Los Andes Department: Culture, Festivals and Puna Landscapes
Accommodation in Los Andes Department
If you’re looking for hotels in Los Andes Department, exploring the different experiences on offer can help you decide what to focus on during your trip. In San Antonio de los Cobres, local history, handicrafts and cultural visits take center stage; around Tolar Grande, dunes, salt flats and recurring rituals shape the landscape.
Culture and Handicrafts in San Antonio de los Cobres
The Museo Regional Andino is housed in a former building of the GobernaciĂłn de Los Andes in San Antonio de los Cobres. Built in 1908, it later served as the police headquarters and was restored in 2019. At the museum, you can learn about the history and customs of the Puna. The Iglesia San Antonio de Padua is also a place to visit.
At the handicrafts market, visitors can watch artisans working at the looms. Other experiences include spending a day with a local shepherd, visiting a workshop run by women artisans, and taking part in a ceramics workshop. If a particular visit is essential to your trip, check current visiting hours in advance.
Festivals and Rituals
In August, San Antonio de los Cobres celebrates the Fiesta Nacional de la Pachamama, Tierra Madre. The communal feast includes tijtincha—boiled dried meat served with corn on the cob—as well as corn, dried beans, spicy dishes, asado, empanadas and Andean potatoes. Mote and piri, made with cornmeal and llama fat, are also served. The handmade chuya is made with corn and quinoa and is served at the festival only on this day.
The Carnaval Andino includes visits by comparsas to family homes and Andean parades featuring comparsas from across Los Andes Department. The Carnaval más alto del mundo is also held beneath the Viaducto La Polvorilla as part of the Carnaval Andino. Another annual event is the ascent of the 5,611-meter Cerro Macón, held on the third Saturday in November. Participants join residents of Tolar Grande in giving thanks for the water the mountain provides to this arid region. Every year, the Kolla community of Tolar Grande holds a three-day communal offering at its sacred Pachamama hill.
Dunes, Salt Flats and Wildlife
El Arenal is eight kilometers from Tolar Grande. The circular trail passes through extensive reddish sand deposits and dunes, offering far-reaching views of the Andes. You can also go sandboarding in this landscape. Just before Tolar Grande are the fossilized dune formations of Los Colorados, also known as Desierto de Laberinto. They are ideal for short walks and photography.
On the Tolar experience, the route to Tolar Grande passes through the Salar de Pocitos and through ravines where you can see native Puna wildlife. Further afield in the region is the Cono de Arita, a naturally formed, 200-meter-high cone of black volcanic salt in the middle of the Salar de Arizaro. Also further afield is Laguna Santa MarĂa, at an elevation of about 4,000 meters. Parinas, ducks, coots and numerous pink flamingos swim, walk and fly in its blue waters.
Places and Experiences to Help Plan Your Trip
The Tren a las Nubes also offers a clear connection to the area: the train climbs from San Antonio de los Cobres to the Viaducto La Polvorilla. Use your preferred itinerary to guide your choices. Check festival dates or the train’s operating dates in advance if they are essential to your plans.
Discover more destinations: San Antonio de los Cobres, Orán Department, Anta Department, Capital Department, Santa Carlos, Cerrillos Department, La Caldera Department, General JosĂ© de San MartĂn Department
For the broader travel overview: Salta.
