On this excursion to Chilecito and Nanogasta, we'll explore the most beautiful villages of the Argentine province of La Rioja as well as the Cuesta de Miranda.
Description
After picking you up at your hotel in the center of La Rioja at the indicated time, we'll head towards the most beautiful villages of the province of the same name.
We'll begin with a stop in Patquia before continuing on towards Los Colorados, where we'll get to see the intense reddish tones which characterise these colourful mountains. Nearby, we'll visit a cave of the Riojan leader Chacho Peñaloza - a site to which he would lure his enemies. We'll soon return to the road and travel north until we reach Chilecito.
Our tour will continue along the mountain range of Famatima, getting to see Cuesta Las Talas, Santa Florentina, Río del Oro, or stations 1 and 2 of the Cable Rail - massive infrastructure used to transport the gold that was extracted in the foothills of the province of La Rioja. Afterward, we'll visit the La Mejicana mine and its museum, where we'll gain a fascinating insight into what this gold, silver, and copper mine was like during the first half of the 20th century.
Our next stop will be in the village of Samay Huasi, where we'll find the estate and museum of Dr. Joaquín Víctor Gonzáles, the Cristo del Portezuelo statue finally the La Riojana winery, where we'll taste the excellent Riojan wines, which have been awarded several international prizes.
We'll then give you an hour of free time to give you a chance to refuel and relax! Once we've reconvened, we'll begin an ascent of the hills of Miranda until we reach Mirador del Monolito. The journey will be worth the view at the summit, as we'll be rewarded with a beautiful and colourful landscape.
Finally, we'll return to La Rioja and we'll end the excursion leaving you at your hotel after about 11 hours of sightseeing.