Pristine Camps
Salinas Grandes' glamping 
Sleeping under the hyper-stellar sky of the Puna, in the heart of the Salinas Grandes, was undoubtedly the main motivation to head to Pristine Camps. Apart from the tremendous natural spectacle, we were also amazed to discover the sophisticated details of its facilities: a charming decoration, a first class gastronomy and a luxury service according to the lodging.
The reception takes place in Tres Morros, permanently inhabited only by Mr. Andrés and his mother, Mrs. Ascensión, who at 83 years of age is friendly when talking to visitors. The lady answered our questions and then asked her own, all while knitting her socks in the sun, accompanied, of course, by the village dogs, which are far more numerous than the residents. Everything there is terracotta-colored, as the rustic houses are built with adobe bricks, except for the century-old church, which is immaculate white.
Vehicles must be parked in the village, as only authorized trucks can enter the salt flats.
Pristine gives its guests a complimentary bottle of water and emphasizes the recommendation to stay hydrated at all times, even if you do not feel thirsty. This is a good way to avoid altitude sickness, known in northern Argentina as soroche.
We, following Amanda's suggestion, who guided us on a previous visit to the Salinas, took Agua Florida, a Peruvian cologne available in the altiplano markets. Three drops on the palms, three claps and inhale to chase away the effects of the altitude sickness.
Waldomar -a member of the Aguas Blancas community- drove us in the truck to Pristine Camps. There are four fully equipped rooms and a large geodesic dome where meals are served and which serves as a common space.
The glamping responds to three well-defined values: social inclusion, environmental care and economic development. It is undoubtedly the most glamorous camp in northern Argentina, according to strict criteria of luxury camps.
When we arrived, Sergio, our host, invited us with appetizers and natural juices, while he gave us the guidelines for our stay. Then Noe led us to our dome, all in light tones in harmony with the salt, only highlighting the wood and some pinks of the loom-woven blankets. In the mini fridge, in addition to a sparkling wine for the romantic toast, rich chocolates of regional production were waiting for us.
Afterwards, Waldomar -Wally for all of us- took us to the salt extraction pools to tell us about the process and take the usual funny pictures. The concession to exploit this sector is in charge of his family.
On the way back, a delicious snack with herbal teas, croissants and local sweets prepared us for "the golden hour". The sunset in that white immensity is simply superb. The clarity of the sky, the distance from civilization and the lack of light pollution at 3500 meters above sea level guarantee colors like from another planet. First the oranges, then the pinks, continuing with an intense red, violets and finally the darkness. One by one the stars appeared for the last show of the day.
Some spritz and gins accompanied the chat with our new friends from Cordoba, Clara and Diego, with whom we would share the experience.
Around 8 pm, Martín, the expert in constellation reading according to the parameters used by pre-Columbian peoples, invited us to get warm to go out and enjoy the majestic sky, while he guided us in his interpretation. For those who live in a city, observing the immense and illuminated night represents an immediate shock. The galaxies clouds can be seen with the naked eye and after a while the satellites and shooting stars are revealed all the time.
Then it was the turn of the banquet orchestrated by chef Mariana del Río and magnificently executed by Mercedes Vilte from Jujuy, a menu harmonized by the excellent high altitude wines of Bodega Colomé. To start, cream soup of caramelized leeks and potatoes stuffed with smoked trout and goat ricotta. For the main course, the choice that night was the steak with chimichurri, mashed beans and potatoes, and the pork braised in sugar cane honey with humita a la olla. To finish, chocolate mousse with red fruit ice cream and pears in syrup with passion fruit semifreddo. Delicious!
At Pristine Camps, power generation is provided exclusively by solar panels and a generator; heating against the extreme cold of high altitude is ensured by modern wood-burning stoves. After being instructed not to let it die out, I confess that that night we woke up several times to keep the fire going, which made our luxurious tent a great refuge from the low temperature outside. On the way we watched the stars from our viewpoint. That night they shone brightly, illuminating even the interior.
The dawn put on another incomparable show of colors and lights. It was well worth it to resist the sub-zero temperature.
Then, a delicious and complete breakfast in the main dome, with eggs, baked pastries, fruits and fresh juices, cheeses and jams, as if to conclude the experience with another demonstration of extraordinary gastronomy, to then enjoy from the decks the powerful view of the great salt flat, surrounded by the majestic snowy peaks of the mountain range, such as Chañi and Tuzgle. Simply an unforgettable experience!
