Explore The Northwest
A trio of the Northwest’s cloudforests, or yungas – areas of dense jungle draped over high crags that thrust out of the flat, green plains of lowlands on either side of the Tropic of Capricorn – are protected by national park status. The biggest of the three, the Parque Nacional Calilegua, is also the most accessible and best developed – it’s the pride and joy of Jujuy Province – and within easy reach of San Salvador de Jujuy, though it might be better to stay in nearby Libertador General San Martín. Parque Nacional El Rey, in Salta Province, is much closer to the provincial capital, but its access roads are sometimes impassable after the heavy seasonal rains. Slightly smaller than Calilegua, Parque Nacional Baritú, away to the north in a far-flung corner of Salta Province, is the hardest to get to, and therefore even less spoilt, than either of the other two national parks; the small town of San Ramón de la Nueva Orán can act as a springboard for getting there. The microclimates of all three yungas are characterized by clearly distinct dry and wet seasons, winter and summer, but relatively high year-round precipitation. The peaks are often shrouded in cloud and mist, keeping most of the varied plant life lush even in the drier, cooler months. They are worth a visit for the dramatic scenery alone, though the incredibly varied fauna that lives amid the dense vegetation is perhaps the main attraction.
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