TALAMPAYA NATIONAL PARK (La Rioja)

ISCHIGUALASTO PROVINCIAL PARK (San Juan)

Ischigualasto Provincial Park, located in San Juan Province, covers an area of 63,000 hectares and is more commonly known as the “Valley of the Moon.” Together with Talampaya, it forms a single continuous unit, the Ischigualasto–Talampaya World Heritage Site, where sediments from the entire Triassic period can be seen outcropping at the surface. The natural boundary between the two parks, which also marks the interprovincial border, is the crest of the low mountain range known as Sierra Morada. This formation drops abruptly to the west and, when viewed from the Valley of the Moon, is known as “Las Barrancas Coloradas” (the Red Cliffs). The area open to tourism is organized along a single circuit lasting approximately three hours, consisting of a vehicle-based route with intermediate stops. These include visits to the Dr. William Sill Site Museum and geological formations such as the Painted Valley—whose striking landscape gave rise to the name Valley of the Moon—as well as La Cancha de Bochas, accessed via a short hike of about 40 minutes, The Sphinx, The Submarine, The Mushroom, and the Red Cliffs. There are also options for hiking to Cerro Morado and mountain biking.

Our Excursions

EXCURSION TO TALAMPAYA AND ISCHIGUALASTO:Full-Day Excursion (FD) – One-day tour from 7:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. ITINERARY: The tour departs from the city of La Rioja, with pick-up from centrally located hotels starting at 7:00 a.m. We then travel to Ischigualasto Provincial Park, better known as the Valley of the Moon, in San Juan Province. Upon arrival at the Visitor Center, entrance tickets are purchased and the time slot for accessing the circuit is assigned. We then enter the circuit in our own vehicles, traveling in convoy, led by an official park guide, and follow a route lasting approximately 3 to 3.5 hours, with several stops. These include Painted Valley, La Cancha de Bochas, The Submarine, the Site Museum, The Mushroom, and the Red Cliffs. At each stop, the guide explains the park’s main features while passengers enjoy the unique landscape and have time to take photographs. At the end of the circuit, we continue our journey to Talampaya National Park, arriving shortly after midday at the Visitor Center, where entrance tickets and the desired activity or experience are purchased. Depending on the assigned entry time, passengers will have more or less time for lunch at the park restaurant. Passengers then enter the park in vehicles operated by the official concessionaire or permit holder, accompanied by an authorized park guide. Once the activity is completed, passengers transfer back to our vehicles to return to the city of La Rioja, arriving at approximately 8:30–9:00 p.m. The order of visits to the parks is at the exclusive discretion of the company and may be reversed, starting in the morning at Talampaya and continuing in the afternoon at the Valley of the Moon. On this one-day excursion to both parks, there is usually enough time to complete the traditional 3–3.5-hour circuit in the Valley of the Moon and one activity or experience in Talampaya lasting 2.5 or 4 hours, which are detailed below:

“Talampaya Canyon” Experience: Duration: 2.5 hours The excursion takes place along the course of the Talampaya Seco River, through the canyon that bears the same name. It is carried out in vans or minibuses operated by the concessionaire, accompanied by an authorized park guide, who leads the group. The vehicles stop at each of the four stations included in this itinerary, where short walks are made in order to interact with the area’s natural environment. Along the route, visitors travel between imposing 150-meter-high reddish rock walls, which allow appreciation of petroglyphs and geological formations such as El Rey Mago, El Cóndor, La Torre, El Botellón, El Tótem, and the Gothic Cathedral, ending at El Monje. The excursion also includes observation of native flora in the Botanical Garden, as well as local wildlife such as foxes, guanacos, maras, rheas, and condors.

“4×4 Adventure to Talampaya Canyon and Shimpa” Experience:Duration: 3 or 4 hours This circuit is an extension of the previous one and lasts three or four hours, depending on the assigned entry time. It includes a catering service enjoyed in a spectacular natural setting. The excursion is carried out in a modern four-wheel-drive vehicle, which travels along complex and sandy roads, providing visitors with a high level of comfort thanks to its large panoramic windows. These vehicles allow passengers to experience the adrenaline of driving along winding routes, while also enjoying the open air and sunlight throughout the journey. The itinerary includes visits to five stations within Talampaya Canyon: Petroglyphs, the Botanical Garden, The Cathedral, The Monk, and Shimpa Canyon, where a short walk is taken into the canyon before returning. The excursion is accompanied by a driver and a guide authorized by the National Parks Administration. The possibility of riding on the roof or through the roof hatches of the vehicle depends on the specific vehicle available.

For the following Trekking options, please contact us

Don Eduardo Gorge and Talampaya Canyon:Duration: 5 hours This excursion consists of transferring passengers in authorized vehicles from Base Cóndor to the Quebrada Entrance. From there, the group enters the gorge on foot, accompanied by a park guide, following the designated trail and walking over a sandy riverbed. Along the route, visitors pass through striking geological formations such as “El Flautista,” “La Olla,” and “El Túnel,” reaching the La Falla Viewpoint. From this point, the route descends through the “Gothic Labyrinth” to the dry riverbed of the gorge and continues on foot alongside the imposing cliff walls that separate the area from the Great Talampaya Canyon, returning to the entrance. At the end of the walk, passengers board the vehicles again to return to Base Cóndor.

Trekking in the Talampaya Canyon:Duration: 3 hours The excursion departs from Base Cóndor to the Quebrada Entrance by vehicle, where a walk begins along the bed of the Talampaya River, between the imposing cliff walls of Talampaya Canyon, passing through “Los Petroglifos” and the “Botanical Garden.” From there, the route returns to the Canyon Entrance, where passengers board the vehicles again to return to Base Cóndor.

Trekking in Rainbow Canyon:Duration: 3 hours This excursion consists of transporting passengers in authorized vehicles departing from Base Águila, located on National Route 76, traveling upstream along the bed of the Ontiveros River to the vicinity of the Arco Iris Canyon Entrance. From there, a walk begins into the canyon, following the Ontiveros River bed, where visitors can observe the different strata displaying a wide variety of colors. A short detour is made to “La Lagunita,” which usually contains residual water during the summer season. The route then continues back into the canyon, reaching the base of “El Anfiteatro,” at the foot of Mogote Negro. From this point, the group returns to the Canyon Entrance, boards the vehicles, and travels back to Base Águila.

Trekking in Ciudad Perdida (The Lost City):Duration: 4 to 5 hours This excursion consists of transporting passengers in authorized vehicles departing from Base Águila, located on National Route 76, traveling upstream along the bed of the Ontiveros River to the confluence with the El Portillo River. The route then continues along this river until reaching the Gualo River, which is followed upstream to “Árbol Hotel,” where the walking portion of the excursion begins. The walk follows the trail authorized by the National Parks Administration, crossing sparse woodland to reach “Los Miradores,” where visitors are rewarded with a first panoramic view of the geological formation known as “Ciudad Perdida,” located within a depression. From there, the route descends along a marked path into the interior of the formation, where a network of labyrinth-like passages is explored, walking along the beds of small streams that resemble narrow streets between formations similar to buildings. The itinerary continues through the “Los Lagartos Canyon,” where curious geological formations can be observed, reaching the vicinity of Mogote Negro Hill. The route then joins the main river, which acts as a central thoroughfare for the interconnected passages, leading to “El Salto.” From this point, the return journey begins back to Los Miradores and Árbol Hotel, and then by vehicle to Base Águila.