The main plaza
Shade and white walls.
Bernard Gagnon — CC BY-SA 4.0 · José Luis Fernández — CC BY 3.0 · Gavieiro Juan M — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Elalfredito — CC BY-SA 3.0
Cachi is a small town in the northern Calchaquí Valleys, at the foot of the snow-capped Nevado de Cachi to the west, and the capital of Cachi department. Its name is said to come from the old Cacán language and mean «silent stone». It is known for white adobe houses, cobbled streets and an unhurried pace. At its centre lies a small shady plaza ringed by white colonial buildings and an archaeology museum showing pieces from the valleys' ancient cultures. The edges of town look over the valley, fields and the Andes, and the drive itself, over the Cuesta del Obispo and through Los Cardones National Park, is part of the trip. Wandering the town is free. Cachi makes a good overnight stop on a trip along Route 40 towards Cafayate, and nights are cold at this altitude, even in summer.
Shade and white walls.
Valley cultures.
A snow-capped peak.
Calchaquí Valleys, about 160 km west of Salta
By car or bus in about four hours, over the Cuesta del Obispo and through Los Cardones National Park.