YA LEUM.58 — Jujuy, Salta, Garganta Del Diabo. The Norte of Argentina…other type of trip
In the last post we slept in a favela…by mistake! The parents’ of Mathieu almost collapsed…
We continued our trip with Mathieu’s family and this time we visiedt the Iguazu Falls.
Iguazu Falls are part of the world’s natural heritage, located at the border between Argentina and Brazil. The waterfalls divide the driver in two, into the superior and inferior portions of Iguazu. In total, there are 250 waterfalls but most of them are on the Argentinian side. We had the opportunity to see the waterfalls from both sides, Argentina and Brazil.
The waterfalls are surrounded by the rainforest and are considered the biggest in the world.
Its beauty is majestic, loud, and the intensity is breathtaking.
I had never seen anything as beautiful, eye-catching, huge… and the feeling was tremendous.
The water strength and the glimpse of the waterfalls at far going through the rain created a moment of gratitude for the all beauty that exists in our world.
Who made this? Who created it? How was it created?
We are nothing comparing with the strength of nature.
I think about that, again and again…
Iguazu was the last place we visited with Mathieu’s parents because they had to return to France.
Pierre, Mathieu, and I decided to travel through the north of Argentina.
We took a bus to Salta and once we arrived there, we rented a car for ten days.
Although we never rented a car before, in Argentina we did it twice. To visit the south and then, the north.
The north of Argentina is quite different from the south. Once we arrived in Salta, it looked like we had arrived actually in Bolivia. People from the North look quite different than southern Argentinians. In fact, that is not odd. Argentina is a huge country with an extension of about 3500KM.
The landscape and the nature of the North are quite different from the South, with its ocher mountains and deserts, arid areas, and crystal-clear lakes.
We started in Salta in the colonial architecture center that was quite busy.
Salta region is surrounded by vines, mountains, and valleys. We decided to continue our trip through Ruta Nacional 40, which goes inland and crosses the arid and empty regions. That was something we were already used in Argentina.
We traveled to Cafayate, a small city known for its wine. Since we were driving, we made our own wine tasting session with many typical Argentinian wines. Some were amazing, others not so much. We met local producers, saw where they lived, and learned how they produce the wine!
Ruta Nacional 40 has countless things to explore, including the Garganta Del Diablo. A canyon made of red rocks and 49 meters high, creating a vertical channel that really looks like the Devil’s throat. At the end of the channel, you can only see the blue sky when looking up.
We saw a lagoon close by on the map, called Brealito, which we decided to explore. We found a lagoon with nobody around and a house in ruins. Thus, we decided to spend the night there… we made a bonfire with the branches we found on the floor and had a nice and improvised family dinner. It was a beautiful night that I will always remember.
On the next day, which started with an incredibly strong sun, we traveled to La Quebrada de Las Fechas. Possibly, one of the most amazing areas in the northern of Ruta Nacional 40. Quebrada de las Fechas is composed of sloping rocky ravines in its red and ochre colors, which make us feel like we are stepping on the Moon.
We stopped to take some photos and walk a little. The silence was defeaning. It is impossible to describe the heat, silence, and the immensity of the place, which feels like it is on the other side of the universe.
Later, we rode through La Cuesta del Obispo, a 25 km road, which is quite broad, serpent-shaped, and is located on a 3348 meters-high hill.
We visited the Los Cardones National Park, an area that is populated only by cactus that are twice my size and made of wood trunks, like a tree.
We traveled towards Jujuy, one of the most famous cities in the North of Argentina. In the region of Jujuy, we visited Purmamarca, a 2260 meters village with less than 1000 inhabitants, known for the Mountain of Seven Colors. We only saw the Mountain of Seven Colors from far, but the village, one of the most beautiful in the region, is located at the end of one of the rocky and ochre ravines. Then, we continued until Pumamarca to visit Salinas Grandes. Salinas Grandes it has an extension of 212km2 of salt that contrasts with the blue sk. We arrived in the Salinas Grandes at dusk and thus had to rush to find a place to spend the night.
We did not want to set the tent in the middle of nature because the days and nights were cold and windy.
We drove at night, looking for a village with lights, where we could have dinner and find a place to stay. Yet, we did not find either one or the other. We knocked at the door of a house which had some low lights to ask for accommodation and the owners very kindly offered an empty house to set our tent! How lucky!
On the next day, we went to Tilcara village. It is a village with a millenary culture, filled with ruins and the same gigantic cactus that we had seen days before.
All the villages that we knew were more than 2000m high, which was an experience of its own.
Our last destination was the village of Iruya, nearly at the border with Bolivia. Iruya is a national historical place, located in the middle of the mountains at a height of 2700 m. Getting to the village was a big adventure.
For nearly 100 km we went through a steep and serpent-shaped road. Whenever we reached a curve of the serpent, my heart nearly jumped out of my mouth.
It was dusk and the last thing we wanted was to go through that road at night… 100 km going through serpent-like curves that took hours before we got to the small village in the middle of the mountains and in the middle of the night.
A river crossed the village and by the time we arrived, the river had arise and a bus was stuck on the rocks.
We stopped the car before the river to try to help the bus crossing it, but it was impossible!
We thought about a thousand ways to cross the river. Or, maybe we thought of not crossing it and spend the night in the car.
After an hour of watching other cars getting stuck in the river, we decided to park the car somewhere and cross the river on foot, during the night, with our bags, to walk to the village.
When we arrived at the small village, besides being exhausted, it looked like we were far away from everything.
It was a strange feeling, but it somehow resembled a familiar feeling we had all over Argentina.
The next day Mathieu and Pierre jumped on an incredibly challenging hike and I decided to stay in the small village and walk around by myself.
I had a peaceful day visiting the viewpoints, reading, and meeting other fellow travelers.
It was not often I could spend time alone and I really enjoyed the day.
Mathieu and Pierre on the other had a challenging two-day hike crossing rivers of 1 meter high and walking mountains for 30 km.
From the all the groups that left to the hike, Mathieu and Pierre were the last ones arrived.
At some point I was quite worried because everyone who did the trek mentioned how challenging it was, including many people who decided to return due to the level of difficulty.
Finally, at the end of the day, already at night when Pierre and Mathieu arrived, I could really relax! They
Are used to trek and hike, just like most of French people, but this one was particularly a though one.
February 2018,
Patricia Assis
