Exploring central Catamarca: The Shinkal Inca Empire Ruins, Londres, Belen...

The Inca Empire arrived at what today is Shinkal, near Londres and Belen, in 1480, and survived until 1512, when it was finally overcome by the Spanish conquerors. There are still living testimonies of this civilization, although not of the magnitude of the Quilmes Indian Ruins, that are 100 miles to the north of this area. The village of Londres (London in English), founded by the Spanish conquerors in 1558, was the second population founded by the Spaniards in Argentina, after Santiago del Estero and before the city of Buenos Aires. It was given that name in honor of the wife of emperor Charles III of Spain, since she was British. Although the original buildings like the city hall have not been conserved, it still has a colonial environment. And the city of Belen, with 12,000 inhabitants, is the logical base for exploring this area. There are only three hotels in Belen, the hotel Provincial, the hotel Belen (three-star) and the very convenient and comfortable hotel Samai (one-star), where I stayed. The distance from Belen to Cordoba is 450 miles, to Catamarca, some 200 miles, and it is only 10 miles away from Londres and some 14 miles away from the Inca Ruins of Shinkal. There are many other things to see in Belen: Artisan fares, the Condor Huasi archeological museum, the cathedral (although it is only a century old, it is beautiful), the valley of the Belen river, the religious historical museum. The are two bus companies that offer direct bus services from Córdoba city to Belen: Robledo (quite comfortable, but not semi-bed and with no meals on board) and Gutierrez, that costs more but is more comfortable and offers dinner on board (in my case, chicken supreme with potatoes and soft drinks). There are also regular inexpensive bus services from Belen to Londres and Shinkal, in this last case four times a the day. The ideal thing to do is to take the bus overnight from Cordoba to Belen, travel from there to Catamarca city (four and a half hours) and from Catamarca, visit Las Pirquitas, Cuesta del Portezuelo, El Jumeal, Pueblo Perdido (Indian ruins constructed 12 centuries before the Incas arrived) and El Rodeo, the most beautiful tourist village in Catamarca. From Catamarca you can take a direct bus to Cordoba city (Gutierrez, Chevallier, etc.) Come and join me in this virtual tour.

Quick Tips:

The hotel Samai is a very nice hotel with swimming pool, cable TV, two nice lounges, and costs only per night for a single room, and per night for double occupancy. Breakfast is included in the rate. The other option you have is the hotel Belen (three-star) but not all people coincide in recommending it, don't ask me why. The restaurant 1900, half a block away from the Samai hotel, and one block away from the Condor Huasi Inca Museum and from the main square, has good food at moderate prices. A good meal will cost to per person, including wine. The best way to get around is the taxi. A round trip to the Shinkal Inca Ruins (14 miles away) including one hour of waiting time, will cost you . Of course, the bus is far cheaper (.50¢ each way per person). The choice is yours. The Condor Huasi museum, although small, has very valuable testimonies of the Inca Empire, and the admission fee is minimal. It is across the road from the main square.

Best Way To Get Around:

BUSES FROM CÓRDOBA CITY: Gutierrez (the best) 12 hours travel, 63 pesos or . They serve dinner on board, and feature semi-bed buses. Robledo (quite good, but not semi bed and no meals on board) takes 11 hours and costs 50 pesos or . BUSES FROM BELEN TO THE SHINKAL INCA RUINS: It runs four times a day and costs .50¢. Check the timetables, because the ruins are small and one hour to one hour and a half is enough time. If you go at noon., you cannot return until 5.30 p.m. The best option is leaving at 10am and returning at 12:30pm. BUSES TO CATAMARCA CITY: 4 HOURS AND A HALF TRAVEL. The overnight bus costs less () and allows you to save one night at the hotel. All three companies are good: Gutierrez, El Antofagasteño (that also runs to Antofagasta de la Sierra, another very interesting destination), and Robledo. TAXI: The cost is about one dollar per mile. A round trip to the Shinkal Inca Empire ruins including one hour of waiting time, will cost you some . Enjoy your stay in central Catamarca

