THE SOUTHERN ZONE

MALARGUE

It is an active oil town with exceptional landscapes around it. At the end of the XIXth century, Malargue was the starting place for the Conquest of the Desert. Today, about 193 kms from San Rafael town along National Route N° 40, it is the Nation's Capital of Adventure Tourism.

Several valleys and rivers, and its mountain range circuit cross its broad territory, which occupies one fourth of Mendoza Province. Besides the oil found in Llancanelo River basin, it has great quantities of uranium in Huemul mine, together with extensive cattle raising, agricultural and tourist areas.

Governor Rufino Ortega created the town in 1886, by giving away the land surrounding his estancia ranch, in the spot known as Caņada Colorada. Forty years earlier, Fort Malargue had been built in the area (today its ruins have been converted into a National Historical Monument) with the purpose of protecting the land for settlers.

Its name comes from the Indian word Malal-Hue, stone wall, and it is accredited to the natural formations across the river.

The process of Malargue's urbanization began and grew along the Atuel River with the purpose of lodging more than 15,000 inhabitants in recent decade. The demographic explosion has led to the building of more neighbourhoods towards the east.

One of the activities that differentiate this area is leather handcraft. The traveller can visit the artisans' homes and admire bolas, lassos, raw leather saddle padding, lashes, and other wonderful pieces made by proud "guasqueros".

WHAT TO VISIT

The Council Tourist Office
As soon as travellers arrive at Malargue, it is essential that they visit this office. Here they can get necessary information to start the real adventure excursions. Besides, here they must request permission to visit the Llancanelo Pond.

Casco de la Estancia La Orteguita
It is at the entrance of this town. It belonged to General Rufino Ortega. It shows the traveller a mill, that was the first industrial establishment of the XIXth century and today is the site of a cultural entity, a Regional Museum, which contains pieces of great archaeological and paleontological value, the Chapel of Our Lady of the Rosary, and Rufino Ortega's Corrals, where they organize shows of Criollo cattle driving.

Malal-Hue Fort
It is placed 12 kms south of town. They are the remains of what used to be a fort built by Captain Juan Troncoso against the Cacique Fraipan, an Indian rebel that was indulted in the year 1847. The sandstone walls are almost 2ms thick.

Yesterday's Park
It is located in the access route to the city. It is a wonderful 10 has garden that lodges old pines, cedars and cypress trees.

EXCURSIONS

Los Molles
To reach Los Molles valley, and mainly Los Molles Valley Thermal Tourist Centre, the traveller must enter National Route N° 40 in Malargue, go 30 kilometres north until the intersection with Provincial Route N° 222, go upstream the Salado River, and penetrate the fields covered with pepper, arum and so called alpataco trees.

At the valley, where thorny pepper trees decorate the landscape, we find the tourist centre consisting of hotel Laguen-Co II, thermal hostel Laguen-Co, and hotel Hualum. In a building next to the hostel, we find the hot spring baths, with individual pools at different temperatures, some containing sulphur and some iron. They are only open during the tourist season.

During summer they organize walks, horse rides, rappelling, rafting, climbing, excursions to Valle Hermoso, Niņa Encantada, and other alternatives.

The Niņa Encantada Pond
It is about eight kms from Los Molles, on the left bank of the Salado River. It is a breathtaking mirror of transparent water that reflects the mountain peaks. Surrounding it, as if time had not passed, there are still goat posts, submerged in willow-plots and covered with green pastures, making it is an ideal place to go camping with the family.

The Pozo de las Animas Pits
About 6 kms from Los Molles, there are two giant depressions (pits), which hold spectacular mirrors of clear water at the bottom. Their scientific name is dolinas, and they are produced by the erosion of subterranean water. The cavity opens up gradually because of the sinking of earth layers that covered it.

The Las Leņas Valley
About 70 kms from Malargue we find this nice transversal valley where the Deshecho and Las Leņas Streams converge. The valley lodges a Sports Centre that is, by itself, a spectacular fully equipped mountain citadel that will satisfy every traveller's expectations.

It is the most modern large ski centre in the Argentinean Republic. It has 65 kms of ski tracks, between 2250 and 3430 m.a.s.l. and with varying difficulty. But it also has a great surface to practice extreme skiing (off the track).

