ArgentinaRoadTrip | Andrew Forbes

From brilliant white to fiery orange and enchanting purple – discovering Jujuy

Salta to Purmamaca – the Salinas Grandes salt flats, the hill of seven colours & Quebrada de Humahuaca

Salta to Purmaca: 150km 2.5 hours (round trip with drive in desert 7 hours)

It’s kind of ironic that we’ve been travelling through the striking province of Salta in North West Argentina for three days, but it’s not until now, day four of our roadtrip (once reaching Jujuy province) that we’ve actually seen salt – and huge amounts of salt.

From Salta we took a route that ran alongside the railway track of the iconic ‘Tren a Las Nubes’, the Train to the Clouds (so called because of the original steam locomotives). The route to Chile climbs thousands of metres though valleys and mountains, so the early twentieth century engineers used a series of tunnels, viaducts, zigzags and spirals to enable the train to negotiate the natural obstacles. The viaducts were made in France and have a distinctive design, reminiscent of the Eiffel tower metalwork. (The train doesn’t operate in the summer, due to the storms that create deluges that wash stones and rocks over the tracks).

Within an hour we were in a landscape of arid scrub that continued to the distant horizon, before eventually reaching the blindingly white salt mines of ‘Salinas Grandes’. These vast plains of snowy white salt fields are more easily reached by the highway from Salta (around two half hours or so on the main road), but we had decided to explore the semi desert taking a rough track, passing grazing domesticated llamas, and the smaller, indigenous wild ‘guanacos’ – it’s a route best suited to adventurous drivers with 4x4s!

Jujuy is Argentina’s most Northern Province touching Bolivia. The area certainly feels very different, with its genuine indigenous culture. On the way we stopped to eat in the small village of San Antonio de los Cobres. At first, looking down on the place from the adjacent hill it didn’t look that appealing, but once walking its dusty streets it revealed itself to be a fascinating place with some old buildings with an Andean ambiance.

…San Antonio de los Cobres…

We ate at ‘Quinoa Real’ and tucked into a number of quinoa-based dishes, from crepes, to croquettes as well as trying dried llama meat (pretty salty I have to say) and tasty homemade bread.

Then back to the trail. The mountains running around us were immense, as one might expect heading into this part of South America; peaks reach a dizzying 5,000 metres and even the tracks we took often reached over 3,500 metres. After what was hours of driving, in the distance the immense white salt flats became visible!

Arriving at ‘Salinas Grandes’ is a memorable experience. The huge expanse of salt is surrounded by dark mountains – it’s a totally surreal place. Canals and ponds capture the salt from evaporating water; it is then collected and graded for industrial, animal and human consumption.

This extraordinary crust that covers this part of the region is the remnants left from prehistoric lakes. Surveying the scene looking towards the horizon, it does remind you of an icy, frozen expanse of water. It also made me think of Naughty Boy’s La La La video (although that film was actually shot a little further north in Bolivia, where the salt flats are even bigger!)

…the remnants left from prehistoric lakes…

To get a grasp of the size of this area, click on the ipohone panorama above.

As visitor facilities go, it’s a little grim, a few porta-loos, a shabby gift shop area and parking for buses and cars – it’s as if the people are surprised by the number of visitors.

Well, we came for the views and the unique feeling of light and space – it certainly delivered on all counts; the location is remarkable for the near endless view of white in this earthy coloured desert. As one walks out across the plains, there is the dry crisp crunch of the salt under your boots, just like powder snow on a mountain. The sun is magnified by the highly reflective nature of the ground, so you have to take care – it’s an instant suntan!

This unworldly place was not our final destination, we were heading to the ancient village of Purmamaca to check out the ‘Cerro de los Siete Colores’ – the hill of seven colours. So I got back behind the wheel and headed on down through the stunning Quebrada de Humahuaca valley. We had to negotiate yet more hairpin bends, as the road descended from a staggering 4,000 metre peak!

Purmamaca was a peaceful, indigenous village some 15 years ago, but since being designated a UNESCO World Heritage site, it is well and truly on the tourist trail. In fact more than just the regular tourist trail, it is a pack packers stop over, and the place is buzzing with youngsters.

