TALAMPAYA NATIONAL PARK
Province of La Rioja

PN Talampaya (Talampaya National Park) was created to preserve important paleontological and archaeological sites.

GENERALINFORMATION OF THE AREAThe protected area is situated in the middle west of La Rioja. It covers 215.000 hectares. In 1975 was created Talampaya Provincial Park in order to preserve paleontological and archaeological sites.

PN Talampaya (Talampaya National Park) was incorporated to Argentina National Park System because of its conservationist importance and tourist potential. Both National Park and Ischiqualasto Provincial Reserve constituted a very important place because of its paleontological and archaeological importance; so that UNESCO declares the area Humanity Heritage.

Over vertical walls and big rocks there are a lot of figurative engravings –human and animal figures- and abstracts –geometrical- that express a harmonic fusion between nature and culture. So that this place is one of the most important cave paintings of Argentina.

The Park preserves an important archaeological richness. The human occupation started between the years 640 B.C. and 1.180 A.C. They used caves and eaves as home, deposits and cemetery. This place is one of the most important cave paintings of Argentina.

The protected are belongs to a mount sample and it is in “Monte de Sierras y Bolsones”, “Pre-Puna” and “Chaco Seco” eco-regions.



CULTURAL RESOURCES
The Park preserves an important archaeological richness. The human occupation started between the years 640 B.C. and 1.180 A.C. They used caves and eaves as home, deposits and cemetery. Over vertical walls and big rocks there are a lot of figurative engravings –human and animal figures- and abstracts –geometrical- that express a harmonic fusion between nature and culture. So that this place is one of the most important cave paintings of Argentina.

PALEONTOLOGICAL RESOURCES
Both National Park and Ischiqualasto Provincial Reserve constituted a very important place because of its paleontological and archaeological importance. In the last decades these historical rests became famous for science because the deposits came from the Triassic Period, the moment when the dinosaurs appeared. One of the most notable species discovered in Talampaya was Lagosuchustalampayensis , which lived in that place 250 million years ago, at the beginning of the Triassic Period and was one of the first dinosaurs that inhabit the planet. Another important discovery from the area was the Palaeocheris talampayensis , which lived 210 millions years ago.

WALKS AND SERVICES
The Park doesn't count with the services required for visitors because of its recent creation. At the Information Centre, that has toilets and a bar, start the different walks around the Talampaya Canyon, where many samples of the archaeological heritage can be appreciated, especially in Puerta de Talampaya and Los Cajones sectors.
“La Ciudad Perdida” is one of the most tourist attractive places, because of its spectacular beauty and estranges geological shapes. To get to this circuit visitors must ask for authorization to the forester.
In Villa Union city there is the Park Maintenance, where visitors can get information. Both Villa Union and Pagancillo visitors can find different kinds of accommodation, some of them very cheap. In Pagancillo there are small hostels and some family houses that rent rooms. Villa Union has Gas Station and Nation and La Rioja Banks branches.
La Rioja –210 km far- has tourist agencies, where visitors can hide different types of services connected with the Park. From there also leave many ways of transport that go every day to Villa Union city. This city is the last one where visitors can get fuel.

Park admission timetable:
-From May 1 st to September 30 th : 9 to 17
-From October 1 st to April 30 th : 8 to 18


SUGGESTIONS
Remember that you are visiting a protected area. Enjoy that and let other visitors can do it too. So that the Administration suggests:
-Before doing any activity inform the forester.
-Respect signs and rules.
-For yours safety, make walks with a local guide.
-Pay special attention to archaeological and paleontological resources, they are humanity Heritage
-Bring drinkable water, because the Park doesn't have too much.
-Remember that there isn't too much shadow. Protect from the sun.
-Bring a heater to cook, the wood is protected too.
-Try not to bring pets. If you bring them keep them tied.
-Retired your garbage from the National Park.


NATURAL RESOURCES
Landscapes, flora and fauna
The protected are belongs to a mount sample and it is in “Monte de Sierras y Bolsones”, “Pre-Puna” and “Chaco Seco” eco-regions.

“Montes de Sierras y Bolsones” eco-region is composed by a large geological and geomorphologic diversity. Occupies “faldeos”, “intermontanos” valleys and plains with low slopes that form close or half-close basins. The grounds are sandy and poor in salty and organic matter. “Xerofilos” forests, savannah and pastures dominate the region. The Park protects low hills from the west “riojano”. They present notable erosive process that makes “cañadones” and high natural walls, like Talampaya River and the ones that are situated in Los Cajones.

The landscape is varied and is composed by sandy plains, “bolsones”, tableland and low mountain's slopes.
In the area there are vast poor vegetation sectors called “huayquerias”. Also there are many sandy formations and estrange rocky figures, like in the area called “Ciudad Perdida”.

Short bushes compose the predominant vegetation. The characteristic plants of this kind of dessert are “retamo”, “jarillas”, “brea” and cactus like “puquis” and many “cardones”. In “faldeos serranos” grows the “chica”, a typical tree of La Rioja, San Luis and San Juan. Over the temporary bed develops opened forests with “algarrobos” and “molles de beber” in Los Cajones.
“Retamo”, “chica” and the “verdolaga” are exclusive species of Argentina.

Between fauna components is frequent to find, near the entrance of the Park, “zorros grises”, “chuñas de patas negras” and “calandrias mora”.

The high natural walls are used as refuge by the “condor andino”, “aguila mora” and “halcon peregrino”. Also it is used by the “chinchillon”. The typical birds of the area are “gallito arena”, “canastero rojizo” and “cachalote pardo”.
The mammals that can be found are the “pichi-ciego” or “intiquirquincho”, a little “armadillo” with subterranean habits.


CLIMATE
There extreme temperatures in summer but also in winter.
There frequent sensitive temperature variations between the day and night.
The summers are hot, with high temperatures that reach 50º C. In winter the minimum temperatures reaches - 7º/ 9º C. From may to October can be frozenness. The solar radiation is intense.
There strong winds during the whole year. The most frequent are the ones that come from northwest, west and southeast, and the “zonda” is the most violent. The low humidity is typical in summer and in winter, except when there are strong rains, many times with hail. They are temporary and many times happens in summer. The annual rains average in the region goes from 150 to 170 mm.

Thanks to APN - Administración de Parques Nacionales





See programs to visit the area...

DAY 1 - Arrival to La Rioja Airport and transfer to hotel. 03 nts of accommodation with breakfast

DAY 2 - City Tour

DAY 3 - Excursion to Talampaya National Park and Ischigualasto Park (Moon Valley or Valle de la Luna)

DAY 4 - Transfer to airport

This is a basic program to visit Talampaya and Valle de la Luna (Moon Valley) Area. Please visit our tour list to see more tours combining this area and others place in Argentina and Chile

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