The Quebrada de Cafayate is a canyon cut by the Río de las Conchas (also called the Río Las Conchas or Río de los Colorados) along Ruta 68 between Cafayate and Salta. The canyon's walls of layered red, orange, and yellow sandstone have been sculpted by wind and water into named formations: the Garganta del Diablo (Devil's Throat), the Anfiteatro (Amphitheatre), los Castillos (the Castles), and the Obelisco, among others. Each one is signposted, and most have short walks from a parking area.
The 50-kilometre stretch of canyon makes the Cafayate–Salta road one of the most spectacular drives in South America. You can visit on a tour from Salta or Cafayate, or better, hire a car and stop at will. The light in the late afternoon is exceptional — the sandstone glows red and orange in the sun's lower angles. Pack water and sunscreen; there is no shade and the altitude (1,200–1,700 metres) makes the UV intense. The Anfiteatro is famous for its acoustics — speaking or clapping inside the curved rock formation creates a vivid echo.