San Salvador de Jujuy

Purmamarca is a small gem nestled at the foot of the legendary Hill of Seven Colors, at 2,192 meters altitude and just 65 km from San Salvador de Jujuy. This town of dirt streets and adobe houses preserves its colonial and pre-Hispanic essence like few places in Argentina. Its central plaza, surrounded by a permanent artisan market, is the starting point for the Paseo de los Colorados (a 3 km circuit around multicolored rock formations), visiting the Santa Rosa de Lima church (17th century), and watching the sunset over the hill. Purmamarca is also the gateway to the Salinas Grandes via the spectacular Cuesta de Lipán, ascending to 4,170 meters.

The Quebrada de Humahuaca, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2003, is a stunning 155 km valley stretching along the Río Grande, surrounded by multicolored mountains reaching over 4,000 meters. This natural corridor was part of the Inca Trail and today connects Jujuy's most iconic towns: Purmamarca, Tilcara, Maimará, and Humahuaca. Its geological formations, millions of years old, paint a landscape of reds, ochres, greens, and purples that shift with daylight. The Quebrada combines pre-Columbian archaeology, colonial architecture, living indigenous culture, and unique Andean gastronomy. It is the essential destination of any trip to northwestern Argentina.

The Jujuy Yungas are the subtropical mountain rainforest covering the eastern part of the province, an ecosystem completely different from the Quebrada and Puna. Calilegua National Park, with 76,306 hectares, protects the country's largest Yungas area. Vegetation is lush with giant ferns, orchids, and biodiversity including jaguars, tapirs, and toucans. Trails range from easy walks to multi-day treks. The transition from the arid Quebrada to green jungle is one of northwestern Argentina's most spectacular contrasts.