"Andes, Sky and Puna"

DAY 1 - Valle de la Luna (Ischigualasto Provincial Park)
Departing from La Rioja we immerse directly in a magical desert of lunar landscapes. In the Valley of the Moon the rocks have curious figures like the "Worm", the "Mushroom", or the "Bowling Court". With its fossiles and sedimentary strata, every scene is part of a history between 225 to 250 million years old, when the first forms of reptiles with mammal characteristics evolved.

DAY 2 - Talampaya National Park
An exhaustive exploration of the wonderful Talampaya Park and its invaluable geological treasures. We will admire the impressive Talampaya Canion with its monumental reddish rockwalls, valleys filled with curious figures carved by the erosion, and an enormous wall with ancient rockpaintings.

DAY 3 - Laguna Brava
Ascending to the 4,.200 m of height will offer a coloured panorama of lagoon and snow-covered mountains. The Reserva Provincial Laguna Brava (Brave Lagoon Provincial Reserve) was created to protect its fauna: vicuñas, guanacos, American pumas, foxes, chinchillas and attractive birds like the flamencos of white and pink plumage, ducks, eagles and hawks. The place is surrounded by summits of Andean giants like the Veladero (6.436 m) and Bonete (6.872 m.) volcanoes.

DAY 4 - Villa Unión - Fiambalá
A stretch of Riojan landscape, reddish cornices of Miranda's fascinating Slope, agricultural valleys, walnut trees and vineyards, mountains, and the always present snow-covered Famatina. Immediately after, the fascinating Ruta del Adobe in Catamarca, its housings, churches and oratories of sun-dried bricks. Pleasant culmination of the day will be warm thermal baths in Fiambalá, between high granite walls, to 1,570 meters.

DAY 5 - Mount Pissis
A demanding but grand expedition towards one of the "sixtyhundreds": the Mount Pissis, a colossus of 6.882 (IGM) meters of altitude above sea level, the highest volcano of the world. Layers of mountains of varied textures and tones, lagoons of intense colors and filled with pink flamencos, and grazing vicuñas configure an infinite and incomparable space. Which we will contemplate, amazed, to 4,500 m high, at the balcony of the Green Lagoon.

DAY 6 - Fiambalá - Laguna Blanca
We will go to the town of Belén, known by its splendid weaves of vicuña, llama and sheep-wool; and visit the monumental archaeological place of Shincal, a citadel of 21 hectares built by the Incas. In the green valley of Hualfín, an ascent of fascinating landscape up to 3.500 m high will take us gradually to the magical Puna. In the Reserva Natural Laguna Blanca (White Lagoon Natural Reserve), its lagoon, the vegetation and the fauna of birds will offer a surrealistic vision of pastel colors.

DAY 7 - Crater of Galán Vulcano - Salar del Hombre Muerto An unforgettable expedition into the heart of the Puna, of hidden marvels like the Laguna Grande (Big Lagoon), populated by thousands of parinas (flamencos). We will also enjoy the crater of the Galán volcano, the widest in the world with 36 km, and a lagoon of turquoises and white reflexes in its interior. An environment of infinite solitude until arriving at the Salar del Hombre Muerto (Salar of the Dead Man, a white and enormous appearance reflecting the colors of the sky and the incredible ruins of Inca Huasi.

DAY 8- Antofagasta de la Sierra - Tolar Grande
In Antofagasta de la Sierra, "the house of the sun", main population of the Puna in Catamarca, 3,440 m high on a plain, a petrified black lava torrent will take us to the lagoon of the Antofagasta and to the ancient indigenous deposit of La Alumbrera volcanoes. In the evening, the immense Puna will take us to Salar de Antofalla, the largest in the world (140 km), and to the small village of Antofalla. Mountains and volcanoes, continuous ascents, impressive viewpoints, abrupt descents, some valleys where the shy vicuñas stroll around, an immense space to live thoroughly.

DAY 9 -San Antonio de los Cobres - Salta
The last landscapes of the Puna, one of the most deserted regions of the Earth, but also one of the most amazing. After crossing Abra del Gallo (Pass of the Rooster) at 4,700 m of height we will arrive at the ancient mining town of San Antonio de los Cobres, and descend enjoying spectacular views next to the way of the Tren de las Nubes (Train of the Clouds) towards Salta, where our expedition will finish. And which we invite to complement with the fascinating trip Quebrada de Humahuaca and Valles Calchaquíes!

To contact this tour operator please use the contact form next to the map on the right.

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Price/Person: 1.080 EUR
Number of participants 2-6
Duration: 9 Days

Area: Andes in Northwest Argentina
Accomodation is included in this tour: Typical and pleasant hotels, small hostels or family houses. With customized expeditions we offer the alternative of tenting.

The Guide is able to understand this language also    
   german
   english
   spanish

Special Hints: From Valley of the Moon and Talampaya-Park in La Rioja up to Salta, enjoying Mount Pissis and the crater of the Galán Volcano.

edited at 23.04.08 | 8:44 PM
last update 23.04.08 | 8:44 PM

Guide details

Silvia Hopp

Web: To contact this tour operator please use the contact form above.
Phone Number: ---
Vita
Wir veranstalten seit 2002 unvergessliche Abenteuerreisen fuer kleine Gruppen, mit dreisprachiger Reisebegleitung, in einer der einsamsten und faszinierendsten Regionen der Erde, die argentinischen Anden im Nordwesten.

edited at 13.10.06 | 02:21 AM
last update 19.06.08 | 3:43 PM

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