This fantastic 1 week MTB tour to the canyon of Talampaya in Argentina takes place in a region of enormous archaeological and paleontological value in Latin America.
Duration
PriceThis 1 week MTB tour to the canyon of Talampaya, Argentina will drive us through a palette of colours, from the ocher orange, purple, brown to gold. By bike we have the opportunity to access incredible parks such as the well-known “Ischigualasto” and “Talampaya” as well as places like the “Cañon del Ocre” where the landscapes and the tones will take your breath away.
The main attractions undoubtedly are given by the environment: The cliffs of one hundred and twenty meters that surround us and the most varied geoforms that generated centuries of erosion. The acoustic experiment that does not fail is the echo: A once group attempt will drive to listen to several repetitions of our own sound. During the tour we will see petroglyphs created by original civilizations more than a thousand years ago. Come experience the magical Northwest with us!
1st day: Guests starting with us in Buenos Aires will depart in our van on Friday afternoon in route to La Rioja (flight to, and accommodations in Buenos Aires are not included in tour price). The shuttle from Buenos Aires to La Rioja takes 15 hours, arriving on Saturday. If you choose to fly to La Rioja, we will meet you Hotel El Chiflon (You need a transfer of 170km from the Airport to the hotel). Time for a nice meal, while we receive a briefing for the 1 week MTB tour to the canyon of Talampaya in Argentina.
2nd day: This first day of activities begins with a short transfer to the Provincial Park “Ischigualasto” also known as “Moon Valley” which is located in the province of San Juan. Once accredited inside the park and with the bikes ready to ride, our 40km adventure begins. The undulating route takes us through a desert landscape “planet” aspect that, as a result of its paleontological and geological wealth, was declared a provincial park and a World Heritage Site by Unesco.
3rd day: In the morning and after breakfast we leave in the minibus to the National Park “Talampaya”. This park was created in 1997 with the aim of preserving this region of great interest, an internationally renowned paleontological site and a geological basin of Triassic origin. Once in the park we will make a short internal transfer to the starting point of the bicycle tour. Pedaling inside the “Talampaya Canyon” is a unique experience.
4th day: We start from Villa Union with the bikes loaded in the trailer. After 46km we start our ride to “El Cardón”. The road is winding and undulating, the area is full of the cardones (Cactus) that give the name to the town and as we move forward, the uphill gets stronger. Once there we leave the bicycles and begin our hike of approximately two hours to reach Aicuña. This town lay on the “Sierras de Famatina” has a particularity: Four centuries of some isolation and marriage between relatives, generated the highest rate of albinism in Argentina. Aicuña is built in adobe and its people are warm and hospitable. Criollo bread, goat cheese and homemade sweets are always on the table.
5th day: Today, on this 1 week MTB tour to the canyon of Talampaya in Argentina we ride from Villa Union, on a slight uphill in the first eight kilometers. Once we arrive at the “Anchumbil Canyon”, the most technical route of this journey begins, pure ‘Mountain bike” on an irregular terrain following the course of a canyon formed by centuries of erosion. At times we can ride the bike and at times it will be necessary to push and walk. The erosion of rain and wind has left caves and holes in its high colored walls. Once out of the canyon we will pedal on trails until we reach once again a gravel track that takes us to Villa Unión again.
6th day: This morning we leave in our vehicles towards the majestic “Cuesta de Miranda”. After thirty-three kilometers, we take our bikes and start the asphalted ascent of one of the most scenic mountain roads in Argentina. In 28km and 575 meters of elevation gained we reach the “Bordo atravesado” the highest point of the slope with 2040m.s.n.m. There begins a fabulous descent of 30km and a loss of height of more than a thousand meters. “La Cuesta de Miranda” was originally a centennial path through which cattle were taken from the “Sierra de Sañogasta” to the “Sierra de Famatina”.
7th day: We leave Chilecito and after 56km we arrive at “Carrizal”, where we start our ride towards one of the most impressive places of the tour: “The ocher canyon”. The winding road allows us to approach to “Famatina mountain” an impressive peak of 6020m.s.n.m. In its slope grew a mining enterprise dedicated to the extraction of gold, which was called “La Mejicana”. The river “El Dorado”, “Amarillo” or “Ocre” owe the color exactly to the ocher mineral that comes from glaciers, snow and ice from “Famatina”. The uphill is constant and demanding, as we start at 1800m.s.m. and we reach the “Ocher canyon” at 2700m.s.m and 24km.
8th day: Departure to Buenos Aires after breakfast. Arrival in the Federal Capital at 11pm. Those who to travel to La Rioja to then fly to Buenos Aires, will take a transfer in Patquia to the airport.
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