Quebrada de Humahuaca

Quebrada Humahuaca

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Declared World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2003, the Quebrada of
Humahuaca is home to an invaluable collection of archeological,
cultural and natural treasures.
The mountains forming the Quebrada offer an incredible festival of forms and colors that keep changing throughout the day; and the picturesque towns along the road welcome every visitor with an amazing offer of music, history and traditions.

The 96 miles long Quebrada of Humahuaca starts 24 miles north from San Salvador de Jujuy, and runs south along the national road N° 9. Due to its strategic location, the Quebrada played an important role -both at an economic

and political level- in the pre-hispanic period, since it was used as a busy corridor for the transport of goods and communications between central Argentina and the rest of South America.
The journey through the Quebrada usually starts in Salta or Salinas Grandes, and is made in a South-North direction. Along the road are the beautiful towns of Volcán, Tumbaya, Purmamarca, Maimará, Tilcara, Huacalera, Uquía, Humahuaca, Iturbe and Tres Cruces. Here we present a brief description of what each of them has to offer.

Purmamarca [ ] is generally the first stop in the journey through the Quebrada. Located at the base of the Seven Colors Hill, Purmamarca condenses all the beauty and charm of a typical northwestern town: small houses of adobe,

narrow, unpaved streets, warmth and kindness all around.
The next stop along road N° 9 is Maimará [

] , surrounded by the "painter's palette" -referring to the full range of colors adorning the nearby mountains. A visit to Maimara is a perfect opportunity to learn another cultural aspect of life in the argentine Northwest. The local cemetery, which can also be seen from the road, is a typical example of northern traditions: built on the top of a hill, the brilliant colors of faux-flowers stand out over the perfectly white crosses.

Further north, at 8074ft above sea level, is the relatively large village of Tilcara (aprox. 4000 inhabitants) [ ] . The main attraction here are the archeological ruins of the so-called Pucará de Tilcara, a military settlement from the pre-hispanic

period that was strategically located on the top of a hill where large areas of fertile valley could be watched over. This Pucará was populated by the Omaguaco tribe, who were later dominated by the Incas, shortly before the Hispanic landing in the region. The archeological Museum in Tilcara is also worth a visit. The large collection of archeological objects found in the region, including fabrics and tools used in pre-incan period, as well as remnants from primitive inhabitants, offer an extraordinary learning opportunity.

Huacalera [ ] is the next stop along the Quebrada de Humahuaca . This is a pretty small town, with a population of only about 300 people, whose main attraction is a collection of paintings from the "cuzco" school that can be seen at the local church. Another peculiarity: at the town entrance, there is a monolith signaling the line where the Tropic of Capricorn crosses the region.

Uquía is another tiny town that is truly worth visiting, even if only to visit the church for a couple of minutes and take a look at the 8 original pictures of the "ángeles arcabuceros" collection. These pictures are quite representative of the Cuzco art-style and show each an angel or archangel, dressed in uniforms from the Spanish army and holding a weapon. At the same time, they also have painted the wings characteristic of the angels that we know nowadays.

Finally, Humahuaca [ ] is the biggest town along the Quebrada, and the one from which it took its name. It is located at 9650 ft above sea level and surrounded by an astonishing natural beauty. It is advisable to arrive at Humahuaca before

noon, since everyday at noon a life-size statue of San Francisco Solano appears at a window of the townhall to give his blessing to all tourists and locals. Besides the beautiful church, with its golden altar, and the crafts markets, it is impossible to miss the impressive Monumento a la Independencia, built as tribute to the indigenous people's resistance during the spanish occupation at the beginning of the century.

In summary, the Quebrada de Humahuaca welcomes every visitor with an impressive range of astonishing natural beauty, archeological treasures and cultural legacies. An endless chain of mountains and hills with the most intricate forms and bright colors escort the travelers throughout the journey, creating the perfect frame for the rewarding experiences and sensations that constantly arise along the way.

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