From Salta to Bolivia

On our journey from Salta heading north to Bolivia, the road leads further into the mountains. We still have some respect for the altitude, but we are also getting used to it. Our first stop is Tilcara at almost 2500 m. This small town with its charming Andean flair quickly captures our hearts, and we stay there for almost a week.

In the compact but vibrant downtown area, there are many nice cafés and restaurants offering delicious food and stylish courtyards. Numerous shops sell handicrafts and souvenirs. Unfortunately, we are already well packed 🫣

We enjoy the peace and tranquility. The town lies among massive, towering mountains.

We visit a historical temple complex on the outskirts with many cacti. Unfortunately, the main temple is not entirely authentic, but it is beautifully situated on a hill.

In between, I take tours on a rental bike.

The extremely friendly Carlitos rents out quite solid mountain bikes with hardtail. The first tour leads steeply to Garganta de Diabolo (Devil's Throat) - a rocky gorge with a waterfall. The altitude hits hard.On the way back down, I choose the hiking path and finally allow myself a technical descent on the bike.

Additionally I undertake a guided mountain hike to caves nearby.

Next, we continue on to Humahuaca.

This small town is already at an altitude of 3000 m. Almost exclusively Indigenous people live here and it is less touristy.

We try various regional specialties: Humita is a sweet corn porridge (cooked in a pot or in corn husks). Quinoa risotto is also very delicious. 😋 I find the algae that grow here at altitude and serve as a topping particularly fascinating.

We hike in the surrounding area through the rocks and then are driven in a 4x4 vehicle to the Valley of the 14 Colors at Mount Hornocal. The view of the rock layers is relatively good despite the clouds. At 4300 m altitude, we walk only a few hundred meters before our pulse races.