Rural tourism in San Francisco de Alfarcito

Circuits in Alfarcito

San Francisco de Alfarcito is a town in the Cochinoca Department in the province of Jujuy, located 125 km from the capital of Jujuy and 54 km from Humahuaca, through the RN 9. The name comes from the patron saint of the town and its origin in the cultivation of alfalfa. Most of the inhabitants work with rural community tourism, which highlights their own identity, while this ancestral wisdom is framed in incredible landscapes of earthy, ochre and yellow colors.

The lifestyle, traditions and festivals that make tourism development are valued, so that the inhabitants open their doors to publicize their field and craft activities, for example, the fabrics in llama wool, and the host traditions. 

In this town of about 170 inhabitants, the experience is just by observing and walking through its little dirt streets. There are several circuits that can be taken advantage of. An essential visit is st. Francis of Assisi Church, the village's meeting place and a landmark in community building.

The most frequent walks are the circuit of the artisans with the permanent exhibition hall and the workshops of women weavers who share their artisan knowledge; a short walk along the old Casa León route that leads to an old abandoned mine, with intermediate beaches along the Agua Salada River; a visit to the Guayatayoc lagoon, a destination for bird watching; a longer excursion to the community of Sausalito, which excels in the production of fabrics and tapestries,the Las Estancitas circuit, where you can learn about the field activities and the stalls of llamas and goats of Doña Ernestina and Doña Marta. A walk to the old school about 3 km away is also an excuse to talk about flora, fauna and history of the place.

Connoisseurs advise arriving in small contingents to enjoy the community experience and ancestral culture. Nature, traditions and hospitality come together in the tourist offer of this destination in the Puna, with an intercultural perspective and activities that season very well the local guides.