Maimará and the Painter's Palette
Maimará, at 2,383m, sits between Purmamarca and Tilcara and is easy to skip if you're moving fast through the Quebrada — which would be a mistake. Its hillside, known as the Paleta del Pintor (Painter's Palette), has the same mineral striping as Purmamarca's more famous hill, in some lights arguably more vivid, without the crowds.
What makes Maimará distinct is its cemetery, built directly into the lower slope of the hillside facing the town — rows of white crosses and tombs stacked up the incline, visible from the highway as you pass. It's a striking, slightly eerie sight and one of the most-photographed cemeteries in Argentina, though it's an active local burial ground and should be treated with the same respect you'd show any cemetery, not as a photo backdrop.
Getting there
Maimará is 74km from San Salvador de Jujuy on RN9, about 1.5hr by car; any bus running the San Salvador-Tilcara-Humahuaca route passes through and can drop you at the edge of town. From Salta, it's roughly 2.5-3hr (175km). Maimará sits directly on RN9, so it's a straightforward stop to add to a Purmamarca-Tilcara day without detouring.
Route: RN 9
When to go
Same pattern as the rest of the Quebrada: April-November is dry and clear, December-March is wet with afternoon storms. Early morning light hits the Paleta del Pintor well; by midday the colors flatten out under direct sun.
Altitude
At 2,383m, similar to Purmamarca — most people adjust within a day. If Maimará is your first stop in the Quebrada coming from lower elevations, take the first afternoon easy rather than pushing straight on to Tilcara or Humahuaca.
Practical notes
- Maimará has far less tourist infrastructure than Tilcara or Purmamarca — fewer restaurants and shops, so it suits a stop rather than a multi-night base.
- Cash is the safer bet for the handful of small shops and eateries in town.
- The cemetery is visible and photographable from the highway pull-off without needing to walk into it — treat it as an active burial site if you do go closer.
- Small-scale vineyards have started appearing around Maimará at this altitude — ask locally if any bodegas are open for visits.
- Combine it with Purmamarca and Tilcara in a single day if you're short on time; all three are within about 20km of each other.
Frequently asked questions
Is Maimará worth stopping for if I've already seen Purmamarca's hill?
Yes — it's a different formation with its own color pattern, and because far fewer buses stop here, you'll often have the viewpoint largely to yourself.
Can I visit the hillside cemetery up close?
It's a working cemetery, not a tourist attraction, so go quietly and don't treat it as a photo set — the view from the road below is usually enough to appreciate it.
Is there anywhere to stay overnight in Maimará?
There are a few small guesthouses, but options are limited compared to Tilcara or Purmamarca — most travelers see Maimará as a stop rather than a base.