Cachi in The Salta Province of Argentina
The town of Cachi is found in the Salta Province, in Northern
Argentina. The Natives initially mistook the top of the nearby Nevado
Hill for a salt mine, so they named the town Cachi, which is the local
word for salt. This virgin area is now called the Chalchaqui Vallies
of Salta and is quite remote. A two hour flight from Buenos Aires, the
capital of Argentina, takes one to Salta City. From there, it is
another 4 hours by car, some of it unpaved, to get to Cachi.
Cachi
is a site for both those interested in history and in the splendor of
nature. The town offers an array of masterful architectural structures
from pristine white buildings of colonial aristocracy to modest adobe
houses. Walk among the quiet streets, and take in the slow pace of
life of the village and the region. If you overnight in the town, you
can really enjoy the tranquility after the few tourist that do visit
the town during the day travel onward.
The primary attractions
of the town include the Cachi Church, Antigales, and the Cachi
Archeological Museum, which are important archeological and cultural
sites for those wanting to take in the region's history as well as its
beautiful natural sites. Here you can discover the remains of native
civilizations that have they roots here well before Columbus found
America.
Outside of town, a breathtakingly
beautiful and unspoiled place, Cachi offers a range of splendid sites
for touring. The most popular are the "Valle Encantado" (Enchanted
Valley), with its astounding erosion-sculpted rock formations, and Los
Cardones National Park, which features a tranquil desert landscape
hosting a variety of animal and vegetable species.
This
part of the Salta province is also famous for producing an unmatched
Torrontes wine. The Torrontes grape is fairly unique to this region of
Salta, and is not cultivated anywhere in the world. The nearby town of
Cafayate is the center of wine region in Salta.
Temperatures
in this region are relatively comfortable year round, with summers
ranging from 59F to 83F, and the winter season from 33 F to a
comfortable 66F. It is arid, fertile land hospitable to the growth of a
range of vegetable and legume crops and is best known for growing a
range of peppers. Because of this climate, the Salta Province produces
many crops and is actually relatively rich compared to the rest of
Northern Argentina.
By Michael Zurakhinsky
Travel Writer for www.AllAboutAR.com – Argentina Travel Guide
