Humahuaca

Humahuaca is a small town in the north of Argentina not far from the Bolivian border. The town has a strong indigenous feel to it and the population is mostly Quechua speaking. The town is surrounded by amazing Andean scenery. You don’t have to walk for very long to be literally in the middle-of-nowhere, amongst the surreal moonscapes of high altitude rock faces.

It only takes an hour or so to take in the sights of the town. In the town center there is a town hall with a clock tower. At noon every day a life size figure of Saint Francisco Solano emerges from the clock tower and makes the sign of the cross. On the main plaza there is an impressive monument to Argentine Independence and opposite is the beautiful Iglesia de la Candelaria.

The real reason to visit Humahuaca and the reason why Humahuaca is a UNESCO World Heritage Site is the surrounding area and villages. Nearby is the beautiful village of Purmamarca which has a rock face with stratas of seven different colors. Also nearby is the remote village of Iruya that seems untouched by time. And there are the pre-Colombian ruins of Coctaca to visit.

Humahuaca is a good place to start horse trekking tours of the area. Or if you prefer to walk then it is easy to find a company offering guided treks of the area.

Cheap accommodation is limited in Humahuaca. The population seems keen to cash in on the small trickle of tourists the town attracts. One of the cheaper and better places to stay is Hostal Humahuaca. The hostel has dorms and private accommodation. The dorm beds are $9.50 per night. This price includes breakfast. The Hostal Humahuaca’s website claims that they have a guest use kitchen. When I visited that wasn’t the case.

Hostal Humahuaca is not affiliated to any booking engine.

Tafi del Valle

Tafi del Valle is delightful small town in the mountains in the north of Argentina. Tafi del Valle is in the Sierra da Aconquija mountain range and is at an altitude of 1,976 m above sea level. It is about 100 km from Tucuman.

The great thing about Tafi is the scenery. The area is in a huge valley plain with a big lake and towering mountains. There are many treks to do. Within a few minutes walking you are out of town and in pristine countryside. Many Argentines come here during the hot summer months to escape the heat and crowds of the city. When you have visited Tafi it is easy to understand why – it is a tranquil area perfect for fishing, horse back riding, trekking, mountain biking, camping or just plain lazing around and having a barbecue or picnic.

San Miguel de Tucuman

San Miguel de Tucuman or as it is normally referred to, 'Tucuman' is the eponymous capital of Tucuman Province and the largest city in northern Argentina.

Tucuman is not a particularly exciting city to look at but, nevertheless, Tucuman is of extreme importance to Argentine culture.

There are a few beautiful colonial buildings to visit, the most famous of which is the City Hall (Casa de Gobierno) which is lit up at night. Other places of interest include the Museo Folklorico Manuel Belgrano which displays artifacts from Indigenous cultures in the region, Casa del Obispo Colombres, an 18th Century House with agricultural exhibits, Le Mercad Church, Independence House (where independence from Spain was first declared) and Timoteo Navarro Museum on 9 de Julio.