Elevation: 2,780 m | Population: 6,110
Lost in Argentina’s remote highlands, Iruya feels like a world apart. This tiny mountain village lies beyond Humahuaca, at the end of a narrow road that defies both gravity and logic.
The rough three-hour commute is twice as memorable as the destination itself. First, the road was initially built for mules, not cars. It follows ancient trade paths, resulting in extreme curves, steep drops, and one-lane stretches. Yet, the skilled drivers of our worn-out bus knew exactly where to stop and wait to let reverse traffic pass through. Along the way, you know Bolivia is near when Quechua women randomly jump aboard to sell homemade empanadas.
At the end of the road, you’re surrounded by towering mountains, and climbing becomes the main activity. For instance, hike the steep trail to Mirador El Cóndor and catch condors circling in the late afternoon sky. There, narrow paths cling to the mountainsides, where you may encounter a local guiding a herd of donkeys to an isolated farm that appears suspended mid-air on invisible cables.
There is no fuel station in town: vehicles must arrive with enough fuel to leave, and the phone signal is unpredictable or nonexistent. Due to these unreliable travel conditions, spending the night in Iruya is de mise. Staying two nights lets you experience the even more remote village of San Isidro. However, accommodations are basic, and amenities are limited—so is the town. A simplicity that gives you a chance to disconnect from the modern world.
Nights are extremely cold. When you walk the empty streets at night to the town’s only open restaurant-bar, you’ll enjoy even more the beef tamales with your local beer while watching a football match on TV. Outside, in the “town center”– a small covered plaza– children play in the shadows. Later, you retrace your steps along dark cobblestone streets that wind up and down into the darkness. The town has almost no street lighting. At night, darkness takes over completely, making the stars unusually bright. Wrapping your arms around your shivering body, you look up at a sky filled with stars and profound silence.
Interesting Facts
- Donkeys are still a primary means of transport. They are used to carry goods to farms that cannot be reached by road.
- Many homes are built vertically into the hillside. Streets suddenly turn into stairways, and rooftops often sit at the level of other streets.
- Weather can change in minutes. Sunshine, wind, fog, and cold can all happen within the same hour.
- Condors fly surprisingly low. Because of the altitude and wind currents, you can often see them gliding close overhead.
