What to do at the 11 UNESCO Heritage Sites in Argentina

6. Mountain biking in the Natural Parks of Ischigualasto and Talampaya

Two provinces that share an area declared a World Heritage Site in 2000, where the most outstanding features are the geological formations and their impressive reddish colors. Both parks have gained scientific importance due to the paleontological findings made in the area, which record traces of the Triassic Period of the Mesozoic Era. This means that whoever visits these wonders will be standing on the same land that dinosaurs once walked on. 

In addition to the thousand views that the Mars-like landscape offers - Ischigualasto is known as the Valley of the Moon-, adventurers can also have their share of sports tourism in San Juan and La Rioja. How? Through mountain bike circuits that run through several kilometers of natural red walls.

7. Enjoying a night light show at the Guaraní Jesuit Missions

Declared a World Heritage Site in 1984, these missions were carried out by the Jesuits in the 16th and 17th centuries to convert the Guarani native people of the area to Catholicism. Altogether, there are four missions: San Ignacio Miní, Nuestra Señora de Loreto, Santa Ana and Santa María la Mayor. The best preserved is the first, with its characteristic reddish color and its thousand attractive corners for photographic eyes. You can obviously visit it, walk around and even visit the museum at the entrance that illustrates the history of the archaeological site more clearly. But the alternative experience involves a projector and surround sound under the light of a starry sky. From Thursday to Sunday, at 8:30 p.m., there is a projection of images on the ruins of San Ignacio that shows the memories of the villages and the people.

8. Drawing the amazing Casa Curutchet, an icon of modern architecture in La Plata

A recognition for the father of modern architecture in the heart of Argentina. Buenos Aires is present in the heritage site ranking with an amazing architectural work located in La Plata, 58 km away from the city center. What is this wonder about? In a family home inaugurated in 1953 and commissioned by Doctor Curutchet to Swiss architect Le Corbusier, who thought of the innovative idea with an avant-garde vision on materials, structures and shapes. Today, it is the headquarters of the Architects’ Association of the Province of Buenos Aires and also welcomes curious tourists who get away from the city to walk into a unique architectural universe. 

The activity par excellence here - in addition to walking around its spotless white interior, with ramps and even a tree that crosses the structure - is sitting in front of the facade with paper and pencil in hand and drawing. Letting yourself be carried away by the same creativity that guided the artist to design a work that today places La Plata on the world radar. Strongly rooted to the studies of architecture, there are many students who sit and draw the Curutchet House. 

9. Breathing cave paintings in the Cave of Hands [Cueva de las Manos], Santa Cruz

Cave paintings over 9300 years old which are preserved in perfect condition. That is the main premise that makes this cave a unique cultural heritage site on the globe, a record of the life of prehistoric civilizations. The place where it is located adds mystique to the visit, amidst mountains and Patagonian landscapes. What prevails - and attracts thousands of historians - are the 829 painted hands of different sizes and colors throughout the enclosure. 

To continue your sightseeing tour, near the cave you access Tierra de Colores, a low-difficulty path that offers a palette of ocher, yellow and pink colors, which are worth of being photographed. They portray the perfect combination of history, trekking and panoramic views.

If you are planning to travel in February, an event you can’t miss is the Cave of Hands Festival, where different national and international musicians give a show to honor the archaeological site. 

10. Going back in time in the Manzana y Estancias jesuíticas, in Córdoba

Another trace of the coming of the Jesuits to our country. The star is now the capital of Córdoba, the second most populated province in Argentina. The circuit includes the so-called Camino de las Estancias Jesuíticas, where you tour the Manzana and the five estancias (Colonia Caroya, Jesús María, Santa Catalina, Alta Gracia and La Candelaria). Each place houses buildings that show the historical fact and the architectural value of the constructions. 

The Manzana Jesuítica, in the center of the city, features the Compañía de Jesús Church, the Domestic Chapel, the Residence, the University and the National College of Montserrat. The church towers, in Romanesque style, shine at night with their illumination and give the kick-start to enjoy nightlife in Córdoba. 

On the other hand, touring the estancias is embarking on a journey into the past. From the museums in Colonia Caroya and Alta Gracia, to the Jesús María vineyards and the largest architectural complex built outside the city in Santa Catalina. Or the rural establishment of La Candelaria, 150 km from the capital, located on a high plain known as “Pampa de San Luis”. 

11. Taking pictures of the Puente del Inca, a must-see in Qhapaq Ñan

The Andean Main Road or Qhapaq Ñan, in Quechua language, is a journey that goes along more than 30,000 km and covers six countries: Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, Chile and Peru. It was included in the list of Heritage Sites in 2014 for being a living testimony of the splendor of the Inca civilization and for connecting cultures, transportation, trading and landscapes through an amazing road system. 

