scenic viewpoint
Purmamarca (Cerro de los Siete Colores)
A tiny adobe village at the base of the stunning Hill of Seven Colors, with a lively artisan market and gateway to the Salinas Grandes.
21 km · about 25 min drive
South AmericaArgentinaJujuy
Tilcara
Jujuy, Argentina · South America
About Tilcara
Tilcara is worth a stop: 10 minutes from Maimará, 42km from Quebrada de Humahuaca.
Tilcara is in Jujuy, Argentina, with about 5,600 people. You drive on the right here. The nearest town is Maimará, about 5 km away.
San Francisco de Tilcara (usually referred to as Tilcara) is a city in the province of Jujuy, Argentina, and the head town of the Tilcara Department. It had 6,249 inhabitants at the 2010 census [INDEC]. Traces of human habitation in the area date back more than 10,000 years, making it one of the oldest continuouslyRead more
inhabited settlements of Argentina.
Tilcara is located 84 km from the provincial capital, San Salvador de Jujuy, beside National Route 9, at about 2,500 m above sea level, well within the first heights of the Andes.
The area features dramatic mountainous landscapes and rich aboriginal traditions, which make it a major tourist attraction in northwestern Argentina, with several nearby hiking tracks also attracting visitors.
Possibly the biggest attraction in Tilcara is the nearby Pucará de Tilcara, the partially reconstructed ruins of a pre-Inca pukara, Quechua for "fortress", located a few kilometers away from the city of Tilcara on a hill with an impressive view of the valley of the Río Grande.
The city is known in Argentina for hosting the Argentina national football team in a pre-World Cup camp in January 1986. Tilcara was chosen in order to train in altitude, in conditions similar to the ones Argentina would have face in Mexico that summer.
Where to Stay in Tilcara
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Tilcara?
Within an hour or so of Tilcara: Purmamarca (Cerro de los Siete Colores) (21 km), Cerro de los Siete Colores (21 km), Cuesta de Lipán (30 km), Quebrada de Humahuaca (42 km).
Are there any good drives near Tilcara?
The nearest famous roads are Cuesta de Lipán and Abra del Acay.
Where is Tilcara?
Tilcara is in Jujuy, Argentina, about 5 km from Maimará.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 5,640
- Continent
- South America
- Country
- Argentina
- Region
- Jujuy
- Timezone
- America/Argentina/Jujuy
- Coordinates
- -23.5782, -65.3952
Tags
Worth the detour from Tilcara
6 notable places within an hour's drive.
scenic viewpoint
Cerro de los Siete Colores
Banded sandstone hill above Purmamarca in the Quebrada de Humahuaca, a short detour off RN9.
21 km · about 25 min drive
mountain pass
Cuesta de Lipán
Switchback climb on RN52 from Purmamarca to Abra de Potrerillos at about 4,170 metres, en route to Salinas Grandes.
30 km · about 35 min drive
natural wonder
Quebrada de Humahuaca
A dramatic UNESCO valley in northwest Argentina with rainbow-striped mountains, ancient caravan routes, and indigenous Andean villages.
42 km · about 50 min drive
photogenic
Serrania de Hornocal
A multi-coloured limestone ridge above Humahuaca reached by a rough 25 km climb to a 4,350 m mirador. The jagged calcareous formation folds into triangular teeth that glow in late afternoon light.
47 km · about 55 min drive
natural wonder
Salinas Grandes
A vast white salt flat at 3,450 meters in the Argentine Andes, with geometric salt pools reflecting the deep blue sky.
48 km · about 55 min drive
Driving roads near Tilcara
- 21 kmPurmamarca (Cerro de los Siete Colores)A tiny adobe village at the base of the stunning Hill of Seven Colors, with a lively artisan market and gateway to the Salinas Grandes.
- 21 kmCerro de los Siete ColoresBanded sandstone hill above Purmamarca in the Quebrada de Humahuaca, a short detour off RN9.
- 30 kmCuesta de LipánSwitchback climb on RN52 from Purmamarca to Abra de Potrerillos at about 4,170 metres, en route to Salinas Grandes.
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