La Rioja
1.167 Kms far from Buenos Aires, the province of La Rioja gives color to the Cuyan Region.
Its past, rich in native culture, came out in a worthy load of archaeological findings, traditions and customs, expressed in many popular festivities. Among them, we have to remark the Riojan Carnivals which became famous for providing vitality to the whole region.
Besides, vineyards and olive groves complement the ocher shades of the desert with its green crops, with enhance the natural beauty of the productive valleys. Between impressive down and up hills and an incredibly beautiful landscape, appears the Tampalaya National Park with strange shapes molded by the passing of time and imposing red walls of great altitude; a marvelous nature work declared Universal Patrimony by the UNESCO.
The whole province is a place full of charm: the right destination for those seeking adventure. Horse Ridings in the Andes Mountain Range and visits to the precious ecosystems of Laguna Brava, where pink flamingos live, are tours that no visitor should miss!
Mendoza
The Province of Mendoza is 1.031 kms far from Buenos Aires. It is one of the provinces chosen by tourists for recreational activities. With its unmistakable identity related to wine, it is the most important wine producing province and, therefore, concentrates the largest number of wineries and vineyards.
Circuits associated to wine-tourism comply with the expectations of those willing to discover the qualities of national wines, mainly Malbec, provided it is the emblematic national strain. Adventure tourism is also an outstanding choice.
In winter, ski and snowboard are practiced at two winter centers (Penitentes and Las Leñas); in summer, every kind of mountain activities take place: rafting and kayak take advantage of the maximum flow of rivers.
Besides, Mendoza counts with eight water reservoirs fit for boating, windsurf, waterski, diving, yatching, motonautics or sport fishing. For those loving altitudes, Andean Climbing is practiced at every level while paragliding and hang gliding are practiced at the mounts closest to the city. For those seeking to enjoy the beautiful landscapes in an absolute relaxed atmosphere, photographic safaris and wild fauna watching are excellent options.
Horse Ridings at the Andes Mountain Range (even tours that follow the paths used by the soldiers that crossed The Andes) and the Aconcagua National Park, where the Aconcagua Mount is located, one of the highest peaks in the world (6.949 mts), are other options that tourists loving nature and seeking adventure should not miss!
San Juan
The province of San Juan is 1.119 kms far from Buenos Aires. The Andean rivers make possible life in this oasis which emerges in middle of a desert that the man was able to domesticate. By means of dams, channels and aqueducts, winemaking production developed, an unmistakable symbol of the cuyan economy.
San Juan Wineries, equipped with latest technologies, gave birth to exquisite varietals that were awarded worldwide. Besides, being this province neatly dominated by natural attractions, it is the ideal scenario for the practice of adventure tourism and non-conventional sports. One of the most impressive circuits is the one that gets more than 4.000 meters above the sea level to admire the Penitentes Sanjuaninos (ice forms that arise by the action of sun and wind over huge snow accumulations in extremely arid lands). This phenomenon is very uncommon in the world and it only occurs in San Juan and some places in Asia.
For those loving windsurf, the Cuesta del Viento dam is considered one of the best places for this sport practice, because of its geographic and weather conditions. Rural Tourism is another usual practice, mainly the adventure of Horse Riding by the Andes Mountain Range: a trip of incredible beauty and contact with the earth. San Juan was blessed with another nature landmark, acknowledged as Patrimony of Mankind, the Ischigualasto Provincial Park (also called Valle de la Luna, “Moon Valley”), one of the most important paleontological fields in the world.
San Luis
820 Kms distant from Buenos Aires, the environment of the province of San Luis combines a broad socio-cultural group formed by picturesque touristic towns and diverse historical sites that distinguish this region.
Its capital, having the same name, is located by the Sierras Grandes, at the extreme called "Punta de los Venados", this name giving origin to the world "puntanos" which refers to the province inhabitants. It keeps the characteristic aspect of the Mediterranean cities of the XIX century: quiet life and old colonial houses mixed with modern style buildings, most of them located at the commercial center.
At its northeastern region, we can find the most important touristic center: Villa de Merlo. Located at the beautiful ConlaraValley, in the middle of a micro-weather internationally recognized by its natural qualities, converts San Luis in a synonym of welfare and relax. Its crystalline water streams and forest spaces shelter a wide range of flora and fauna, which may be enjoyed by different kind of tours.
Those willing to contemplate nature’s purest ecosystem, should not miss the Sierra de las Quijadas National Park, a magnificent natural reservoir that offers a unique landscape of valleys and canyons of red stones, sculpted by an erosion process that took million of years.
This region, comprised by the provinces of La Rioja, Mendoza, San Juan and San Luis, spreads along the imposing Andes Mountain Range and extends its borders until the most southern Sierras Pampeanas.
Unique mixture of weather, high mountain landscapes, native species and native people, Cuyo is a region of intense economic activities. By means of easy land access, transportation, airports and touristic infrastructure, visitors may carry out multiple activities in contact with history, tradition and nature.
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