Covering one of the most beautiful areas of north western Argentina, this 500 km plus circuit delights with magnificent mountain scenery, ancient colonial villages and a major wine producing region.
Los Cardones National Park
The drive from Salta towards Cachi is as spectacular as any in the country, winding up from Le Carril through high mountains that reminded me of the Drakensberg with their flat tops and sheer vertical sides. There are several viewpoints from which to enjoy the scenery which peaks at the 3,347 m high Piedra del Molina Pass where there is a small chapel and a millstone – how it got there is anyone’s guess!
Just before the pass, a 4 km detour on a good dirt road is recommended to the Valle Encantado, probably one of the prettiest parts of the Los Cardones National Parkpark. This winds down the hillside to an area of jagged hills and lush upland grass. There is a short 40 minute circuit around the valley with hazy views of distant hills that invite exploration. It was all very peaceful and in January we were lucky enough to find a riot of wild flowers.
Further along the road another detour on Ruta 42 takes you through arid cacti strewn uplands on a short cut to Seclantas. It was a surreal landscape of huge cardoon cacti, beautifully silhouetted against the vivid snowy heights of Nevado del Cachi at 6,380 m. The flowers only appear when the cactus is about 50 years old, emerging at night and closing in the day to reduce water evaporation. The Indians utilised all the plant: the wood for roofing timbers and furniture or even drums when hollowed out – the modern day equivalent which one sees on sale everywhere is lampshades. The fruit was eaten by Indians and animals alike.
The park also shelters a wide variety of animals; you are likely to see guanacos, but the puma, foxes and wild cats are elusive. Andean condors can be seen high in the sky and in total there are about 100 species of birds within the reserve.
Cachi
From Seclantas, a rough corrugated road led north to Cachi, following a wide fertile valley whose lush splashes of green made a welcome contrast to the dry desert. There isn’t much to Cachi but it is a pleasant place to hang out: the shady central plaza and a block or two each side cover the sights. An ancient Indian settlement, it was founded by the Spanish in 1694 and still maintains a sleepy colonial presence.
The simple Iglesia de San Jose has a cactus wood roof and lectern and a giant oil jar is used to hold the holy water. The Museo Arqueologico (Entrance AR$50), housed in a lovely old colonnaded white building across from the church, has a well displayed collection of old funerary urns and petroglyphs, including a weird cat/man one depending on which way you look at it. The pleasant interior courtyards are quite photogenic and have a big collection of grinding stones.
Further wanderings will reveal more low white colonial buildings and picturesque cobbled streets with a snowy mountain backdrop, after which it is probably time to retreat to a pleasant outside table in the square: we found Oliver which had a good range of simple dishes – the ice cream shop is next door.
If you decide to linger in Cachi, there are walks further afield in the mountains for scenic views and some fairly minor Inca ruins: the tourist office in the Plaza has more details.
Graneros Incaicos
An interesting UNESCO site is found some 40 km to the north of Cachi on the unpaved Ruta 40. The Graneros Incaicos are nestled in a shallow cavern which is accessed up a sandy gorge – it is actually possible to drive up the gorge to within 100 m of the site. The graneries were used up to Inca times and consist of large earth compartments lining the walls of the cave; the curious stones sticking out of their sides may have been a measuring tool and careful observation will reveal some faint paintings on the roof. They are behind bars but it is easy to get the idea and if you are in the region, they are worth a visit.
The river valley from Payogasta to the site is very beautiful with wild, colourful mountains. There is also a popular little hotel at Payogasta: the Hosteria Provincial de Payogasta with simple rooms arranged around the courtyards of an old colonial building, a peaceful alternative only 12 km from Cachi.
If you were to continue on Ruta 40 beyond the graneries, you would soon reach the little village of La Poma, rebuilt in 1930 after a earthquake destroyed the original site 2 km to the north.The Paso Abra del Acay at 4,900 m is the highest pass in South America which is negotiable by car and leads on to the puna and San Antonio de los Cobres.
Cachi to Cafayate via the Quebrada de las Flechas
The rough corrugated gravel road which runs south from Cachi to Cafayate seems to take forever to drive, but the views are well worth it. Within about 10 km of leaving Cachi, we had a flat tyre but were able to get it patched in the little hamlet of Seclantas for AR$200 – about US$4! This area is well known for its ponchos and apparently the last lady on the artisan strip, which parallels the main road, has even sent two to the Pope.
