Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
r
San Rafael
Road map
B3. 143 miles (230 km) S of
Mendoza.
*
110,000.
@
n
Ave
Hipólito Yrigoyen 741, (0260) 442-
4217.
∑
sanrafaelturismo.gov.ar
A tidy mid-size city, San Rafael is
known for the many sights that
surround it. Located where Río
Diamante and Río Atuel emerge
from the Andean foothills, San
Rafael has gradually enveloped
many of the sprawling
vineyards and prosperous
wineries that once grew around
it. It may lack the provincial
capital's fashionable boutique
operations, but growers such as
Bodega Valentín Bianchi
and
Suter, both highly respected
names in the wine industry,
are located here. In addition
to irrigating the vineyards,
Río Atuel is a starter river for
rafters while the wilder Río
Diamante offers some of
the most exciting white-
water rafting in the country.
Display of rural life in the Museo Regional Malargüe
y
Las Leñas
Road map
B3. 43 miles (70 km) NW of
Malargüe.
Te l
(0260) 447-1281.
@
0
-
=
∑
laslenas.com
explor ing pro vincial preserves
with caves, bird-rich wetlands,
and volcanic cones.
Environs
A wealth of little-visited
nature preserves surround
Malargüe, the most popular
of them being
Reserva
Natural Laguna de
Llancanelo
. Located
13 miles (20 km) south of
the city, this is a sprawling
155-sq mile (400-sq km)
wetland with flocks of
migratory birds.
Reserva Natural La
Payunia
is a 1,700-sq
mile (4,400-sq km)
volcanic preserve with at least
10,000 guanacos and other
species of wildlife.
Reserva
Natural Caverna de las Brujas
is a series of stunning limestone
underground caves that are
open to the public.
Located in the Andes,
northwest of Malargüe, Las
Leñas has abundant snow and
the best infrastructure of any
Argentinian ski resort north of
Bariloche
(see p242)
. Some
consider it the best in the
country. Open from mid-June
to early October, it enjoys a
longer season than Los
Penitentes, the province's other
popular ski center.
The resort has the capacity
to house almost 3,000 skiers in
hotels and apartments, and the
base clientele at Las Leñas are
mainly porteños and foreigners
on week-long packages. Still,
Las Leñas offers half-price
lift tickets to day-trippers
who lodge in nearby Malargüe.
Winter is high season
here, but Las Leñas remains
open over summer for
mountain bikers, hikers,
and other recreationists.
Bodega Valentín Bianchi
Ruta Nacional 143, Las
Paredes, San Rafael.
Te l
(0260) 444-9600.
Open
9:30am-noon, 2:30-6pm
Mon-Sat; 10:30am-noon, 2:30-5pm
Sun.
8
=
∑
vbianchi.com
A fine wine from
Bodega Valentín Bianchi
t
Malargüe
Road map
B3. 115 miles (186 km) S of
San Rafael.
*
17,710
@
n
Ruta
Nacional 40 and Pasaje La Orteguina,
(0260) 447-1659.
_
Fiesta Nacional
del Chivo (Jan), Día de Malargüe (Nov).
∑
malargue.gov.ar
E
Museo Regional Malargüe
Ruta Nacional 40, Km 327.
Te l
(0260)
447-1060.
Open
9am-1pm, 5-9pm
Tue-Sun.
7
=
A laid-back town, Malargüe has
one of the most spectacular
landscapes in Argentina. The
town is perhaps best known
for its lively week-long Fiesta
Nacional del Chivo (National
Goat Festival). One of the
sights that the city offers is
Museo Regional Malargüe
.
Housed in a colonial building,
the museum has a varied
collection that includes clay
pipes required for religious
ceremonies, jewelry, a
mummified corpse, and
even dinosaur remains. The
small city is also the base for
View of a snowcapped mountain at Las Leñas ski resort in summer
