Tiu Punco, the lunar desert that awaits you

When we think of traveling through Tucumán, we usually imagine mountains, green valleys, rivers, and picturesque towns. But there is a different, silent landscape, so special it seems otherworldly: Tiu Punco. At over 2,000 meters above sea level, in Amaicha del Valle, a desert surprises with its immensity, its pale soil… and its ability to make us feel like we are walking on the moon.

Crossing Tiu Punco is to immerse oneself in an almost untouched natural setting. Its rock formations, hills, and sandy terrain, sculpted by the wind and time, create a strange and hypnotic landscape: everything invites you to stop and contemplate. There are no urban sounds, no signs of civilization; only the wind, the vastness, and the awareness that you are in a corner that holds its own mystery. It is this vibrant emptiness that gives the place its magic: walking there means connecting with something ancestral, with the same energy that has been traversed by thousands of footprints throughout time.

It's not just scenery: it's also history and memory. Its name—which in Quechua means "gateway to the desert" or "gateway to the sand dunes"—says it all. This place is part of the Amaicha Valley; if you're feeling adventurous, you can access it via guided tours in 4x4 vehicles and explore this arid and wild terrain with the experts.

Today, Tiu Punco is beginning to open up to the world of rural tourism: there are tour operators offering excursions, hikes, and guided visits. They do so with care, respect for the environment, and an awareness of the area's environmental and cultural value. It's an invitation to discover Tucumán from its most unexpected perspective: a surprising, silent, ethereal desert. But it's also an invitation to wonder, to contemplation, to understanding that often the most incredible things are closer than we imagine.

So, if you're looking for a different kind of getaway: a lunar landscape without leaving Tucumán, a place to breathe different air, close your eyes and listen only to the wind… add Tiu Punco to your list. Hike through this Andean desert and let yourself be amazed by its beauty.