Discover the process of gold mining in Argentina with this day trip to the mine of La Mexicana. We'll also discover the landscapes of Cuesta de Miranda!
Description
At the indicated time, we'll pick you up at your hotel in La Rioja and start a 4x4 trip along the Ruta Nacional 40 to delve into the history of gold mining in Argentina. Are you ready?
We'll travel along a spectacular Argentinean road that will take us to the Cuesta de Miranda, one of the most winding and unique stretches of the RN-40. Along the way, we'll make several stops at its viewpoints to enjoy the surrounding sierras.
After enjoying the views, which stretch as far as Famatina, we'll leave you with some free time to grab yourself some food. Once we've refueled and are ready to go, we'll continue our adventure along a mountain road, giving us fantastic views of the Sierra de Famatina. Along the way, we'll get to enjoy the Pesebre and Ocre canyons - two jewels of this region.
Afterwards, we'll arrive at the La Mexicana Mine, at 4,200 metres (13,780 feet) above sea level. What do you know about the gold rush that swept through Argentina in the 19th century? We'll find out all about it! Incredibly, this was one of the main centres of gold and silver extraction in the province.
We'll learn how precious metals were extracted in this mining centre and we'll also reveal the history of the cable car that transported the metals to the town of Chilecito.
Finally, we will head for La Rioja and finish the excursion at your hotel after 12 hours of driving.