By Car to Cafayate

Cafayate is a town with some nine thousand souls, 180 km south of Salta. The first 100 km, the road runs through cultivated lands for the main part, after which it enters the canyon Río de las Conchas also known as Quebrada de Cafayate. The mountains rises high on both sides of the river, dried and multi-coloured as always. What is special with Quebrada de Cafayate is that in some places the mountains have assumed unusual forms, of which the most spectacular have their own names. These formations are certainly worth the trip - not the least since you don't have to pay any entrance fees.

Cafayate itself is a quite nice place. Those who have an interest for beverages containing ethanol are attracted by all the wine-yards in the area, where they can try the local brands.

The road to Cafayate is paved for the entire distance, and I rented a car for the trip. I stayed in Cafayate for the night, and the next day I continued further south for some other 40-50 km, to the Indian ruins of Quilmes. From Quilmes I turned back, and, with some detours, I went the same way back to Salta.

1. Río de las Conchas	2. View to the Hills	3. Cliff in Dark-Red	4. Tranquil Waters of Conchas
5. Goats	6. Bush Landscape	7. Curve	8. Bush with Green Stem
9. Mountains Rising	10. La Garganta del Diablo	11. La Garganta del Diablo II	12. Further into Garganta
13. View out from Garganta	14. The Amphitheatre	15. Another River View	16. The Toad
17. Upper Edge of a Ravine	18. Coloured Mountains	19. Striped Mountains	20. El Obelisco
21. Los Castillos	22. Ground Cactus I	23. Ground Cactus II	24. Plaza San Martín in Cafayate
25. Ruinas de Quilmes	26. Vessel in the Quilmes Museum	27. Detail from the Quilmes Ruins	28. View from Quilmes
29. View over the Ruins	30. Cactus Flower	31. Funny Tree	32. Corralito
33. Gravel Road	34. Gravel Road with Mountains	35. Wide River and Mountains	36. Another Mountain View
37. Mountain Wall	38. Red Mountains, Green Bushes	39. Dique Cabra Corral	40. Dique Cabra Corral II