The Río Choya and the making of quince paste give Choya two concrete points of reference: one geographical and one rooted in local confectionery culture. In the Choya District, the river separates the eastern and western sides and serves as a water source for the district. In the rural area of Andalgalá, Choya is considered an exemplary place for confectionery production. The landscape and food culture thus offer different ways to understand the place.
River and Townscape
The Río Choya plays a dual role in the district: it divides the eastern and western sides and also serves as a water source. These two aspects describe different facets of the river—its geographical function and its importance to the district. Another concrete point of reference is the Pasarela de Choya. It was modernized in September 2019, including the addition of a paved surface and lighting for nighttime use.
The Pasarela and the Río Choya represent different ways of viewing the place: one is a built structure, the other the district’s geographical division. The modernization of the Pasarela is dated to September 2019.
Quince Paste and Local Confectionery Culture
Quince paste offers a concrete way into the local confectionery culture. A pre-cooperative group of women from Choya made it and went by the name “Mishqui Yanapay.” In 1994, a group of women associated with quince paste production was formed in Choya. Together with Choya’s standing as an exemplary place for rural confectionery production, these details give the culinary theme a social and local connection: the focus is on a specific product and women’s groups from Choya.
Travelers who take local food culture into account when choosing a destination will find a clearly defined focus here. Quince paste links confectionery production with a local tradition; the group’s name and the year 1994 provide different concrete points of reference. Choya can therefore be described not only by its geographical divisions, but also by its role in rural confectionery production.
Event Notice from Choya
The Peña “La Choyanada” is also a cultural point of reference for Choya. Its ninth edition was announced for January 2025 at the Centro Vecinal San Roque in the Choya District of the Department of Andalgalá. The date refers to that announcement and is not a current event date.
The Wider Destination: Department of Andalgalá
The wider destination of the Department of Andalgalá provides further context. Pucará del Aconquija is a Provincial Archaeological Park there and part of the Qhapaq Ñan, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This archaeological and cultural-historical context differs from Choya’s local focus on quince paste and confectionery production.
The Cuesta de Capillitas is also in the Department of Andalgalá. This mountain route is more than 60 kilometers long and can be driven in any vehicle; nevertheless, a four-wheel-drive vehicle is recommended for greater safety and comfort. Check road conditions before setting out. The route’s general accessibility and the recommendation to use four-wheel drive apply side by side: the latter is advice for safety and comfort, not a restriction on the types of vehicles that can use the route.
The climb reaches the Minas Capillitas at an altitude of more than 3,100 meters. Visitors can enter various areas of the former mining operation there. Muschaka preserves another record of the mining heritage: old smelting furnaces, chimneys, slag heaps, parts of a 33-kilometer-long cableway, and an old chapel. These regional themes broaden the picture of the Department of Andalgalá to include mountain landscapes, archaeological heritage, and surviving traces of past mining activity.
Discover more destinations: Alumbrera
For the wider travel overview: Department of Andalgalá.
