Getting Oriented

The landscape in Argentina's northwestern reaches is incredibly varied—from 22,000-foot-high Andean peaks to the high, barren plateau known as the Puna, from subtropical jungles to narrow sandstone canyons. Much of the area is desert, cut and eroded by raging brown rivers that wash away everything in sight during summer rains. It's inhabited by tough, resilient peoples who've got the land in their blood and their culture. The area also has some of the country's most vibrant cities, but even they close down each afternoon for a lengthy siesta.