Cachi

Cachi is a tiny village on the Ruta 40 that's developing into a base to explore the north of the Calchaquíes Valley. The town also has a charming church, a small archaeological museum, and couple of very nice hotels and restaurants, though nothing at all in the way of nightlife. Watching over it all is the 6,340-meter (20,800-foot) Nevado de Cachi, a few miles away.

The area around town is loaded with archaeological sites that have scarcely been explored. El Tero is a site of pre-colonial dwellings, and within 15 km (10 mi) are two more important sites: Puerta La Paya to the southwest and Las Pailas to the north (at the foot of the Nevado de Cachi). A little farther north, en route to La Poma, are the Graneros Incaicos (Incan Graneries), a cave in a stunning setting used by the Incas to store grain.