IRUYA

Standing on a promontory in the valley of the Iruya River, and asleep in time, the homonymous picturesque little town is sort of a daydream postcard.

At 2780 m.a.s.l., and at 307 kms from Salta, very close to the Jujuy Province, Iruya is closed in by mountain chains that appear to shield visitors from the din of the big cities: a place where the silence of the mountains undoubtedly moves the spirit.

Its name comes from the Quechua language and means "brave straw", or "site of the high pastures". Iruya was a transit town, for the resting place of the caravans and muleteers carrying goods from the Puna highlands to the Río San Francisco River, and vice versa.

Its church, its adobe houses, its narrow and steeped little pitted streets, are witnesses of the way of life of its inhabitants, who preserve enrooted their ancestral habits, shown during their different rituals and festivities.

Iruya calls for rest and meditation, but it also surprises the visitor with unexpected hikes and horseback rides. At the foot of Iruya, on the riverbed itself, still takes place the bartering commerce established between its residents and the people from the Alta Puna (High Highlands) and the neighbouring towns.

There is no memory of its foundation date, though some sources go back to 1741. There are very appealing cultivation terraces in the town's outskirts. The pre-Columbian town of Titiconte is 9 kms away, going through dangerous chasms and hills with sudden slopes.

Festivities
The festsivity of Nuestra Señora del Rosario, the local patron, is celebrated on October; an occasion on which the ritual dances from the Cachís are appreciated. Besides, hundreds of pilgrims, penitents and merchants gather together at the outskirts of Iruya to trade their products in a colourful fair.

Hundreds of believers participate of the religious activities moved by their faith. They pray, sing and play native instruments (quenas, cajas and sikus - flutes, percussion boxes and sikus). They accompany the music with the typical Cachí dance; a group of locals disguised with masks, symbolising in their dance the eternal struggle between good and evil.

Access
To arrive from Salta, travellers have to take the Ruta Nacional Nº 34 National Route, and then follow the Ruta Nacional Nº 50. About 20 kms after Humahuaca (Jujuy) there is a right turn with a dirt road leading to Iturbe (Jujuy) starts, and then returns to Salta's territory until it arrives at the "town hanging from the sky".

From Humahuaca, Iturbe and Chaupi Rodeo can be visited, as well as the Abra del Cóndor mountain pass at 4000 m.a.s.l.. . Travelling towards the north, and passing beyond the imposing heights of Azul Pampa, visitors arrive to Tres Cruces; from this point and 48 kms onward, one will arrive at the Aguilar mine, one of the richest deposits in America where minerals such as lead, zinc and silver are extracted.

Tracks for bikes are scarce. A trip into the interior of the Department, where the mountainous scenery is shown in all of its fierceness and magnitude, is only possible if riding on the back of a mule. Going alongside the riverbanks cleaving the interior, ravines showing different colours and shapes can be appreciated. In some parts, the slabs of stones form contention walls for the river.

Visiting Season
Iruya can be visited in any season. During the southern hemisphere's summer, because of the showers of rain, access can be difficult. But June, July, August, September and October are ideal months to visit Iruya, thanks to the excellent weather conditions prevailing in the area.

Activities
Visitors can choose between flora and fauna observation, photo safaris or hikes and horseback rides.