Jujuy: Quebrada de Humahuaca, Yungas and Salinas Grandes

The Quebrada de Humahuaca in the province of Jujuy follows the Inca Trail and forms a 155-kilometer corridor running north to south. Hundreds of archaeological and architectural sites are part of this area.

Salt Flats and Yungas

Salinas Grandes is one of the three largest salt flats in the world. It covers 525 km² and lies at an average altitude of 3,350 meters. This combination of vast size and considerable elevation makes it a striking landscape feature in Jujuy.

Another natural area is the Yungas ecoregion: Parque Nacional Calilegua protects more than 76,000 hectares of it in Jujuy. In the Aguas Negras recreation area, the park offers camping for day and overnight stays, as well as walking trails of varying difficulty. This makes it possible to include both the protection of this ecoregion and practical opportunities to spend time outdoors in your travel plans.

Cultural Sites and Crafts

Pucará de Tilcara is a fortress built by the Omaguaca people. In Susques, the colonial chapel of Nuestra Señora de Belén was built in the 16th century and declared a National Historic Monument. Susques is also known for its traditional ponchos, woven on handlooms. The cultural attractions thus range from a fortress and a historic chapel to handwoven textiles.

Excursions and Activities

You can travel through the Quebrada de Humahuaca aboard the Tren Solar de la Quebrada, Latin America’s first solar-powered tourist train. For travel planning, activities can also be grouped by how you get around: alongside the train ride, Jujuy offers cycling routes and llama treks with routes and difficulty levels to suit different abilities.

Cycling routes range from short rides to multi-day trips of up to four days, as well as challenging rides through mountains reaching heights of up to 4,000 meters. Llama treks vary in duration and lead to a rural refuge at an altitude of more than 3,000 meters. When planning your time, you can compare cycling routes of up to four days with llama treks of varying durations.

Trekking in the Garganta del Diablo is one of the activities available in Tilcara. From Cusi Cusi, an excursion along Ruta 40 leads to Valle de la Luna, also known as Valle de Marte. The route passes gorges, scoria and volcanic ash domes, and rock walls up to 50 meters high. Rain and wind erosion shaped the rock walls over millions of years.

Jujuy Cuisine

Jujuy’s cuisine is based on corn, potatoes, squash, quinoa, and llama, beef and pork. It also includes high-altitude wines produced in the temperate valleys and the Quebrada de Humahuaca. In the Quebrada, you can try humitas, tamales, empanadas and cazuelas. Travel planning can therefore take in both regional ingredients and wine production, as well as specific dishes.

Discover more destinations

Tumbaya Department, Humahuaca Department, Santa Catalina Department, El Carmen Department, Yala, Humahuaca, Huacalera, Tilcara, Maimará, San Javier, San Salvador De Jujuy, Yavi, Purmamarca, Ciudad Perico, Valle Grande Department, Hornillos, La Quiaca, Santa Bárbara Department, Doctor Manuel Belgrano Department, San Pedro Department, Ledesma Department, Calilegua, Susques Department, Palpalá, Palpalá, San Antonio

For the main travel overview: Argentina.