The main square is dedicated to an all-day open market selling crafts for undiscerning tourists. Speaking with one of the friendly stall holders she confirmed that almost all the merchandise was bought wholesale from Peru, and that not all of it was even manufactured in Peru, some came from elsewhere outside South America – there were hundreds of shawls, wraps, throws, blankets, table cloths and scarfs in ethnic styling yet each almost identical in style and glowing with factory-bright dyes. To me it all looked fake, but they were doing a roaring trade.

…sediments from the sea and rivers have combined to create a multi-coloured mountain…

Surprisingly though the gift stores throughout town were very upscale, dedicated to more sophisticated arts and crafts, many of which were actually made locally. Dyes were naturally subtle; crafting irregular and appealing. There were also beautifully crafted items made from the distinctive, perforated wood of the local cactus – lamps, holders, and sculptures. Supposedly only licenced artisans can harvest the wood from dead cactus and work it, since the ancient plants are protected.

Either way you look at it though the charming town of Purmamaca is one big shopping centre.

…Purmamaca is one big shopping centre…

So the secret it to look up – look up at the beautiful mountains that surround the town. Ancient sediments from the sea and rivers have combined to create a multi-coloured mountain range that is like nothing I have seen before – the most striking is the ‘Cerro de los Siete Colores’, the hill of seven colours that is the backdrop to the town.

We were lucky that during our visit there was a local music festival, where folk bands join together, their instruments and drums decorated with fresh basil, to make music and celebrate – a great atmosphere and one that helped make the place feel more authentic.

My suggestion is to wake early in the morning and head out before breakfast and enjoy the peaceful village before the markets stalls are set up and the retail paraphernalia covers the buildings. At this time there are just a few stray dogs and the morning sun filling the streets … the mountains seem all the more enchanting.

…the hill of seven colours that is the backdrop to the town…

The sunlight illuminates the modest village church Santa Rosa de Lima, surrounded by ancient willow trees. This is the time to stroll up to the top of one of the small hills in the town and just soak up the colourful, magical view.

…just soak up the colourful, magical view…

Then head back to the town and enjoy a coffee, served with soda water…. it’s agood way to start the day.

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Highway ‘ruta 33’ – Roadtrip in Salta, Argentina Part 3 (Cachi back to Salta)

Cachi back to Salta capital – the ‘Parque Nacional Los Cardones’

Cachi to Salta: 160km –5.5 hours

Probably my favourite day of the roadtrip – the opportunity to discover the Cardones Cactus National Park – Parque Nacional Los Cardones, a little north east of Cachi.

We’d ‘lucked out’ again with our accommodation. Last night’s bed was in a charming B&B called ‘Villa Cardona’ in the village of Cachi. A simple period 19^th century house renovated with style and taste. Authentic cactus wood, with its distinctive texture and perforations lined the ceilings, and the rough plastered walls were painted brilliant white. Furniture was rustic, with a contemporary twist, painted in bright Mediterranean colours.

The village is peaceful, and not overrun by visitors. Heading out after breakfast, the bright sunlight filled the streets and the sky was clear – perfect for a day exploring the vast forest of cactus in Argentina’s National Park of Cardones.

Passing modest convenience stores (selling two types of ‘coke’ – coca leaves, as well as, sadly, the increasingly prevalent US brand of sugared water that is invading every corner of the continent), and shepherds herding their sheep, we were soon out on the open road. Behind us snow covered the peaks of the mountains whilst ahead was desert.

…two types of ‘Coke’ for sale – coca leaves and sugared water…

…the landscape ignited with flame yellow flowers…

We were driving into the morning sun, so not ideal to photograph the cactus. As we approached the national park, the landscape ignited with flame yellow flowers that reminded me of the sea daffodils that cover the sand dunes along parts of Andalucía’s western coast.

The perfect time to see the cactus is in the afternoon with the sun low, illuminating the architectural plants with a warm glow – well, that’s what I’d seen in the coffee table books in the B&B. However, we had to make do with enjoying the view in the late morning, with the sun high in the sky, but even so it was impressive.

It’s remarkable to consider that some of these cactus are well into their second century! They grow just a centimetre or so a year and for a little bit more nature trivia, I learnt that the single towering cactus are male and the classic candelabra style cactus are female.

…huge spines burning yellow and orange in the sunlight…

It was a great feeling to walk amongst these prickly specimens, their huge spines burning yellow and orange in the sunlight. Finches and other birds have made the cactus their homes and most of the rugged plants had untidy nests of twigs and grass balancing precariously amongst their bulbous arms.

