A-C-B: El Infiernillo, Los Quilmes, to Cafayate

On October 21st we experienced a wide variety of terrain, climate, and experiences during a very long day. Let's get started.

We drove up and away from Tafí de Valle, and our first stop was checking out the birds where the main road bridged over a side valley.

Looking up that side valley.

With the help of Carlos, our guide, we did see several bird species, including a caracara in a tree across the street. I managed a photo of a white-winged cinclodes, with head feathers ruffed up.

We drove on and up towards the El Infiernillo pass. Half an hour later, just before Carlos' next stop, an unconcerned sub-adult eagle forced us to halt and admire.

Carlos pulled over at another good location for birding, a few kilometers before the El Infiernillo pass. As we started exploring a van appeared with another group of birders, intent on seeing a particular rarity. Carlos and the other guide exchanged some comments and advice in Spanish. Later, I took a photo looking back at the two parked vehicles. Once the rare bird was spotted, the group left.

You can see we've wandered a good distance. Carlos also led us along a farm track, a remnant of the old road. We passed the remains of a stone cabin where a hermit lived in decades past, greeting those who passed by. Carlos and Joan spotted a tinamou, but it moved before I could locate it.

We got a good look at a bare-eyed ground dove, also called Moreno's ground dove, through our binoculars, even though it was facing away.

Click on the image and see the orange eye patch.

I also snapped this photo of a red-tailed comet. They're a perpetual motion machine, so it wasn't an easy task.

The light's not great, but I was determined to get a picture.

Then it was a short drive to El Infiernillo, 3042 meters above sea level, just shy of 10,000 feet.

The geological rift here is reputed to be an entrance to the gates of hell. Nestled at the foot of the clouds (click on the image to enlarge) are Lake Angostura and Tafí de Valle, where we started.

A resident of the pass.

This pig's seen lots of tourists. Not excited.

Driving through the pass we saw several vicuña, a smaller and delicate relative of the llama, and the wild ancestor of the domesticated alpaca. It's highly prized for its fine fur, which can be harvested only once every three years. No photos this time, but we'll see more vicuña later in the trip.

A short distance below the pass, now in much drier terrain, we parked above some ruins.

Carlos had intended to have our lunch at a large shade tree down in the wash, but another group had already taken it over. Joan and I ate a quick snack from the cheese strip we'd bought in Tafí, and then we explored the ruins and checked out a few birds.

The drive continued with a lengthy descent into the next valley, and we arrived at the Quilmes Ruins.

The sky was clear and the sun hot. We parked under a tree offering some scanty shade, and ate the lunches packed for us in Tafí before entering.

The ruins are back under the administration of the indigenous people.

Rather than relying on accounts made by others, here's a historic overview from a Quilmes point of view. Click on the image to enlarge.

A panoramic view from the ground level of the ruins back towards the valley and mountains beyond, whence we came.

These stones are offerings of respect to the Panchamama, or Earth Mother/Goddess.

We began to climb up. This construction was built on the side of a mountain as a fortification, a sanctuary.

There was a trail to the northern lookout post.

Closer to the watching point.

As we climbed higher Carlos detected a juvenile rattlesnake resting in the shade of the stones. Good not to lean against the wall here, not without checking first.

We didn't bother him, and he didn't bother us.

Close to the top.

We descended from the ruins and visited the museum, which had English subtitles on the videos. It was very well done.

Then it was time to drive on to Cafayate, where we were to spend the night. We would follow the valley north and cross from Tucumán province into Salta.

Along the way Carlos noticed some new avians worthy of a stop. The view was better with binoculars.

As we approached the town two grey foxes dashed across the road ahead of us. In town, Carlos kept his eyes open for the La Casa de La Bodega, our hotel, as we cruised down the main street and then another, but we couldn't find it. His GPS was telling him that it was 19 km (12 miles) outside of town, of which he was skeptical. A phone call went unanswered. With no other alternatives, we obeyed the GPS and headed out of Cafayate.

We turned off the paved road and journeyed down a narrowing dirt road. Carlos joked nervously about spending the night in the car. We came to an intersection where the GPS wanted us to go straight ahead, while signs pointed to the right. We turned right.

The first hotel-like structure we encountered was obviously still under construction. Oh no  -- were we way too early? But we pressed on and found the boutique hotel, which would have been easier to reach had we gone straight ahead.

It was good to relax and have dinner after a long day on the road. The next morning we would explore Cafayate a bit before moving on.