Iruya

Iruya is built into the flank of a mountain above the confluence of two rivers in the far north of Salta province, its whitewashed houses stacked on slopes so steep that the streets are cobbled ramps and stairways, and its small church stands at the top like a beacon above the roofs. The way in is half the story: the road leaves the Quebrada de Humahuaca in Jujuy, climbs to the Abra del Cóndor at around 4,000 metres, then drops in long gravel switchbacks into a canyon system of extraordinary scale, with terraced fields on impossible gradients. The village keeps its Andean rhythms, with mule trains still used to reach outlying hamlets and an October festival that draws people from across the valleys. From Iruya walkers set out for San Isidro, a hamlet a few hours away on foot.

History

The first inhabitants settled here around a century before the town's official founding in 1753, mainly native people descended from the Ocloyas, a Kolla people from the Kollasuyo, one of the four regions of the Inca empire, and the church was built in 1690 (Wikipedia, Iruya).

What you'll find

• The stacked village - white houses and cobbled ramps clinging to the slope.
• The church above the roofs - the small white church at the top of the village.
• Abra del Cóndor - the 4,000 metre pass on the road in, with immense views.
• The walk to San Isidro - the riverbed trail to a remote hamlet beyond.

When to go

April to November, the dry season; summer rains swell the rivers the road and trails cross, and access can be cut for days. The festival in early October is the village's liveliest moment. Nights are cold all year at 2,780 metres.

Practical notes

The road is gravel, narrow and slow, and the journey takes several hours each way from Humahuaca, so a day trip is punishing; staying overnight is far better. The village is steep enough to be hard work on foot. Accommodation and food are simple, and power cuts are routine.

Nearby

Humahuaca and the Quebrada lie back over the pass; Salta city is far to the south.

Key facts