Mendoza

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HORESEBACK & TREKKING in Mendoza

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Mendoza HIDDEN TREASURES

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Mendoza

MENDOZA AND CUYO

Cuyo is the land of sun and good wine, of rivers and sports, of the desert, the stars and the soaring Andes.

In the province of Mendoza, Mount Aconcagua rises to 6,962 meters and is the highest peak of America. It is here, in the mid zone of the Cordillera de los Andes (Andes Mountain Range) where trekking, horseback excursions, rafting and mountain biking are practiced intensly.

The altitude, the sun and the arid, sandy earth comprise an ideal terroir for wine production. Mendoza’s intense wines have gained world recognition and some of its wineries stand out for their fine modern architecture as well. Grapevines can be found all over Cuyo region, along with the less renowned olive and walnut trees, both bearing fruit of excellent quality.

In the south of the province, Payunia region is the home of incredible landscapes of black lava, basaltic rock and hundreds of volcanos of different shapes and sizes, set in the middle of a lunar landscape.

The noblest representatives of Cuyo desert are to be found in the provinces of La Rioja and San Juan. There, between condors and reptiles, the red walls of Cañon de Talampaya (Talampaya Canyon) rise and broil under the sun and blend in with the pale landscape of Valle de la Luna (Moon Valley).

HIGHLIGHTS

WINE CULTURE

Mendoza is intimately associated to wine. This relationship includes the favorable worldwide reputation of its Malbec, its winery resorts and boutique hotels, wine tasting tours for all palates and the splendorous traditional Wine Harvest Festival.
The sunny, dry climate, the sandy earth and a good irrigation system provide Mendoza with ideal growing conditions. There are all kinds of wineries here: high production international companies with surprising architecture, small traditional family-run country estate plantations as well as organic undertakings led by a new generation of enologists.

TALAMPAYA NATIONAL PARK

Located in La Rioja desert, 60 km from the town of Villa Union, this red-sand park covers an extension of 214,000 hectares.
In the last 250 million years, what was once a flood plain, rose up, then split and dried and finally became a red desert. In turn, the seasonal rains and the wind eroded the sandy rock, giving way to strange formations and extraordinary canyons of up to 150 m in height.
Although the area seems uninhabitable, the region is home to guanacos (large llama), maras, foxes, pumas, reptiles, eagles, condors and hawks. There are also important dinosaur remains and traces of pre-Colombian cultures.
The Talampaya Canyon, the Park´s principal attraction, can be toured with excursions of varying lengths by van, bicycle and foot. Other sites in the area worth visiting are Quebrada de Eduardo, la Ciudad Perdida and Cañon Arco Iris.

MOON VALLEY, ISCHIGUALASTO PROVINCIAL PARK

The first thing that catches the visitor’s eye is the surprising landscape of pale colors and earthy textures. The white sandy ground gives the Moon Valley its name. On the hillsides, colored layers testify to the different geological eras.
Ishigualasto, along with Talampaya, were declared UNESCO World Heritage sites for being one of the most important paleontological sites in the world. Walking around Ishigualasto means placing your feet on the same ground that dinosaurs roamed.
The main circuit is covered on private cars. The site guide leads the caravan to impressive rocky formations eroded by the wind into odd, mysterious shapes.
Bicycle and trekking tours and special full moon outings are also available.

PAYUNIA

All the existing varieties can be found among the more than 800 volcanos in the Payunia Provincial Reserve.
The shades of red and black found among the basalt flows, the lava beds and the pyroclastic fields intermingle with the impertinent yellows of the thatches. The unique beauty of this landscape is reminiscent of the Earth’s origins.
This open book for volcanologists is located in the south of Mendoza Province, on its frontier with Patagonia. It can be reached from Malargüe, 160 km away, and only with authorized excursions.

ACONCAGUA

Aconcagua is the highest mountain in America and in the southern hemisphere. Its 6,962 meters also make it the highest peak outside the Himalayas.
It rose up from the ocean floor about 65 million years ago along with the entire Andes mountain chain.
It is located in the province of Mendoza near the High Mountain Road that crosses into Chile. Aconcagua’s southern face can be seen from this road.
Mountain climbers from all over the world aim for its summit every summer. For those less experienced, trekking expeditions of varying length and difficulty go to panoramic points or base camps.

LOCATION

Cuyo region includes the provinces of Mendoza, San Juan, San Luis and La Rioja, in the center-west of the country. It extends along the Andes mountain range. The city of Mendoza is 1,100 km from Buenos Aires and 360 km from Santiago, Chile.

WHEN TO GO

The pleasant temperatures, colorful landscapes and the February wine harvest make spring and the end of summer the best moments for a visit. Crossings and visits to the Puna and higher altitude areas can only be done in summer.

WEATHER

In the valleys, temperatures reach about 0°C in winter and 30°C in summer. In the upper mountain, temperatures are much lower and in winter some roads are cut due to snow. The region is dry. The wet season is in winter and there are some strong storms in summer. A wind current, locally known as Zonda blows sporadically between May and November, bringing very warm air which travelers are recommended to seek shelter from.