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Alta Montana Aventura Tour, Mendoza Province, Argentina

Hairpin bends Hairpin bends

Up and ready for our early departure of 7am we were collected late, which was irritating as we would rather have been in bed! The Operadores Mendoza Viajes bus headed out of town towards Villavicencio, spending any time in Argentina would let you know that this is a source of mineral water, and past the grand hotel as we snaked up the road of 365 hairpin bends (although it may feel like it, it’s no where near as much but that’s what they call it) climbing up to Cruz del Paramillo which is 3000m up and the highest point in the low Andes.  We stopped to take in the view back down the valley, which was pretty impressive, but better was to come as we drove on through a valley then up again, this time looking across to the west, to the glorious Andes – what a sight!
As we travelled down the valley towards Uspallata we were struck by the colours of the mountain rock – white to purple to pink to red to yellow and orange, just amazing!  Charles Darwin visited the area and he wrote ” Red, purple, green and quite white sedimentary rocks, alternating with black lavas broken up and thrown into all kinds of disorder, by masses of porphyry, of every shade, from dark brown to the brightest lilac”.  He was rather accurate.

Cruz del Paramillo and Guanacos

Cruz del Paramillo and Guanacos

A stop in Uspallata made me wish we had done more research!  I would have happily stayed there in order to do some walking, as we had done in El Chalten.  The location was breathtaking down in the valley plains surrounded by these majestic peaks.  We arrived in the town just before the start of a military parade – it was then we found out that it was the Memorial day of the Falklands War (las Malvinas) and all day flags were at half mast as they remembered their dead.  It was rather a shock to us just how vivid the angst of the Falklands War was in Argentina, all these years on!

After a coffee stop we carried on through the valley crossing the Picheuta river, continuing to be struck by the colourful mountains and the layers of rocks showing the ages of time. We were heading to Puente del Inca which is 2720m up, to a strange natural rock bridge over waters which have minerals causing vibrant yellow and green crystallisation, in turn making quite a spectacle.  We pushed on though the valley in the shadows of high peaks, then turning up the hill from Las Cuevas with more hair pin bends to the top of a mountain to a hight of 4200m, on the border of Argentina and Chile, giving spectacular views across to the famous Aconagua, the tallest mountain after the Himalayas. Gale force winds and altitude made it a breathless experience, but majestic.  The Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer) makes a striking figure of unity between Argentina and Chile, up on high and all alone. 

Puente del Inca

Puente del Inca

Andes view

Andes view

Cristo Redentor

Cristo Redentor

It was a long day, and mostly spent taking photos from a bus which is not how I like to do my sightseeing, but in order to get an idea of these breath taking mountains and sights, it was worth it.

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