Leaving the small village of Volcán, and after heading due north for seven kilometres, on a road bordered by willows and elms surrounding planted fields, irrigated by canals, the traveller will reach another small village called Tumbaya, also on the banks of the Río Grande River.

Tumbaya is one of various villages based on the pre Hispanic settlements of the Omaguacas. Today it offers the traveller a few streets laid out in an octagonal pattern around the small tree shaded Main Square where you will find the Church of Our Lady of Sorrows and Our Lady of Candlemas.

During the Viceroyalty it was the centre of the Catholic Church in the region. Today it holds a population of little more than 200 people and at 2094 m.a.s.l. It is located at the foot of a mountain in the southern part of the Puna highland region, with a very irregular landscape, especially in its northern and eastern parts.

In the lower parts, the climate is dry and mild, but very cold in the high parts. The eastern part of the Department receives most of the rainfalls. There is an abundance of high mountains and many fruit plantations, and also many stands of teasels.

The plant life is determined according to the local habitat. The mountains are covered with forests of alders and pines. In the gorge you will find willows, carobs, elms, pepper trees, teasels, charquis and queñoa. Wildlife includes vizcachas, foxes, pumas, condors, eagles and waterfowl such as guayatas and duck. .

A statue in the village and a fountain bearing his name bear witness to the visit of San Francisco Solano to Tumbaya.

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The Tumbaya Church

It was originally built in the half of the XVIIth century, but was rebuilt in the year 1796. After parts of it had collapsed it was definitely restored in 1944. In it you will find the statue of Our Lady of Sorrows, who is the patron saint of the village, and it also holds valuable paintings of the famed Cuzco Scholl of Paintings and also interesting gold and silver pieces.

The church is built in the Mudejar Andalusian style, so common in the region. Of one nave, a single tower and thick adobe whitewashed plaster walls that support a wooden spar roof with overhang that protects the walls.