The Inca Empire, that had started in year 1197 AD, penetrated in Argentina nearly three centuries later, coming down South as far as Mendoza in Argentina and Santiago in Chile. Some of the present transandean crossings like Pircas Negras, at an altitude of 16,000 feet, were populated by the Incas, and it is believed that the Pircas Negras area in La Rioja was where one of its provincial capitals was. Many mummies have been discovered in that area, and it is believed that the present TransAndean road under construction crosses over an Inca Empire Cemetry. I discovered this travelling with a bulldozer operator of that new highway, travelling from Córdoba to Belen, Catamarca. Pircas Negras has a very hostile climate; the operator told me that he had been blocked in by the snow for twelve days, until the weather improved... El Shinkal was one of the fortresses in the area. Spanish colonizers used to avoid this area, because they were repeatedly defeated by the Incas. This fortress was constructed between 1480 and 1512. This is probably the reason why the Spanish colonizers founded the village of Londres de la Nueva Inglaterra (London of New England), the second one constructed in Argentina, on June 24, 1558. Today Londres has a population of some 2,200 inhabitants. It was founded after Santiago del Estero, and before the city of Buenos Aires, that was founded in 1580...

After having visited the Quilmes Indian Ruins between Cafayate (Salta) and Santa María (Catamarca) I was not so impressed, but we must remember that these ruins are older and that their restoration started only eight years ago, and was undertaken by a relatively medium university (National University of La Plata) with far less resources than the University of Buenos Aires that is working on the reconstruction of the Quilmes Indian Ruins. Both these communities (Incas and Quilmes indians) resisted fiercely the Spanish domination, and it took many years for the Spaniards to overcome their resistance (130 years in the case of the Quilmes Indians). As you may see, there is a lot of history related to these monuments. While you need at least 3 hours to tour the Quilmes Indian Ruins (some 130 miles north of here), you can visit the Shinkal ruins in slightly more than one hour. Mainly you will see staircases up to the mountain, and what seems to have been the main pyramid. The photos will explain graphically what I am trying to explain in words. Have a look at the pictures and enjoy them.

There is a small museum at the ruins, that should be complemented with a visit to the CondorHuasi museum in the city of Belen, 14 miles away, that has points of arrows that are up to eight thousand years old, and ceramic pieces of the Inca Empire and previous civilizations that belong to the Condorhuasi, Cienaga and Aguada periods. Unfortunately, the museum has very small premises, and most of their archaeological treasures are stored in a warehouse. Periodically pieces are taken out of the exposition and replaced by others, so that if you go back you will enjoy seeing other interesting pieces. I will refer to the Museum in a separate Experience. The Shinkal Inca Ruins are located four and a half miles away from the village of Londres, that was given that name (London in English) in honor of the wife of king Charles III of Spain, since she was British.

There is a very basic lodge in Londres, and three good hotels in Belen, that is 14 miles away from the ruins. There are local buses from Belen to Shinkal at 10 and 12am and at 5.30pm, returning at 12.30am, and 5 and 7pm. Since one hour is enough to tour the ruins, the morning timetable seems to be the best option. A round trip on a taxi with one hour waiting time should cost you twenty dollars, so if you are four, it would be five dollars per person. Enjoy your stay in Central Catamarca.

I did not spend much time in this beautiful city, but enough to enjoy its main attractions. Belen has a population of some 12,000 inhabitants, some nice colonial buildings, a beautiful main square, and a lovely cathedral. It is a compact city, some two miles long and about one mile wide. The valley of the Belen river, where there is also a replica of the image of Our Lady of the Valley (Virgen del Valle) has also very nice panoramic views. There is also a statue of the virgin on the top of the mountain where you can only arrive climbing.

I only peeped into the cathedral, but noticed that it is beautiful, even though it is only one century old. Next door there is a religious arts museum, that was closed on Saturday afternoon, but I did have the chance to visit the Condor Huasi museum. Unfortunately, due to budget constraints, the rooms where the museum is (the second floor of an apartment building) are insufficient to exhibit all its cultural wealth, so part of these valuable historical pieces are kept in a warehouse. The admission fee is only one peso (.33¢). It is open from Tuesday to Sunday, morning and afternoon, although on Sundays it only opens during the morning. It is located in front of the main square, in diagonal. The oldest pieces are 10-12,000 years old, such as Ayampitin projectiles and continues all the way through the Inca Empire age and the Spanish colonization age. The different cultures represented include the Condor Huasi, Alamito, Cienaga, Aguada, Belen, Santa Maria, Fambalasto, and Inca cultures. There are some pieces in bronze, such as small jaguars, jewelry of gold, ceramic and stone, stone boards, mortars, and sculptures, amongst many other things. The Precolombian ceramics includes pieces from graves in the zones of Belen and Condor Huasi.

