Quebrada de las Conchas, Salta, Argentina (far NW)

25:50S   65:40W     10hr round trip by bicycle N from Cafayate

This is a spectacular gorge through mountains coloured deep red, creamy yellow, light blue and velvet green from heavy mineralisation. There are deep chasms cut out by water erosion, and vertical cliffs overhanging side valleys of different coloured sandhills. The Yesera valley has cliffs of alternating red and green, as well as a spectacular face of layers that cover almost all the spectrum of the rainbow. There are also many sculptured features such as the obelisk, the frog and the monk, plus a couple of locations where the road has been undermined by the roaring river and collapsed.