Garganta del diablo in Tilcara: great mystery

The "Garganta del Diablo" is one of the best kept treasures of Tilcara. For quite some time it stopped being a secret to become one of the favorite and most visited attractions of the Quebrada de Humahuaca. Thousands of tourists visit it daily and contemplate

Several characteristics have made this hidden attraction a special and charming place: the old path that leads us to the Devil's Throat, the imposing rock walls that rise to the sky leading the Huasamayo River, the sound of the water heard from away when the river violently falls on rainy days, the wind traces of a stormy past and the beautiful waterfall shown at the end of the road. But this uniqueness and charm have a lot of mystery.

"Garganta del Diablo" ... I look at you and I wonder: why did the conqueror call you this way? Why did the image of the devil come to mind when he saw you? We do not know for sure, but we can guess it: the path that from Tilcara leads us to the hidden town of Alfarcito leaves us before the jaws of Lucifer.

The "Garganta del Diablo" is located 5 km from the center of the town of Tilcara, on a road where you can see incredible views of height. The old pircas that lie on the side of the path are silent witnesses of coppery and peasant hands that once worked those hard and rough slopes of the Black Hill. There is also a beautiful horseshoe path for those who prefer to go by vehicle. The road in this case is a bit longer; they are about 8 km away from Tilcara and ascends almost to 4000 meters over the level of the sea.

Before reaching the "Garganta del diablo" you can see a marked indentation in the earth. From here you have to continue walking. Going down a path to the river bed we find (on the right side) a staircase of sanitary works through which we can go down to the walkway that rises about a hundred meters above the Huasamayo river. This construction is part of a spectacular water engineering work that provides water to the town of Tilcara and other surrounding areas. Going down to the left we find the bed of the Huasamayo river.

Walking along the river, jumping from time to time between the threads of water that are formed and enclosed between the imposing walls of the hill, we find the end of the road almost half a kilometer. A waterfall about 18 meters high gives us the opportunity to see the water falling as a blessing to our tired feet and our throbbing heads in the sun. "Garganta del Diablo", deep and beautiful mystery of Tilcara ... dare to know it!