Jujuy, Argentina

We arrived at the airport early in the morning. After taking the car that we rented, we started our trip by driving north towards Humahuaca. It is a unique cultural landscape in the world, since the Indian peoples of the area preserve religious beliefs, rites, festivals, art, music and agricultural techniques that are a living heritage, an important reason for it being declared a World Heritage Site. by UNESCO in 2003.

We arrived in the city and left our things in the apartment that we rented. While we were going through the narrow and picturesque streets, we ate some delicious "empanadas" typical Argentine food, it is based on a dough stuffed with meat, or ham and cheese, or humita, and then fried. We walked through the city, struck by the beauty of the houses, mountains, monuments and churches. In the afternoon we went to Tilcara, another beautiful city 40 minutes by car from Humahuaca. Then we went back to the apartment and ordered typical food in “Pachamanka restaurante” since it was raining and the restaurants were closed to the public. Tasty tamales, empanadas, humitas, soup and meat.

We went to a small town called Uquia, where we found the “Cerro de las Señoritas” which is a super colorful tour to enjoy on foot; It has an age that varies between one million and three million years, and is made up of several caves and tectonic cracks.

We found a small and cute place to eat called “Resto bar Cerro Las Señoritas”. At the bar we were attended by a super friendly couple, they were the owners, they received 10 people per shift and they cooked everything with products from their garden. We sat down to eat in the garden, in the sun, looking at the mountains, the orchard, the animals and the sun that came out from time to time.The food was delicious, it took me back to the meals my grandmother cooked. They had options for everyone, including vegans and vegetarians.

After this incredible meal, we continue our journey to the "Hornocal" (“Hill of the 14 colors”). It took us 50 minutes by car, uphill (we drove up 4,350 meters). Yes, the height is too high, the ears are blocked and we even had some dizziness. But when we arrived and saw that mountain, we completely forgot about the pain. It doesn't look real, it looks like a painting. Just beautiful. Before sunset, we went to the apartment to shower, and then we went to eat at a restaurant to eat obviously typical local food and listen to a live band playing typical music.

We went back to Tilcara to get a better look at the city since we hadn't been there for a long time the first day. We did a horse riding tour in the mountains for 3 hours. We rode through narrow paths and crossed lagoons, it was a nice experience. We saw some beautiful landscapes, took photos and enjoyed the nice weather, then fed the horses and rode down the mountain.

We drive 30 minutes to the south, and arrive at a city called Purmamarca.We left our things in the hotel that was in the center of the city, and went to explore the center where we ate tortillas that were sold on the street. Also, we walked through the fairs in the main square where we bought souvenirs from the place. We enjoyed some delicious pasta stuffed with products harvested in the region and we went to sleep.

We started early in the morning since the next destination was one of our favorites: "Salinas Grandes". It is located at 3,450 meters above sea level and is the fourth largest salt flat in South America. We decided to do a guided tour, to understand a little more about the place and also to be able to take wonderful photos, since the people who work there know all the secrets for a perfect photo. These salt flats provide a unique visual spectacle in the rainy seasons as they are covered by 30 cm of water producing a turquoise landscape. We ate outside the salt flats, in a place where they sold food (“tortillas”) and drinks.

In the afternoon we went for a walk, we left the car and walked, we explored very small towns that were hidden, and we found incredible landscapes. Being in this area of ​​Argentina takes you back in time, you learn a lot from the people there, from their kindness and humility; you know the stories of the people but also the history of the place, and the country.

We got up early and had breakfast. We hiked 3 km on a mountain behind the city and arrived at the "Cerro de los 7 Colores" (Hill of the 7 colors). We drank mate (typical drink of Argentina, companion of trips and moments) and appreciated the beautiful landscape; at times silent and at times with the soft sounds of the birds of the place.Then we started our trip back to the airport. We spent a beautiful 4 days, touring part of northern Argentina, with very hot weather in the afternoon and very cold at night. We ate delicious food and drank typical beer from the region. Without a doubt, it was a wonderful trip that I highly recommend.