The Andean region the Salta Province consists of the Puna and the Quebradas, these are high valleys in the Andean northwestArgentina.
Regions
In addition to the Puna, two main valleys with similar geography characterize the region:
- The Valle Calchaquí lies in the west of the provinces of Catamarca, Tucumán and Salta and is about 150 km long. Most of it is in Salta, so it is described here.
- The Quebrada del Toro pulls between Salta and San Antonio de los Cobres in a south-east-north-west direction for about 80 km.
There are also side valleys like that Quebrada de Cafayate and the Quebrada de Iruya.
places
- Cafayate, 8,000 inhabitants, wine-growing place with a beautiful center, in the Valle Calchaquí
- San Antonio de los Cobres, the former capital of the national territory Los Andes. Today a simple, poor place with less than 5,000 inhabitants
- Cachi, 2,000 inhabitants, capital of pepper cultivation, idyllic little village with a colonial center in the upper Calchaquí Valley
- Iruya, 2,000 inhabitants, small town in an impressive side gorge
Other goals
- Abra del Acay, highest road pass in the world, located on Ruta Nacional 40 between La Poma and San Antonio de los Cobres. Located at an altitude of 4,895 m, the approach should only be attempted with a vehicle that is at least halfway suitable for off-road use and / or in a convoy, because the area is deserted. The road is in better shape from the north than from the south, where it is a very narrow mountain zigzag path.
background
The Quebradas, high valleys at 2,000 to 3,000 m altitude, were one of the main settlement areas of the Indian tribes of the Omaguacas and Diaguitas in pre-Columbian times. Its current inhabitants are for the most part descendants of these indigenous people, which is particularly noticeable in the traditional festivals that are still celebrated and have become a magnet for travelers.
The Puna, on the other hand, had always been sparsely populated in the province of Salta, with the exception of San Antonio de los Cobres. This town was in the first half of the 20th century the capital of the territories that in the 19th century of Chile and Bolivia were conquered, the so-called national territory Los Andes. However, since its economic success failed to materialize, it was incorporated into the three provinces of Jujuy, Salta and Catamarca in 1948.
language
The region's dialect is similar to that spoken in the rest of Northwest Argentina. Some older residents still speak the native languages, Quechua and Aymara, but this is being lost more and more.
getting there
The region can be reached via good roads, starting points are Salta and San Salvador de Jujuy for some valleys in the north of Salta, both cities can be reached by plane and bus. From there there are frequent bus connections to all valleys and to San Antonio de los Cobres.
Note the rains in summer, which can lead to landslides and floods.
mobility
In the valleys, buses run back and forth between the different villages. In the side valleys there is usually a minibus (traffic) at least once a day, but these are significantly more expensive than the buses. There are no towns in the Quebrada del Toro and therefore only a few buses. However, this gorge is also famous with the Tren a las Nubes (Train in the clouds), which has become quite expensive in the meantime.
Tourist Attractions
- Colonial city center of Cafayate
- Quebrada de Cafayate. Colorful gorge with strange rock formations.
activities
The region is one of the best in Argentina for hiking, trekking and mountain biking. A multitude of paths and paths run through the landscape. The rugged rock faces invite climbers, others will prefer to master the impressive gorges, side valleys and lower mountain slopes.
kitchen
The kitchen is generally very spicy. Almost all dishes have corn as a base and paprika as a side dish. There is a lot of chicken (picante de pollo) as well as the spicy empanadas (dumplings), humitas and tamales (varieties of corn porridge).
Fast food is extremely cheap in the region, but it is prepared very greasy, so sensitive stomachs shouldn't overdo it.
nightlife
There is at least one small disco pub in all cities.
Night life intensifies in summer when tourists are enjoying themselves in the region.
security
The only criminal danger is campsite thieves during the season, otherwise the region is extremely quiet and safe.
One should never bathe in a river if a thunderstorm is coming down somewhere in the area. This has the consequence that within a few minutes or even seconds it turns into a torrent that also carries debris with it!
climate
The climate is quite pleasant and sunny all year round. However, there are frequent thunderstorms in summer. The summer temperatures in Cafayate (1,900 m) reach 30 ° C during the day, 12 ° C at night, in San Antonio de los Cobres (3,400 m) 24 ° C during the day and 6 ° C at night. In winter, the daytime temperatures are around 20 ° C in Cafayate and 15 ° C in San Antonio, at night there is generally light frost (around -5 ° C).
trips
Onward travel to Chile is possible with a mixed train that runs on the route of the Tren de las Nubes wrong.
