VOLCAN

At 41 km from San Salvador de Jujuy, on the side of Nº 9 National Route, you will find the first locality of the tourist corridor in the northern Jujuy area called Volcán, a town located in the midst of a mountainous area, with many mountains and hills that at the same time give rise to many narrow gorges and ravines.

The town of Volcán came into being in 1905, when the railroad reached made it its last station on the way through the Humahuaca Gorge. The station is complemented with a big repair center for the locomotive engines.

The thick vegetation of the subtropical forest, which covers the hills downriver -the Chañi Mountain and its ramifications-, is substituted by cacti and singular shrubs that are like drops on the nude mountains and of strong green, ochre and red colours.

It has a mild climate, although in the southern hemisphere winter temperatures drop considerably. There are strong winds during July and August and there are few rains from December to April.

The land is mostly arid, but you canstill find the following crops in the area: alfalfa, maize, wheat, barley, potatoes and grapes; its peaches and apples are very tasty and also its pears. You can find willows, teasels, tolla, carob and llapán.

Livestock rising is of some importance: beef, horses, asses, mules, sheep and goats. These are part of the most common wildlife: vicuñas, pumas, deer, guanacos, foxes, mountain cats, chinchillas, eagles, duck, condors and guayatas .

The salt that it extracted from the "Salinas Grandes" Salt deposits is a source of income for the local people, as is the exploitation of the calcium borate deposits in the Moreno district. In the sides of the Chañi Mountain there are still veins of the silver, copper, iron and lead that have been extracted since the days of the Spanish conquerors.

ATTRACTIONS

Old Railroad Buildings
They can be found at the town's entrance. They are an interesting sample of colonial English architecture from the beginning of the XX century.

The Volcán Pucará
It is an archaeological site holding groups of houses with a defensive capacity due to its position on top of a hill.
You will find some dry stone defensive walls bordering the deepest ravines, and remnants of dwellings surrounding an area that was a cemetery; it is located west of the Nº 9 National Route, in the area called "El Antigal".

Access is partly through dirt roads.
Activities that can be carried out: observation, photography, treks and walks, horseback riding.
Alternative activities: Bike tours.
Services available in the town: There are good restaurants.
Please note that it is worth to hire a local guide for your excursions.

The Laguna de Gronda Lake
A panoramic delight with a surrounding landscape of great beauty, the lake is set against the background of the Chilcayoc hills, 5 km from Volcán. There are no restrictions to making a visit, just ask the local people how to get there.