08/05/2023
Let´s discover Iruya!
Iruya is a town in the province of Salta, Argentina, head of the Iruya department. It is located at 2,780 meters above sea level, on the eastern slopes of the Sierra de Santa Victoria, 307 km from the capital of Salta. It is within the perimeter of the Yungas Biosphere Reserve.
Arriving in Iruya, the first impression is of a town "hanging on the mountain", or rather of an island, since it is surrounded by the Milmahuasi and Colanzulí -or Iruya- rivers.
Its colonial building with narrow streets and its landscapes with impressive panoramic views stand out. Nearby, 5 km to the northeast, are the ruins of Pucara de Titiconte.
Here, the inhabitants, clothing, customs and homes have maintained their tradition for 250 years. The town preserves its narrow and cobbled streets, with a house made of adobes, stones and straw. Following the bed of the rivers that cross the interior, gorges of different shapes and colors can be seen. The flagstone in some sections has formed retaining walls of the river.
On February 18, 1995, the town of Iruya was declared a National Historic Site by Decree 370 of the Executive Power of the Nation.
The town was officially founded in 1753, although the birth certificates found in the Humahuaca parish indicate that the original town already existed since the beginning of the 17th century. These inhabitants are descendants of the Incas. There are several ruins in the surroundings that prove the existence of a homogeneous ethnic group before the arrival of the Spanish. An example is the ruins of Titiconte, located about 8 km east of Iruya.
The first inhabitants survived, as the current ones continue to do, through subsistence crops. They were mainly dedicated to raising livestock, such as sheep, goats, and to a lesser extent, llamas, and they also practiced agriculture, growing corn, potatoes, ocas, and other agricultural products.
Even today, its inhabitants continue to subsist through the practice of barter. However, due to its proximity to the Humahuaca ravine, tourism is beginning to develop.
Although Iruya is part of the province of Salta, there is no direct and permanent access from Salta. The only convenient way to access the town is from the province of Jujuy.
You must first pass through the province of Jujuy, traveling along RN 9. 26 km north of Humahuaca is the junction with Provincial Route 13, where it reads "Iruya 54 km". Following the path indicated, after 8 km from the aforementioned crossroads, you will reach the Iturbe station. From there, always by dirt road, you reach the place called "Abra del Cóndor", the border between the provinces of Jujuy and Salta, at 4000 meters above sea level.
At this point begins a descent of 1220 meters in 19 km (distance from the Abra del Cóndor to Iruya). Throughout these 19 km, the visitor contemplates a variety of colors, ranging from wild green to purple or violet, going through yellow and metallic blue. The mountain, together with the ravines, offers to the eye capricious and curious forms that blur in the bed of the Colanzulí river, on whose side the road runs.
Another way to access Iruya is from the province of Salta, traveling from Isla de Cañas, the second largest municipality in the department, connected to the city of Orán. This route is only suitable in winter, and due to the rugged terrain, in addition to the fact that you must cross watercourses several times, some of which are very large, it is considered off-road. It is only suitable for 4x4 tractors or trucks and experienced drivers. It is not recommended to do this path without previously informing yourself.
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