Quebrada (35 K)

Tour
The route that links Salta to Jujuy - 93 kilometers - is a dangerous mountain route., the valley communicated this area with High Peru (Bolivia) in colonial times.
A sample of it is it the town of La Caldera (24 kilometers), a town of Jesuit origin of 1615 with a single street with houses like galleries at both sides.
The route crosses the Paso de Santa Bárbara, (1,600 meters above sea level), and after this, there are some kilometres with subtropical vegetation. It continues towards the north, skirting the river Sauces and travelling along the road used by carts in the past, one enters San Salvador de Jujuy. The name of Jujuy is derived from the indian word xuxuyoc, official representative of the Inca, with headquarters in the place.
The national route N 9, an excellent paved highway, allows, along 126 kilometres, the communication from Jujuy to Humahuaca the whole year. The tract from there to La Quiaca is of consolidated rubble in perfect state
The route starts in San Salvador de Jujuy; after 14 km you arrive at Yala. In the kilometre 18, approximately, one crosses the bridge over the Río Reyes and at once to the right, La Posta de Lozano. After passing León, the landscape that will accompany the traveller throughout the whole trip begins: a quebrada between two chains of mountains that change colours. In summer, the Río Grande decreases to a wide stony channel and dries off. Tumbaya at 2,094 m, is the first of a series of towns originated in Pre Columbian times. They were establishments of the "omaguaca" Indians .
In the square there is the church built in the XVIIth century and reconstructed afterwards because it had collapsed in 1796 and restored in 1873 and 1944. It is in Andalusian style, a style used along the quebrada: with a single nave and a single tower, The walls are thick, made of adobe and whitewashed. It contains some paintings of value as the Christ of the Tremors and the Jesus in the Orchard.

After 61 kilometres and 13 kilometres from Tumbaya one arrives to the deviation of the route RN 52 , towards the left and after 3.5 kilometres it will take us to Purmamarca.
The entrance to Purmamarca is framed by the Hill of the Seven Colours which is formed by minerals and silt. We recommend to walk in the village that preserves an almost intact aspect of the XIX century, with a market of crafts. (Purmamarca derives of the Quechua purma = desert and marca = region).
Its church, dedicated to Santa Rosa, was built in the years 1778/9 although in the lintel somebody has written 1648, possible date of the first construction. An adobe fence with two arches surrounds it. Its structure, similar to that of Tumbaya, is of a single nave with a square steeple. In its interior there is a series of scenes of Santa Rosa's life.
Back to RN 9 and after 11 kilometres, La Posta de Hornillos is a vivid testimony of national history. Built in 1772 it used to be a posta,a relief of horses when travelling from Peru. In its interior there is a museum that describes the system of transport in colonial time.
After 4 Km, one gets to Maimara (in Quechua language "star field") at 2.383 mts. It is worthwhile to observe the multicoloured strata of the rock called Painter's Palette.

Pucará inTilcara (70 K)

After travelling 8 Km. one gets to Tilcara, important archaeological centre of Jujuy at an altitude of 2,461 m. It is a typical town located in the Quebrada, the only one on the oriental side. Founded in the year 1600, it is worthwhile walking about two kilometers to the ruins passing the Botanical Garden (Jardín Botánico de Altura) with big cacti and characteristic plants of the quebrada and of the puna. There are remains of an indian stronghold called in Quechua language "Pucac"
From the village one can walk to the Garganta del Diablo (Devil's Throat), from where one can have a magnificent view of the Quebrada de Humahuaca.
In the town in front of the square, there is an archaeology museum and nearby, is the church, of relative historical and architectural value.
Continuing the circuit of the Quebrada, after 5 km there is a place with a view towards the south. After 10 km one reaches Huacalera, (2,641 m above sea level,) there is a monolith that indicates the Tropic of Capricorn.
The chapel of Huacalera is from the year 1655, although it was repaired in 1850. The materials used are adobe and cactus wood.
The next reference is at 16 km: Uquía (2.820 m ). an old establishment of the omagoaca Indians. The church was built in the year 1700 with a hand carved altar from the XVIIIth century. The construction of only one nave has a separate steeple. The paintings are remarkable, especially the nine angels hung in the lateral walls.
In this area there are several archaeological remains as Peñas Blancas and the Pucará de Calete.

Church in Humahuaca (53 K)

The itinerary ends 11 km ahead, in Humahuaca (2.940 m ). and 126 km.from the city of Jujuy. Adobe houses and narrow and paved streets constitute this town that already existed in 1596.
The cathedral is from the XVI th century, it was enlarged later on and the front and the towers are from 1880. There are two altars from 1680 and 1790, and paintings of the Twelve Prophets.