EXCURSIONS FROM MENDOZA CITY

HIGH LAND: THE ANDES
In Mendoza, you are constantly surprised by its great landscapes, including the road to the high lands: The Andes.

Along the highway, you will cross Cacheuta thermal water center of international fame, at 1200 meters above sea level, and Potrerillos to reach to Uspallata. In the so called town, which used to be a military town , you can visit the vaults (peculiar structures with dome-like roof from the eighteenth century) This valley served as natural stage for the movie: Siete Años en el Tibet (Seven Years on Tibet)

Further up, you will cross the Colonial bridge (Puente Colonial), over Picheuta river, to delight at Tambillos with the Incas Ruins. When reaching Punta de V acas as an introduction to what you will see, have a look at the Tupungato Volcano (6800 meters high).

Along the highway to the Andes mountain range (Cordillera de los Andes), you will reach Penitentes ski center. Ten kilometers further, you will be able to admire the Bridge of Inca (Puente del Inca), an ochre calcareous structure over Las Cuevas river, with thermal water springs. The resort commercially in charge of these springs was built down by an avalanche in 1965.

On your way to the mountains range, you arrie at the Argentina Customs Office (Aduana Argentina) and the road to Aconcagua Park (Parque Provincial Aconcagua), where you should stop and enjoy the view of the Aconcagua Mount (6959 meters high).

Should you continue driving on the highway, before crossing the International Tunnel (Túnel Internacional). To get into Chilean territory, you will reach Las Cuevas, the furthest Argentine town at 3151 meters above sea level.

THE ACONCAGUA MOUNT: ACONCAGUA PROVINCIAL PARK
Once of the many argentina wonders is the Mount Aconcagua (6959 mts), protected by the not less impressing Aconcagua Park. Travelling by the hearth of the mountains greatness means understanding how trivial the man is in this world.

The Horcones Lake (Laguna de los Horcones) composed by 75.000 hectares, is the door to the natural reserve where the "Stone Sentinel" is held. Because of the aggressive weather conditions in the mountains, the begetation and animals are scarce and summer is the best season to visit this wonderful place.

POTRERILLOS
Close to the capital city, Potrerillos will invite you to practive activities so different as relax and adventure. Allocation includes campingroudns, cottages and hotels. Here, adventure activities are available all year long: rafting, horse riding, trekking, mountain bike, and so on.

Nearby, you may visit El Salto and Las Vegas Villages, The Potrerillos Dam (Dique Potrerillos) enlarges the options to enjoy even more the place. Here you may take the road to Vallecitos Ski Center.

VILLAVICENCIO
Encourage yourself to spend half a day to go along a 57-kilometre-way that takes you to the magic Villavicencio Area, named after the Captain who discovered it about 300 years ago. Within a breathtaking frame with frondose vegetation you may view a beautiful hotel opened in 1940 but not in activity nowadays and its paths joining gardens and resting stops, all of which will lead you to go back in time.

Some kilometers away, you will reach the modern mineral water facilities, where therapeutic and healing water from the heart of the Andes is served.

After Villavicencio Area, you may go along the former road to Uspallata, a breathtaking 365-turning road called Snail Road (Camino del Caracol), from which you may view the Tunduqueral hill (Cerro Tunduqueral) exhibiting 1000 year old petroglyphes.

On your way from the hotel to Uspallata, make a stop at El Balcón (The Balcony)

ny attractions such as Pierre Auger Cosmic, the Park of Yesterday (el Parque de Ayer), Malargüe Regional Museum, which has pieces of great archeological and paleontological importance, and the Thesaurus Conventions and Exhibitions Center.

Nearby, you may visit provincial reserves such as: Pincheira Castles (Castillos de Pincheira) to delight with the effects of erosion, the unforgettache Wiches´ Cave (Caverna de las Brujas) to see stalactites and stalagmites of great size, La Payunia, to view the desert half-moon landscape formed by volcanoes, and the Llancanelo Lagoon, to enjoy the presence of birds. All of these attractions are subject to weather conditions.

On your way to Las Leñas, the most important ski center in South America, encourage yourself to stop at the lake called Laguna de la Ñiña Encantada, Los Molles thermal water spring facilities, and the Pozo de las Animas, fresh and pure water holes.

Further on a difficult but not impossible road, getting into the mountain range, you will reach Valle Hermoso, where lifetime is not enough to admire its beauty.

DAY 1 - Arrival to Mendoza Airport and transfer to hotel. 03 nts of accommodation with breakfast

DAY 2 - Wineries Tour

DAY 3 - Excursion to enjoy the High Andes and the Aconcagua Mount

DAY 4 - Transfer to airport

This is a basic program to visit Salta and the Andes area. Please visit our tour list to see more tours combining this area and others place in Argentina and Chile

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