Argentina by Danny Palmerlee; Sandra Bao; Gregor Clark

Author:Danny Palmerlee; Sandra Bao; Gregor Clark
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: travel:guides
ISBN: 9781741047028
Publisher: Lonely Planet
Published: 2005-01-02T00:00:00+00:00

Return to beginning of chapter

VALLE DE LAS SIERRAS PUNTANAS

From San Luis the RP 9 snakes its way northwards, following the course of the Río Grande. Along the way, small villages are slowly developing as tourist destinations while still retaining much of their original character. The picturesque mining town of Carolina and nearby Inti Huasi cave are highlights of the region, and the landscapes higher up in the valley, with their rolling meadows and stone fences, probably resemble the Scottish highlands more than anything you’ve seen in Argentina so far.

Estancia Las Verbenas

Set in a gorgeous glade in the Valle de Pancanta, this estancia ( 02652-430918; RP 9, Km 68; per person incl full board AR$108) does rustic to the hilt, with plenty of hearty food served up among animal-skin decoration and rough-hewn furniture. Rooms are basic but comfortable. Two-hour horseback-riding tours (AR$30 per person) to a nearby waterfall are bound to be a highlight of your stay here. The signposted entrance to the property is just after the bridge on the highway, from where it’s another 4km to the farmhouse. If you’re coming by bus, call and staff will pick you up from the highway.

Carolina

02651 / pop 230 / elev 1610m

Nestled between the banks of the Río Grande and the foothills of Cerro Tomalasta (2020m), Carolina is a photogenic little village of stone houses and dirt roads. Take away the power lines and you could be stepping back in time 100 years. The region boomed in 1785 when the Spanish moved in to exploit local gold mines that had first been used by the Inca. Nobody uses street addresses in Carolina – the town is small enough to navigate without them.

SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES

One of the quirkier museums in the country, Museo de Poesia (admission free; 10am-6pm Tue-Sat) honors San Luis’ favorite son, poet Juan Cristofer Lafinur. The museum has a few artifacts from the poet’s life, plus handwritten homages to the man by some of Argentina’s leading poets.

Across the creek and up the hill from the poetry museum is a small stone labyrinth, set on the hilltop. It should provide you with an hour or so of entertainment (or, if your sense of direction is really bad, days of frustration).

Huellas Turismo ( 02652-490224; www.huellasturismo.com.ar) is the local tour operator – it can set you up with tours of the local gold mine (AR$25, two hours), rock climbing and rappelling trips on Cerro Tomalasta, and tours of Inti Huasi, La Casa de la Piedra Pintada and La Angostura.

SLEEPING & EATING

Accommodation is improving in Carolina, but if you can’t find a place, ask in the restaurants for a casa de familia (room in a private house with shared bathroom), which rents for around AR$25 per person.

Rincón del Oro Hostel ( 490212; Pringles s/n; dm AR$30) Set on a hilltop overlooking town, this great little hostel has a rustic, intimate feel despite its 57-bed capacity.

La Posta del Caminante ( 490223; www.lapostadelcaminante.com.ar; RP 9 s/n; s/d AR$150/180; ) Carolina’s one hotel is set in a gorgeous stone building on the edge of town.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.