Calchaqui Valleys (Spanish: Valles Calchaquies) is a valley in the northwestern region of Argentina that crosses the provinces of Catamarca, Tucuman and Salta. It is best known for its contrast of colours and its unique geography that ranges from the mountain desert to the subtropical forest.

There are a number of valleys and rivers within the Calchaqui Valleys that have their own name, such as the Quebrada del Toro, Valle de Lerma near Salta city, the Quebrada de Escoipe formed by the Escoipe River, the Valle Encantado at the feet of the Cuesta del Obispo, the Quebrada de las Conchas of the Conchas River near Cafayate, the valley of the Santa Maria River, and the Calchaqui River itself.

These valleys were once inhabited by a number of tribes. Ruins of the Quilmes can be found in Tucuman. Other tribes of the area included the Calchaquies, Tafi, and the Yokavil (Santa Maria). Decades before facing the invasion of the Spanish colonization, the natives of these lands suffered the invasion of the Inca Empire.

Among the most visited tourist attractions of the valley are Tafi del Valle, Cafayate, Molinos, San Carlos, Santa Maria and Cachi at the western end of the valley, as well as the Los Cardones National Park, and the Los Sosa Provincial Park in Tucuman. In several parts of the valley there are numerous vineyards, specially in the Cafayate area.

External links

Valles Calchaquies - Salta's Tourist Office
Valles Calchaquies - Tucuman's Tourist Office
Valles Calchaquies Argentine Tourism Board
Argentine northwest
Entre Quilmes y Calchaquies - Pagina/12
Valleys-of-Argentina
Tourism-in-Argentina

Other pages about Tourism in Argentina

Other pages about Valleys of Argentina

-Calchaqui Valleys -Las Lenas -Punilla Valley -Quebrada de Humahuaca

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article Calchaqui_Valleys