Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Sweeping view of towering peaks covered in verdant
yunga
forest, Parque Nacional Calilegua
h
Parque Nacional
Calilegua
Road map
B1. 75 miles (120 km) NE
of Jujuy.
Te l
(03886) 422-046.
@
Open
9am−6pm daily.
8
∑
parquesnacionales.gob.ar
j
Parque Nacional
El Rey
Road map
C1. 155 miles (250 km) SE
of Jujuy.
Te l
(03487) 4312-683.
@
Open
9am−dusk Mon-Sat.
∑
parquesnacionales.gob.ar
Tojo
, still stands and is
now an interesting museum
exhibiting some of the ruling
dynasty's memorabilia.
Standing next to it is a
17th-century church,
Iglesia
de Nuestra Señora del Rosario
y San Francisco
. Behind its
whitewashed façade are the
region's best-preserved colonial
interiors, complete with a
wonderfully ornate Baroque
pulpit. The interior would be
even more impressive had not
some of the church's treasures
been looted during the border
disputes with Chile in the late
1970s. The windows are
perhaps the most unusual
feature, as their panes are made
of wafer-thin onyx, casting a
surreal, yellow-orange glow
over the nave.
Comprising over 290 sq miles
(763 sq km) of subtropical
yunga
forests, lakes, and rivers,
Parque Nacional Calilegua is the
largest of the national parks in
northwest Argentina. Thanks to
its easy accessibility, it is also the
most visited. The park is the
setting for Gerald Durrell's
popular 1960s book
The
Whispering Land
.
Parque Nacional
Calilegua is easy to
navigate with many
trails that weave
through dense
and tangled
cloud forest,
often leading
above the tree
line and to the drier prairies of
the high
puna
. As well as
diverse flora, which changes
according to the altitude and
humidity, brown eagles, condors,
and northern
huemul
deer can
also be seen. Jaguars and pumas
roam the forests, though both
species have a well-founded
fear of humans. Mornings and
evenings are the best times to
see these animals. Visitors can
hire guides and also find useful
maps and information at the
park's entrance.
Created in 1948, Parque
Nacional El Rey is one of three
cloud forest parks in northwest
Argentina, the others being
Calilegua and Baritú to the
north. It rises to an average of
2,950 ft (900 m) above
sea level and the
peaks are usually
enveloped in thick
cloud, keeping most of the
plant life lush and green even
in the drier months. Previously
a private estate, the park
now protects 155 sq miles
(408 sq km) of
yunga
forests.
Strikingly diverse in both flora
and fauna, El Rey is home
to a number of endangered
mammals including jaguars
and pumas.
The avian population,
totalling over 150 species, is
more visible and includes the
emblematic giant toucan and
several species of parrot and
eagle. Numerous footpaths
and one major vehicle trail
snake around the park from
the visitor center. The best trail
for bird-watchers is the 8-mile
(13-km) Senda Pozo Verde,
which climbs through the
bird-filled forest to a small,
beautiful lake.
Toucan in Parque
Nacional El Rey
The 18th-century Casa del Marqués de Tojo,
now a museum
