My Argentine host, Kike, thanks again for putting me up!

I excitedly made my way to Jujuy, 2 hours north of Salta, as I had been in touch with Kike whom I had met in the second week of my travels in La Serena. He had kindly offered to put me up in his apartment for a couple of nights as I made my way back towards San Pedro in northern Chile. He proudly showed me around his town, we shared a few beers and even indulged in some delicious llama! Yet another example of Argentinian hospitality.

A street performer and his dog sleep in the plaza, Jujuy.

Jujuy is another beautiful town located in Argentina's northwest and is the jumping point for the geological and historical Incan attractions of the few towns located slightly further north. After leaving the comfort of a free apartment bed I made my way to Purmamarca on an early bus and found a hostel at which I could leave my backpack. I then took local buses during the day to nearby Tilcara and Humahuaca and explored the tiny museums displaying several Incan artifacts. If I hadn't been in such a hurry to reach San Pedro in Chile I would have stayed another night in one of these tiny cultural centres.

One of the most beautiful sights is located in Purmamarca, where the geological formation of the mountain contributes to seven different shades of rock being visible on the face, watching the sun rise over these mountains while eating breakfast at my hostal was a truly amazing experience. Enjoy the photos from these isolated northern Argentinian pueblos.

Purmamarca: