Atuel Canyon and San Rafael Trip

On this excursion to the Atuel Canyon and San Rafael, we'll explore a natural area of the Argentine province of Mendoza.

Atuel Canyon and Valle Grande Trip

We'll pick you up at your hotel in Mendoza at the indicated time and travel south for a 3-hour drive covering 235 kilometers (146 miles) through the Uco Valley to reach San Rafael. After visiting the city, we'll proceed to the Valle Grande reservoir, where you'll have free time for photography, walking along the lake, lunch on your own, or optional activities such as a raft ride down the Atuel River or a catamaran ride on the Valle Grande Dam Lake.

Following this, we’ll enter the Atuel Canyon to observe remarkable rock formations like El Lagarto, Los Viejos, Los Monstruos, the Enchanted City, El Mendigo, and Los Jardines Colgantes.

We will then visit El Nihuil Dam, which creates two artificial lakes for electricity generation. The scale is impressive.

Finally, we'll return to Mendoza, driving 285 kilometers (177 miles) back, which takes about 3.5 hours. We expect to arrive at the hotel 14 to 16 hours after pickup.

Pickup

The tour includes hotel pickup in downtown Mendoza. For locations beyond 2 kilometers from the city center, the guide will contact you to arrange a meeting point.

Itinerary Adjustments

Due to a landslide on part of the Atuel Canyon road, the itinerary will be modified until approximately July. Time in the canyon will be reduced, but we will visit the Los Reyunos Dam, which is supplied by the Diamante River and has a lake area of 750 hectares (1,853 acres).