A new building is soon going to be constructed for this Museum, that will allow exhibiting most, if not all, its cultural heritage. Access is through the Misael Gallery, in San Martin 310, nearly facing the main square.

I am no expert in museums, but really enjoyed my visit.

Other attractions in town are the small winery on the main street, and some vineyards in the area. Belen is within an irrigated area.

I stayed at the hotel Samai, two blocks away from the bus station, a nice one-star hotel with swimming pool, large rooms with cable TV and private bathroom. The cost is 14 dollars per night for one person and 20 for double occupancy. These rates include breakfast. The other hotel in town is the Belen hotel (3 stars) but not all opinions agree that they offer a good service.

I had lunch at the 1900 restaurant, where I ate a napolitan chicken supreme (with ham and cheese, but with no side orders) plus a glass of wine for $5. More sophisticated plates cost $7 to $9. It is a place in high demand; I was unable to find a free table there on Saturday evening. Reservations are recommended.

As I said in the overview, the city of Belen is 14 miles away from the Inca Empire ruins of El Shinkal (see separate Experience) and nearer to the village of Londres de la Nueva Inglaterra (London of New England) a suggestive name for a Spanish speaking country, founded in 1558 and named like that in honor of the wife of the king of Spain (Charles III), who was a British citizen.

Buses to the Shinkal ruins run at 10am, noon, and 5pm. The ride takes half an hour and costs half a dollar.

Buses to Catamarca, the capital of the province, run at noon and late at night. All three bus companies are good (Gutierrez, El Antofagasteño, and Robledo), although of all three, I prefer Gutierrez. The overnight timetables that leave at 1 and 2am cost only $5 for the four and a half hour bus ride in comfortable buses and with coffee self-serve.

Buses service to Cordoba city take 11 to 12 hours, and cost 50 to 63 pesos (Gutierrez is more expensive but serves dinner on bo

El Rodeo is the main tourist destination in the province of Catamarca. During the summer months, it is frequently visited by the inhabitants of the capital, and it has a beautiful setting. Temperature here is about 20°C lower than in the capital, where weather in the summer months is excessively warm. However, it has only three hotels: Hotel de Turismo, La Casa de Chicha (which I visited), and a third one I am not aware of. Total bed capacity is for some 300 people at the very most, so if you intend to go, try to make prior reservations.
Traffic vans take you from the Catamarca bus station (a very modern bus station with a large fast-food area and even with elegant shops) at a cost of $2, travel takes about one hour. But there are only three or four traffic vans in the whole day. The first one leaves at 10am, another one at noon, and the third one gives you no time to explore the area.

The whole scenery is very pleasant, but remember that we are not talking of very high mountains, rather foothills that can reach an altitude of 5000ft. Five streams go through the village, and there are very nice weekend and vacation residences in the village, that is about two and a half miles long.

WHERE TO STAY AND WHERE TO EAT: I only visited one restaurant, but was delighted with the scenery, and the quality of food, at affordable prices. I paid slightly over $6 for a nice serving of grilled meat with Spanish-style potatoes and a Coke. If I had requested a bottle of wine I would have spent maybe another $2.
The restaurant is elegant and has a beautiful outdoor gallery facing the garden, with a panoramic view towards the mountains. It also has some ancient regional pottery decorating the restaurant. I really enjoyed the environment.

They also have there a 30-room hotel, and staying there costs 50 pesos ($17) per person, irrespective of whether you occupy single or double rooms. I visited some of the rooms and found them to be comfortable. All have cable TV and private bathroom. They also have ceiling fans, but no air conditioning. In any case, weather here is far cooler here than in Catamarca city.

WHAT TO DO AT EL RODEO
Trekking up the Los Nogales river: there are large pools in this river, ideal for fishing trout or bathing. Vegetation becomes more dense as you go up the river. After walking two or three hours, you reach a large walnut tree that is 250 years old. Walking another hour up the river you will find other interesting places.