Molinos is a smaller version of Cachi without the day trippers, a pretty colonial village nestled in a fertile valley. Don Nicolas Severo Isasmendi was the last Royalist governor of Salta and his mummified body (not on view) lies in the fine 1692 church. He was born, lived and died in the attractive colonial house opposite the church which is now a lovely hotel, the Hostal Provincial de Molinos. The large shady courtyard is a nice place to curl up and they have a good restaurant.
The dusty narrow road continues through rough adobe hamlets where only goats seem to thrive on the dry hillsides. At Finca El Carmen there is a sudden riot of green around the old estancia which produces wine and has an old Jesuit church dating back to 1800, the Iglesia del Carmen de Angastago.
The road then enters the lunar landscape of Quebrada de las Flechas (the gorge of arrows) where water has created immensely eroded pinnacles and hills. Sadly they are a uniform muddy brown but their contortions are spectacular – look out for the various viewpoints, they are worth the short stroll. We also explored ruined abode houses that were quite photogenic – there is a notable Spanish influence here and many of them have colonaded verandahs that are very attractive.
Finally we hit bitumen again in San Carlos and heaved a sign of relief – the drive had taken us 6 hours, albeit with frequent stops and one flat tyre repair, and we felt very shaken and stirred. Don’t miss the giant water fountain pool just on the outskirts of the village: it is a great way to freshen up!
Cafayate
The most exciting thing that happened to us in Cafayate was a torrential storm which caused the dry river to suddenly run. Sitting above the bridge, we could see the silvery gleam approaching down the dry river bed until suddenly it was submerged before our eyes. Wave upon wave of water followed, until the river was a mass of muddy churning water: it was a lesson in the power of flash floods.
From a tourist point of view, the town is best known for being central to the local wine industry. It is a bustling place with a lively central plaza, but the real delights lie in the surrounding vineyards. These high altitude vines are irrigated by snowmelt from the mountains, whilst the dry desert climate keeps fungus and bugs at bay. The combination of hot days and cool nights leads to quality grape production and there are many notable bogedas in the region.
One of the more flamboyant ones that we visited was Piattelli, modelled on the grand Tuscan estate design. It is an interesting choice as this American owned vineyard has a sister estate in Mendoza and the double terroir tasting included the same grapes from the different areas, so one could compare the two side by side. In Cafayate, they concentrate on Torrontes, Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Tannat: I particularly liked their tannat and malbec blend while the Uco Valley chardonnay which comes from even higher altitudes near Mendoza was also delicious.
Torrontes is the famous regional grape, producing a really fruity, intense white wine which I found rather good. The tour and tasting costs between AR$300 – 380, but you could always skip this and put it towards lunch at their excellent restaurant. Menus start at AR$1,300 and there is nice outdoor seating with beautiful views towards the mountains and over the gardens.
Another way to get a wine fix is to visit Miranda’s in town: this ice cream parlour is famous for inventing wine sorbets using the Torontes and Cabernet grapes which are surprisingly refreshing, if rather alcoholic
Quilmes
Quilmes could be just another soulless ruin reconstructed at ground level without revealing much about how the people lived. However, it is saved by a wonderful walk which connects the northern mirador, or lookout, to the southernmost one. Climbing up from the main lookout, the path zig zags across the hillside, climbing steadily until it levels out in the middle of the hillside, where a shady tree or an overhanging cliff provide good picnic spots.
The bird’s eye views are fabulous: this city dates back to AD1000 and held around 5000 people – there is a lot of it. As you walk it becomes apparent that not only is there the reconstructed area, but the next valley over holds just as many untouched buildings. There are pottery shards everywhere; when you pick one up you might still find traces of the original painted decoration and suddenly you are holding history in your hands.
Within the buildings are many huge rocks which were used for grinding with the circular depressions instantly recognizable. I cannot begin to imagine how many hours of labour it took to achieve such deep holes! The on site museum is an excellent source of information on the way of life of the Indians and there is also a very dramatic film about them.
The Quimes heroically resisted the Spanish for many years but by 1667 the last 2000 were deported to Buenos Aires. There they gave their name to a suburb and subsequently that was adopted by a popular beer label – sadly that is more familiar to many Argentines today than the indigenous story behind it.
The site is open from 8 am until 6 pm and the AR$150 to enter is well worth it. There are various craft stalls as well as drinks, ice cream and the usual empanada/homito offerings with shady seating. It can be a very hot place so carry lots of water and wear a hat!
