Where to Stay in Humahuaca: Hotels, Hostels, Cabins and Uquía

Humahuaca is a compact town of cobbled streets split by the Río Grande. Where you stay decides how much you walk and how much you drive.

• Historic center: the square, the Candelaria church, the Cabildo with its clock tower and the Independence Monument stairway are all a few blocks apart, with restaurants, peñas (folk-music venues), tour agencies and the bus station close by. The downside: few garages, and plenty of late-night noise during Carnival. Best for travelers without a car, backpackers and one or two-night stays.
• La Banda and Medalla Milagrosa: across the bridge over the Río Grande. More residential and quiet, with more space, cabins and inns with parking. Provincial Route 73 to the Hornocal starts here. The downside: depending on the property, it's a 10 to 20 minute walk to the square, and after dark you'll want the car. Best for families, couples with a car and longer stays.
• Uquía, Huacalera and the countryside along Route 9: rural lodges, high-altitude wineries and boutique hotels between Humahuaca and Tilcara. Total silence and huge starry skies, but you'll need a car. Best for slow travel or for splitting the Quebrada into two bases.

On a first visit, the center has everything you need. To see what's worth your time in each corner of town, read our guide to things to do in Humahuaca.

There are no big chains or resorts in town. Instead you'll find family-run two and three-star inns (hosterías) in a rustic style, well located and heated. The most established ones:

• Solar de la Quebrada (Santa Fe 450, center): a central inn with standard, superior and family rooms, all with central heating. Some family rooms have panoramic views, and there's also a fully equipped cabin near the Monument and the craft market.
• Hostería Felipa Pastor, formerly Munay Humahuaca (Medalla Milagrosa, La Banda): rooms with rustic interiors, stone details and adobe furniture. Breakfast and parking are included, and the center is about a 10-minute walk away.
• Hostería Camino del Inca (Avenida Ejército del Norte, Medalla Milagrosa): a three-star inn with a garden, terrace, restaurant and bar. Rooms open onto a patio and some have mountain views. Parking on site.
• Hostería del Tantanakuy (about 700 meters from the square): a quiet inn with a garden, terrace, parking and mountain views, a good fit if you want to be close to the center without the noise of the square.

If you're after a more boutique experience, the best options in the area are a few kilometers away in Huacalera and Uquía (see below) or among the hotels in Tilcara, about 42 km (26 miles) south.

Humahuaca is a classic stop for backpackers heading to or from Bolivia or up to Iruya, so there are good hostels a few blocks from the bus station:

• Giramundo Hostel (Salta 38): one of the best-known hostels in northern Argentina, about 400 meters from the square, with colorful murals, breakfast, a guest kitchen and a rooftop terrace facing the mountains. It's very social, so it's not the place for total silence. No on-site parking.
• Hostal La Soñada (about 150 meters from the bus station): rooms with private bathrooms and heating, a small library and a garden. It's a calm place to rest between buses.
• Hostería Los Airampos (Avenida Belgrano at Canal del Norte, center): dorms and private rooms with regional decor, a dining room and a TV lounge, plus parking.

If you're continuing to Iruya, staying near the bus station makes it easy to catch the first morning departure.

Humahuaca's cabins are mostly in La Banda and on the outskirts, with open views and space to park. They're a great choice for families or if you're staying several nights to fit in the Hornocal, Iruya and the villages further north.

• Cabañas La Lucrecia (Quebrada de La Banda): adobe-walled cabins with cozy decor, kitchens, a living area and mountain views, in several sizes for couples and groups.
• Cabaña El Cardón (La Soldadera, Medalla Milagrosa): a Quebrada-style country cottage with two bedrooms, a terrace, parking and mountain views, about a 20-minute walk from the center. Guests highlight the warmth of the host and the peace and quiet.

With any cabin, ask whether the heating is gas, electric or wood-burning and whether hot water is unlimited: at 2,939 meters, winter nights are seriously cold. To compare availability across town, use our hotel search.

