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 Our
surprise will reach no limits when we discover
the "Quebrada de Humahuaca" valley and
it's neighboring side-road towns like "Tilcara"
where the ruins of an aborigine fortress (known
as the Pucará) are found. The valley has
been used over the past 10,000 years as a crucial
passage for the transport of people and ideas
from the high Andean lands to the plains, thus
being declared World Heritage on 1993 by the UNESCO.
Its distinctive pre-Hispanic and pre-Incan settlements,
together with the magnificent landscape are simply
outstanding.
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The
trip starts in "Tucumán" city,
where we'll take a step road through the rainforest
heading towards "Tafí del Valle",
a place famous for it's menhirs' park dating from
3000 years BC and which origin is still unknown.
Leaving
the archeological site of "La Bolsa" behind
(3000BC), we follow to "Amaicha del Valle",
there we'll make a brief but exciting visit to the
"Pachamama's " (Mother Earth) museum.
The road will lead us to the limit of "Salta"
province where the Quilmes ruins are located. These
constructions belonged to an antique civilization
of Inca's origin (800 AC).
Driving
through the desert we'll see 3m (10ft) tall cactus
called "cardones" which will give us the
welcome to "Cafayate" (Salta), being this
place very well known for the vineyards, cellars
and of course the excellent wines. It's well worthy
to make a few stops in the road so as to do some
wine tasting in the own cellars.
Strange
rock and mountain formations caused by erosion,
will be observed during our way to "Salta"
city, some of them carrying cute names such as "the
toad" and "the obelisk", others a
little more impressive just like the "devil's
throat".
We
will notice the landscape contrast while riding
through the "Obispo" slope and the "Cardones"
national park and thus arriving to "Cachi"
a beautiful colonial town located at 2300m (6.900
ft) above sea level. 
Our
trip will lead us to our next adventure. When arriving
to "San Antonio de Los Cobres" we'll loose
all contact with civilization and then dare to cross
a deserted plateau located at 3.500m (10.500ft)
a.s.l, thus in the GPS hands we'll find the road
to "Salinas Grandes" visiting the salt
works.
Now,
being inside the province of Jujuy and after driving
on one of the world's highest paved roads (4.800
m / 14.400ft) we will delight ourselves with the
seven colored mountain of "Purmamarca".
The
closing of the trip will be left in the hands of
"Iruya" a town located tight fitting the
mountains, where time has eventually stop for centuries.