The area comprised in the Argentine territory is 119 km long and spreads along seven different provinces. Jujuy, Salta Tucumán, Catamarca, La Rioja, San Juan and Mendoza have the privilege of witnessing this iconic engineering work. One of the most interesting sectors is in the province of Mendoza and it became famous worldwide for being a natural bridge shaped by the action of mineral waters and sediments: the Inca Bridge [Puente del Inca]. The tours around the different provinces propose a trip to pre-Columbian times, full of history, walks and ruins.

The eleven Argentine World Heritage Sites are a spectacle worthy of the experiences they offer and here we are introducing the best ones for you to learn about them.

Must-see iconic sites and - as if that weren't enough - a world historical value. The World Heritage Sites of Argentina are places with their own imprint that leave a mark on the planet. Why? Due to their important cultural and natural component, which places them under the protection of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Some have been heritage sites for many years - the first was Los Glaciares National Park, Santa Cruz, in 1981 - and others are more recent, such as Los Alerces National Park, Chubut, in 2017. But the same common factor joins them: endowing the country with a cultural heritage that reinforces its position as a tourist destination.

As we know, there are eleven Heritage Sites, deployed throughout the national territory. Now, what can you do in each one of them? How to make the most of your visit to these giants? These are some of the amazing experiences that can be enjoyed in the World Heritage Sites.

1. Walking on ice in Los Glaciares National Park

A light-blue colored show that attracts more than 486,308 tourists a year. Located in Santa Cruz, it is the largest area of glaciological processes and its value lies precisely in that natural impact. The greatest must-do? Trekking on the Perito Moreno, the most famous glacier in the country. The one that, year after year, raises expectation worldwide for its historic landslides. With the company of a guide, some tours enable you to live the Patagonian experience from the inside, with specialized gear and your heart beating fast because you are walking through a legendary ice mass. The tour includes sailing along the lake, a walk among the local wildlife and, finally, stepping on the amazing Perito Moreno, crowning the journey with a whisky on the rocks, with ice from the glacier.

2. Getting soaked under the waterfalls in the magnificent Iguazú National Park

The greatest show of the power of nature is experienced in this National Park, in the province of Misiones. Because, in addition to being a World Heritage Site, in 2011 the Iguazu Falls were added to the list of the Seven Wonders of the World. It is no surprise: its amazing waterfalls are thrilling and worthy of being admired. So much so that the best way to experience them is by entering their waters. The Great Adventure is exactly that: a journey from another planet that brings you closer to the paradise of waters which are part of the site. The excursion also involves direct contact with the misionera jungle on a safari-style journey through the territory. The adventure continues on a boat, where you will get soaked under the falling water, with views of the stunning Devil’s Throat. 

And, as the place is worth it, there is a second experience to bear in mind, if the visit matches the moon phase. Why? Because, when there is a full moon, night excursions are conducted to the Devil’s Throat to feel its strength even more intensively, illuminated by the moonlight. The magic of nature at its best.

3. Entering an ice tunnel in Los Alerces National Park

An experience from another world takes place in the province of Chubut, in southern Argentina Los Alerces National Park became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008, due to its important heritage of native flora, especially larches, the trees that decorate a large part of Patagonia. Beyond walking through the entire Park to absorb the magic of the south, there is another even more tempting adventure: entering the ice tunnels at the top of Cerro La Torta.

So, what's it all about? An excursion that crosses lenga forests and, after a one-hour trekking journey, allows you to reach cylindrical 100-meter-long and ten-meter-thick natural formations. The phenomenon - which can be enjoyed for a short time, from January through February - arises from the melting of ice layers that accumulate during the year and, due to the high temperatures of the earth in summer, begin to melt from the bottom up.

4. Whale-watching in Península Valdés  

A coastal accident surrounded by wildlife and nature. A place that is, undoubtedly, perfect for watching animals, from sea lions to penguins, birds, guanacos and the great star: the southern right whale. In fact, this region in Chubut is considered one of the most important whale-watching destinations in the world. From June through December, various boats enter the Atlantic Ocean to witness, if they are lucky, one of the most amazing phenomena of contact with the animal kingdom. Whales of gigantic sizes move under the boats and give an amazing show for all the senses. 

5. Living Carnival in the Quebrada de Humahuaca, one of the most colorful festivals in the country.

A canyon declared a Heritage Site in 2003 in the cultural landscape category. Why? The answer is right before the eyes of the tourist who chooses the Quebrada de Humahuaca, in Jujuy, as a destination: an impressive postcard featuring valleys and colorful mountains that stretches 155 km along the Rio Grande. Its must-see sites are filled with history and colors: Purmamarca with its stunning Cerro de los Siete Colores (Hill of the Seven Colors), Tilcara and the Pucará ruins, Humahuaca, which invites tourists to discover a typical northern town, and the great wonder of the Serranía de Hornocal (also known as the Hill of the Fourteen Colors). 

In addition to the dream-like photos that can be taken there, in February the Quebrada is the venue for one of the most typical festivals in Argentina: Carnival. The villages are covered in vibrant colors, masks and typical northern costumes to honor the Pachamama - the Mother Earth - with music and dance. They are eight days of pure celebration that perfectly reflect Argentine folklore.