Between Tilcara and Humahuaca, along Route 9, small villages offer more rural stays and some of the Quebrada's most characterful hotels. Uquía is 12 km (7.5 miles) from Humahuaca and is known for its church with paintings of arquebusier angels and for the red canyon of the Quebrada de las Señoritas. Huacalera, about 15 km (9 miles) further south, is where the Tropic of Capricorn monument stands.

• Hotel Huacalera (Huacalera): a boutique hotel with a colonial feel and Andean design, with many rooms offering terraces or balconies facing the mountains and a suite paying tribute to the Tropic of Capricorn. Its Monterrey restaurant, led by Jujuy-born chef Walter Leal, is one of the most acclaimed tables in the Quebrada.
• Viñas de Uquía (Chucalezna, on Route 9 between Uquía and Huacalera): a sustainable mountain inn with just five rooms, bioclimatic design, solar heating and wood stoves. It has its own high-altitude winery and Q'isa, a restaurant cooking with produce from its own garden. Access involves crossing the Río Grande on a concrete ford, so check road conditions in the rainy season.
• Cabañas Vasija de Cobre (Uquía): three equipped cabins for 4 or 5 guests in the village, with views of the Quebrada de las Señoritas and mosaic decor made by the owner.

Staying here makes sense if you have a car and want to split the Quebrada between two bases: you're minutes from Humahuaca and the Hornocal road, and around half an hour from Tilcara.

The main reason to spend a night in Humahuaca is the Hornocal. The viewpoint over the Fourteen Colors Mountain is about 25 km (16 miles) from town along gravel Provincial Route 73, at 4,350 meters (14,270 ft). The colors are at their best in the afternoon, when the sun hits the slope head-on. Staying in Humahuaca means you can go up in the best light and come back down at your own pace, without adding a night drive back to Tilcara or Purmamarca.

• With one day: stay in Tilcara and do Humahuaca and the Hornocal as a full-day trip.
• With two or more days in the north of the Quebrada: stay in Humahuaca or Uquía, catch the Hornocal at sunset and head to Iruya or the Puna villages the next day.
• Without a car: agencies and minivans in Humahuaca run trips up to the viewpoint, which take roughly half a day.

Road conditions, best time and what to pack are all in our Hornocal guide.

Humahuaca has fewer beds than Tilcara, so it fills quickly in peak season:

• Carnival (February; in 2027 the public holidays fall on Monday 8 and Tuesday 9): the hardest dates of the year. Humahuaca's Carnival is one of the most famous in northern Argentina and the town fills with street troupes. Book 2 to 3 months ahead and expect minimum stays. More in our guide to Carnival in Jujuy and the Quebrada.
• Argentine winter school holidays (July): heavy domestic demand. Book 6 to 8 weeks ahead.
• Holy Week (March 25 to 28, 2027): processions and religious tourism. Book 4 to 6 weeks ahead.
• Argentine long weekends: 2 to 4 weeks is usually enough.
• Low season (April to June and August to November): good availability, although some small inns may run reduced services.

Summer (December to March) brings more rain, and the roads to the Hornocal or Iruya can close for a few hours. Book flexible rates if you're traveling then.

• Heating: at 2,939 meters, nights are cold even in summer, and in winter temperatures regularly drop below freezing. Make sure your room has central heating, underfloor heating or a heater, and ask for extra blankets if needed.
• Altitude: Humahuaca is noticeably higher than Tilcara or Purmamarca. If you're coming straight from the capital or from sea level, spend a night or two lower down first and ascend gradually. Check our Jujuy altitude guide to plan your route.
• Cash: there are only a few ATMs in town, and they can run dry during Carnival or in July. Bring Argentine pesos for small guesthouses, markets, Hornocal tours and taxis, and ask in advance whether cards or bank transfers are accepted.
• Parking: central streets are narrow and cobbled. If you're driving, prioritize places with a garage or stay in La Banda.
• Fuel: fill up before heading to the Hornocal or Iruya. Distances are short, but mountain roads burn more fuel than you'd expect.
• Early breakfast: if you're leaving early for Iruya or the Puna, tell your host the night before. Many inns can serve breakfast earlier or pack something to go.