Calilegua: Museums, Guaraní Culture and Regional Festivals

Calilegua brings together museums, Guaraní culture and regional festivals. To help you plan your trip, this page features both cultural attractions in the town and nature and trail options in the wider destination of Ledesma Department.

Art, Culture and Places of Remembrance in Calilegua

The Museo de Artes Plásticas Cacique Calilegua houses a collection of sculptures by artist Nicasio Fernández Mar. The museum also holds works by visual artists who gather in Calilegua every year. The Museo Regional de Artes Plásticas de Calilegua is housed in the town’s former “Viejo Almacén.” The building is estimated to be more than a hundred years old.

The Museo Ava Guaraní “Ñande Reko,” managed by the Comunidad Cuape Yayembutate de Calilegua, features an exhibition of traditional handicrafts and regional foods. It offers an authentic insight into the region’s customs and art. Check the arrangements for visiting again before your trip.

The Monumento al Cacique Calilegua stands at the junction of RN 34 and the road into town. Every year on April 19, commemorations for Día del Indio Americano are held there. The Encuentro de Pesebres is also one of Calilegua’s notable festivals and events. If you would like to plan your trip around this festival, check the latest program and dates in advance.

Handicrafts and Visitor Information

Calilegua’s handicraft registry highlights leatherworking and woodworking. There is an information and interpretation center at the junction of RN 34 and RP 83. Visitor information is recorded there, and handicrafts are sold. Check the latest information about the center before visiting. Another information center is located farther along RP 83, at the entrance to Calilegua National Park; you should also check its operating status before your trip.

The Comunidad Guaraní Quape Yayembuate is active in tourism in Calilegua. Visitors can take part in an authentic exchange with local people and thereby contribute to the economy and well-being of small rural communities. This gives a visit a cultural and community dimension that differs from a museum visit.

Nature and Trails in Ledesma Department

In Ledesma Department, Calilegua National Park is part of the UNESCO-recognized Yungas Biosphere Reserve. The park encompasses the Yungas’ elevational zones, from the Selva Pedemontana at 500 meters above sea level to the Pastizales de Neblina at 3,600 meters. Between them are the Selva Montana and Bosque Montano.

Ruta Provincial N° 83 runs for 23 kilometers through Calilegua National Park and reveals the transition from the Selva Pedemontana forest to the montane forest. The park’s surfaced gravel mountain road is suitable for bicycles and motorcycles. Check the road conditions before setting off.

The trails offer different experiences: the symbolic “Nuestra Selva” interpretive trail presents the worldview of the Guaraní people at seven stops; information is available in Spanish and Guaraní. The accessible Somos Selva trail has a cement surface that makes it easier for people with reduced mobility to get around. Sendero Bosque del Cielo passes through the montane forest to a rest area with a viewpoint overlooking the Serranías de Calilegua. Along Sendero Seres Fantásticos, you can see eleven sculptures made from scrap metal by artists from northwestern Argentina. They depict mythological beings associated with nature. Sendero La Lagunita leads to a small lagoon, an example of the Yungas’ aquatic ecosystem.

The day-use and picnic area at Camping Aguas Negras has fire pits, tables, barbecue grills, covered seating areas and camping pitches. The restrooms have water intended exclusively for hygiene. Las Pircas is considered a historic site and is described as a former transhumance post.

The regions can be connected via provincial routes 73 and 83. There is also a five-day trekking route between Tilcara and Calilegua National Park. These route details are separate from the trails described in the park and offer different options for planning a trip in Ledesma Department.

Discover more destinations: San Salvador De Jujuy, Maimará, San Javier, Yala, Purmamarca, La Quiaca, Huacalera, Tilcara

For the broader travel overview: Jujuy.