What's on in Tilcara, Argentina through the year

Peak crowds — Enero Tilcareño, Christmas and New Year

• Hazard

  Summer mudslides on the RN 9

  1 Jan – 31 Mar · usuallyLandslide seasonClosures

  Summer storms send mud and rock down the side gullies onto the valley road, locally called volcanes, cutting the RN 9 at Volcán or Tumbaya for hours or days. Leave slack in any schedule for the drive up. Source ↗

• Festival

  Enero Tilcareño

  7–31 JanMajor festivalCrowdedBook early

  A month of folklore stages, gaucho pialada contests and dances in the municipal hall, running since 1957. It is the reason January is the one month the Quebrada's small hotels are genuinely full. Source ↗

Still on: Christmas and New Year (24 Dec – 1 Jan)

Peak crowds — Carnaval and the devil, Summer holidays in Argentina

• Festival

  Carnaval and the devil

  1 Feb – 10 Mar · usuallyCarnivalCrowdedBook early

  A horned figure is dug out of a mound on the opening Saturday and buried again nine days later; in between the comparsas move through town throwing flour and talc. Beds go months ahead. Source ↗

Still on: Summer mudslides on the RN 9 (1 Jan – 31 Mar (usually))

Peak crowds — Carnaval and the devil, Punta Corral pilgrimage

• Holiday

  Semana Santa

  2–5 AprEaster & Holy WeekCrowdedBook earlyClosures

  Holy Thursday and Good Friday make one of the year's biggest long weekends. Banks and public offices close, long-distance buses and domestic flights sell out, and hotels in popular towns fill at higher rates, so book ahead. Source ↗

• Festival

  Punta Corral pilgrimage

  16 Mar – 21 Apr · usuallyPilgrimage seasonCrowded

  In Holy Week thousands climb from Tilcara to the Virgin's sanctuary in the high pass, led by sikuri bands of cane flutes and drums, and bring her down into town on the Wednesday to a packed plaza. Source ↗

Still on: Summer mudslides on the RN 9 (1 Jan – 31 Mar (usually)), Carnaval and the devil (1 Feb – 10 Mar (usually))

Peak crowds — Semana Santa, Punta Corral pilgrimage

Nothing new starts in April.

Still on: Semana Santa (2–5 Apr), Punta Corral pilgrimage (16 Mar – 21 Apr (usually))

Shoulder season — an ordinary month

Nothing new starts in May.

Busy — school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it, one of its best months for weather

• Festival

  Inti Raymi at Huacalera

  20–21 JunMajor festival

  Indigenous communities keep a night vigil on the winter solstice at Huacalera, 17 km north on the Tropic of Capricorn, and greet the sunrise of the Andean new year with offerings, sikuris and erke horns. Source ↗

Peak crowds — Argentine winter holidays, Winter recess in Argentina

• Season

  Argentine winter holidays

  5 Jul – 5 Aug · usuallySchool holidaysCrowdedBook early

  The Quebrada is the most booked region in the province over the July break, with Tilcara near full. Craft market stalls and peñas are at their busiest; so are the queues for Garganta del Diablo and the Pucará. Source ↗

Busy — Argentine winter holidays

• Festival

  Día de la Pachamama

  1 AugReligious feast

  On the first of August households open a hole in the ground and feed it — food, coca, alcohol — before anyone eats. It is a domestic thing rather than a show, and most of the Quebrada does it. Source ↗

Still on: Argentine winter holidays (5 Jul – 5 Aug (usually))

Busy — Fiesta Nacional de los Estudiantes, school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it

• Festival

  Fiesta Nacional de los Estudiantes

  12–26 SepMajor festivalCrowded

  San Salvador de Jujuy, about 85 km south, spends two September weeks on student float parades that run late into the night. Jujuy's schools close for part of the week. Source ↗

Shoulder season — an ordinary month

Nothing new starts in October.

Shoulder season — an ordinary month

• Festival

  Dia de las Almas

  1–2 NovReligious feast

  Families set tables of offerings for returning souls, draped black for the recently dead and white for children, stacked with bread figures baked in mud ovens, and neighbours are welcomed in to share. Source ↗

Peak crowds — Christmas and New Year, Summer holidays in Argentina

• Holiday

  Christmas and New Year

  24 Dec – 1 JanChristmas & New YearClosures

  Argentines celebrate at midnight on 24 and 31 December with family dinners and fireworks. Shops close early on those evenings, and on 25 December and 1 January almost everything is shut, including many restaurants. Source ↗