I visited this National Park for the first time a year and a half ago, and was impressed by the forms that water and wind erosion have given this National Park: the sphinx, the chimney, the totem, the Gothics, the deep gulley, the botanical garden... There are many beautiful things to see. It is the land of the first dinosaurs. The first dinosaurs were not the largest ones; they were only a few feet long, and this is the land where they lived: El Chiflón (La Rioja), Ischigualasto or Valle de la Luna (San Juan), Talampaya (La Rioja), and Sierra de las Quijadas (San Luis). You will notice that Talampaya is in La Rioja, while Valle Fertil is in San Juan. The National Park is practically on the border of both provinces, and only some 40 miles away from Ischigualasto (Valle de la Luna, San Juan) and nearer still to El Chiflón, a smaller park, with cream colored vertical cliffs, that I walked though in an hour and a half. This park is new, very few people are aware of it... At El Chiflón, we had to go to the home of the park ranger to ask him to open the main gate.
Unlike Ischigualasto or Valle de la Luna, Talampaya has some vegetation, since it is in the canyon of a river, that usually is dry, although water creeps up occasionally and disappears half a block further one. However, keep out of the canyon on a rainy day, because a huge wave of water could come suddenly down the canyon... and you might not find a place where to climb, to get out of the reach of the reddish water. Talampaya National Park has even a small botanical garden with the autochtonous species of the area. I had already been at Ischigualasto the previous year, but had been told that Talampaya was far more beautiful. This is true. I visited this park during the third quarter of 2005. The curious forms carved by water and wind erosion justify a visit to this unique place in Argentina. Talampaya was declared Patrimony of Humanity by the UNESCO. Together with Valle de la Luna (Ischigualasto, San Juan), El Chiflón (La Rioja) and Las Quijadas (San Luis), all in Argentina, it forms the land where the first dinosaurs lived. The erosion of water and wind have given the cliffs beautiful forms, although most of them are vertical.
The average height of these cliffs is some 400 feet; some are higher. Although this park can be visited from La Rioja, Villa Unión, Chilecito and Valle Fértil, this last town is the best place to go from, because vans leave every morning to visit Talampaya and Valle de la Luna in one sole tour. And there is a very nice, 3-star hotel at Valle Fértil (Hostería de Valle Fértil) that costs some 45 Dollars per night. If you go from La Rioja city by bus, you will get a surprise. The bus leaves you at the entrance of the National Park, but there you will find out that the vehicles of the park that do the tour leave from the National Park offices, that are located some 4 miles away from the entrance. Weather is very warm. I was lucky, I got there hiking, but I was travelling alone. It is far more convenient to visit this place from Valle Fértil, from Villa Unión, or even from Panecillo. There are buses from Chilecito to Villa Union, and I feel sure that there are also bus services from La Rioja to Villa Unión, but the trip from Chilecito goes through a very nice scenic road that is worthwhile doing (Cuesta de Miranda). There are also traffic vans to the National Park from Panecillo, where there are a couple of lodges, but with very basic comfort.
At the Talampaya National Park I recommend circuits 1 and 2. You can visit Talampaya and Ischigualasto (Valle de la Luna, or valley of the moon) in one sole tour from Valle Fértil. Pay attention when you get off the bus when you arrive at the Valle Fértil bus station. You will see men of the local travel agencies offering this tour. If you wait until the next day, you may miss it. You can also hire a taxi, this is what I did, but went that day only to Ischigualasto and El Chiflón, or I would have lost the last bus returning to San Juan. It is advisable to stay two nights at Valle Fértil. It is a very nice irrigation area, and the Hostería de Valle Fertil has a panoramic view of the small city, of the lake below it, and of the mountains. I am sure you will enjoy your visit to both Valle Fértil and Talampaya.
How to get there: There are local buses from La Rioja some 3 times in the day, one leaves early in the morning, but as I said above, they leave you some 4 miles away from the departure point of the local tours, unless if you continue on the bus to Panecillo and take a traffic van from there. The bus from Chilecito to Villa Unión runs once a day, and you would need to stay overnight at Villa Unión. There are 3 hotels in Villa Unión, all one-star hotels: DAYTON. Nicolas Davila 109. Phone (54-3825)-470229. CENTRO: Nicolas Davila y San Martín. Phone (54-3825)-470382 Fax:54-3825-470382. NORYANEPAT: Joaquin V. Gonzalez 150 Tel:54-3825470133. If you prefer to stay at Chilecito (beautiful), you will find a few good hotels: Four stars: Pircas Negras, on the road to Villa Unión. (But I am not sure exactly where it is.) Ruta Nacional 76, acceso sur 3-Stars: Chilecito, Timoteo Gordillo y Alberto Ocampo, phone (54-5360) 42-2201. One star: Ruta 40, Libertad 68, phone (54-5360) 42-2804. Bel SAVAK 9 de Julio and Adolfo Dávila, phone (54-5360) 42-2977. But staying at Valle Fértil (San Juan) makes it easier to visit both parks. If you prefer to stay in the city of La Rioja, you have many options for sleeping: Five stars: Naindo Park Hotel San Nicolás de Bari 475 Tel: 47-0700. Four stars (all generously rated, I would give them 3 stars): Plaza San Nicolás De Bari y 9 De Julio Tel: 42-5215 Fax: 42-2127. Turismo Av. Perón y F. Quiroga Tel: 42-2005 / 43-8253. King´s Facundo Quiroga 1070 Tel: 42-2122 Fax: 42-2754.
Hotels are not expensive here, so why look for a cheaper one? To the cost of the tour at Talampaya you will have to add the cost of the tours inside the Talampaya National Park. The National Park does not allow private vehicles inside; all tours must be done on their vehicles. This came as a result of the theft of dinosaur bones by "scientific" expeditions. To the contrary, at Ischigualasto, private vehicles are allowed inside the park, but they must enter in caravans headed by the guide of the park. I am sure you will really enjoy your visit to both Talampaya and Ischigualasto (Valley of the Moon). Welcome to Western Argentina.
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