San Juan: Valley of the Moon, starry skies and wine routes
Accommodation in San Juan
San Juan offers a wide range of reasons to visit: geological landscapes, astronomical observatories, mountain expeditions, water sports and wine. Choose destinations based on your interests, and you’ll find very different highlights—from the traditional circuit in Parque Provincial Ischigualasto to tastings along the Ruta del Vino.
Landscapes, trails and fossils
San Guillermo National Park protects 166,000 hectares of the High Andes, Puna and Monte de Sierras y Bolsones ecoregions. In Parque Provincial Ischigualasto, white and multicolored sediments shape the landscape known as the Valley of the Moon. In the broader region, the contiguous Ischigualasto and Talampaya nature parks contain the most complete known continental fossil record from the Triassic period.
Allow about three hours for the traditional circuit in Ischigualasto. The hike to Cerro Morado leads to the summit and offers panoramic views. Another way to experience the park actively is the 12-kilometer cycling route, which crosses an area with a moderate-to-high difficulty level. Full-moon walks take place at night—a special opportunity to experience the landscape at a different time of day.
Starry skies and rock engravings
El Leoncito National Park is home to two internationally significant astronomical observatories and has more than 300 clear nights per year. Astronomy is therefore a distinctive part of the area’s character. The observatories and the number of clear nights give travelers interested in the sky a concrete point of reference.
The national park’s cultural heritage includes rock engravings north of Arroyo El Leoncito. Their zoomorphic motifs include depictions of rhea, guanaco, dog and cat; there are also abstract or macriform motifs. In El Leoncito, astronomical themes and the different image motifs are thus two distinct aspects of the park.
Mountains, water and active excursions
Cerro Mercedario is considered the fourth-highest mountain in the Americas and can be climbed. The Cordillera de la Ramada at Cerro Mercedario also includes four other peaks, each over 6,000 meters high: Pico Polaco, La Mesa, La Ramada and Alma Negra. Expeditions to Cerro Mercedario start in Barreal, where you can book transportation, equipment, supplies and guide services.
Cuesta del Viento in the north of San Juan Province is recommended for windsurfing and kitesurfing. Fishing and kayaking are considered suitable activities on calm mornings. The changing conditions are useful when planning: water sports and quieter mornings appeal to different interests.
Ruta Interlagos is an excursion of more than 100 kilometers. Its features include swimming spots and beaches, campsites, dining options, dams and landscapes rich in vegetation. It offers a different focus from the hiking and cycling options in Ischigualasto or the expeditions at Cerro Mercedario.
Wine routes and choosing what to do on your trip
The Ruta del Vino in San Juan offers tastings of typical grape varieties, including Malbec, Syrah, Torrontés and Cabernet Sauvignon. The province’s main wine-growing centers include the valleys of Tulum, Zonda and Ullum, with traditional and modern vineyards and wineries. Wine tastings and the different wine-growing areas add a distinct culinary focus to the province’s nature and activity offerings.
When looking for a hotel in San Juan, it’s worth deciding what you want to focus on first. If you’re planning an expedition to Cerro Mercedario, Barreal is the starting point. For other plans, the landscapes, activities or wine routes may guide your choice. Base your selection on the activities you want to make the focus of your stay.
Discover more destinations: Villa Nueva, San Juan, San AgustĂn De Valle FĂ©rtil, Valle FĂ©rtil Department, Calingasta Department, Caucete Department, AlbardĂłn Department, Iglesia Department, Jáchal Department, Pocito, Santa LucĂa.
Go to the main travel overview: Argentina.
