San Juan
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San Juan, the capital city of the province of San Juan, is a unique city situated in the Cuyo region of Argentina travel featuring red flat terrain, steep mountains, low valleys, and long wide rivers. The city itself is perfectly charming and worth the relaxing stay however, what really makes the city worth a visit and keep tourists coming back time after time are the incredible natural surroundings and countless outdoor activities.
The Cuyo region, partially mountain and partially desert, has a diverse mix of temperatures depending on season and elevation. The city of San Juan sees warm, long summers, similar to those in Mendoza, with temperatures reaching up to 35C during the hottest weeks, however an average of about 27C. Winters are cold, especially at higher elevations, with temperatures falling between 13C-0C, again depending on the month and elevation. All in all, San Juan can be visited comfortably anytime of the year however, if you do have a particular activity/sight you are coming especially for, check with travel agencies in the area beforehand.
San Juan is characterized by modern buildings, wide streets and avenues, tree lined sidewalks, and a very natural outdoor atmosphere. The city is much more modern than some of the neighbouring cities and towns because of its reconstruction after an earthquake hit the area in 1944. The entire town was levelled at the time and later reconstructed – its residents still treat the city like it was reconstructed yesterday, keeping the sidewalks and streets perfectly clean, watering each lawn till its green, and keeping garbage off all of the streets. The city offers up a few good museums, shops, hotels, and restaurants, perfect for a peaceful stay.
The biggest attractions in San Juan are the various outdoor activities such as hiking, hand gliding, mountain climbing, horseback riding, water sports, and 4×4 excursions, as well as its proximity to so many fantastic outdoors sights, including the Cavas de Zonda, Valle de Calingasta, Sierra del Tontal, Embalse de Ullum, and Parque Provincial Ischigualasto.
Cavas de Zonda
This incredibly unique winery is located only 16km from San Juan and features a winery that sits comfortably inside a cave. This winery boasts fantastic tasting wine because of its mountain rooftop, ‘rustic flavour’, and perfect brewing temperatures, specializing in sparkling wines.
Valle de Calingasta
This beautiful valley, best to be visited by car, is made up of a series of multicoloured overlaying low rock mountains and dry barren land, with a backdrop of the Andes Mountains.
Sierra del Tontal
Not to far from the city, the Sierra del Tontal offers incredible hiking and mountain climbing opportunities, boasting peaks as high as 4000m. Guided hikes and tours can be booked though the city of San Juan and include transportation.
Embalse de Ullum
This man made dam and reservoir is only 30km from San Juan and a popular place to enjoy water sports and sport fishing. These two also meet up with the Rio San Juan that offers opportunities to go water rafting at particular times of the year, organized through tourism agencies in the city.
Parque Provincial Ischiqualasto
Last, but certainly not least, is this incredible national park, also referred to as “Valle de la Luna’ (Valley of the Moon) that covers almost 63,000 hectares of desert valley. This area boasts spectacular and surreal rock formations (big and small) ancient dinosaur remains, multicoloured soil, and striking red sunsets. The Rio Ischiqualasto, over the years, has carved out thick and deep paths throughout the rock formations, leaving some areas wider than others. The Cerro Mordado is another attraction is this larger than life provincial park, a steep rock mountain, available for guided 3-4 hour hikes.