Park National Talampaya

10.01.2015
Journey: Ischigualasto – Talanpaya – Villa Union – Ruta 40 (Cuesta de Miranda) – Chilecito – Londres – Salicas (369 km)

Since the year of 2000 The Talampaya National Park has belonged to the UNESCO World Heritage List.


However, to drive here around by its own is not allowed. You just have to leave your car in the parking lot, and then use specifically applied car for tourists.

No queue whatsoever .And even no waiting for the beginning of the tour. I guess I got there exactly in time and inside the bus there were only couple of free seats.


Just this kind of vehicles drive in the territory of the park. Either because in some parts the road is not very good or just to have an overview of the tourists moving around , but more likely the two reasons combined.

And so it is much more secure that nobody will climb up somewhere alone and will get lost in the red canyon. And enough of the high red stone wall.


The most typical view of Talampaya - perpendicular cliffs. And the tourists. One car arriving and the other one is leaving.


The river has taken away some part of the roadway. Like a knife cut.


The vertical wall is 200 meters high.


And the same on the left and on the right.


When to shout something out there - then the echo comes back really remarkably.


To the canyon had been used for living thousands of years ago already. The people of that era have made hundreds of drawings - depicting animals, birds and other characters on the rocks.


A pathway up to the petroglyphs.


And informative signboards by the road.


















Some places here are more shadowy. After a brief, organized walk of about half an hour a light meal is offered - olives, and a variety of snacks are waiting on the table. In addition different kind of drinks - tea and juice and water-and ending with wine.


All that was a really nice surprise.


Then the tour continues.


Upon reaching out of the canyon high sandstone (probably it is the sandstone?) towers are waiting ahead.


Then there will be another ten-minute stop, and the tour returns to the gate of the park.


Rheas


And Vicuñas..


At the entrance of the park there is a kind of walking path . The theme is about saurus.




At first there is just red, sandy landscape.


Then on both sides of the road life-size creatures appear. One thing is to look at the skeletons in the museum, but here they are life-sized in the natural environment.


And some more ...




The general impression of the entire park was quite good. The durability of the excursion was very convenient and food and drink were included in the price. The first half of the day was filled.

In order to go northward it was necessary to drive up to Villa Unión first and then again along the Ruta 40-t, over the mountains - this time in daylight.


Last time I didn`t notice the sign but the issue is that the crossing will be closed after two days, and will remain closed up to 2 March. And to drive over the mountains it will be about 300 kilometers more.


This is the new, reconstructed road.


And here is a piece of old road that is no longer in use. Cuesta de Miranda. On the whole a very nice part. In the past it had been quite a pretty big job to build it in the hillside .


Another unfinished part of the road. In some places there is a kind of barrier here.


And one more. Photographed against the sun, hence the quality of the picture. Usually I try not to drive in the dark on such roads, but sometimes it happens that it is late already. And quite in the middle of the road-building there is no wish to fall asleep .

This time, however, managed to cover the road in the daytime. .


The searching of the overnight place was still in the dark. At last you reach the right place . It means that at the end of the 2.5 meter wide village street there is supposed to be a camping.

But there is only one place where an Omnibus from the sixties of the last century is standing alone. And the last twenty years the vehicle has not been touched or doors open .

A lightbulb hangs on a tree and there is even a plug. But nobody is in sight. Farther on in the dark there are voices and some buildings, and in the long run the keepers of that place are found. . It turns out that the this place is made actually first of all for the campers, and the main entrance is somewhere on the other side, but the main thing is - that all necessary for everyday life can be found here. Beginning with warm water and ending with wifi.

 
An overnight place of this time.


Looking around, it turns out that I have stopped at someone else's territory...


A closer look reveals that there are even more of them here ..


And actually so many of them that they seem to be everywhere. And they are huge. While walking in the dark I had to be careful - not to step on some of them. In the morning I find this kind of a signboard .



To be continued ...