| DAY | Day's Detail | 1 | Arrival in La Rioja, welcome transfer, and check-in at your hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure. |
2 | Excursion to La Costa Riojana to explore the residential area of La Rioja city, La Quebrada and Los Sauces Dam, Villa Sanagasta, the scenic Cuesta de Huaco, and a chain of charming villages along the Velasco range, including Agua Blanca, Las Peñas, Chuquis, Pinchas, Aminga, and Anillaco. Return to La Rioja via Señor de la Peña or Huaco. This excursion can be extended with an optional visit to Santa Vera Cruz Castle and Aimogasta, cradle of olive growing, including the famous four-hundred-year-old olive tree (supplement applies). |
3 | La Rioja – Valle de la Luna – Villa Unión. Departure at 9:00 a.m. for Ischigualasto Provincial Park (Valle de la Luna), where you will travel the park’s remarkable 3-hour internal circuit in our own vehicles, observing famous formations such as the Painted Valley, the Bowling Court, the Submarine, the Mushroom, and the Red Cliffs. In the afternoon, continue to Villa Unión for overnight accommodation with breakfast. |
4 | Excursion to Talampaya National Park. Depart from Villa Unión for the park’s visitor center, where guests can choose among several experiences. The most traditional option is the Talampaya Canyon circuit, a 2.5-hour journey in park vehicles through the bed of the Talampaya River between towering canyon walls. Along the route, you will see petroglyphs, native flora and fauna, and striking formations shaped by erosion, including the Faces, the Sentinel, the Wise King, the Gothic Cathedral, the Condor, the Tower, and the Monk. Return to Villa Unión in the afternoon. |
5 | Excursion to the Laguna Brava Reserve. Departure from Villa Unión at 8:00 a.m., visiting Vinchina, the Diaguita Stars, the spectacular geological folds of Quebrada de la Troya, and Jagüé, the last village before climbing through the colorful Quebrada del Peñón toward Laguna Brava at 4,200 meters above sea level. Explore the reserve, including Flamingo Bay and other scenic viewpoints, with the chance to observe herds of vicuñas and guanacos. A light picnic lunch in the mountains is available at your own expense. In the afternoon, return to Villa Unión, arriving at approximately 7:00 p.m. Please note that between June and September, access to the lagoon depends on daily weather conditions and road conditions, which may be affected by snow. Even when the final stretch cannot be reached, the excursion remains highly rewarding due to the extraordinary scenery along the route. |
6 | Villa Unión – Cuesta de Miranda – Chilecito – La Rioja. Cross the Famatina range via the scenic Cuesta de Miranda, visiting the historic cableway to La Mejicana Mine, Station 1, the Mining Museum, the Samay Huasi estate of JoaquÃn V. González, Santa Florentina, Cuesta de Las Talas, and RÃo del Oro. Return to La Rioja through Los Colorados. Overnight stay at hotel with breakfast. |
7 | Breakfast and departure transfer to the airport or bus terminal. |
