Welcome to Jujuy
Jujuy (pronounced hoo-hooey) has a livable feel, enticing restaurants and is the most culturally indigenous of any of Argentina’s cities. However, it is often bypassed by travelers, as, among the trinity of northwestern cities, it lacks Salta's colonial sophistication and Tucumán's urban vibe.
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Jujuy activities
Quebrada de Humahuaca, Purmamarca Tilcara, Jujuy Tour
The Quebrada de Humahuaca is a 95-mile-long (155-km) mountain valley and ravine in the Jujuy province of northwestern Argentina. The Río Grande flows through the gorge during the summer.After hotel pickup in Salta, travel north with your guide for about two hours toward the quebrada. During the ride, learn about how this UNESCO World Heritage site once served as a caravan road for the Incans, later as a pivotal commercial route during the colonial period and also saw battles during the Argentine War of Independence. When you arrive in the picturesque village of Purmamarca, walk by the church and note its organ-pipe cacti-covered roof, and peruse the jewelry and wool rugs at the craft market. The unforgettable sight here, however, lies at the end of the road, looming over town: Cerro de los Siete Colores (Seven Colors Hill), with striated hues ranging from cream to green to a deep plum. Continue north to Tilcara in the heart of the quebrada. Just outside the town, climb a hilltop to see the pre-Incan fortress ruins of Pucará, and enjoy sweeping views of the valley. Then head back to the town square to visit the archeological museum. Pass through Huacalera, and while crossing the Tropic of Capricorn road, admire the multicolored La Pollera de la Coya hill. In Uquía, see 17th-century paintings by indigenous students of the Cuzco School, a Roman Catholic artistic institution founded in Peru. Around midday, arrive at Humahuaca, your northernmost stop and the most densely populated town in the quebrada. Stroll past white colonial buildings lining the cobblestoned streets, climb a flight of steps to see the Monument of Independence built in 1950 and gaze out onto the Río Grande valley. Visit the local cathedral and observe more Cuzco School paintings, and then enjoy lunch in town (own expense); feel free to ask your knowledgeable guide for recommendations on where to eat. After lunch, head back south and pass by La Paleta del Pintor (Painter’s Palette), a series of triangular jags in distinct stripes of rose, green and ocher that form a natural tableau framing the town of Maimará. Stop in San Salvador de Jujuy, situated at the southern end of the gorge. Visit the French-Baroque Flag’s Hall and see the flag bestowed by General Belgrano to the city following the Battle of Salta. Inside San Salvador de Jujuy Cathedral, admire the wood-carved pulpit laminated in gold. Passing by the Government House, ponder over the allegorical statues by native Lola Mora. Keep heading south via the narrow and winding Route 9 for views of subtropical vegetation, the Santa Laura Pass, the dam of La Cienaga (the Swamp), Las Maderas and Campo Alegre, and travel through Vaqueros before arriving back at your hotel in Salta.
Humahuaca Gorge: 7-Colors Hill, Purmamarca, Uquaia Chapel
After pickup at your hotel in Salta, travel in a minivan along scenic National Road Nº 34 and National Road Nº 9 toward the town of Jujuy through the Humahuaca Gorge region. Along the way, pause in the town of Purmamarca to visit the naturally striated Seven Colors Hill before exploring the town on foot with your guide to take in the history and architecture of the church and main square where local craftsmen are available with their work. Then continue in the minivan to the town of Humahuaca for lunch and time to explore the buildings and Independence Monument in town.In the town of Jujuy, visit the Uquia Chapel which was built more than 700 years ago and features an elaborate gold altar and acclaimed religious paintings. From there, cross the Tropic of Capricorn, which is marked by a small monument, to get to the town of Tilcara for a guided tour of the square and church before visiting the Anthropology Museum. Use what you learn in the museum learning during a visit to an Incan archaeological site before returning to your hotel in Salta.
Full Day Trip to Salinas Grandes Salt Fields from Salta
First time travelers to Puna are usually in great awe at the sheer size of this salty, high altitude expanse that serves as host to a unique ecosystem and a number of salt and mineral quarries. We will visit Big Salt Works, one of the largest excavation sites in the Puna which is responsible for supplying the provinces of Salta and Jujuy. Salt is extracted in bricks which are scraped in sinks to produce 95% pure sodium chloride. This desert of salt was once a salty lake but over time all moisture evaporated, leaving only salt. Big Salt Works is located in a depression with an altitude of 8,858 feet which is connected along its northern border with Guayatayoc Lagoon. Above, wide Salar is considered the 3rd largest Plateau in the world at a height of approximately 11,000 feet.
Salinas Grandes via San Antonio de los Cobres
The trip departs early in the morning following tracks of the famous Train of the Clouds through the colorful Quebrada del Toro spectacular scenic beauty where we see the mutation of nature as we climb up to over 4,000 m.s.n.m. Then we continue trip to Santa Rosa de Tastil to visit the pre-Inca ruins of Tastil where we will walk about half an hour and then continue trip to San Antonio de Los Cobres ( 3,776 m). After lunch in San Antonio de los Cobres , we take the ex National Route 40 to the north and after about an hour reach Salinas Grandes in Jujuy province where we visit the salar . Then we descend the impressive Cuesta de Lipan , reaching the maximum height of the trip: 4,170 meters to lead to Purmamarca on the evening, framed by the Seven Color Hill. Walking tour of the village and its traditional market and return to Salta
Excursion to Iruya via Humahuaca Canyon, from Salta (2 days)
Departure from the city of Salta to the province of Jujuy touring the villages of the Quebrada de Humahuaca, Purmamarca, Uquia, Huacalera to Humahuaca. From there, 20 km away, take the provincial road n ° 133 that leads to Iruya. Accommodation not included. When we leave Humahuaca, the road becomes part of dry riverbeds, which makes crossing in rainy seasons impossible, from December to March. The rest of the way is high, winding and gravel. The town of Iruya is located on narrow streets, very steep and carefully paved to avoid soil erosion. Its architecture reflects its pre-Columbian origin, of great cultural and historical value. Surrounded by an imposing landscape and anchored in the past, Iruya preserves the roots of a millenary culture that even today is breathed in its typical celebrations such as the Pachamama in August and the patron saint festivities in the first half of October. The next day, return to Humahuaca, Tilcara, Purmamarca and back to Salta City.
Humahuaca Private Tour
Early in the morning, we will start our trip to the province of Jujuy, where we will visit the stunning Quebrada de Humahuaca, with its colorful and changing landscapes! The Quebrada de Humahuaca is declared a World Heritage SiteIn our way, we will pass by Purmamarca, Tilcara, Uquía and Humahuaca, all small towns that seem to be stuck in time, each of them with their very own identity. In every one of this places, we will be able to appreciate different ways of life, and discover the contrasting landscapes. In Tilcara we can visit the ancient archaeological ruins of Pucara, an old pre-Inca cultureWe will have time to have lunch and to make a small walk through the different handicraft markets.