Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Day 6: Cafayate and
Quebrada de las Conchas
The road south passes green
vineyards en route to
Cafayate
(p194)
, an adobe village with a
winemaking heritage. Enjoy
tastings and learn about native
cultures at the
Museo de
Arqueolgaí Calchaquí
, near
the main plaza.
From Cafayate, the loop back
to Salta traverses the
Quebrada
de las Conchas
(p194)
. Drink in
the polychrome colors of this
canyon's towering walls and the
eerie rock formations that pock
the canyon floor, including
La Garganta del Diablo
(Devil's
Throat) and
El Sapo
(The Toad).
Arrive at Salta.
The atmospheric ruins of San Ignacio Miní, a centuries-old Jesuit mission
Day 9: Nacional Iguazú:
Brazilian side
Cross the international border
for panoramic vistas of the
Iguazú Falls from their
Brazilian
side
. Visitors from some
countries will need a visa prior
to travel (
see p314
). Afterwards,
return to the forested intimacy
of the Argentinian side and trek
the
Sendero Macuco
. The roar
of the unsighted waterfalls and
the chatter of capuchin monkeys
accompany this jungle hike.
the Iberá wetlands: a vast
wilderness of marshland,
lagoons, waterways, and floating
islands. Start your visit at the
preserve's gateway village,
Colonia Carlos Pelligrini
, or
nearby
Estancia Rincón del
Socorro
. Stroll the village's
sandy streets, browse native
Guaraní handicrafts, and walk
the banks of the main
Laguna
Iberá
, spying native fauna such
as caiman and capybara.
Day 7: Quebrada de
Humahuaca
Take a day trip to a true natural
marvel: the
Quebrada de
Humahuaca
(pp200-4)
, a
canyon of awesome size and
stunning rock coloration that is
populated by ancient villages
lost in time. Visit the picturesque
village of
Purmamarca
, famed
for a multicolored hillside; the
mountainside necropolis at
Maimará
. and the pre-Inca
fortress at
Tilcara
. Continue
through the canyon, stopping
at villages
Uquia
,
Humahuaca
,
and
Iruya
. Look behind the
cactus-wood doors of the
17th-century church at Uquia
to discover frescoes of warring
angels. Return to Salta.
Day 12: Esteros del Iberá
Spend another full day exploring
the wetlands. Drift silently
across lagoons on a small-boat
excursion into the wetlands.
Spot abundant wildlife, including
songbirds of brilliant plumage.
After sunset, don't miss a
nocturnal safari of the wetlands.
Burrowing owls appear; the eyes
of caiman and capybara flash
red and green in the pitch black.
Day 10: San Ignacio Miní
Discover the ruins of a
17th-century Jesuit mission at
San Ignacio Miní
(p173)
. Close
to the Falls, but a world apart,
these orange-stone ruins
conserve intact archways, walls,
niches and religious statues, set
dramatically against the verdant
green of the jungle. Stay
overnight next to the ruins.
Day 8: Parque Nacional
Iguazú
The landscape shifts deliciously
to virgin rainforest at Puerto
Iguazú, gateway city to the
UNESCO World Heritage Site of
Parque Nacional Iguazú
(pp176-9)
and the magnificent
Iguazú Falls
. On a day trip to
the national park, approach
the upper lip of the waterfalls
on foot along the
Circuito
Superior
, before descending
through rainforest to their
spray-shrouded base via the
Circuito Inferior
. Then ride
the eco-train to the giant
Garganta del Diablo
cataract,
and get truly drenched on a
powerboat ride to the base of
the
Salto San Martín
falls.
Day 11: Esteros del Iberá
Head to the glassy, silent waters
of
Esteros del Iberá
(pp170-71)
,
Day 13: Mercedes and
Corrientes
Make the road trip to gaucho
town
Mercedes
(p169)
. Shop
for gaucho ware and visit the
shrine to
Gauchito Gil
, a folk
saint, at the edge of town.
Continue on to Corrientes.
Day 14: Corrientes
End your trip at a little-visited
jewel:
Corrientes
(p172)
, a
provincial capital rich in history
and set on the banks of the
mighty
River Paraná
(p167)
.
Wander its streets and admire
19th-century buildings such as
the
Casa de Gobierno
. Dine
on the riverbank, with views
of forested islands.
Scarlet-headed blackbird, a striking denizen
of the reed beds of Esteros del Ibéra
