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TownJujuyQuebrada de Humahuaca

Tilcara

The liveliest base in the Quebrada de Humahuaca, with a reconstructed pre-Hispanic hilltop settlement, gorge walks and a good choice of places to stay.

The stone pyramid monument at the Pucará de Tilcara with the mountains of the Quebrada behind

Photo: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 4.0

Tilcara combines a lively centre — cafés, restaurants, a busy market — with some of the most interesting archaeology in the Quebrada.

The Pucará

On a hill just outside town, the Pucará de Tilcara is a pre-Hispanic fortified settlement, partly reconstructed in the 20th century, with stone dwellings looking out over the valley. The site includes a botanical garden of high-altitude plants. The Archaeological Museum on the main square, run by the University of Buenos Aires, completes the visit.

Walks

A track climbs from town to the Garganta del Diablo, a narrow gorge with a small waterfall. It is a rewarding half-day hike at altitude — start early and take water.

Experiences

Experiences in Tilcara

All experiences
  • The striped red, pink and green layers of the Cerro de los Siete Colores
    Demo

    Culture · Nature

    Quebrada de Humahuaca day trip from Salta

    A long day north through the UNESCO-listed Quebrada, stopping at Purmamarca, Tilcara and Humahuaca.

    Full day · 12–14 h · Salta, Purmamarca, Tilcara, Humahuaca

    Price shown at booking

  • The stone pyramid monument at the Pucará de Tilcara
    Demo

    Culture

    Guided visit to the Pucará de Tilcara

    The pre-Hispanic hilltop settlement above Tilcara, with its botanical garden of high-altitude plants.

    2–3 h · Tilcara

    Price shown at booking

Itineraries

Itineraries through Tilcara

Destinations

More in Jujuy

  • Cerro de los Siete Colores rising in red, purple and grey bands behind Purmamarca and its vineyards

    Purmamarca

    VillageJujuy

    A small adobe village at the foot of the Cerro de los Siete Colores, and the gateway from the Quebrada to the salt flats of the Puna.

    Region
    Quebrada de Humahuaca
    Altitude
    2,324 m
  • Handwoven ponchos, textiles and ceramics displayed at a craft stall in Humahuaca

    Humahuaca

    TownJujuy

    The historic town that gives the Quebrada its name — cobbled lanes, a monumental independence memorial and the road to the Serranía de Hornocal.

    Region
    Quebrada de Humahuaca
    Altitude
    2,939 m
  • The white crust of Salinas Grandes stretching to distant mountains under a pale sky

    Salinas Grandes

    Natural attractionJujuy / Salta

    A vast white salt flat on the Puna plateau, straddling Jujuy and Salta, reached over the 4,000-metre Cuesta de Lipán.

    Region
    Puna
    Altitude
    3,450 m