
Cafayate, also in the Calchaquíes Valleys along Route 40, is famous for its wineries, many of which offer tours. For those looking for more adventurous activities, trekking and horseback riding trips can be booked through hostels. And yes, you can skydive like they did on the show.
Northwestern Argentina is a true jewel. Discover for yourself why it is indeed so amazing.
How to get to the Calchaquíes Valleys:
-Fly to Buenos Aires and take a connecting flight to Salta. Once in the province’s capital, look for the bus terminal and find a bus heading south to Cafayate.
-Fly to Buenos Aires and take a long-distance bus or connecting flight to San Miguel de Tucumán. From there, take a bus that crosses the scenic pass through the foothills of the Andes from Tucumán to Catamarca and up into Salta.
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