Saturday April 28, 2012
Salta, Argentina
Sunny and Cool
What a spectacular day ! Started tough as we had 2 bottles of wine yesterday but I was up at 630am ready to go. We were so lucky in that we hired probably one of the best guides. Definitely up there with our guide from Ulan Ude and Rio (Favela tour). His name is Raul Cedolini with Balance Travel Adventure and we highly recommend him when in Salta.
He picked us up promptly at 730am in his very clean and comfortable car to take us on a long drive through the Andes. We were going to drive through gravel and dirt roads and explore areas of the Andes that are tough to do unless you are a local or are familiar with the area.
Our original plan was to take the “Train to the Clouds” which is an engineering feat as it was built to transport the minerals from the Andes to Salta. However, after talking to Raul and Connie, we decided against it as it meant we would have to leave at 630am and will not return until 11pm. And during the night, we would be subject to vendors trying to sell us stuff. So instead, we decided to hire Raul, to take us on a private tour, somewhat following the route of the train but with the benefit of a super knowledgeable private guide and also making stops for photographs and breathing in the Andes air.
Once we were on the road from our B&B which was in the center of town, we quickly left the city and were in the country with the mountains in front of us. Little did we know that by the end of the day we were going to travel high into the Andes peaking at 4200 meters and do a quick 2000 meter decent. The scenery changed so drastically during the trip, that we felt we were visiting 4-5 different countries.
Our first stop was the Quebrada del Toro. Although Toro means Bull in Spanish, it is widely known as the Canyon of death because of the landslides and floods. It’s a pretty amazing site as you can see the aftermath of some spectacular landslides. Fortunately for us, we were travelling during the dry season (although they had some unseasonable rain) so weren’t in any danger. It is here where we saw the famous tracks the Train to the Clouds. Raul asked us if we wanted to wait to see the train and since it was a modern train, we declined.
The Train Tracks for "The Train to the Clouds"
Quebrada del Toro
As we started our slow decent, we noticed the scenery change where we started seeing cactus! Seriously! It was very cold outside but because we are so close to the Tropic of Capricorn, apparently it grows here. One thing that is interesting about this part of of the Andes is that it RARELY snows. It is very very dry but can get very very cold. The cactus are huge. Apparently, we’ll be seeing more when we go exploring Cafayate and Cachi.
Cacti in the shadow
As we continued to drive, the landscape changed from lush green, to granite with the cacti still dotting the landscape. We got our first taste of the Quebrada de Humahueca, a canyon where sedimentary strata have eroded to provide a spectacular formation of scalloped waves in a spectrum of colors.
We also stopped to see the Funta de Correo, a memorial dedicated to a wife of a gaucho who got lost with her infant child in the Andes while looking for her husband and died. However, legend has it her child survived as the mother continued to produce milk even after death. Today, it is a sight where truck drivers offer bottles of water to her spirit in hopes that they will have a safe trip through the Andes.
Next stop was the town of Santa Rosa de Yastil, a town with a population of 8. But as it was a Saturday, quite a few folks where there to sell their handmade crafts. It was a very cute town AND had a church. One of the buildings used cactus as the main “wood” for the house. I’ve never seen anything like it. Apparently the “wood” is strong but hallow due to lack of water.
The Little Town is Nestled in a Magnificent yet Frightening Environment
And just around the corner from the village is one of the oldest ruins in all of the Americas. It is a village habited by the indigenous folks around 900 AD prior to the Incas arrival. As it is located around 2500meters, I felt the altitude and had to take a few gasps of air while going up to the ruins. It is quite a sight as it is well preserved. When we were there it was bitterly cold and windy, but we also found some bones and broken pottery pieces that are from that time. I believe it is so well preserved as it is a difficult place to get to and most people do not know about it. I am so grateful I was able to see it in person.
The Particular Cactus is called "Mother in Law" LoL!
Ruins from the Indeginous People around 900 AD
We then continued our long ascent up the mountains. The scenery changed again where we now saw some of the highest peaks of the Andes that were snow capped. I believe Raul said they were about 5000-6000meters in height. We also noticed that the cactus disappeared and we were in a desert like environment. The cactus can only survive until about 3000meters so it was a sign that we were above 3000 meters and I was feeling it!
At that point, Raul pointed out the old road. Apparently the road we were on was only completed about 5 years ago. And let me tell you, the old road is SCARY. It reminded me of some of the mountain roads I took in Bhutan. Raul told us a story where when he was 17, he had to drive that road in a truck with a trailer. Unbelievable.
Soon we were at Alba Blanca - the pass which took us at 4080 meters. I remember gasping for air a few times ( the wine the night before did not help!). We were in a blustery high altitude desert. Just as I was thinking I need something to eat, Raul took us to the town of San Antonio de Los Cobres (Copper). The town is located at about 3700 meters and was a bustling town due to copper mining. Today, they heavily rely on tourism from the Train to the Clouds. We stopped at a very friendly and clean restaurant where we had delicious empanadas, chicken Milanese and flan with dulce de leche. It is just what I needed with lots of water. Many ladies were selling their handmade crafts outside. Sandra and I bought stuffed llama dolls as they make great Christmas ornaments.
Cargo Train Passing By
Delicious Empanadas. We could have had Llama as a main course but I cant' eat those cute animals
After a very filling lunch, we made our way through a very dusty dirt road with unbelievable strong winds through the high desert. We saw our first vicunas a native and very cute animal of the Andes. At one point they were endangered because their fur is very soft and warm. Today they are protected and the wool is VERY expensive as they can only be shorn every 3 years and cannot be killed. They are very cute. They look like a cross between a deer and a llama. We also saw many donkeys. Apparently it is becoming a problem because they are multiplying exponentially due to no natural predators. 5000 were culled by the government to protect the environment. They looked so happy and healthy, I hope the government can find alternatives to the problem.
First Vicuna Sighting
A Cemetery
As we were driving, I thought the altitude was getting to me as I thought I was seeing a mirage. It looked like we were getting close to the sea. But no, we were approaching the Salinas Grandes – a spectacular salt plain. A dried up lake makes for a 525 sq km salt plain at about 3300 meters above sea level. Pictures do not do it justice. We were lucky enough to see some water as they had some rain. The water was sparkling like covered in diamonds. Amazing.
Carribean Ocean? Crystal Glass? No, Its the Great Salt Plains after Rain!
People Walking the Great Salt Plains
This was a restaurant made of salt bricks but closed due to "danger"
We then continued on the road (by this time it was paved, thank god!) to our next stop which is the town of Purmamarca which is at the beginning of Quebrada de Humahuaca. But to get there we had to climb to 4200meters and then take the spectacular “Lipnai (sp) slope" which is a steep 2000 meter descent.
This is where we saw vicunas up close! So cute!
When we arrived at Purmamarca, we saw the Cerro de los Siete Colores ( Hill of Seven Colors). Gorgeous. But we are going to visit it again tomorrow (and we will be driving ourselves) as we heard the AM is the best time to see it. We spent some time at the cute town which is pretty tourist friendly as the area is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. Both Sandra and I bought some souvenirs.
The Town of Purmamarca
Preview of one of the most beautiful sights in the world
As it was 430pm, it was time for us to do the 3 hour drive back to Salta. We had a BLAST and are so lucky to have had Raul as our guide. It is only our second day in Salta but can’t wait to explore more of the region.
Comments