Quebrada de Humahuaca

　　   Quebrada de Humahuaca (Quebrada de Humahuaca) lies along one of the most important cultural routes in the world, extending through the magnificent Rio Grande Valley. Its source begins in the cold highlands of the Puna Plateau and extends southward for about 150 kilometers before merging with the Rio Leone. The valley’s archaeological remains indicate that it has been a vital corridor for transportation and communication between the Andean highlands and the plains for the past ten thousand years. There are multiple clear remnants showing that this was a trading site for hunters and merchants during the pre-Hispanic Inca Empire era (15th–16th centuries AD). It was also a battleground for people fighting for independence during the 19th–20th centuries.

　　   Starting from San Salvador, we arrive at this natural passageway leading to the highlands. Rows of small villages vividly present themselves, with adobe houses, historic chapels, and pre-Spanish ruins, where time seems to stand still. Among them, the most beautiful village is the colonial-era Purmamarca, backed by the Seven Colored Hills, whose strata reveal different geological ages.

　　   Going further, in Maimar you can see a canyon formed by brightly striped mountains, famously known as La Paleta del Pintor (The Painter’s Palette). One of the most notable attractions in this canyon is the Tilcara archaeological site, a fortified town built by the local Omaguaca people before the arrival of Columbus. There is a massive rock serving as a marker for the Tropic of Capricorn; at noon on June 21st, the sun casts an exact vertical shadow on it, marking the beginning of the aborigines’ New Year celebration (also known as Inti Raymi, the Festival of the Sun).

　　   Humahuaca was discovered by the Spanish in the late 16th century. Its church and Carnival Museum display many items of local folklore. About 12 kilometers away, you can see some mysterious ruins that were once used as terraces for the growing settlement of Coctaca.

　　   Quebrada de Humahuaca was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List on July 2, 2003.