Argentina - The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget - page 106

ACCOMMODAT ION
Camping Valle Fértil Rivadavia s/n T 02646 420 015.
Well-established campsite with plenty of shade. The price
includes a tent for up to four p eople, with a supplement
of AR$3/person extra. Camping AR$16
Campo Base Valle de la Luna Tucumán between San
Luis & Libertador T 02646 420 063, W hostelvalledelaluna
.com.ar. This modest but welcoming hostel has a kitche n,
TV lounge, free breakfast and tour advice. Dorms AR$55
Eco Hostel Mendoza 42 T 02646 226 733. A cooling
swimming pool and nightly tango lessons make this
basic hostel popular with ba ckpackers . Two bl ocks from
the bus station. Dorms AR$55 , doubles AR$105
Ì Hostería Valle Fértil Rivadavia 5400 T 02646 420
015, W alkazarhotel.com.ar. The village's most inviting
accommodation, thanks to its setting on a breezy hillside
overlooking the Dique San Agustín reservoir, though it
looks a bit sorry for itself these days. Some of the small,
modern rooms have lake views. There's a restaurant and
guests can use the swi mming po ol in the hostería 's cabaña
complex down the hill. AR$380
Pension Doña Zoila Mendoza between Rivadavia &
Laprida T 02646 420 308. This budget pension has
bare-bones rooms and shared bathroo ms set a round
a peaceful, grapevine-shaded courtyard. AR$170

1

Car rental Renta Auto, San Martín 1593 Oeste ( T 0264
423 3620).
Internet You're never too far from an internet booth
in San Juan. Late opening and good connections
at Cyber le Red, Tucumán Norte 910; Cyber 51 at
Av Libertador General San Martín Oeste 51; and Upe at
Mendoza Sur 21.
Laundry Laverap, Rivadavia 498 Oeste.
Post o ce Av José Ignacio de la Roza 259 Este.

AROUND SAN JUAN
The UNESCO World Heritage-listed
parks of Ischigualasto (better known as
Valle de la Luna) and Talampaya lie in
the provinces of San Juan and La Rioja
respectively. The former is known for its
other-worldly rock formations, the latter
its red sandstone cliffs. Located close
together, both can be visited on day-trips
from San Juan, but the sleepy village
of San Agustín de Valle Fértil , 250km
northeast, is a much closer base. Some
tour operators pack both parks into one
day-long excursion, stopping off at
Talampaya in the morning when the
wind is low and the light best illuminates
the red in the sandstone, before
journeying 93km to visit Ischigualasto
in the mid- to late afternoon.

EATING AND NIGHTLIFE
There are no bars as such in Valle Fértil, just a couple of
shops with games machines and plastic tables and chairs.
La Cocina de Zulma North side of the plaza. Tuck into
pesto pasta served with steak for a bargain AR$25. Daily
noon-3.30pm & 7.30-11.30pm.
La Florida South side of the plaza. Above-average
Argentine fare (mains AR$50) and very attentive service.
Daily noon-3pm & 7.30-11pm.
Hostería Valle Fertil The restaurant here is open to non-
guests (for dinner only) and serves unpretentious dishes
such as omelettes, salads and soups (mains from AR$45).
It's the only restaurant in the town to accept credit and
debit cards. Daily 7.30-11pm.

San Agustín de Valle Fértil
Set in a valley carved out by the
Río San Juan and surrounded by olive
groves and sheep pasture, SAN AGUSTÍN
DE VALLE FÉRTIL is a verdant oasis
amid desert-like terrain. Take plenty
of ready cash as the only cashpoint
regularly runs dry and cards are rarely
accepted for payment.
ARRIVAL AND INFORMAT ION
By bus The bus terminal is on Mitre, at Entre Rios; there
are three daily services from San Juan (4hr) and three
weekly from La Rioja (4hr).
Tourist information The super-friendly tourist
o ce (daily 7am-1pm & 2-10pm; T 02646 420 104,
E [e-mail]) is at Plaza San Agustín
and can advise on tours and transport to the parks, as well
as bicycle and horseriding excursions to view pre-Hispanic
petroglyphs in the nearby mountains.
Tour operator Turismo Vesa, at Mitre s/n ( T 02646 420
143, W turismovesa.com), offers daily trips from Valle
Fértil to Ischigualasto and Talampaya.

Parque Provincial Ischigualasto
Sculpted by more than two million years
of erosion, wind and water, the PARQUE
PROVINCIAL ISCHIGUALASTO , otherwise
known as the Valle de la Luna (Moon
Valley), is San Juan's most visited
attraction. Set in a desert valley between
two mountain ranges some 80km north
of Valle Fértil, it is considered one of the
most significant dinosaur graveyards on
the planet. Skeletons dating from the
Triassic era around two hundred million
years ago have been unearthed here.