Page 18 - Across the Andes: Chile’s Atacama Desert & Argentina’s Northwest
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Day 12 Explore Los Cardones National Day 13 Cachi • Cafayate
Park • Cachi We’ll begin our day with a discovery of
,Q_P] M]PLVQL^_ bPɪWW OP[L]_ >LW_L LYO SPLO .LNST L WLTOMLNV OP^P]_ _ZbY bT_STY aTPb
out onto the open road. As we travel south ZQ _SP ^_`YYTYR 9PaLOZ OP .LNST XZ`Y_LTY
_ZbL]O^ .LNST _SP WLYO^NL[P bTWW NSLYRP range. Referred to by locals in the region as
time and again. First, we’ll pass through _SP ɭNT_d ɮ _TYd .LNST T^ _SP MTRRP^_ _ZbY QZ]
the Quebrada del Escoipe gorge on a narrow miles around and boasts an abundance of
road hewn from the surrounding rust-red fresh mountain air, sunny days, and colonial
mountains. The desert gives way to more NSL]X :`] Pc[P]TPYNPO ?]T[ 7PLOP] bTWW R`TOP
aP]OLY_ ^NPYP]d L^ bP ]PLNS _SP .`P^_L OPW us through cobbled lanes lined with adobe
Obispo (Bishop’s Slope) pass, a winding SZ`^P^ LYO TY_Z _SP _]LY\`TW [WLeL L^ bP WPL]Y
LYO L SLWQ XTWP NWTʬ^TOP ]ZLO _SL_ XLVP^ about the way of life here.
^bT_NSMLNV^ LN]Z^^ _SP XZ`Y_LTY ?SP ]ZLO
?SPY bP ^P_ Z`_ QZ] .LQLdL_P TY ,]RPY_TYLɪ^
is steep, but the views are of the Argentinean
wine country. Our route is the legendary
countryside are simply splendid.
=9 Z] Ruta 40, an unpaved road that
Please note: As we drive the Cuesta del Obispo, is as central in the Argentinean national
we’ll reach a maximum elevation of 11,000 feet. consciousness as Route 66 is in the American
We recommend staying hydrated at high altitude. bP^_ TY^[T]TYR ^ZYR^ ʭWX^ LYO MZZV^ LMZ`_
the beauty and joys of the open road. At more
From there, we’ll enter the cactus-strewn _SLY XTWP^ WZYR _SP =9 ^_]P_NSP^
7Z^ .L]OZYP^ 9L_TZYLW ;L]V ?ST^ []Z_PN_PO from Jujuy province in northwest Argentina to
area was created to protect the slow-growing Punta Loyola near the country’s southernmost
cardon cacti that thrive in the dry climate tip—a distance greater than the width of the
here (cardon grow less than a few millimeters continental United States. We’ll drive a small
[P] dPL] BPɪWW _LVP L ^SZ]_ STVP _S]Z`RS piece of the road through some of northwest
_SP [L]V _Z ^ZLV `[ _SP ^_L]V ML]]PYYP^^ ZQ Argentina’s most brilliant landscapes,
our surroundings and admire the towering QZWWZbTYR _SP .LWNSL\`T =TaP] _S]Z`RS _SP
cacti, which can reach three times a man’s dramatic mountain passes.
SPTRS_& LWZYR _SP bLd dZ` XLd ^PP WWLXL WTVP
guanacos [TNV _SPT] bLd LXZYR _SP ^[TVd We’ll stop for lunch in Molinos, a sleepy
plants and condors soaring overhead. MLNVbL_P] aTWWLRP _SL_ T^ L^ ]PXZ_P L^ T_ T^
[TN_`]P^\`P ?SPY T_ɪ^ MLNV ZY _SP ]ZLO bSP]P
We’ll have lunch just outside Payogasta, a we’ll drive through the Quebrada de las Flechas
]`]LW aTWWLRP ^P_ LWZYR _SP =TZ .LWNSL\`T TY .LYdZY ZQ _SP ,]]Zb^ :aP] _SZ`^LYO^
LY L]PL VYZbY QZ] []ZO`NTYR STRS LW_T_`OP of years, wind and rain have carved the
wines. We’ll arrive at our charming sandstone here into surreal, arrow-shaped
SZ_PW TY _SP NZ`Y_]d^TOP ZQ .LNST L]Z`YO ]ZNV QZ]XL_TZY^ _SL_ U`_ ^VdbL]O^ ,^ bP
mid-afternoon, allowing you plenty of time to NZY_TY`P _ZbL]O^ .LQLdL_P _SP WLYO^NL[P
bLYOP] _SP MPL`_TQ`W RL]OPY^ Z] [P]SL[^ _LVP NSLYRP^ LRLTY% =PO ]ZNV RTaP^ bLd _Z aP]OLY_
a dip in the outdoor pool. We’ll have dinner countryside and trestled vineyards. This is
tonight at our hotel. wine country.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925
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