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The South American Odyssey
  • The Craze for Travelling
  • The Craze for Travelling

The South American Odyssey

A 147-day adventure by The Craze for Travelling Read more
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  • The Craze for TravellingThe South American OdysseyThe Craze for Travelling
    Salt plains with no visible tracks
    Salt plains with no visible tracksOjos de salar

    Ojos de Salar

    December 6, 2017 in Argentina ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    After the salt pools, our guide took us to the Ojos de Salar (the eyes of the salt plains). These are 2 crystal clwar emerald color pools in the middle of the salt desert. The water was very clear and we could see that the pools were up to 5 mts deep in some places. Tge guide informed us that the water contained chemicals and minerals that made it unfit for swimming or for extracting salt.Read more

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    At the Ojos de Salar

    December 6, 2017 in Argentina ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    We followed the guide around on partially marked trails to see the pools that form the Ojos de Salar. At some places we could see the thin crust of salt jist above the water pool edges. In some of the smaller pools, we could see different colors in the salt below the water indicating the presence of concentrated minerals in the water.Read more

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    Empenadas for lunch

    December 6, 2017 in Argentina ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    After the Ojos de Salar, our guide showed us the path to return to the entrance of the salt plains. Near the entrance were small kiosks selling empenadas. We decided to try them out for our lunch. The walls, tables and chairs all were made from salt. I had empanadas filled with cheese while Hristo had his filled with meat. They were really good and fresh off the barbecue.Read more

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    Climbing the mountain chain
    Climbing the mountain chainLa Cuesta de Lipán (towards Salinas Grande)Salinas Grande visible as a white spec

    La Cuesta de Lipán

    December 6, 2017 in Argentina ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    After Salinas Grande, we could see a chain of hills. The road steadily climbed these hills.
    La Cuesta de Lipán is a zigzaging road in a breathtaking landscape. It starts at the Salinas Grande at about 3450 mts and then climbs to the highest point Abra de Potrerillos pass (4.170 metres high). Itvthen descents on the other side along another curvy road to Purmamarca at 2192 mts. Overall, it is 17 kms long.Read more

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    Purmamarca village

    December 6, 2017 in Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 10 °C

    We reached Purmamarca at about 4 pm. The arrival at Purmamarca was announced by the greenery and hills in various colors all around.

    Little Purmamarca, 3km west of the highway, sits under celebrated Cerro de los Siete Colores (Hill of Seven Colors), a spectacular, jagged formation resembling the marzipan fantasy of a megalomaniac pastry chef. The village is postcard-pretty, with adobe houses and ancient algarrobo trees by the bijou 17th-century church. Purmamarca is a gloriously beautiful spot and an excellent place to shop for woven goods; a flourishing market sets up on the plaza every day.Read more

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    Cerro De Los Siete Colores
    Cerro De Los Siete ColoresCerro De Los Siete Colores

    Cerro De Los Siete Colores

    December 6, 2017 in Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 10 °C

    Cerro De Los Siete Colores (The Hill of Seven Colors). Purmamarca is surrounded with these mountains. We stopped at Cerro El Porito for a view of these hills and the surroundings of Purmamarca. The entrance fee was 5 ARS per person.

    This breathtaking sight is composed of 7 different colours, all of which derive from different types of rocks; leading to its diverse range of colours. Each colour/rock is also said to have formed during different time periods. Firstly, pink is believed to be composed of red clay, mudstone (mud) and arilitas (sand). Its estimated age goes back about 3 to 4 million years. The shade of white surrounding the pink is mostly made up of limestone and is aged about 400 million years. Continuing onto the mix of brown and purples, which are composed of lead, and rich in calcium carbonate, and is 80 to 90 million years of age. On top of the purple-brown colour, there is an earthy brown colour that has been detected in the rock. The rocks making up this colour are the most recent colours appearing on the rocks, aging at 1 to 2 million years old, and is described as ‘fanglomerate composed of rock with manganese belonging to Quaternary.’ As for the red, which is composed of claystones (iron) and other clays belonging to the upper Tertiary, it is said to also be aged around 3 to 4 millions years. The shades of green, aging at about 600 million years, are made up of phyllites, and slates of copper oxide. Finally, the yellow mustard colour is made of sandstones with sulfur, and is estimated at 80 to 90 million years.    Read more

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    Cerro De Los Siete Colores

    Artisan market Purmamarca

    December 6, 2017 in Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 10 °C

    We went to another viewpoint nearby for a different angle of the 7 colors hill. After that, we drove to the main square and visited the artisan market there. By now, it was 5:30 pm. We decided to eat some food before continuing further. We found a street vendor selling empenadas near the church and had a few of them.Read more