Further on beyond the valley of cactus was an outcrop of rock, called the ‘Ojo Del Cóndor’ – the Eye of the Condor. It certainly lived up to its name, as from this vantage point one could get a bird’s eye view of the entire valley. Then perfectly on cue, a majestic Condor flew overhead, inky black, with a broad white mark across its back and wings, like the snow-capped Andes – a beautiful sight. (Click on the iphone panorama below to see it enlarged).

…bird’s eye view of the entire valley…

To get down to the other side of the mountain range and back into Salta capital you have to negotiate the steep hairpins of the Bishop’s Pass, or ‘Cuesta del Obispo’. We stopped to survey the route down, the sign said we were at a staggering 3,457 metres! You could feel the odd sensation you get at this kind of altitude, a slight pressure in the forehead, and a tightness of breath – it reminded me of Peru.

…blind hairpin corners with little room to manoeuvre…

We were on our way back to Salta, our penultimate day of this road trip. Some suggest doing this itinerary in reverse, travelling from Salta to Cachi first and then returning via Cafayate. The trouble with is that when you reach the highly precipitous Bishop’s Pass, ‘Cuesta del Obispo’ you are obliged to climb the steep, stony road on the right, on the very edge, taking blind hairpin corners with little room to manoeuvre. By going in our chosen direction were able to descend this famous, meandering mountain pass taking it easy in lower gears, rather than pumping the gas to get up – believe me, it’s much easier. Descent can take about 30 minutes or more, so it’s a significant moment of intense concentration!

Once down in the valley, the ‘Quebrada de Escoipe’ the greenery returned, and the cactus were plump, bulbous and flowering, very different from the desert, just the other side of the mountain range.

…the cactus were plump, bulbous and flowering…

Tomorrow we go north to the expanisve salt flats of the ‘Salinas Grandes’ and the village of Purmamaca, in the shadow of the Seven Coloured Mountain.

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Highway ‘ruta 40’ – Roadtrip in Salta, Argentina Part 2 (Cafayate to Cachi)

From Cafayate to Cachi – travelling in space

Highway 40 – 165 km – 5.5 hours (not including stops)

Wilderness is something truly special; the sensation of space, the feeling of freedom and the sounds of silence. For me there is something so compelling, so nurturing about being surrounded by nature. I admit to often being seduced by the finer things in life, but it’s when I out in nature that I really feel joy. So as this road trip progressed, the more I fell in love with Salta Province.

This second day on the road was another of vast vistas that went on for kilometres, and extraordinary rocky landscapes where in places the narrow stony track was carved directly through the hillside. We took plenty of opportunities to stop and attempt to take in the huge open spaces, and big skies punctuated by textured clouds. We were to pass through a region that is rich not only in natural history, but culture too, a cross roads of civilisations dating back from the Incas to the colonial Spanish, a meeting point of nations, including Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina.

Breakfast was simple; rustic bread, small cakes, butter, jam and of course, the ubiquitous ‘Dulce de leche’. This is caramelised condensed milk, and it is served with most meals in Argentina, either as a breakfast spread, a sweetener to stir into yoghurt or with puddings and fruit later in the day. It’s like the caramel one has with banoffee pie, sickly sweet and at first quite appealing, one feels like a child indulging in something you know you are not allowed. But after almost 3 weeks in Argentina it was easy for me to leave it this morning.

Before loading our bags and leaving Cafayate we took one last walk around the town’s square and took a peek inside the colonial cathedral, Nuestra Señora del Rosario. Last night we stayed in a small B&B right on the square, so were able to enjoy the atmosphere of music and laughter till late into the night.

With the influx of Dakar Rally stop over personnel in the area, and the normal high occupancy of the festive summer holidays here, getting a fairly priced room was difficult. Some of the fancy places I had my eye on were booked up or out of our rapidly diminishing budget, so we stayed last night in a hostel. Yes, I was in a hostel. Hitting 45 years old and sleeping in a property that doesn’t even have a star rating! Joking apart, in rural areas I quite enjoy staying in really simply guest houses and B&Bs. It’s a lot easier to get chatting to fellow travellers, hosts know the local area better than any tourist information officer, and overall it just feels more ‘authentic’ in a weird way.

Our host was super helpful and confirmed our route for the day which was to take us up through the foothills of the Andes. I was excited about today; day two of our road trip, taking us up to the small, high altitude village of Cachi. The ‘road’ we wanted to take was in fact little more than a stony track. With the seasonal summer cloudbursts and storms, roads often get covered in rock fall or silt, or rivers simply wash sections away, so it seems the easiest way to maintain a route is to keep it as a track that is regularly restored with heavy machinery. Luckily for us the road had just been cleared, so once we left town and headed up in the hills the route was pretty clear. I have to admit though that looking out across the mountainous setting, taking in just how much ground we had to cover in a day, I was slightly apprehensive.

At first I drove slowly, slightly paranoid of the stones as they flew up and bounced off the wheel arches, but after a few hours I was in my stride, using gears to slow down on bends and even getting up some speed on the straights – by the end of the day I felt like one of the Toyota 4×4-driving locals, who would occasionally overtake us at high speed in a cloud of dust and stones.

…scenes of daily life glimpsed as we passed along the road…

No sooner had we left and we were stuck behind an old truck, with a woman crouching down on the pickup platform, diesel smoke billowing out the back. The woman’s dark face and tied-back glossy black hair was typical of the local people. We certainly felt as if we were in South America. In the south of Argentina, the country has a very European feel, but here in the extreme north, close to Bolivia, one touches upon the indigenous cultures and people. In the small towns it’s not uncommon to see people wearing traditional clothes like coloured, multi-layered pleated skirts and the European style bowler hat usually seen throughout Bolivia. (The jauntily placed bowler hat supposedly dates back to Spanish colonial times).

Once again, the landscape quickly changed from the spring like greens along the dry river beds to dry, dusty and arid scenes, with the odd church or small holding along the way. The small hamlets and villages, each with a modest church, looked like sets from Western style movies. An empty filling station, a Catholic Cross, buildings with dust stained, cracked plaster walls, surrounded by tall flowering agave plants – everything appeared lost in time. People living simple, humble lives; herding goats, tending llamas, baking bread for the market…scenes of daily life glimpsed as we passed along the road.

…everything appeared lost in time…

There is a small valley between Cafayate and Cachi where wine is successfully grown, and the upscale Colomé winery is part of the Hess Family Estate, so here you can expect art as well as vino.

Then the most spectacular part of the journey unfolds; the unearthly ‘Quebrada de las Flechas’ or Arrow Gorge. The earth crust appears to have been crumpled like paper, huge, jagged rocks thrust up at angles, creating unforgettable views. The track narrowed and steepened as it passed amongst these spooky outcrops. The area is famous for ‘Los Colorados’, the coloured mountains that surround this amazing gorge, close to the village of Angastaco.

This part of our 10 week South American trip was made with little preparation, yet things just seemed to fall into place. No sooner were we feeling hungry and I was desperately trying to ‘manifest’ a gourmet restaurant from amongst the barren landscape, than there appeared a small village, Molinos. Parking up by the church, we discovered an 18^th Century aristocratic Hacienda, now a boutique hotel Hacienda de Molinos.

…with dappled sunlight falling between the branches of an ancient willow tree…

Its beautiful patio, with dappled sunlight falling between the branches of an ancient willow tree was the place for lunch! I ordered quinoa, (it’s a staple from Peru and popular across this whole region), accompanied by a sneaky glass of chilled Torrontes wine, and a chocolate pud with espresso to follow.

…it was time to seek refuge and relaxation in Cachi..

So I was ready for the final stage of the adventure, towards Cachi, through lands of ancient cactus and dry scrub. A summer storm was brewing, and dark clouds gathered over the mountains; it was time to seek refuge and relaxation in Cachi.

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Highway ‘ruta 68’ – Road trip in Salta, Argentina Part 1 (Salta to Cafayate)

From Salta capital to Cafayate – certainly a road less travelled

Highway 68 – 180 km – 4 hours (not including stops)

(Click through for Part 2 & Part 3 of this route)

After spending almost a week on an Argentine cattle ranch, I was certainly in the mood for a bit ‘Wild West’ style adventure. We arrived in Argentina’s far north western province of Salta (which borders Chile to the west and Bolivia to the north) with few expectations; but once out exploring we were truly ‘wowed’ by its lush valleys, vast landscapes and arresting, weather-sculpted mountains.

