The Paleta del Pintor is Maimará’s main attraction: multicolored hills where traces and tracks of various dinosaur and bird species from the Late Cretaceous have also been found. In addition to revealing the landscape, these findings offer a glimpse into the area’s geological history. Walking tours, agricultural activities, and cultural experiences offer other ways to spend your time in Maimará.

Landscapes and Trails

Puente Natural is a fluvial geological formation in the Quebrada del Cementerio gorge, next to the Río Grande. The circular trail there starts at the Maimará Tourist Information Office and follows a path through the gorge that runs along the riverbed. It includes a gentle climb. The six-kilometer route takes four hours and is rated easy.

For a shorter walk, the “Miradores y Fiestas Andinas” tour starts at the main square and visits several viewpoints. It takes two hours, covers 2.5 kilometers, and is rated easy. Along the way, it explores Pachamama, Carnaval, Todosantos, and the route taken by Sikuri bands to the Virgen de Punta Corral. The philosopher Rodolfo Kush is also one of the tour’s topics.

The two-hour “Maimará: Pueblo agricultor” tour starts at the Tourist Information Office. It passes through Plaza San Martín and Plazoleta del Agricultor before reaching the Quintas, where you can see vegetables, horticultural crops, and flowers. The route is 1.65 kilometers long and has a low difficulty and exertion level. Thus, the two two-hour tours differ in focus: one covers viewpoints and cultural topics, while the other follows a route through agricultural plots.

Another circular trail starts at the Tourist Information Office, crosses the bridge over the Río Grande, and follows a narrow path or trekking trail up Cerro General San Martín. Panoramic views accompany you from start to finish. Guided options are available in different durations and difficulty levels.

Agriculture, Cuisine, and Crafts

Turismo Rural Maimará includes visits with farming families, their animals, and their growing areas, as well as bike tours, guided walks, and craft or cooking workshops. Alongside trails through the landscape, these activities focus on agricultural work and traditional crafts.

The three-hour “Cicloturismo rural” route starts at Maimará’s central square, follows, among other things, the old railway line, and ends at Bodega Jesús Vilte. There, you can buy and taste wine. The route combines a ride through the surrounding area with a specific destination for wine tasting.

The two-hour Inti Pacha culinary experience includes a visit to an organic garden and a workshop where artisanal bread is made from regional products. You can take the bread with you afterward; homemade breads and sweets are also included in the tasting. For local cuisine, Maimará’s tourism portal points to places where you can sample specialties. Many ingredients come from vegetable plots on both banks of the Río Grande, at the foot of the Paleta del Pintor; several recipes have been passed down through generations.

During the two-hour Textil Alborada experience, you’ll receive step-by-step guidance as you embroider a souvenir or item of clothing. You can take your embroidered piece with you afterward. Qullana offers the chance to take part in a locally made, artisanal cosmetics process using medicinal plants from the region; visitors make their own product.

Maimará’s Culture and Getting Around

The route over the Paleta del Pintor also has cultural significance: every year, pilgrims and Sikuri bands from Maimará take it on their way to the sanctuary of the Virgen de Punta Corral. Carnaval de Maimará is one of the town’s traditional celebrations. The colorful, picturesque hillside cemetery sits on a small hill and can be visited with due respect.

Maimará is part of the Quebrada de Humahuaca, which has been a UNESCO World Heritage cultural landscape since 2003. For directions: the town is on Ruta Nacional N° 9 and has two entrances. The southern entrance is past the Museo Posta de Hornillos, while the northern one is opposite the cemetery. The trails described differ in duration and focus, so plan your day according to whether you would rather make time for a longer route, viewpoints, or agricultural and cultural activities.

Discover more destinations: Huacalera, San Salvador De Jujuy, Calilegua, La Quiaca, San Javier, Humahuaca, Yala, Ciudad Perico.

For the main travel overview: Jujuy.