Quebrada de las Flechas

The Quebrada de las Flechas, the Gorge of the Arrows, is a natural monument along the RN40 in the middle Calchaquí Valleys where layers of pale sandstone and conglomerate have been forced upward and tilted almost vertical, then eroded into blades and points that lean over the road like a field of arrowheads. Driving through it, the gravel road cuts between walls of rock in narrow passes and opens onto viewpoints where the whole formation is visible, chalk-white and grey against the dry hills. The scale is deceptive: what looks like a modest ridge from a distance turns out to stand some twenty metres high at the roadside. Short paths climb to overlooks, and the light late in the day picks out every fin and fracture.

Highlights

• The tilted slabs - pale rock layers standing on end like arrowheads.
• The narrow pass - the road cutting between walls at the heart of the formation.
• The viewpoints - short climbs to overlooks across the whole gorge.
• The RN40 itself - a classic unpaved stretch of Argentina's great north-south road.

When to go

April to November for firm gravel; summer rain turns the surface soft and can flood the low crossings. Late afternoon light is the most dramatic. Traffic is light, so stopping at the roadside is usually easy.

Practical notes

The road is unpaved, corrugated in places and slow, and low cars struggle. There are no services in the gorge, no shade and no water. The formation is compact, so the visit is short unless you walk the viewpoints.

Nearby

Angastaco lies north; San Carlos and Cafayate are south along the RN40.

Key facts