…lush valleys, vast landscapes and weather-sculpted mountains

Our time in Salta coincided with the Dakar Rally’s rest days in the province, so it was more than appropriate for us to get behind the wheel and discover the stunning, semi-arid landscape.

Many of the roads in this sparsely populated, mountainous region are stony tracks, ‘caminos de ripio’ which is sometimes very tiring to drive over, with their ruts and ridges. What’s more there is a high risk of swerving and turning over the vehicle if you don’t have the right tyres.

Having said all that it is well worth the freedom of hiring your own car, and luckily, from the capital Salta south to the wine country of Cafayate it is almost all paved road. It’s a gently winding highway that takes you through some of Argentina’s most spectacular scenery, unearthly landscapes of coloured rocks; jagged mountains, and dry river beds bordered by blossoming scrub.

…unearthly landscapes of coloured rocks and jagged mountains

This is ‘Valles Calchaquies’ within the Salta low valleys, a region with unique micro climates that make it possible to grow wine, especially the white grape ‘Torrontes’ that is so distinctively Argentinian. Cafayate, in the heart of torrontes wine country makes for a realistic destination after a day on the road, and the trip of five or more hours is breath taking.

January is summer of course here, and this is when thunderstorms bring most of the year’s rain to this desert-like region, so the striking countryside has a spring-like lushness. The journey starts through verdant valleys with ancient cactus punctuating the landscape. As you head further south the green hillsides turn to dry, and barren rocks capes of dark reds and browns. Extraordinary geological features are found along the way, like the Devil’s Throat, ‘Garganta del Diablo’, a wild canyon forged through the rocks.

There are practically no cars on the road; one might pass the odd commercial truck or other visitor in a rental, but most of the time the open road is yours. There are few places to stop to eat, and pretty much nowhere to fill up, so make sure you take water and snacks and you fill up with petrol in Salta. Even when you do find a filling station, don’t expect it to have fuel, as many sell out quickly and if you are lucky enough to find some, there is unofficial rationing, so filling the tank is not normally allowed.

As the freshly sprouting trees are left behind, the cactus and scrub dominate. The road passes through valleys known as ‘quebradas’ and at every turn there is a vista worthy of a postcard.

Enjoying the freedom of my car is one of the very few things I miss when travelling, so I was feeling good about getting my own 4 wheels for a few days, but my initial excitement of renting a car was somewhat dampened by the exhaustive warnings and mountains of paperwork presented by the team at the Hertz office in Salta. In a nutshell, renting a car in Argentina is a palaver. Firstly there is no way to insure against the typical car rental excesses, and what’s more the excesses are high. If the car is stolen for example (statistically more likely than you might think in urban areas of Argentina) the bill can be over 6,000 euro. Write the car off by turning it and that’s another fistful of money. Hertz insists you sign an open credit card slip (yes those pieces of paper which they slide over your card still exist in Argentina and much of South America) and they pressured me to sign a form admitting full liability in advance, in the event of an accident or theft even before I left the office! (Needless to say I didn’t sign). Then finally there is the cost – renting in Argentina even with an internet rate secured online in your home country can be easily three times more than the comparable price in Europe; and if renting a 4 x 4 or truck then expect to pay even more.

Cafayate is the place to stay for the night. There are a few wineries around town, so if you get there before around 7pm you can take in a tasting. The most popular is Esteco winery, a striking estate with some great wines.

In the evening take in live music at one or more of the many bars in town offering traditional music; emotive songs called ‘peñas’. Order the typical food of Salta, which is fried or baked empanadas (like mini Cornish pasties) or Humitas, which is a corn based recipe of tomatoes and onions wrapped in a corn husk; while a jug of Torrones wine is cheap!

There is of course the ubiquitous mate tea, here in the north made with coca. It’s a sort of bitter green tea made with coca leaves, the plant from whcih cocaine is made, (it’s a local variant of the popular mate tea found all across Argentina and Uruguay). Don’t worry, you won’t feel like you can fly, the amount of alkaloid is very low in the leaves. It supposedly helps with the high altitud and is good for digestion….

To sign off, here are two of the many murals that decorated a wall on the edge of town – a cool community project celebrating local culture, the people, and the local scenery.

(Click through for Part 2 & Part 3 of this route)

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