Seclantás Guide

Seclantás sits in the Calchaquí Valleys of Salta province, in northwest Argentina, and everything in it seems to move at the pace of a loom. Cobblestoned streets run between age-old adobe houses, many of them with courtyards and terraces. Nothing about the place pushes you to hurry.

The setting does the rest. The Calchaquí Valleys connect visitors to pre-Incan and colonial history, with ravines, coloured mountains and villages, and Seclantás is one of those villages, its adobe houses leaning on that long past. Come with time to look rather than a list to tick off.

The main square has striking palm trees, and local artisans offer classic loom-woven ponchos. A poncho is the obvious thing to take home from Seclantás, and even if you buy nothing, the weaving is the quickest way to understand what the village is about.

For the big picture, climb to the highest part of the village. From up there you get panoramic views of the Valles Calchaquíes, and the valley you will drive through later suddenly makes sense as one landscape.

Two natural sights lie around Seclantás: the Brealito lagoon and the Acsibi caves. Both are worth exploring once you have had enough of the streets, and both make a good reason to leave the square behind.

Further out, the Calchaquí landscape turns dramatic. Quebrada de las Flechas has formations pointing to the sky whose colours change with the light, and Cuesta del Obispo meanders between the hills from the arid Valley of Lerma up to the Calchaquí Valleys. Cachi, close by, is known for giant cactuses, peaks and archaeological treasures, while Los Cardones National Park protects the region's giant cactus species.

A stay in Seclantás falls into a natural order. Begin in the streets and on the main square, climb for the view, then give the remaining time to the lagoon and the caves; Cachi and its cactuses are close enough to add on if you have a car.

If you like to move, there is plenty to do on foot or on two wheels. You can walk the Artisans' Path (Camino de los Artesanos) and follow the World's Highest Wine Route around the village. Ranches on the outskirts offer rural tourism experiences, and adventure lovers are told that going down Cuesta del Obispo by bike is the way to do it.