Camping Los Colorados de Chabelita

Although it's small, Purmamarca is a lovely little town to potter around, with a well-known and colourful market, adobe houses, a 17th-century church and its February Carnival. If you're around in summer (January), a full month of art, sporty and cultural events make up the Enero Tilcareño festival. Around town, the Cerro de los Siete Colores two kilometres away bordering the Quebrada de Purmamarca is one of the most-visited sites in this part of Argentina. Made up of seven colours derived from different types of rocks, this colourful hill can be ambled around on an easy walk, or via a horse riding, cycling or hiking tour; if you're self-guiding, start off in the Purmamarca tourist office to pick up a map detailing the 10-minute or one-hour walk up the hill from the town. Archeology aficionados can take a cycling or horse riding trip to see the paintings of Huachichocana caves (10 kilometres) or take a tour to the Pucará de Tilcara, a pre-Inca fortification overlooking much of the narrow mountain valley of the Quebrada de Humahuaca. You could also take a day trip to the Salinas Grandes salt flats (50 kilometres), the vast and spectacular salt plains high up in northern Argentina: tours can be booked in town at Purmamarca.