The Northwest Sights

Shopping Nightlife

1. Cerro de Siete Colores

Looming above Purmamarca is the brightly tinted Cerro de Siete Colores (Hill of Seven Colors). Look closely and see if you can find all seven—most people can pick out only four. The best way to see the hill is by walking a 3-km (2-mile) loop called the Paseo de Siete Colores, which starts to the left of the church on the main square. This one-lane gravel road winds through bizarre, humanlike formations of bright, craggy, red rock, before passing a series of stark, sweeping, Mars-like vistas with stands of trees in the river valley. The road then passes a few family farms and ends with a striking view of the Cerro itself before bringing you back to the center of Purmamarca. The colors are most clearly visible in the morning. The tourist office on Florida Street has a map showing the best points for photos.