Salta, Argentina

If you’re mostly familiar with the Andean side of South America, one can be forgiven for thinking you’ve left the continent when you’re in BA. An easy reminder of where you really are is to head up to the northern city of Salta, the gateway to Argentina’s most Incan influenced region. Bordering on Bolivia to the north, the province of Salta has familiar sights for the Peruvian or Bolivian traveller: indigena towns, coca leaf-chewing or tea, and markets overflowing with tipico textiles.

The land is stark, strange and beautiful, with a landscape of multicoloured rock strata that make it on to many a postcard. The famous quebradas (gorges) of Humahuaca and the Quebrada del Río de Las Conchas are eerie, dry and worth a day each to explore.

Two other cool things to do in the area are to go see the mummies at the MAAM, on the main square in Salta, and drink some Torrontés in Cafayate. The second I will get into in another post. As for the mummies:

The Museum of High Altitude Archaeology (MAAM) was established (in the words of the Museum’s site) to “preserve, investigate, and make public the finding of the “Llullaillaco Children,” one of the most important archaeological discoveries of recent times.”

“The three Inca children were found frozen at the peak of Mount Llullaillaco, 6,700 m. above sea level, on March of 1999. One hundred and forty-six artefacts, which formed part of their trove, were found together with the children: a miniature treasure that accompanied them in their journey to eternity. Studies reveal that they lived more than 500 years ago, during the height of the Inca rule, a short time before the Spanish Conquest.”

“The museum exhibits this wonderful discovery through a scientific perspective and in a didactic way to help us appreciate and further understand a culture that is still alive today.”

A more detailed and interesting explanation of the mummies can be found here and here: