The Unforgettable Purmamarca

When Jo and I started planning our trip to Argentina and I started making my list of ´must sees´, Quebrada de Humahuaca was first on my list. Whenever I´ve thought of Argentina, I´ve pictured these photogenic, colourful mountains (most likely because these shots are the ones that dominate tourist info on Argentina). Nevertheless, I knew I wanted to go and take my own beautiful shots of what most would call an unforgettable place.

Once in Salta however, it seemed this simple day trip was becoming not so simple after all. Tours were full, timing was tight and it was looking like I may not be able to see the the Quebrada. So like any good tourist when faced with a challenge, we adapted. In other words our original "you would have to be crazy to drive in Argentina" changed quickly to. "Um, can you drive standard?". This is the test of friendship. Joanna, knowing my heart would break if I didn´t reach at the very least Purmamarca (which is at the foot of these multi-coloured mountains), that I couldn´t drive standard, and that she would probably have to rescue me from abduction after an unsuccessful hitchhike trip, offered to use her knowledge of standard vehicles and drive us.

I should mention traffic in Argentina is a little bit like ´frogger´so after a high stress exit from the city we were on our way. We drove through terrifying, but beautiful gorges through the mountains with monstrous trees covered in foliage. It felt like we had driven from a city directly into the jungle and I almost wondered if our car were to skid off the narrow road into the deep gorge if we would be saved by the tangle of vines that hung from the trees almost like spiderwebs. Thankfully I didn´t find out.

Once the highway leveled out and led us around, rather than through, the mountains we started to spot more wildlife and at one point were able to get out and almost pet the cows that hung out by our car.



And finally, we reached our destination, located at 2192 meters above sea level, and worth all the travel in the world. The beautiful small village of Purmamarca and the beautiful "Cerro de los Siete Colores" (Seven Colors Hill ). As we drove up, I hoped I would always remember the beauty that my photos just couldn´t capture.