What to see in the Quebrada de las Conchas, Salta | Best stops

What is the Shell Ravine

The Quebrada de las Conchas is a nature reserve in the province of Salta. name comes from the large number of shells and marine fossils that are found in this area because millions of years ago these rocks were under the sea.

The Ravine, together to the Hornocal, is one of the most famous areas of any itinerary through Salta and Jujuy because they concentrate in a few kilometers a large number of rock formations and reddish landscapes that have been sculpted by the wind and rain, achieving unique shapes. All the carThe road that runs through it is paved, except for the parking areas to visit each of the stops, but these are easily accessible.

Map best stops on Route 68

📍Before going into detail, we leave you a map with all the places we are going to talk about marked so you can locate themcar Better. If you access it, you can save it and then access it from your mobile phone while you're exploring the Quebrada de las Conchas. We've also added the best What to see in Cafayate.

What to see in the Quebrada de las Conchas

The Quebrada de las Conchas actually covers a large part of the carretera 68 that connects the city ​​of Salta with Cafayate, and there are many places to see in this area. Although the trip could be done in just a couple of hours, We recommend you dedicatecarI'll spend a whole morning or afternoon on it. to be able to make several stops.

Below we share which are the best places to see in the Quebrada de las Conchas arranged following the route from Salta to Cafayate, that is, from north to south.

Devil's throat

For us the Devil's Throat was the first essential stop what to see in the Quebrada de las Conchas, although there are some viewpoints and historic bridges like the Morales Bridge where you could stop before.

At the entrance to this gorge, there is a parking area where crafts and snacks such as empanadas are sold. From the parking lot, you'll walk just a minute or two to reach the entrance to Devil's Throat, where two enormous walls of reddish rock They rise up leaving a narrow corridor that you can walk through.

Inside the throat there are some rocks that you need to half climb If you want to advance, with a little care you can go quite a few meters into the Devil's Throat.

The Amphitheater, one of the best stops in the Quebrada de las Conchas

The Amphitheater, which is located just 1km from the Devil's Throat, was one of our favorite stops in the Quebrada de las Conchas.

Once again there is parking available and the access path to the interior of the Amphitheater is short and easy. The Amphitheater is a semicircular rock formation With enormous walls and excellent acoustics. We were lucky enough to meet a musician playing a traditional instrument, and we could clearly hear the music resonating off the rock walls. Also, some parrots nest in the area and flew over us for a while.

Three Crosses Viewpoint

The next stop you should make is the Three Crosses viewpoint, located just over 4 km from the Amphitheater. From this viewpoint, you'll have unparalleled views of the Las Conchas River and the valley it runs through, surrounded by mountains of varying colors, predominantly reddish hues.

The views from the parking lot are quite good, but we definitely recommend walking around. the path that goes up to the official viewpoint, it's only a 5 minute climb and the views are even better.

The Frog

Another very popular stop in the Quebrada de las Conchas is a stone nicknamed The Toad because of the similarity of its shape to the animal. The rock is at the foot of carIt's a scenic route, so you can see it while driving. If you decide to stop for a closer look, it won't take more than 5 minutes of your trip. We haven't included a photo so you can judge for yourself if you think it looks like a toad!

The House of Parrots

The House of the Parrots is a rock formation located shortly after El Sapo. It gets its name from the caves created in the rocks by parrots Burrowing vultures to build their nests. There is no clear parking to visit this place, so you'll need to be careful if you want to stop on the shoulder. When we saw on the map that we were approaching, we slowed down to get a good look from the car. huge vertical wall full of holes.

La Yesera | A trail to explore in the Quebrada de las Conchas

Most of the stops we've recommended so far don't require long walks to visit, but to fully enjoy La Yesera, you'll have to walk the so-called Senda de los Estratos (Stratus Path). This place stands out for its mix of minerals which make the rocks have many different shades.

To visit the Yesera You will need approximately 1 hour round trip., but believe me, it's worth it to enjoy the scenery and rock formations along this trail.