Trekking up the Ambato mountain range, up to an altitude of 5,000 feet, from where you have impressive views of the area. You can return down the other side of the mountain and along the Ambato river.

Horse riding is also popular in this area.

In a few words, Catamarca (and El Rodeo) can be a good place for stopping on your way from Mendoza to Salta or Tucumán. Don't expect majestic high mountains, but you will find a very enjoyable environment for relaxing and taking it easy.

On the way back you will pass by two nice places for visiting, that are not visible from the highway: Pueblo Perdido, an archeological treasure with Indian ruins twelve centuries older than the Inca empire, and El Jumeal. I will refer to these places and others in another Experience.

Enjoy your stay in Catamarca.

Catamarca is probably the most religious province in Argentina. It was founded in the year 1607 and, therefore, is four centuries old. As you may imagine, there are historical churches that you will enjoy visiting and other monuments, but I prefer to concentrate this time on what you can find very near the city in different directions:

1) LAS PIRQUITAS DAM. It forms a beautiful lake surrounded by mountains, and is some 20 miles away from the capital. Very few bus services arrive here, so you might want to take a taxi. The trip should cost you some $20, including some waiting time for photos. They will tell you that there is a bus service (201) to Las Pirquitas, but that residential area is halfway to the dam. I made that mistake and lost two hours that I could have used for sightseeing other interesting places. True, it has a nice church, some nice residences, but that was not what I was looking for, and there was no taxi service in the villa to continue travel towards the lake. I have been in this area forty years ago, but have no longer photos of my own and did not have time to make it, due to my mistake with the bus service. I have visited the Las Pirquitas lake and dam many years ago, and it is beautiful, especially if you enjoy the scenery from the nearby mountains. Unfortunately, at this time I have no photos of my own for this lake, but it is really enjoyable.

CUESTA DEL PORTEZUELO. Although there are nicer slopes in Argentina (especially towards Cachi in Salta), this is a very pleasant drive and going there and back on a taxi should cost you some $15. You will have a beautiful panoramic view of the city and if you have a good zoom, you can see the city of Catamarca.

EL JUMEAL. This dam and artificial lake is very near the city (three miles away) and you can combine it with a visit to Pueblo Perdido. I arrived late in the evening, and took the best photos I could with the little light that was left.

PUEBLO PERDIDO. (Lost town). Probably the oldest Indian ruins in Argentina. They belong to the "Aguada" period, and are 12 centuries older than the Inca empire in Argentina. Since only the bottom part of the homes was of rock, you will only see the basement of the homes. They were discovered eight years ago, and no restoration work has been undertaken yet. It is five miles away from Catamarca city on the road to El Rodeo. Bus 101J passes in front of the ruins, but services are not frequent. I suggest taking a taxi to visit both Pueblo Perdido and El Jumeal.

WHERE TO STAY IN CATAMARCA. I have stayed at El Pucará hotel (three-star) and found it comfortable. Service was good. Caseros 501 Phone/Fax:(54-3833)43-0688/0698/1569 If you are looking for something better, there is a new Amerian hotel (four-star) in town: República 347 Phone/Fax: (54.3833) 42-5444

I have given a complete listing of hotels in my previous report on Catamarca. To see the complete list and to contact hotels, you can also click here:

http://www.welcomeargentina.com/catamarca/lodging.html

I have seen a very nice hotel just across the road from the modern bus station. Its name is Coral. Tucumán 1190 Phone (54-3833) 454619 or 454674 Their E-mail address is coralcatamarca@yahoo.com.ar
By what I have read, a single room there costs around $30. It seems to be a three-star hotel.

HOW TO GET THERE:
There are many bus services to:
BUENOS AIRES: Nueva Chevallier, FlechaBus, Gutierrez, General Urquiza, are some of these, and all go through CÓRDOBA CITY AND ROSARIO. I traveled on Gutierrez to Córdoba and they served us a small portion of chicken supreme with potatoes for dinner. Travel to Córdoba (5 hours) costs $14.
MENDOZA: Andesmar
There are also services to Tucumán (Aconquija), Salta and Jujuy.

Here are some useful web pages:
www.andesmar.com.ar
www.flechabus.com.ar
www.generalurquiza.com