#Worldtour: What to see in Northern Argentina?
We arrived in Argentina after a 15-hour bus journey from La Paz and then a border crossing on foot to the town of La Quiaca, in the very north of the country. We then headed straight to Humahuaca, a small town of 6,000 inhabitants and the starting point for a descent into one of the most beautiful valleys we've ever seen.
Discovering charming Humahuaca
The first stop on our trip to northern Argentina, this is a truly charming little town that we visited day and night. On Saturday, there was a concert by Léo Dan (unknown to us but who seemed to be a star here!) so there was quite a crowd and atmosphere. We went upstairs to get a view and wandered around the streets and alleys. The mixed weather didn't allow us to do an excursion so we went to the next village.
The pretty village of Tilcara
On our way down into the valley, we stopped at Tilcara, a village surrounded by magnificent mountains. We were greeted by rain, which gave us little respite over 2 days. That didn't stop us from exploring its streets and main square, full of craft shops of all kinds.
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Visit Purmamarca and the Cerro de los siete colores
Purmamarca lies at the foot of the Cerro de los siete colores (the hill of 7 colours). The scenery is splendid and the village is really pretty and very small. We climbed a hill opposite to get a view, walked around the coloured hill and then found an excursion to the Salinas Grandes, which are smaller than the Salar d'Uyuni but just as magnificent.
Road trip in northern Argentina, in the Valles Calchaquies: Salta - Quilmes - Cafayate - Salta
After a short stay in Salta "la linda", we decided to hire a car to visit the south of the region on our own for 3 days. We did the Salta - Cafayate - Cachi - Salta loop, with lots of stops and visits. On the programme, very different landscapes along the way, each more breathtaking than the last.
Dique Cabra Corral
A dike that has created a very large lake on which we saw houseboats and where water sports activities are organised.
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The Quebrada de las Conchas
Kilometres of breathtaking scenery. There were numerous viewpoints and some beautiful rock formations, such as Devil's Throat and the Amphitheatre.
The village of Cafayate
A pretty little village surrounded by vineyards and numerous bodegas (wine cellars). Its small square was very charming and our hostel had a superb garden. It was from here that we set off on the 7 waterfalls hike.
Ruinas de Quilmes (a must-see)
A superb place! We went to see this sacred city south of Cafayate without really knowing what to expect and we weren't disappointed. The Quilmes came from Chile and settled here in the 11th century. There were up to 5,000 of them on the 30-hectare site (today 20% are restored) and they created a highly advanced society that might remind us of the Incas. They resisted the Incas because they didn't want to be part of the empire and they were also able to resist the Spanish for 130 years thanks to the position of the village, their guets and their warriors. Unfortunately, they lost the last battle and the survivors were deported to Buenos Aires (where there is a 2nd Quilmes town). Today, the Quilmes community lives beside the sacred site and manages it.
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The Quebrada de las Flechas
We headed north through this magnificent valley, with its rock formations resembling arrowheads.
Stopover in Molinos
A tiny village where we stopped to get something to eat. We were right to do so, as there was some sort of entertainment/festival in the main square and we found some excellent empanadas! As a bonus, we were able to watch a parade of gauchos on their horses.
A side trip to see the Laguna de Brealito
We set off in search of this lagoon on a fairly winding road (more of a stone and dirt track). The kilometres seemed very long and we were really alone (not counting the little fox we came across) but it was worth it! The red, green mountains full of cactus filled our eyes and the view over the lagoon was really nice.
Valle Encantado
On the way out of Cachi, we passed the edge of the Parque Nacional de los cardones (cactus park), reached an altitude of 3,347m and then descended through the enchanted valley: it lives up to its name! Magnificent mountains, green everywhere and a winding road to cover for almost 3 hours.
Anne & Olivier
