Space Technology

By: Ale Mcalister
The emblematic figure of La Rioja province is the Talampaya canyon located in the National Park and is located 250 kilometers from the city of La Rioja, and 50 kilometers from closest town of Villa Union, and about 70 Kms from the province of San Juan.   A very colorful place with different mountain shapes and natural sculptures, where you can see that all the Argentinean version of the Rocky Mountains were touched by the strong winds, heavy rains followed by imminent erosion, and that makes it a very important tourist attraction.

To visit this National Park Talampaya, from Buenos Aires there is a distance of 1,200 kms driving through the 9th highway from (Pan American ramal Escobar) to Cordova, Carlos Paz Highway, Route 38 up to Patquía, route 150 to get to the Talampaya National Park and route 76. From the city of La Rioja, take Route 38 to Patquía then continue along the 150.

The park has an area of 215,000 hectares and has a main entrance building built in 2006 to welcome all the tourists and visitors with restaurant services, healthcare, commercial offices, camping and a multipurpose room where activities related to the Park are performed.

For many anthropologists and prehistory lovers that would like to appreciate and feel  what the first humans lived millions of years ago, this is the perfect place to imagine, and take long hike of adventure and appreciate the beautiful geography and natural  photography that the place offers, and which condenses million years geological history.  Its great walls,   witnessed the transition of the first dinosaurs and primitive humans later.

This National Park was nominated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and forms part of the so called Triassic Basin of Ischigualasto, a vast desert region that has at least 250 million years of prehistory.

The strong winds and erosion have shaped a natural exotic landscape, in which you will be able to view different shaped natural giant sculptures.

During the middle Triassic period, these lands had the dinosaur ancestors.   Most were found in Talampaya, at the formation called The Chañares. These early dinosaur pieces are unique in the world that preceded the dinosaur’s birth.  These shaped mountains, saw the birth of the Diaguita culture and the Cienaga cultures, during the III and X century of our era, as its evidenced by the mortars dug on the rock.

Talampaya National Park is counts with three types of hiking routes and levels, from beginner to experience. For those who love hiking and mountain climbing, this is the place to go.  We recommend the following tours offered by the National Park:

The first circuit is called El Murallon, The second Los Cajones and the third La Ciudad Perdida.

The tour itself takes around 6 hours and the drive starts on a 4x4 truck, moving towards the dry riverbed called Gualo.   After that wonderful ride, you trek through some dunes and plain desert watching at some Guanacos until you reach a natural sight view of the entire canyon.   Once here, you will be able to see a 3kms range crater 3 km long with fantastic formations inside of it. Within  a 70 meters of depth area and endless labyrinths with formations made by earlier water currents.

Among the hidden treasures there is a large natural amphitheater of 80 meters of depth excavated by erosion.  The Talampaya National Park area was home of small indigenous communities that lived within more than 2000 years ago among different periods.

To obtain a full picture of archaeological value of the park you must visit the Museum of Natural Sciences, of the University of La Rioja. In the different mountain caves of the Park, many vestiges were found and today are displayed at this museum.   In other sites of the Park, they found parts of pottery, several cemeteries and a wooden spear darts better preserved and intact than the ones found from the radiocarbon data found of the year 660, AC.

Other cities and nearby attractions to this destination and National Park are: Santiago del Estero, Salta, Jujuy, Catamarca, Tucuman, Cordova, Chilecito Famatina.

Schedule for visiting the National Park of Talampaya:

Receives tourists all year round

From May 1 to August 31 (inclusive) from 8:30 to 17:30 pm.

From September 1 to April 30 (inclusive) from 8:00 to 18:00 pm

Fixed hours for excursions:

Summer Schedule

1st Shift: Presentation 8:00 - Departure 8:30

2nd Shift: Presentation 11:00 - Out 11:30

3rd Shift: Presentation 14:00 - Departure 14:30

4th Shift: Presentation 16:30 - Departure 17:00



Winter Schedule

1st  Shift: Presentation 8:30 - Departure 09:00

2nd Shift: Presentation 11:00 - Out 11:30

3rd Shift: Presentation 13:30 - Out 14:00

4th Shift: Presentation 16:00 - Departure 16:30

For further information about this destination and Tours and Hotels in Argentina or La Rioja  or the nearest  places do not hesitate to visit our web site www.exploreargentina.com