Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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down this long spectacular gorge that is actually a dr y riverbed. The area is one of the
driest places on ear th, where summer temperatur es of 122°F (40°C) ar e common. You
reach a half cir cle clearing that emits a per fect echo. Nearby 1,800-year-old rock paint-
ings display bir dlife and guanacos—a type of llama that still can be seen r oaming this
scarlet desert. Hard capstones sit precariously on soft pedestals, sculpted b y the wind to
appear like towers and cathedrals. One geomorphic rock looks like a tortoise. Talampaya
is more picturesque than its sister park Ishigualasto, 80km (50 miles) away, which is more
famous for its dinosaur fossils. The Talampaya tour is also more fun and informative, as
the guide is with you throughout the 3-hour tour; but, again, remember to ask for a tour
in English. There is no public transpor t to either par k, so a taxi or tour company must
be used from La Rioja, which is 2 1 / 2 hours away, or from the small towns Villa Union or
Valle Fertil. Note: Do not forget a hat, sunblock, and lip balm.
RP 26, Villa Union, La R ioja. & 3825/470356. www.talampaya.gov.ar. Admission $7 (£4.75). M ay-Sept
daily 8:30am-5:30pm; Oct-Apr daily 8am-6pm. Passport required.
Parque Triásico Ischigualasto/Valle de la Luna In 1991, local student
Ricardo Martinez tripped acr oss a skull while on a field trip with S an Juan University.
The glint of teeth encouraged him to dig some mor e until he uncovered an entire crea-
ture now known as an E oraptor. It roamed this desolate par t of Argentina 225 million
years ago, making it one of the oldest dinosaur fossils in the world. Yet it is not quite the
oldest; the oldest was discovered 1.6km (1 mile) away and is called a H errerasaurus.
Parque Triásico Ischigualasto, otherwise known as Valle de la L una (Moon Valley) is
ground z ero for dinosaur hunters. The 50,000-hectar e (120,000-acr e) site of y ellow
mushroom-shaped r ocks and r ed cliffs is home to the bones of giant r eptiles that ar e
constantly surprising paleontologists who, every year, find new species. The entire evolu-
tionary period of these grizzly dragons can be seen her e, str etching o ver 255 million
years, up until when they died out, appr oximately 65 million years ago.
The discoveries can be seen in a purpose-built museum at the par k entrance. Curled
vertebrate lie in fossiliz ed nests, and giant two-legged monsters ar e frozen in time. O ne
poignant display shows the remains of three cubs trapped in their lair. A full tour of the
park takes 3 hours, a carav an of vehicles following a park ranger around the 40km (25-
mile) circuit, stopping at different sites of interest. You see eerie rock formations and tall
pillars of stone standing precariously in the wind. One fascinating place is the cancha de
bochas, or bowling alley. This is a sandy bunker dotted with smooth black balls belched
up from the bowels of the earth.
This UNESCO World Heritage Site takes some effor t to see. Located in S an Juan
province, it is nev ertheless a 6-hour driv e fr om the pr ovincial capital. M any people
choose to stay in the nearb y town of Valle Fertil. However, La Rioja city airpor t is 2 1 / 2
hours away b y car, and the r oad passes the just-as-stunning Talampaya National Park,
meaning you can pack in two geological blockbusters in 1 day if you get up early enough.
Note: The routine tours are in Spanish, and the guides ar e not very inspiring or knowl-
edgeable. Best to call ahead and see if you can reserve an English-speaking guide, prefer-
ably one with a backgr ound in paleontology or geology . The par k also conducts bike
tours and full-moon excursions.
Los Baldecit os: no phone . San Juan; San Juan Cit y offic e 25 de M ayo and Las Heras , San Juan.
& 264/422-7372. www.ischigualasto.org. Admission $10 (£6.80). Apr-S ept daily 9am-4pm; Oc t-Mar
daily 8am-5pm. Passport required.
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