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    Sun going down behind the 7 colored hillView of Purmamarca from the viewpointAt the viewpointHristo on the connecting ridge

    Viewpoint opposite Purmamarca

    December 6, 2017 in Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 10 °C

    At about 6 pm, we started our short trek on the hill opposite Purmamarca. The plan was to be there till sunset and enjoy the colors of the 7 colored hill with the rays of the setting sun. In about 20 min we were at the top of the hill where the viewpoint is. I decided to stay there and wait for the sunset while Hristo decided to walk along the connecting ridges further away from town.Read more

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    Sunset at Purmamarca

    December 6, 2017 in Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 10 °C

    The sunset at Purmamarca was breathtaking. The sun set directly behind the town and as it set, the colors of the 7 colored hill started becoming more and more prominent. It was a beautiful sight to behold. Fabulous colors of hills, the dark colors of the mountain behind and the rays of light from the sun created a magical evening.
    Since Purmamarca didn't have any gas station, we decided to continue further to Tilcara where there were gas stations. Here, we hoped to find a place to park and camp in one of the fuel stations.    Read more

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    Paleta del PintorPaleta del Pintor behind Maimara

    Paleta del Pintor, Maimara

    December 6, 2017 in Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 10 °C

    Paleta del Pintor or Painter's Palette are beautiful multicolored jagged hills that are the eroded part of the mountains behind Maimara town. Here too, like in Purmamarca, we could see various colors in the different layers being repeated across the hills. At the viewpoint was a very funny statue od Jesus in almost a kung fu pose 😂😂Read more

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    Cementerio Nuestra Senora del Carmen

    December 6, 2017 in Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 10 °C

    Our next stop was at Cementerio Nuestra Senora del Carmen at Maimara only. It was 8 pm and getting quite dark. We stopped at the cemetery for about 5-10 min before proceeding to Tilcara.

    This cemetery is on the hillside above Maimara. It is neatly laid out with colourful artificial flowers, the picturesque tombs with the spectacular backdrop of the rock formations behind make this absolutely worth a stop.Read more

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    4Breakfast time
    4Breakfast timeThe restaurant in the petrol pumpToilets and showers facilityPainting on the road1Tilcara Pukara

    Tilcara

    December 7, 2017 in Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    From Maimara, we drove straight to the petrol station at Tilcara. It was perfect for our camping. They had a restaurant serving sandwiches and tea/coffee. There were hot showers and toilets for usage at a cost of 20 ARS for showers and 5 ARS for the toilet. The parking was free amd the ground was of concrete so it was easy to walk around without getting muddy. The town was just across the bridge over the river Rio Grande de Jujuy. We walked over to the town after parking at the petrol pump to have our dinner.
    After dinner, we came back, used the services for showering and brushing and then slept in the van.
    Morning, we woke up at 8 am and freshened up, had our breakfast at the restaurant and then drove a little way back to the Tilcara Pucará. These are ruins of houses from pre-Inca people. Not much remains except broken walls and some that have been reconstructed. The entry fee was a steep 100 ARS per person so we decided to skip it and go to the nearby Garganta del Diablo (Throat of the Devil).    Read more

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    Into the Devil's Throat

    December 7, 2017 in Argentina ⋅ 🌙 18 °C

    We decided to take the right route first and entered the Garganta del Diablo. It was an extremely narrow gorge with a path to going through it. There was a dam where the river had been dammed and a small stream had been diverted along the path.Read more

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    Trek to the waterfall

    December 7, 2017 in Argentina ⋅ 🌙 18 °C

    The track through the Garganta del Diablo looped back to the junction and then we started the trek to the waterfall. The path crisscrossed the Rio de la Quebrada de Casa Colorada many times. We had to cross the stream using the stones about 10-12 times. The trek took about 20 min as we continued going deeper into the canyon.Read more

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    The Waterfall Garganta del Diablo

    December 7, 2017 in Argentina ⋅ ⛅ 32 °C

    After a teek of about 25 min, we finally reached the waterfall in the canyon. It was a beautiful waterfall with a small pool below. We stayed there for about 10 min before starting our treck back.

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    Tropic of Capricorn

    December 7, 2017 in Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    We started our drive towards Uquia village. On the way, we stopped for a while at the Tropic of Capricorn marker. Basically, the sun is never overhead South of this marker and on 21st Dec, the sun is overhead at this point.Read more