Essential Humahuaca

We take the old mountain road north from Salta city, a taste of the verdant sub-tropical Yungas forest to the east of the Andes, into the neighbouring province of Jujuy. From the capital of San Salvador de Jujuy, we climb in altitude above 2,000m into the colourful canyon of the Quebrada de Humahuaca. 

Celebrated for the Seven Coloured Hill in Purmamarca, our first stop, beyond the Quebrada de Humahuaca rising to 4,350m altitude is the lesser known Fourteen Coloured hill at the Serrania de Hornocal, a spectacular limestone depression formed hundreds of millions of years ago. We’ll arrive to see it in the perfect late afternoon light.

The Quebrada de Humahuaca is along the old Spanish colonial trade route from Buenos Aires to Lima, so it’s packed with history: there are old colonial churches with adobe walls and cactus wood roofs, (including one at Uquia with a rare cuzqueño art collection), a Spanish fort now converted into a museum dedicated to the War of Independence, and there are pre-Inca ruins at Tilcara. 

On day 2, we will head across the Eastern range of the Andes to the Salinas Grandes salt flats before returning to Salta via the tobacco and sugar fields.

With an extra day, this is also excellent territory for hiking, horseriding, mountain biking, or even walking with llama! Jujuy is also becoming known for its emerging boutique wineries. As ever, we’re here to tailor the tour to your request, so just let us know what you’d like to do.