The gorgeous landscapes around Cachi

Having lunch at the vineyard “Sala de Payogasta” at 2500 m. Their wine was very tasty.

Our Hotel “La Merced del Alto” with our room on the right side.

After a strenuous drive through thick mist (look how it is hanging over the hills), we suddenly came out on a vast plateau with cardones.

The old church in Cachi

In Cachi all the street signs are made of Cardones wood

We drove from Purmamarca to Salta and then to Cachi on route 33 through the "Quebrada de Escoipe" and then along the "Cuesta del Obispo" where we were caught in thick mist and had to drive without seeing more then a meter in front of our car for 1 hour, until we came out of the canyon where suddenly we had fantastic weather.  We made a lunch stop at a vineyard Sala de Payogasta, located on the RN 40 - km 4.509 km, just 6 km before Cachi. They produce 1500 bottles per year from grapes growing above 2500 m! Looking back, even later from our hotel Merced del Alto, we could see a cloud sitting behind the hills. On the other hand there is a condor nest in a tree not far from our hotel, so we see a lotof these majestic birds flying around us. Julia was happy to get a massage (1 hour for 125 pesos) and after that we drove down to the village to assist to the Gauchos' competition on the patron Saint Joseph day. Rodeos, bingo, horse riding was shown (5 pesos pax). Ice cream at the main square and back to our Hotel where we are in room nr. 6. There are many condors living in a tree next to our hotel.

Resting before going to the local Rodeo Event