Serranias de Hornocal
Perhaps between the Perito Moreno glacier in Patagonia, the vineyards of Mendoza, the Iguazú waterfalls and the always attractive Buenos Aires, other areas of Argentina are not usually part of the routes of travelers, but the Humahuaca , with villages of adobe houses and colorful mountains, is one of the great jewels of the country that Argentines know well and that we put on your radar for your next trip to beloved Argentina.
In the northwest of the country, near the border with bolivia , is this arid valley formed by mountains with a spectacle of colors that surround picturesque indigenous towns such as Tilcara, Purmamarca and Iruya. Its adobe houses and churches, street stalls with artisan products, its popular celebrations and archaeological sites have made the area declared UNESCO World Cultural Heritage in 2003.
The walls of Tilcara
TILCARA
One of the main arteries of this town of just over 6,000 inhabitants begins at the bus station, where backpackers mingle with the Aboriginal community arriving from running errands in the towns of Jump or Jujuy . The main street of the station leads to the square, where stalls selling plants and souvenirs are concentrated. On the way you meet women selling tortillas , a kind of bread stuffed with cheese and ham, tomato with oregano or meat, and that during your trip will become your favorite food. One block from the square is the municipal market of Tilcara , where you can buy fresh fruit and taste the local food at very cheap prices.
One kilometer south of Tilcara stands Pucara , a pre-Columbian fortress, which is located in a strategic place and is made up of buildings that were rebuilt with neighborhoods of dwellings, corrals, a necropolis and a place for sacred ceremonies.
Of all the little towns on the route, Tilcara is the one that offers more accommodation options and the one that travelers normally use as a base to explore the area. The House of Molles It is a hostel, very popular among backpackers, that offers from the typical rooms to share with other travelers for 7 euros a night to private cabins with your own bathroom and kitchen for 22 euros. The activity in this hostel revolves around the bar 'The Clandestine' in which music by Joaquín Sabina or Los Delincuentes does not stop playing. Sometimes they have live music with local bands that their guests enjoy accompanied by their giant pitchers of fernet with cola or local beer, such as Norte or Salta , and the homemade food there is no lack since every night they prepare roasts, milanesas, empanadas or pizzas.
Both the hostel and the rest of the town have a calm rhythm where it is easy to lose track of time. Neighbors and travelers are not in a hurry and it makes no difference whether it is Saturday or Monday.
At night, it is typical for tourists to go to one of the town's peñas such as Carlitos where they enjoy dinner while a band plays folk music. Afterwards, locals and travelers gather at La Rockola bar with live music until the early hours.
Ruins of Pucara
PURMARK
It's a small town 26 km south of Tilcara , with white houses and the typical square where tourists gather to buy at the souvenir stalls and eat in the small restaurants in front of the church. Many flock to Purmamarca to see the Cerro de los Siete Colores , which you can reach on foot a couple of kilometers or if you prefer, you can take a shortcut and go up one of the main streets of the square. The best time to contemplate the colors of the mountain is in the morning or at sunset.
This is also one of the places where taxis leave to go to Big Salt Flats , a white desert of salt that covers 220 square km and that could be the brother small of the Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia . It is located at 3,200 meters of altitude and it takes 1 hour and 20 minutes to get there along National Route 52, a road with pronounced curves that climbs up to a height of 4,170 meters . If the weather allows it and the sky is clear, you can take photos playing with perspectives and creating a mirror effect.
A picture of Purmamarca
IRUYA
It is one of the most charming towns which is not easy to get to and where you will have to stay at least one night. Just the journey to this place is quite an experience, four hours in an almost dilapidated old bus that looks like it's going to leave you stranded at any moment and you don't know how, but climb slopes up to 4,000 meters high . The skill of the driver is also important because much of the journey is an unpaved stone path so narrow that the bus enters very just in some sections . The people you will meet are a mix of tourists and locals. Halfway down the road, a stop is made and vendors get on with their typical tortillas which one cannot resist.
Iruya is literally surrounded by mountains and its church is the protagonist of many travelers' postcards; his priest, they told us, is from Seville . The narrow cobblestone streets will test your endurance as the town stands on the foothills of the mountains. One of the best places to make a stop is the Tina dining room with a menu of the day at 3.50 euros, and where the workers of the town usually go, or The Cachis where you can order milanesa de llama, lamb stew, humitas or tamales. It's worth going up cross lookout to see the town from the heights and there is also the Condor viewpoint, although this will require you to go with proper equipment and be experienced in hiking to reach its top.
Another excursion that is typical among travelers is hike to San Isidro , where electricity arrived just two years ago. It takes about two hours and you will be surrounded by nature all the way without seeing any hint of life, apart from crossing paths with travelers or animals such as cows or donkeys. Please note that you will have to cross the river several times so be prepared to get wet . If you prefer, you can do the route by truck or on horseback and there are some houses that offer lodging for the night before returning to Iruya.
The Embedded Chapel of Iruya