Salta | Excursion to Cafayate
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The little town of Cafayate lies 200km south of Salta. The beautiful daytrip is done along a well-paved road. The scenic route shows you a variety of the wild grandeur of the typical northwestern Andes. After leaving Salta with its green main valley, the route enters one of its dry central valleys. In the distance you can see the high peaks of the Andes. In several areas, the rivers that descend from the Andes have carved deep “quebradas” (canyons) through these arid zones, exposing the multicoloured sedimentary strata, which underlay the surface soils. Many of these layers have eroded to strange formations with evocative names like Garganta del Diablo (Devil's Throat), El Anfiteatro (The Amphitheatre), El Sapo (The Toad), El Fraile (The Friar), El Obelisco (The Obelisk), y Los Castillos (The Castles). There are some photo stops at many of these sites. Then you continue to the increasingly popular little town of Cafayate. Located at an altitude of 1,700m, Cafayate is widely regarded as the most beautiful spot in northern Argentina, perhaps with the exception of Cachi. Several major Argentine vintners (including highly regarded Etchart and Michel Torino) have vineyards near Cafayate whose warm, dry, and sunny climate makes it ideal for the cultivation of wine grapes, specially the ones designated for the white “Torrontes” wine. Tasting is a must. |
