Mendoza, the Oasis

Long ago, the moor of Mendoza was touched by the waters of the drains descending from the valleys and got transformed into an extremely fertile area. By entering through National Route 7, and when coming out onto Zapata Avenue, you will notice the abundant foliage characterizing its streets as a welcome.

 
Mendoza video made by Exagrama.

The city of Mendoza, capital of the province, is a striking oasis with its immense beauty and its landscapes trimmed by mountains, hills and the plateau. It functions as an administrative, commercial and cultural center of this province; it also develops a big industry dedicated to the grape growing and wine production. This city offers a wide range of different activities adaptable to the most eclectic tastes, starting by practicing rafting or kayak, climbing, exploring caverns, without leaving behind catching sight of wild flora and fauna during the best months of summer.

Touring the city

The lush groves in the streets are an invitation for a stroll. Going for a walk in the city will include the beautiful five main squares and its well-taken care of gardens, the monumental civic center and the attractive shop windows of the commercial center with sidewalks wide as patios.

There, you will get lost in endless moments among leafy woods protective of the hot afternoons during summer, or enjoy some of the innumerable cafés, bars and restaurants with its tables under the trees.

By far, the most common tourist streets are: San Martín Avenue, Sarmiento pedestrian street, which is regularly the scenario for musical or theatre shows under the public bowers, and Las Heras Avenue, in which it is possible to find a wide variety of regional products.

Arranged in artisan fairs you will find, in these streets, the most original and exclusive articles, astonishing for their beauty and rareness.

For the dilettantes of history, the city offers an interesting route visiting the Palace of Justice, the City Hall, Province House and the Cathedral of Mendoza, the Pasado Cuyano Museum, among many others.

General San Martín park, is located 1,5 km from downtown(Independence Square). It has extensive forests, meadows, gardens, an artificial lake and a zoo. It stands out for its great extension and is impossible to miss given its main entrance forged in black iron with golden details and an imposing condor, similar to a sentry, over the central and principal gate. Heading west towards Cerro de la Gloria, you will be able to visit the impressive monument dedicated to San Martin.

Seeking the Andes mountain range

When touring the areas bordering and surrounding the capital of Mendoza, an ample variety of diverse types of entertainment will be found. The most important wineries of the region are located in Godoy Cruz, Maipú and Luján de Cuyo. It is possible to do visiting circuits that include the vineyards, the plants of fine wine production, the maturing place and, later, attend a tasting.

Following National Route 7, trapped in between the colours of the mountain range and the Mendoza river, displayed in parallel lines, the typical mountain towns are located. 

Once here, the tranquility of the mountains, valleys and landscapes will induce you to a state of serenity. 

You'll delight in relaxing thermal spring water in the town of Villavicencio and, ahead, in El Puente del Inca.  In the case of Villavicencio, these are located in artificial grottos offering individual or collective bathtubs with waters ranging from 35° to 50° degrees celsius. This is the occasion where you can bathe in waters widely known for its curative properties and suitable for an appropriate rest.

From the Valley of Uspallata, framed by the mountain range and the premountain range, those keen on extreme sports will find all the necessary services to practice them. Here, the National Route 7 gets transformed into a departure point that continues as an international route towards the caves and the limiting border with Chile.

The way from Uspallata to the caves is a spectacle in itself and comprises 86 kms.  (390 kms. from the city of Mendoza). Guided by imposing and yesteryear wall sediments penetrating in a narrow throat next to the Mendoza river, it crosses the frontal mountain range. You will observe a display of beautiful and inclined plateaus crowning the route. 

From Punta de Vacas, the last trees that will be seen in the mountain range bloom here and three valleys worthy of admiration converge at this point as well:  Las Vacas to the north, the Caves to the west and Tupungato to the south. The rivers of these three valleys unite here giving origin to the Mendoza River. In the deep scenery of the mountain landscapes, the locality of Los Penitentes is found. It obtains its name from the peculiar relief formations in the high slopes resembling a monks’ procession carved by erosion. This place has ski equipment for rental, excellent instructors and a rather good skiing infrastructure. You can enjoy this beautiful town during the winter, when the snow upholsters the landscapes and it is ideal to develop this sport.

Puente del Inca is a legendary thermal spring water site as well. Its main attraction is a beautiful bridge over the river, a natural formation unique in the world, of a strange yellow color. It has been produced by the solidification of sulphurous waters. This place is an inciting moor; those arriving here find themselves renewed and reborn by its thermal spring waters, and the possibility of visiting its millenarian ocher, copper and amber colored sediments. The naked mountain landscapes will transport you to the remote times in which the Incas used this region as a passing through point.

Far ahead, the Provincial Park Aconcagua is almost the end of this journey and has the highest hill in America (6,962 m.a.o.l). Its main attractions are: trekking, climbing rocks or ice, photographic safaris, among many other options. The glaciers Horcones Inferior, Güssfeldt, Los Relinchos and De Los Polacos are here the main protagonists accompanied by a background of numerous hills reaching, as well, 5,000 m.a.o.l. The season for doing ascents goes from January to March.

