Tourist
Circuits
High
Mountain Circuit
(Click to enlarge)
The High Mountain tour, can be
done all year long, departing from Mendoza city, it goes through
excellent roads, passing by an incredible landscape along the
Mendoza River,
as far as border with Chile.
After the wine area of Luján de Cuyo, in the first range of the
Andes, there is the Potrerillos dam, and the new village where
it is possible to buy some arts and crafts, fill up the tank, or
taste an exquisite home made bread.
Going a little further, about a hundred kilometers from Mendoza, there is Uspallata, the scenery of the Huarpe
Indians occupation during the pre Spanish era. The urban area in
this valley offers various options of hotels and restaurants.
Near there are Las Bóvedas, some very well preserved historical
constructions made with adobe, in which Fray Luis Beltrán,
chaplain of the Andes Army, under the orders of General José de
San Martín, forged the cannons and the weapons used by the
latter to liberate Chile.
The tour continues with a visit to the villages of Picheuta,
Polvaredas and Punta de Vacas, a departing point to the famous
village of Los Penitentes. Approximately 167Km from Mendoza
there is one of the ski resorts of the Province; it is open from
June to August and it provides a beautiful setting for
adventure sports during the rest of the year. There you will
find a lift that makes it possible to enjoy a privileged
panoramic view of the area. Continuing further ahead, in Puente
del Inca, 2.720 metres above the sea level, the river Las Cuevas has
carved the mountain forming a natural bridge, and in that area
there are some hot springs. In that area, there is also the
Climbers Cemetery. Just a few kilometres from the border with
Chile, there is a magnificent viewpoint from where you can
appreciate the beauty of
Mount Aconcagua. A paved road
starting at the International route makes it possible to enter a
few kilometres towards the beautiful Horcones
Lake, and into the
Parque Provincial Aconcagua.
Driving along the International route, there will be the Customs
Office Horcones, and a few kilometres ahead, on the border with
Chile, there is Las Cuevas village, built in an European style,
3.200 metres above the sea level.
Between Las Cuevas and the international tunnel which connects
Argentina and Chile, there is a road that, depending on
weather conditions allows people to go up to the monument Cristo
Redentor, situated at 4.200mts of altitude; this monument
represents the friendship among Argentinians and Chileans. The
return to Mendoza city is done by the same road. |