The centre possesses ski is able to transport 10,000 skiers per hour. And its commercial offer includes various lodgings, a casino, a gymnasium, restaurants and supermarkets.

There are Ski Schools for beginners and for experienced skiers. Ski varieties include both the alpine and the cross-country skiing. Snowboarding is practised as well.

Basically, from November to May, they organize walks to the imposing mountain range. You can also choose walks, horse rides, mountain climbing, windsurfing, kayaking, fishing, mountain biking and camping. We suggest booking in advance.

The Hermoso Valley
It is an enjoyable summer valley. It is about 26 kms from Malargue. The best season is summer, since at this time the road will be paved and without snow. During the excursion, the landscape seen by the traveller resembles a dream postcard. Tourist infrastructure is basic, so that makes it an ideal place for natural life lovers.

The Pincheira Castles
It is about 21 kms west of Malargue. It is a splendid natural monument produced by erosion from the glaciers. The name was given because it looks like a group of medieval castles. History and legend declare that it was used as a haven by the Chilean outcast Jose Antonio Pincheira and his men, at the end of the XIXth century.

Pincheira Stream runs on its base with its transparent waters, and on the left bank there are excellent camping grounds with little beaches, tables and grills. We can still find arrow tips and other Indian remains in the area. They also organize walks, horse rides, fishing, mountain biking, and other activities.

The Blas Brisoli Dam
It is about 50 kms from Malargue. In its surroundings there is a small park of very old trees, which is used for camping. Close to this dam we find a fish-hatchery of rainbow trout that supplies this resource to Las Leņas Valley and other nearby towns. Close by there is a small fishing-preserve, and an operator that rents fishing gear.

The Llancanelo Pond
It is about 68 kms from Malargue, along National Route N° 40 and Provincial Route N° 186. It is a piece of heaven that preserves the ecological balance of a volcanic environment formed by the Payunia and the Nevado mountains. It is necessary for the traveller to reach this site with a specialized guide, since park rangers control this area, an ideal place to watch black neck swans, coot, so called macaes, herons, and an enormous variety of birds that use the pond as a stopping-place in their migratory journeys. Besides, it is known as a centre for the reproduction of species that are distributed around different regions of the world.

The Las Brujas Witches' Cave
About 72 kms from Malargue, on the way to Bardas Blancas village, and in the area of the Cerro Moncol Mountain at 1930 m.a.s.l. there is a group of galleries that penetrate the living rock for at least 259 ms. Its galleries and passages are connected and they dazzle with their fantastic walls carved by filtrations and stalactites and stalagmites of various forms.

Las Brujas Cave is a Natural Reserve. Stalactites and stalagmites inside the galleries suggest forms that give a their name to the passages: Hall of the Virgin, Hall of the Columns, and Hall of the Flowers. Visits should be carried out with a specialized guide.

The area has very particular fauna that has adapted to live without sunlight.

The Llano Blanco Petrified Forest
It is a group of petrified araucarias, which has around 120 million years old. It can be seen at the exit of Las Brujas Cave, very close to the Bardas Blancas village.

The El Pehuenche Pass
About 82 kms from Malargue, along National Route N° 40 and Provincial Route N° 186, we find the hub that communicates southern Mendoza with Talca, in the Republic of Chile.

Pehuenche Pass reaches 2500 m.a.s.l. and once they cross the borderline, travellers find Maule Pond, where there is a police station.

Customs and Immigration Control is at Las Loicas, a small hamlet very near Bardas Blancas.

Cajon Grande
It is a group of thermal baths about 135 kms from Malargue, on the road to the El Pehuenche International Border Pass. It has excellent therapeutically remarkable properties.

La Payunia
About 160 kms from Malargue, along National Route N° 40 and Provincial Route N° 186, we find La Payunia Reservation, a space whose major attractions are the widespread lava plains with volcanic cones that extend along the Volcanes highlands, and behind them lies the Payun Matru Volcano, reaching 3680 m.a.s.l.

Visits with specialized guides usually depart from Malargue. It is essential to have a guide authorized by the Malargue Office of Tourism. Among the possible activities the visitor can undertake there are walks, 4x4 car rides, horse-riding and fauna observation. The region is an exceptional guanaco haven, together with pumas, herons, choiques, chiņes and foxes.