The monument Cristo Redentor, within the reserve, is a sculpture of approximately ten meters of height and the first Monument to International Peace between Argentina and Chile. It has an emblematic and stirring inscription at its feet: "these mountains will collapse before Chilean and Argentinian brothers break the peace sworn at the Cristo Redentor". It is an image of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, with his right foot on the globe and a cross in his left hand, watching and following the limiting line between Chile and Argentina.

And ideal would be doing this route during the warm months of the spring and summer, since not always does the climate allow the ascent through the escarped rock highway. During these months, it becomes a pleasure visiting this natural reserve. All types and kinds of flora bloom rather feverishly here, offering a celebration of colours that you will be able to observe, as a small wall, by the foot of the hills.

Towards the vineyards and the Cordón de Plata

The southern areas of Mendoza have naturally barren landscapes, but once touched by capable hands, these are transformed into fecund ground. They comprise the ample longitudinal valley on the southern region of the Mendoza river, delimited by the majestic frontal mountain range to the west. There is a rustic route where you will be able to enjoy beautiful views full of diverse apple, almond, peach and quince farms. This mild area of Mendoza is ideal to enjoy calm strolls and while some days away in a slow lifestyle, accompanied by abundant nature appearing in every corner.

Potrerillos, a natural oasis with an excellent microclimate, is also known for its thermal waters. It was a traditional area of old farms. It is characterized by summer villas of great extension where the afternoons seem to last forever when resting out in the open.  It is located  68 km heading south from the City of Mendoza. This is a site that you will be able to visit in a day. If the sky is clear, Potrerillos will reach its maximum splendor when visiting the varied farms and properties.

The valley of Tupungato is a fertile corridor in which the culture of vegetables and plantations of fruit trees dominate, drawing checkerboards in the moor. Located 102 km from the city of Mendoza, it is an area filled with immense beauties. From this point, you will be able to go beyond until reaching the mountain range posts and seeing the typical mountain landscapes in horse rides or excursions to the Provincial Park Volcán Tupungato.

This valley inherits its name from the volcano, 6,820 m.a.o.l, locked up in this natural reserve. From its summit you will be able to catch sight of great glaciers feeding important rivers of Mendoza; and also landscapes of exceptional scenic beauty with typical flora and fauna of high Andean valleys of the central mountain range.

Further, 24 km from Tupungato, the natural reserve Manzano Histórico, located in Tunuyán, has majestic landscapes filled with innumerable streams populated with fishes. The presence of the Punta Negra peak, an important center of rock scaling, stands out. This reserve can be visited throughout the entire year, and among the activities available, you might find: paragliding, trekking, scaling and fishing sports.

In the south end of Mendoza (425 km from the capital), the town known as Malargüe is located. Its proximity with the lagoon of Llancanelo offers an intense activity, within the natural reserve in which it is found. The Natural Reserve La Payunia is 160 km from this location and the volcano Payún Matrú stands out in a solitary place that is attractive for numerous species of the native fauna. 

Another option is to visit the Caverns of the Witches, where the water has dug deep underground galleries. It has carved diverse and very singular forms such as stalactites, and thus has become a site of great attractiveness for the tourists. The entire route through the south of Mendoza is accompanied by the imposing sight of the mountain range that, at this point, is called El Cordón de Plata.

East from the city of Mendoza, following National Route 40, Maipú is located. Dedicated almost exclusively to the wine production it is, therefore, Mecca for wine lovers. Several warehouses of great reputation such as Lopez, in the surroundings, and Trapiche, offer a tour through their harvests and a tasting. Farther ahead, through the National Route 143, you find the city of San Rafael that, as well, offers the possibility of visiting the Warehouse Valentin Bianchi and is a typical resting area for tourists. The route from Mendoza to San Rafael, first by National Route 40 and soon after through the Provincial route 143, comprises approximately 235 km altogether.

San Rafael, just like Maipú, is an ideal place for an afternoon siesta. The ‘siesta’ is a tradition in this region that, as a spell, will take you to refreshing rests soon after abundant lunches or a relaxing wine tasting. From the district of San Rafael, the Provincial Route 173 or 180 will take you directly to Cañadón del Atuel. This is a passage that comprises 50 kilometers of admirable landscape and is accompanied by the continuous murmur of the Atuel river. The landscape consists of peculiar and attractive geological formations. These are sculptures with specific names according to their forms and have been carved by nature throughout thousands of years.

Distances in kms. from Mendoza

The Climate

This region presents a particular and continental climate that has a considerable variation between the mountain range and lower parts. In the Andes Áridos, the dryness affects the region thus creating shortage of snow and glaciers.

The temperatures, rather rigorous during winter, reach records of -30° C where the Cristo Redentor is. It is a season characterized by windy days and very cold nights. The valleys, however, have a greater temperature moderation with minimums of -14° C during July and maximums of 38° C in February. In the plain, the temperature rarely surpasses the 36° C, in summer, and -3° C during winter.

The spring and autumn are characterized by pleasant days and nights going from fresh to cold. The snow storms in the mountain range are awaited anxiously given that they increase the flow of the rivers during the summer melting thus favoring the irrigation. The snow in the high mountain range falls during winter and comes from the low pressure fronts, originated in the Pacific Ocean, affecting the climate all the way to the valley of Uspallata. The rainy season is during the summer, having some spectacular or short but intense storms, sometimes accompanied by hail. 

Average temperatures throughout the year