Hitch-hiking in Ruta 40

If you followed my previous post, I am just about to leave Cafayate, going further north to Salta. There are two ways to do that. One is to take the bus and just go to Salta in less than 3 hours :)))

That's how to get to Salta if you are in a hurry....

The other, is a bit more complicated since bus services do not get you to Salta. They get you via Ruta 40 to Angastaco, a village about 40km from Cafayate and then.....you are on your own. Nada !! This a very remote place and villages count from 5 to maybe 100 people. Don Jorge from Cafayate said (or at least that's what I understood) that I could reach Angastaco and then hitch-hike to Cachi, which was the town that bus service resumes and I could go to Salta....hmmm.

The tricky part....just shy of 70km

Surprisingly there was a tourist office in Angastaco... just for myself apparently, as I was the only tourist there :)) Wasn't expecting much of an answer, but nevertheless I asked how I could get to Cachi. The boy there, kind of smiled and said "No bus senior". Haha....I smiled back. So far so good with Don Jorge's plan. Now I had to find a hitch-hike...
An otherwise very nice guy offered to get me to Molinos (not even Cachi) for 150 pesos (approx. 25-30 units in european money). Nahhh !!!

I was standing at the central plaza of the village fully loaded with my backpack staring at the absence of everyone. It was afternoon already and apparently they was sleeping. So, I headed towards the gas station hoping that someone would stop to fill their tank and possibly would be willing to take me a bit further.
At that point, I have to admit, I was very very lucky. A French couple had stopped their car to take some pictures of a bunch of parrots, just a few hundred meters from the gas station....so I started running !!!!
And yes, they took me to Cachi. Wasn't very difficult, was it? :)) Thanks Don Jorge....

one of the numerous little places the bus stopped from Cafayate to Angastaco

If you are a loner, this is the place to be....no one will ever reach you :)

a good alternative too

some stunningly beautiful landscapes.....I want a motorbike NOW !!!!

Reached Molinos, relaxed, at the back seat of a dusty Fiat, so great. Thanks Frenchies :))

pre-Easter celebrations at Molinos. It's hot !

toothpicks anyone???

Next morning breakfast with my saviors at Cachi !
On me of course :)

Cachi deserves a small post of its own, so keep tuned.

From Cordoba to Cafayate & Quebrada de las Conchas

Having left Cordoba behind, my next stop would be Cafayate; the second wine capital of Argentina after Mendoza. On my way, I spent one night in Tafi del Valle, a small village sitting at around 1.700m, which besides the recommendations I had, did not really prove to be anything extraordinary. The weather did not help certainly, but honestly apart from a long walk around an uninspiring lake, with an unexpected companiero, nothing special in this place...

this little guy walked with me for 18km....great companion !

Thankfully, there is an almost direct bus service from Tafi to Cafayate, stopping only at Tucuman, which was not on my list of to-visit places. The bus ride was about 6h and arrived at Cafayate at around 2pm.

From Cordoba to Cafayate

a day that started like this.....

......and after a few hours became so great. Still at over 2.400m 

After sorting a misunderstanding with the hostel I had booked and dealing with their rudeness, I looked around and found a really nice, family-run place with really kind and friendly owners....they didn't speak any English, and had no internet access, but we managed just fine. Don Jorge had a really nice selection of antiques and was really proud of it....

Don Jorge's common area....I was the only guest at the hostel :))

Cafayate is so much different from the rest of Argentina I have seen so far. In more than one ways.... 

It is the first town that you start meeting non-european characteristics people. Genuinely kind and friendly. Prices are very much down to earth and the quality of services and food were more than adequate....what more could I ask? I had planned to stay 2 days but I enjoyed it so much, that made it 4 without any second thoughts.

my favorite snack for just 0,50 euros :)

great wall paintings all over

They really love cycling in this city....at all ages

Hundreds of bikes everywhere....all unlocked!!!

playstation is not here....kids play outside

sandy pitch? never mind...they love football

One thing you immediately realize in Cafayate is that the weather is considerably more dry and warm than in Cordoba for example. The soil is much more sandy and the vegetation is....different. You start to see a lot of cactus trees and kind of deserted landscapes. I am no expert but maybe that's the reason for making such fine wine over here.
I spend one afternoon in visiting the Quebrada de las Conchas which is an impressive canyon with several hotspots that introduces the visitor to the landscapes to follow as he moves further north to the country.

This is the famous Garganta del Diablo (Devil's throat)
Takes a bit of climbing to get to the top but offers a nice view.....of others trying to climb to the top :))

One more reason for Cafayate to be known is that is a popular stopover for motorbikers who are riding through the legendary Ruta 40, which is a national road, largely unpaved (aka fun!). Starts from Patagonia (Rio Callegos) and reaches the borders of Argentina with Bolivia (La Quiaca). Total distance: 5.200km approx. & altitudes ranging from sea level to over 3.000m in some sections. Need to say more??.....every motorbiker's dream route !!!

Suerte !