Travel on horseback in the Quebrada de Humahuaca

By: Gyöngyi Molnár Posted: 25/02/2021

If you want to ride in beautiful and immaculate surroundings, meet local people and discover ancient cultures, the Quebrada de Humahuaca is a fascinating horseback riding destination in the Province of Jujuy, Argentina.

Stunning and beautiful throughout its extension!

What is it like to explore the Quebrada de Humahuaca on horseback?

We invite you to visit the Province of Jujuy, an opportunity to discover this extraordinary region of northern Argentina, which stands out for its diverse geography.

In this province is the Quebrada de Humahuaca, an Andean valley created by the Rio Grande, which runs north to south. Along its 155-kilometer extension, the ravine is surrounded by high mountain ranges, at more than 2,000 meters high.

Horseback riding enthusiasts have the possibility to practice their favourite activity while exploring these lonely trails.

On this equestrian route, we can experience local customs, traditions, food and culture.

World Heritage Site

The soul of the Province of Jujuy is the Quebrada de Humahuaca and its spectacularly coloured rock formations. The Quechua people still preserve their ancestral traditions, festivities and agricultural practices in these unique surroundings. For this reason, it was proclaimed as World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2003.

The document states that the Quebrada de Humahuaca "shows substantial evidence of its use as a major trade route over the past 10,000 years with great cultural heritage in the midst of an extraordinary natural landscape".

Touring the Quebrada de Humahuaca

The ideal starting point of the route – to travel the Quebrada de Humahuaca on horseback – is Salta, the emblematic city of northern Argentina, located in the Lerma Valley, east of the Andes Mountains and at 1,187 metres above sea level.

The main historical building of the city, the Cabildo, was the seat of the colonial government in times of the viceroyalty. Today it houses a historical museum and is very well preserved. Its general structure is a typical example of the Spanish colonial architecture during the conquest of America: two floors supported by semi-circular arches, with a central tower.

Behind the facade are two patios surrounded by archways. The building is characterized by its roof tiles, ceramic floor tiles and the carob wood of its brackets and beams.

The style of the Cabildo was used as a model for the construction of many other buildings during the Viceroyalty in Salta.

Then, new regulations were implemented in order to preserve the original facades and the colonial aspect of the city. Its architectural style was "unified" and due to these aesthetic improvements, Salta was nicknamed "La Linda" (the Beautiful).

Folkloric Peñas

Folkloric Peñas are typical of northern Argentina.

The Latin root word “peña” has different meanings in Spanish. One of them refers to a gathering of people to carry out a shared cultural activity, where there is folkloric music, food and wine.

Thanks to its folkloric tradition, Salta was home to many great artists and made a significant contribution to Argentine folk music.

After visiting the city of Salta, if we head north, we can enjoy all the highlights of our horseback tour, which leaves from the town of Volcán, the starting point of an extensive geological formation known as the Quebrada de Humahuaca.

We will start our trip immersed in a breath-taking landscape of hills and ravines, a path that will take us to explore the towns of the Quebrada, from Tumbaya and Purmamarca with its Hill of Seven Colours, through Punta Corral to Tilcara.

Volcán

Volcán is a small village of about 1,700 inhabitants located at more than 2,000 meters above sea level. It is surrounded by mountains covered with lush vegetation. It is the first village of a series of tourist spots included in the "Quebrada Route", which we will follow on our horseback journey.

Tumbaya

We will have the opportunity to visit Tumbaya, an ancient pre-Columbian town that still preserves its colonial style, with low-rise adobe houses, surrounded by hills with different shades of red, orange and ochre. As our horseback journey continues, we spend the night in a camp in a place calledPorvenir.

Purmamarca

This town is at the foot of the Hill of Seven Colours, which embellishes the views with its wide range of colours, elegance and majesty.

We visit the incredible town of Purmamarca and its main square, where we can shop at the Artisan Market. You get the feeling of living a scene that hasn’t changed for more than 500 years.

Punta Corral

Punta Corral is located 23 km northeast of the town of Tumbaya, at 3,860 meters above sea level. It is known as a place of pilgrimage.

Every year, on "Palm Sunday" before Easter, a procession of pilgrims accompany the statue of the Virgin of Copacabana from Punta Corral to Tumbaya. This is how they demonstrate their devotion to the “Mamita de los Cerros” as the locals call it.

Tilcara

When you arrive with your horse in Tilcara, on the banks of the Rio Grande, you will feel the magic and fascination of this enchanting town, another unforgettable memory that you will treasure forever.

Tilcara is in the heartland of the Quebrada de Humahuaca and has very important historical sites, such as the Pucará de Tilcara, a fortress strategically built by the Tilcaras more than 900 years ago.

Tilcara does not have a foundation date. Like the entire Quebrada de Humahuaca, it has been populated by indigenous settlements, since pre-Inca times.

Visiting Humahuaca

After seeing Tilcara, we leave our horses and travel by car to Humahuaca, an important and quaint town in the Quebrada of the same name. You can stroll its narrow cobbled streets with its rustic adobe houses and buildings.

The main plaza is a very lively place where locals and tourists alike gather together. Here we find the Church of Our Lady of Candelaria with the statues of the patron saints of the city: San Antonio and Our Lady of Candelaria.

Other tourist attractions include the Archaeological and Historical Museum and the Regional Folklore Museum, where you can learn about the history, culture and traditions of the people of the Quebrada and the Puna.

Another popular spot is the artisan market where you can shop for different handmade crafts such as wool garments or regional products.

The historical relevance of the route

The Quebrada de Humahuaca was an Inca route, the obligatory route of expeditionary men and colonizers, and an important trade route in times of the viceroyalty. Its real importance is that the quebrada served as permanent way of connecting distant and different territories and cultures.

This opportunity to explore the Quebrada de Humahuaca on horseback with Ampascachi is unique.

This trip allows us to enjoy those places that can only be reached on foot or on horseback, and it’s even better on a comfortable Peruvian horse.

Since we will spend some nights in camps, we can get in touch with our emotions especially at dusk and dawn, in the vastness of the Puna hills.

It is a journey that takes all the possibilities into account: from a city tour of Salta to
exhilarating rides, discovering intimately the heart of the Province of Jujuy in Argentina: the Quebrada de Humahuaca, without a doubt.

An experience to pamper our equestrian spirit, something we all have in common.

Do you like Argentina as your next horse riding holiday destination?

p>We encourage you to download the catalog of our horseback riding tours in Northern, Central and Western Argentina. Discover Argentina on the back of a Peruvian horse and with our team of equestrian tourism experts.

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