Getting to our next destination after Cafayate required about 200 miles of driving – up to a 10,000 ft pass, then dropping down into the touristy resort town of Tafi del Valle and then descending through moist Andean slope forests to the “coastal plain” south of Tucuman. While the descent through the moist yungas forest, along a growing river, was scenic, the road (as we knew from previous trips) was too narrow to stop in most interesting places. So it was a mostly tiresome hour’s descent on very windy roads, followed by fast cars or trucks, and held up at times by very slow trucks. Below are a few iPhone photos of this route to Monte Zion.
Olympus photos at Monte Zion and a day trip to the Cuesta de Portezuelo
Most photos below are of insects on the porch, but a few at the end are from a day trip to climb the Cuesta de Portezuelo – about 6000 ft elevation that had good views of the surroundings. It is a narrow paved road, known for its 300+ tight curves. A slow road, except for occasional motorcycles and cars. Good for stopping (in places) and walking the roads looking a plants. The road is old enough (many decades) so that the road cuts have had time to be colonized by the plants native to the area.
Olympus insects at Monte Zion… the “nightlife”
All insect iNaturalist observations at Mt Zion can be seen here
iPhone images
THE NATURALIST'S TRAVEL PAGE 