RIO TURBIO

VISIT TO THE INDUSTRIAL AREA
The museum school is a really worth visiting place. Here miners are skilled for their work. Scale-models and full explanations from expert miners illustrate the exploitation processes. Opening hours vary, so it is recommendable to find out at the tourist information center placed in the city center before going there.

YCRT SA Mining Industrial Complex
Its origin can be traced to the years 1942 to 1994, when the property and operation of the complex were in the hands of the Government, as "Yacimientos Carboníferos Fiscales"(YCF). From that year on, the mining company was given in concession to the public corporation "Yacimientos Carboníferos Rio Turbio S.A." including the mine, the mining museum and school, the sewage treatment installation and a thermoelectric power station.

The Mining Industrial Complex is visited by national and foreign professionals from Chile, Venezuela, the United States, Spain, Germany, France, Poland and South Africa, and all over the world.

The coal mine
Access to the mines is closed to the public as a safety measure. The engineering work done in the mines by YCF is one of the most important of Latin America for its sheer size and technological advances. There are approximately 70 km of tunnels and galleries excavated for the extraction of coal.

VISITING THE OUTSKIRTS
On the way to "Cancha Carreras" by Primavera River, there is to be found an excellent place for sport-fishing and camping (forests, river and meadows covered in daisies in summer). Another camping option (without services) is "Mina 1", where tourists will find the entrance to the first coal mine (6 km approximately).

Quoncets
These are semi-cylindrical tin booths, which were used as cover or deposits. The quoncets and Swedish wooden houses brought from Puerto Natales (Chile) were the first housing used by immigrants who arrived in the coal area.

"El Turbio Viejo" House
This wooden house at 30 km east from Rio Turbio, is where the first regional telegraph comopay operated and the first hotel that sheltered ranchers and travelers. It was built in 1920 and caught fire without being destrooyed in 1987.

Curt Meyer's Tomb in Rospentek
Curt Meyer was the first immigrant to the area and the founder of Rospentek. He passed away on March 20, 1911. The ranch was situated about 15 km away from what today is "28 de Noviembre" City. Currently it is a military garrison of the Argentinean Army which keeps the name of the old building.

"Santa Bárbara" Chapel
Small wooden church placed in Rio Turbio, dedicated on December 4, 1958.

Miner's Monument
positioned in the homonymous square at the Gate of the city of Rio Turbio.

Primavera Valley
8 kms away from Rio Turbio, this meadow is sheltered with wild daisies. It is now used to practice sports: soccer, volleyball, rugby and as a camping with bonfires and guitar players waffling.

San José and Santa Flavia Streams
delimited by "lenga" and "ñire" woods; they are very close to the city of Rio Turbio.

"El Rulo" (The Curl)
It is a mountain path that links the city with some of the highest points in the adjacent areas.

"Mazzaruca" Forest
Located 4 km away from the city of "28 de Noviembre", it is a "lenga" forest with fields of wild flowers.

San José Dam
Located 1 km away from the city of Rio Turbio, it offers the option of carrying out various leisure activities.

Cañadón San José
Two kms away from the city of Rio Turbio, it boasts of its beautiful waterfalls and cascades.

Vantage Points
From the vantage points in "Mina 1" and "Mina 4", one gets a brilliant view of the surrounding scenic landscape, including the "Torres del Paine" and the whole urban area.

Distances from Rio Turbio to:

Caleta Olivia 956 km
Com. Piedra Buena 422 km
El Calafate 332 km
Gobernador Gregores 603 km
Los Antiguos 1.225 km
Perito Moreno 1.151 km
Pico Truncado 934 km
Puerto Deseado 1.059 km
Puerto Natales 30 km
Puerto San Julián 617 km
Puerto Santa Cruz 476 km
Punta Arenas 276 km
Porvenir 569 km
Río Gallegos 264 km
Río Grande 629 km
San Julián 541 km
Ushuaia 865 km