What to do in Maimará & Juella

The town of Maimara is located at the margin of national route 9, only 6 km to the south of Tilcara. It is a town that dedicates mainly to livestock and agriculture. It concentrates the greater production of vegetables and fruits of the Quebrada de Humahuaca, among which we can call the atention on the wide number of varieties of potatos.

Its main tourist attractions are the cemetery, the Painter´s Palette ("Paleta del Pintor" in spanish) and the village itself. The cemetery of Maimará is one of the most colorful and cheerful of the Quebrada de Humahuaca due to the local custom of decorating the tombs with dried flowers and various colors. On the slope of the hill that embraces the town you can appreciate the "Paleta del Pintor", which stands out for its wonderful colors.

Another activity to do in Maimará is to visit the winery of Fernando Dupont, where vines are harvested and an exquisite wine is produced with a strong and characteristic regional imprint. To access the Dupont´s Winery you must cross the river. There you can take several tasting tours.

Recommendation: Contact the Winery to find out the days on which tasting takes place. Amelie Dupont´s cellphone: 0388 473 1918. This is the official site of the winery: www.bodegafernandodupont.com

You can also try Aymara beer, made with yeast from the region. They organize also guided tours and tasting.

The village of Juella is a small village of approx. 300 inhabitants, located in the Quebrada de Humahuaca, 6 km to the north of Tilcara.
It is not a tourist village. It has few pantries and warehouses and almost no restaurants. Anyway, you can make incredible walks through the town, going into small ravines, crossing the river and enjoying Mother Earth.

Its main attraction is the Pucará (the Quechua word for "Fortress"), which unlike the Pucará of Tilcara was not rebuilt. One can really appreciate the way the omaguacas once lived, as well as the passage of time. In order to access the Pucará, you should ask permission to the family that maintain the order and cleanliness of the place.