ARGENTINA CUYO

ARGENTINA

Argentina is, without doubt, a multifaceted place. It is a country in which colors, weather and sensations are different. It is a place where beauty and fun can mingle in a thousand and one different scenarios, but there is something that never changes: friendship, warm people and the pleasure of treat them well.

CUYO

Cuyo is on the Cordillera de los Andes and its frontiers expand to the most southern portion of the jagged mountain ranges pampeanas. There is a unique mixture of different types off weather, landscapes of high mountains, specimens typical of the place and old villages. Cuyo is an area of intense economical activities. There is easy access by land, transports services, airport and touristic infrastructure, where the tourist could do multiple activities in touch with history, tradition and nature. National Parks declared Humankind Heritage; fossils of million years are part of Dinosaurs Trails. There are old traces of indigenes culture marked on rocks, the ski, astral observations of international quality, old mines and snowy summits among which the highest summits of America are.Cuyo gives a unique mixture of country side, mountain, culture, tradition and nature that blend with the sign of hospitality the people give to the tourists who visit the lands to make them feel at home.

ADVENTURE TOURISM

Cuyo inspires adventure and there are summits with eternal snow, inactive volcanoes, rivers , ancient lagoons and the safe company of expert guides with pioneers souls.High summits- Aconcagua , Mercedario,Tupungato- and the snowy summit of Famatina are ideal places to practice mountain sports : mountain climbing , escalating, trekking , rappel and mountain bike. The lower summits – Cuesta Vieja, Cerro Arco, Sierra dde Comechiangones- have excellent conditions to do paragliding.In La Rioja, Mendoza and San Juan, horse riding to see guanacos and vicunas in the cordillera is organized. In San Luis it is possible to horse ride by unique places in the jagged mountain ranges.

In the dams and lagoons , canoeing , windsurf and kite surf is practiced. The dam Cuesta del Viento is one of the best places for windsurf in South America. In the lagoons Diamente and de la Nina Encantda, Pozo de las Animas, dams in Mendoza and La Florida in San Luis you can practice diving . In the rivers Mendoza, Diamente, Atuel and San Juan, you can practice rafting and in the plateaus del Barreal, El Leoncito , you can practice a kind of windsurf on land on tricycles with sails known as “ carrovelismo”. In Mendoza, there are important winter centers and mountain activities like Las Lenas, Penitentes and Vallecitos . Los Molles, near Las Lens, is an activity center of adventures.

SNOW

Alpine, extreme and Nordic skiing, snowboards, big foot , snow polo, motorcycles and sledges are some of the possibilities you have to enjoy snow in Mendoza. Vallecitos,Penitentes, Las and Lenas – winter center internationally known because of the quality of the slopes , equipment and lodging services – await the visitors with the famous warm from Cuyo. Las Lenas is located in a valley which has the same name at 75km from Malargue and 45 km from Mendoza. The base of the complex expands to 2.256 m and its maximum height is 3.430m. There are 24 slopes of alpine skiing ( 63km long and 7km of uninterrupted fall) and extreme skiing . The remounting starts very near the hotels. There is powder , dry and compact snow.

HEALTH TOURISM

Most thermal centers of the region are in mountainous areas and the weather is favorable that make them real Health Tourism destination and allow them to be useful during the whole year. Apart from the healing water, there are treatments like therapy with mud, Jacuzzis, Scottish showers, spas, outdoor swimming pools and even a therapy with vapor in a cavern. Termas del Challao and Los Molles (Mendoza), San Jeronimo and Balde ( San Luis) are located from north to south.

RURAL TOURISM

With more than 270 establishments of rural tourism ; this region offers the tourist the possibility to practice different activities : regarding rural activities ( milking, farming choirs), recreative and sporty activities( fishing, horse riding, trekking , mountaineering , among others ), ecotourism ( photographic safari, observation of the fauna of the place), cultural activities ( traditional, food , music and dancing of the place). It is possible to get lodge in historic country houses, large houses and wineries which are attended by rural activities with visitors. Horse ridings to more than 4000 high are done in an amazing and beautiful natural environment.

REUNION TOURISM

Cuyo is an ideal place to hold lectures and congress. A pleasant and clean surrounding encourages scientific activities.Cuyo is known by its mild weather with mild temperatures, a few rain falls and a few days of wind. It also has adequate infrastructure and service to the orgnistion of events. Mendoza is one of the most important places for congress in the country.In its conventions centers it is held international reunions of mining, hydrocarbons, medicine and viniculture. In Malargue there are convention centers available and exhibitions designed especially not to disturb the surroundings. San Rafael has a congress center which modern and comfortable infrastructure complements the natural environment. It has ample rooms and modern equipment and the famous auditorium Engineer Victoria which is excellent combination of acoustic demand and architecture.

DINOSAURS TRAILS

National Parks, Sierra de la Quijada ( San Luis) , Talampaya ( la Rioja) and the provincial park Ischigulasto( San Juan) are part of unique ecotourism in the world. They protect, value and keep a natural heritage of universal value in which there is “ Era de los Reptiles’ or “ Edad de los Dinosarios’. The route is complete with the last finding done in Malargue in the province of Mendoza and the geological and paleontological legacy in Cuyo.

ROUTE 40

The longest route in the country is Route 40 of 5200 km long. It unites the 3 regions of Argentina ( Patagonia,Cuyo and Norte) travelling through dreamy landscape and villages)

SANTIAGA DEL ESTERO

In 1814, the general Jose de San Martin was named Governor of Cuyo . He was supposed to organize the liberty campaign which he did until 1817. In that year the Crossing of the Andes started. This famous expedition was carried out through 6 paths in Cuyo, 3 in Mendoza, 2 in San Juan and 1 in La Rioja. The intention is to learn the different places that today keep this freedom alive starting in Las Chacras (San Luis) where the Monument to the Pueblo Puntano de la Independencia is in the place where General San Martin recruited the brave soldiers. Also visit museums and historic places in the rest of the region or horse ride some of the rotes of the historic crossing of the Andes.

WINE TRAILS (WHERE WINE IS BORN AND THE SUN LIVES)

True witness of history, the tradition and culture that enrich the area, the wine threads – with more than a thousand wineries and small digging and banking of wines spread at the bottom o the Cordillera de los Andes- one of the most valuable treasures of the region.

Cuyo invites to travel and be protagonists of this grape –grower oasis where the gold of grapes like chardonnay, sauvignon, chenin and Riesling mingle with the blackish blue of malbec, bonarda, merlot, cabernet sauvignon, pinot and syrah. An exquisite blend of techniques and flavors that blessed by nature, gives the world the best wines on Earth.

UNIQUE NATURAL AREAS

Cuyo offers more than 20 natural areas with outstanding summits, eternal snow and unique jagged mountain ranges where it is possible to practice trekking, climbing rocks and ice, photographic safari, among other activities of adventure tourism. Mendoza is irresistible to go and practice climbing and escalating for people from all over the world. The Aconcagua-6959 meters high –is one of the 14 natural areas located in this province. National parks in San Juan are: San Guillermo and El Leoncito and Provincial Park Ischigualasto that together with the national park Talampaya, in La Rioja, were declared Natural Heritage for the Humankind by UNESCO. There is also another national park called Sierra de Las Quijadas.