LA PAYUNIA ROAD TRIP

During this 3 or 4 days’ road trip, you’ll see lunar landscapes, amazing color scales and unique wildlife: Andean condors, wild guanacos, armadillos, brown matuasto…the Payun Matru volcano dominating the landscape with its 10,000 feet above sea level.

La Payunia volcanoes Park counts the highest density of volcanoes on earth with more than 800 volcano cones.

La Payunia natural reserve is located in Malargüe, at the South of Mendoza.

• Departure to Malargüe at the end of the morning.
• After 1h1/2 of asphalt on the mystical ruta 40, we make a turn on the old ruta 40 and proceed onto the D101 on a good ripio (sand/gravel) for 1h1/2 of varied landscapes, artificial lakes, canyons, and wildlife waving us on our way, with the Andes as a backdrop.
• Back on the asphalt and a relaxing stop at the Laguna Blanca near El Sosneado, we reach Malagüe in another hour.
• Arrival around 5 – 6pm. After a shower and a little rest, we have a dinner in one of Malargüe restaurants. The local specialty? The chivo or mountain kid goat, delicious.
• Night in a luxury cabaña or hotel.

• Early rising, departure time at 8:30 am. Back on the ruta 40 south for 100 km, the scenery is breathtaking with the majestic Andes, the canyons and, as soon as we cross the rio Grande we can start seeing the volcanoes at a distance.
• After a brief stop at a footbridge for a heart-stopping view into the canyon of lava, we start the climb toward the pampa negra. Depending on road conditions it could mean 1 to 2 hours of intense 4WD. At this point we already feel like we are alone on earth…
• Drive up on the volcano Morado, and a short 30 minutes walk to the top of the crater.
• Back in the 4WD, we drive on another planet with the ground intensely black, the red highlights of the lava, the yellow vegetation, the pure blue sky and volcanoes 360° all around. This calls for a pause and a magical picnic at the feet of the biggest crater in the world, the Payun Matrù.
• Trip back to Malargüe after 90 km of 4WD on a tough road. Short siesta before going out for a drink and dinner.

• Departure around 10 am back to Mendoza. Either we will take the same road back.
• Return around 2 to 4 pm at Mendoza

OPTION DAY 4

• Departure around 10 am through San Rafael visiting the Canyon del Atuel  and Valle Grande Lake
• Night and dinner in lovely French/Argentinean B&B)
• Departure Day 4 at 9am direct to Mendoza. Arrival 12am.