Parque Nacional Talampaya
The Triassic period is known as the age of dinosaurs. The 50-million-year-old era saw the first emergence of reptiles and flowering plants, and Talampaya National Park has captured it all like a perfect geological etching. Multiple layers of sediments have fallen on what used to be a tropical zone, allowing scientists to date and study, indeed discover, what life was like 200 million years ago through fossilized remains.
It also makes for some pretty spectacular scenery in a UNESCO World Heritage Site that covers more than 215,000 hectares (a half-million acres). The 150m-high (492-ft.) red sandstone walls are as sharp as diamond-cut marble. The park tour bus takes you down this long spectacular gorge that is actually a dry riverbed. The area is one of the driest places on earth, where summer temperatures of 122°F (40°C) are common. You reach a half circle clearing that emits a perfect echo. Nearby 1,800-year-old rock paintings display birdlife and guanacos -- a type of llama that still can be seen roaming this scarlet desert. Hard capstones sit precariously on soft pedestals, sculpted by the wind to appear like towers and cathedrals. One geomorphic rock looks like a tortoise. Talampaya is more picturesque than its sister park Ishigualasto, 80km (50 miles) away, which is more famous for its dinosaur fossils. The Talampaya tour is also more fun and informative, as the guide is with you throughout the 3-hour tour; but, again, remember to ask for a tour in English. There is no public transport to either park, so a taxi or tour company must be used from La Rioja, which is 2 1/2 hours away, or from the small towns Villa Union or Valle Fertil. Note: Do not forget a hat, sunblock, and lip balm.
The Triassic period is known as the age of dinosaurs. The 50-million-year-old era saw the first emergence of reptiles and flowering plants, and Talampaya National Park has captured it all like a perfect geological etching. Multiple layers of sediments have fallen on what used to be a tropical zone, allowing scientists to date and study, indeed discover, what life was like 200 million years ago through fossilized remains.
It also makes for some pretty spectacular scenery in a UNESCO World Heritage Site that covers more than 215,000 hectares (a half-million acres). The 150m-high (492-ft.) red sandstone walls are as sharp as diamond-cut marble. The park tour bus takes you down this long spectacular gorge that is actually a dry riverbed. The area is one of the driest places on earth, where summer temperatures of 122°F (40°C) are common. You reach a half circle clearing that emits a perfect echo. Nearby 1,800-year-old rock paintings display birdlife and guanacos -- a type of llama that still can be seen roaming this scarlet desert. Hard capstones sit precariously on soft pedestals, sculpted by the wind to appear like towers and cathedrals. One geomorphic rock looks like a tortoise. Talampaya is more picturesque than its sister park Ishigualasto, 80km (50 miles) away, which is more famous for its dinosaur fossils. The Talampaya tour is also more fun and informative, as the guide is with you throughout the 3-hour tour; but, again, remember to ask for a tour in English. There is no public transport to either park, so a taxi or tour company must be used from La Rioja, which is 2 1/2 hours away, or from the small towns Villa Union or Valle Fertil. Note: Do not forget a hat, sunblock, and lip balm.
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