Tafi del Valle
Tafi del Valle is a breath of fresh air after the desert ranges on the other side of the mountain. Leaving Ruta 40 behind, it is a beautiful drive, climbing steadily up to the Abra del Infiernillo pass at 3,042 m. There are handicraft stalls here and the locals had cleverly captured everyone’s attention by having a trio of very cute baby llamas. And as if that weren’t enough, there was a donkey foal too.
The mountains here were green and scattered with grazing cattle. In the distance, the large watery expanse of the Embalse Angostura reservoir could be seen with Tafi scattered at the bottom of the hill. It was a Saturday in January and everyone was out to party. A popular weekend escape from Tucuman, new money could be seen in the smart houses that dotted the slopes above the town and there was a buzzy atmosphere. Horses for hire were tethered at the bottom of town and there were many riders in the streets, creating a slightly bizarre mix.
We had coffee and cake at Flor de Sauco, a busy cafe which had a nice outside seating area and a great selection of gateaux, some made from local ingredients such as cactus fruit. Llamas grazed in the paddock behind. We wished we had more time to explore the surrounding mountains on foot or horseback.
The air was fresher as we drove on the 12 km to El Mollar. Amongst the stalls lining the road were people selling saddles and hay bales, a reflection on the number of horses in the area. For AG$50, you could take unlimited photos with a line-up of giant Star Wars characters.
El Mollar appeared to be in festival mode, with a combination of bingo in the square and a giant car boot sale. We checked out the Parque de los Menhires, a collection of ancient standing stones which had been found throughout the valley and moved to this spot for safe keeping. Of differing heights, only a few had faces or geometric designs carved on them, but they were an interesting diversion.
We decided the town was too noisy to stay, so headed on around the western side of the reservoir where we found the Hostel de Lago campsite. Loud music still carried across the water from a distant gathering but it was muffled enough to be bearable – it is difficult to escape the music on a Saturday night in Argentina.
Amaicha del Valle
This little town is famous for its Pacamama festival in February and lies on the main road between Cafayate and Tafi del Valle. Pacamama is Mother Earth and her worship is still going strong. People had spoken highly of the Pachamama Museum, a showcase for the local indigenous artist, Hector Cruz. It is his interpretation of how the Indian pre Colombian art would have evolved into the modern day and whilst I could see the artistry in his ceramic figures, the outside area was a little over the top, pebbledash gone mad in a weird riot of giant figures and swirling designs in coloured stones. His work included fountains, pavements, stairs, walls and even a giant table and 12 chairs in white quartz.
It cost a pricy AR$200 to enter and quite frankly I think you could get just as good an idea of the place by looking through the gates which were a metal fretwork of mythical animals. The exhibits inside were actually fairly sparse, but the shop is worth a quick browse for its attractive ceramics and weavings.
Quebrada de Cafayate
A final treat on our return run from Cafayate to Salta was the Quebrada de Cafayate, a canyon carved out by the Rio de las Conchas which stretches for about 60 km. Soon after leaving town rich red formations appeared and they were just the first in a succession of twisted, tortured landscapes and rock formations. We did a half hour walk to Los Estratos which took us into the midst of the valley and a close up view of the strata layers. The Anfiteatro is a tall funnel which must have been carved out by water eons ago and is famous for its acoustics – some people were happy to try out their singing there. The Garganta del Diablo was another narrow gorge that required some scrambling to access its higher reaches where parrots flashed by.
Alemania
Finally we started to leave the gorge behind but there was one final stop whose history intrigued me: Alemania, another defunct railway depot whose name is believed to originate with the German workers of the time.
Alemania became the last stop on a line that was supposed to continue to Cafayate, but the project was put on hold during World War 1 and never completed. They certainly stopped before the difficult bit! With a few hundred residents in its heyday, now only about eight families are left and it was a fairly forlorn spot on a rainy day in January. There has actually been an attempt to restore these railway buildings and indeed the locals were finding the verandahs useful in sheltering from the rain but it was largely shut up when we visited and only a small shop was open in which to buy a Coke.
There was a remake in 2010 of a horror film And Soon the Darkness filmed there and in the gathering twilight with only the gleaming puddles providing any relief, it was easy to see why they chose the place. Ask the locals nicely and they may even allow you to camp on the open space next to the old station building – it might be an interesting night!
The last 99 miles into Salta are an unremarkable end to this fantastic circuit – just don’t forget to take some wine home for consolation!
