El Rodeo, Catamarca, was founded by the Spanish colonizers in 1643, and has always been a delightful tourist destination. I have been a couple of times there, and have really enjoyed this village crossed by some five lovely small rivers. It is still a small beautiful weekend/vacation village, some 22 miles away from Catamarca city, and with a far milder climate. It is the main tourist destination in all the province. 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°F lower than in the capital, where weather in the summer months is far too warm.
It is located at an altitude of 4,025 feet above sea level and the whole village is charming, although still small 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. It is a nice destination for trekking, for which I mention a number of alternatives below. A horseback ride up to Las Juntas is another very nice alternative. There is rainbow trout fishing in the area, although rather scarce. Mountain bike tours and rappel are some other interesting activities you can practice here. 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 (La Casa De Chicha, in the countryside, but near the village), 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 archaeological treasure with Indian r