RAMAL

This place owes its name to the railway's branch (ramal in Spanish) that starts in Perico and runs northbound towards Santa Cruz de la Sierra, in Bolivia. It is a space in which the leafy vegetation and rich fauna invite to surprise and endless bewilderment.

Eco tourism and tourism of adventure are the best elections for this beautiful scenery. This is a carachteristic part of Las Yungas or Sub Tropical Mountain Forests. Its biological diversity is amazing and allows one to enjoy the different ways of getting in touch with nature without altering the ecosystem.

It extends to the Parque Nacional Calilegua Park, Valle Grande, San Pedro, Palpalá, Aguas Calientes (thermal waters), Palma Sola and the Zapla mountain ridges, where the Altos Hornos (High Furnaces) are placed.

This is an ideal region for taking photos, flora and fauna observation, trekking, horse riding and four wheel wild driving.

One on the most enjoyable seasons in this circuit is during southern hemisphere's spring (September-December). During the season, life flourishes and shows off all its shades of greens, along with the coloured lapachos and the music of the birds.

This is the lowest region, and it is damp and warm. The waters of the San Francisco river (formed by the Grande and Lavayén Rivers, and a tributary itself of the Bermejo River) are intensely used for irrigation.

Existing from the very beginning of the Spanish colony, the sugarcane cultivation is predominant. Other current cultivations are citric, avocados, bananas, papayas, mangos, cherimoyas and all first class vegetables; it is visible mainly from the road to Palma Sola and Santa Clara.