Talampaya National Park is a geological treasure in La Rioja Province of Argentina, in the Cuyo region. The park covers an area of 215,000 hectares but only 5% is accessible to visitors. The rest is a research area.
Inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2000, it is an environmental, economic and social promoter of nearby populations that have a chance to develop thanks to sustainable tourism.
It became a National Park in 1997.
The Talampaya gorge has walls of up to 143 m high, that rose 250 million years ago, and its rock formations attract 60,000 visitors a year.
Flora and fauna
Tours to the national park run from La Rioja city and Villa Unión.
Fees and permits
The views can be enjoyed on vehicle tours, by bike, or even on foot.
Talampaya's attraction are the intensely red canyons, which are truly impressive.
There are different tours of different lengths offered in town and when you arrive at the national park.
There are some souvenirs for sale at the welcome centre.
There's a restaurant in the main building.
Beds are available in Pagancillo, Villa Unión and La Rioja.
There is a hotel in the area.
Roads can flood very quickly and very suddenly in the rainy season in January and February. Be careful of the extreme heat. Cover your head, apply sunscreen and drink plenty of water.