Tumbaya Department: Gorge, Colors, and Traditions
Accommodation in Tumbaya Department
Tumbaya Department brings together the vast landscape of the Quebrada de Humahuaca with colorful mountains, historic sites, and living traditions. The Río Grande runs through the narrow, dry mountain valley, which is approximately 155 kilometers long. To start planning your trip, consider this question: Would you mainly like to experience the landscape, take shorter walks, or make time for culture and regional customs?
Landscape and Cultural Heritage of the Gorge
At Cerro de los Siete Colores in Purmamarca, bands of ochre, yellow, orange, green, brown, lilac, and violet stand out. Their colors are linked to the sedimentary origin of the rocks. The hill and the Paseo de los Colorados are jointly designated a “Natural Historic Monument.” Parking spaces are available at the viewpoint of Cerro de los Siete Colores. If you are interested in the shape and colors of the landscape, this is a specific reason to include Purmamarca in your trip.
The Quebrada de Humahuaca was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site as a cultural landscape in 2003. Numerous archaeological sites, architectural heritage sites, and Indigenous traditions passed down through generations have been preserved in Tumbaya Department. This means the trip can be viewed through more than individual landscapes: the region’s history and enduring traditions are also part of its character.
Chapels, Pilgrimage Routes, and Walks
The chapel of Tumbaya is designated a National Historic Monument. Every year, the chapel welcomes thousands of pilgrims who visit the Virgen de Punta Corral. The Kolla community of Tumbaya makes a pilgrimage, accompanied by Sikuri bands, to the Santuario de Punta Corral; the tradition is rooted in local Andean religiosity. These religious customs give a visit a cultural dimension distinct from taking in the landscape.
If you are considering a longer climb, note the details of the best-known route to Punta Corral: It starts in Tumbaya, takes approximately nine hours, and climbs from 2,000 to 3,600 meters above sea level. The walk to Mirador Cerro Horno Huaico is much shorter: It is considered low difficulty, takes about 30 minutes, and offers views of Tumbaya, a wide stretch of the Quebrada de Humahuaca, and the Quebrada de Horno Huaico. The two experiences differ significantly in duration and elevation gain.
In Purmamarca, the Paseo de los Colorados is recommended as an activity for visitors. There is also a roughly 45-minute round trip along the left bank of the Río Purmamarca, with views of the town, the colorful mountains, and the Paseo.
Local Encounters and Flavors
Purmamarca’s tourist offerings include coca tea, cayote empanadas, llama meat, and high-altitude wines. The Tren del Vino also includes stops with different offerings: In Tumbaya, these include tastings of wines from Antropo Wines and Bodega El Molle in the Valles Templados. The stop in Purmamarca includes lunch and a tour of Bodega Amanecer Andino.
The Feria Campesina de Volcán is located at the former railway station in Volcán. Artisans from various places in the Puna region of Jujuy sell their products there. On Ruta Nacional 52, the community of San Miguel de Colorados, together with the neighboring communities of Pozo Colorado and Santuario de Tres Pozos, manages two intercommunity tourist stations. They offer local food and handicrafts; guided visits to the salt pools and the large waterholes of the Salinas Grandes are also available from there. These different stops and offerings can help you decide on a stay in Tumbaya Department based on whether you would rather focus on landscapes, regional products, or cultural encounters.
The Capilla de Nuestra Señora de los Dolores also preserves significant works of art: 18th-century paintings, including one from Cusco and three paintings from Jujuy attributed to Diego de Aliaga. Together with the pilgrimage traditions and UNESCO World Heritage Site, this cultural focus offers a different perspective on the department than its strikingly colored mountains.
For the main travel overview: Jujuy.
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