The obelisk

Another highly recommended stop in the Quebrada de las Conchas is El Obelisco, not so much for the enormous obelisk-shaped rock, but for the views of all the surrounding formations. We recommend stopping next to the cara challenge to be able to take a good photo in this place.

The Castles | One of the most famous stops in the Quebrada de las Conchas

Los Castillos is one of the most popular formations in the Quebrada de las Conchas. Its vertical walls erode along the river reminiscent of the walls of a castle and a moat surrounding it. It has a very red hue, especially if you visit at sunset.

Next to the parking lot of the Los Castillos viewpoint There are some trails to makecarsYes, but when we visited it was muddy and overgrown, so we couldn't get close. Although the views from the parking lot weren't bad, were they?

The Colorados

Los Colorados is one of the last stops to see in the Quebrada de las ConchasFrom the parking lot, a short trail leads through some red sandstone formations. Along this trail, you can visit a cave formed by water erosion called Devil's Hole.

Leaving behind the impossible reddish formations, you can make a last stop in the Dunes, located just 15 minutes from Cafayate. It is an area of dunes formed by the wind, similar to those of a desert.

Cafayate, the end of the Quebrada de las Conchas

Cafayate is a town with a long winemaking tradition It's a very important tourist attraction in the region and is considered the end of the Quebrada de las Conchas. Here you should definitely visit at least a couple of its wineries, walk around the town's central square, and explore the surrounding area. To have enough time to explore it, we recommend stopping here. at least one night.

You can find much more information and advice in our guide on What to do in Cafayate.

How to get around the Shell Ravine

rental vehicle

The best way to know the best stops in the Quebrada de las Conchas is traveling by car or motorcycleBy having your own vehicle you will have the freedom to make as many stops as you want and as long as you need, you can make sure you know this place well.

In the center of the city of Salta There are many car rental companies and also some motorcycle rentals where you can find a vehicle that suits your budget and needs to explore the Quebrada de las Conchas. If you don't want to have to ask and have it already reserved upon arrival, we recommend using a car comparator for rent.

Tours to the Quebrada de las Conchas

Another very popular way to visit the Quebrada de las Conchas is booking a tourBeing such a popular option, this excursion is offered by all Salta travel agencies, and the current price is around €25-30 per person.

View turn of full day from Salta

The vast majority last a full day, starting early in Salta and heading towards Cafayate. Many stops are made along the way to visit viewpoints and some of the most famous spots in the Quebrada, such as the Amphitheater and the Castles.

Arriving in Cafayate a winery is visited for a wine tasting locals and have lunch in the town before heading back to Salta, where you also take the opportunity to make some stops that you may not have seen on the way there.

Public bus

You can also visit the Quebrada de las Conchas by bus. using the service that connects Salta with CafayateYou will need to ask the driver to make a stop near the place you want to visit, and once you have finished, return to the carYou have to wait for the next bus. The main problem is that if you don't resort to hitchhiking, you'll only be able to make one or two stops since buses don't run very frequently. It's the cheapest option, but the least practical.

Tips for your visit to the Quebrada de las Conchas

Now that you know everything about How to visit the Quebrada de las Conchas We share some final tips with you.

• Wear sunscreen and sunglasses, it is a very arid area with little shade.
• Bring water and food. There are no towns along the Quebrada, and it's difficult to find food and drinks. You'll only find a few stalls with street vendors selling empanadas and tamales.
• Carry cashIf you buy food or crafts, they only accept cash. In Cafayate, they also only accept cash in some places.
• La light of sunrise and sunset It's the best time to photograph the reddish formations. Don't worry, though; we saw it all during the middle of the day, and it was beautiful too!
• Calculates at least four hours To complete the entire trip from Salta to Cafayate, we took it easy and it took us almost six hours. It's hard not to want to stop every now and then.

We hope this guide to explore the Quebrada de las Conchas and its best stops will help you make the most of one of the most impressive routes in northwest Argentina. To continue planning your trip, you can read our other travel guides to Argentina on its own.

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