Talampaya National Park

Talampaya National Park is a national park located in the La Rioja Province of Argentina. It was designated a provincial reserve in 1975 and in 1997 was declared a national park.

The park covers an area of 2,150 km², at an altitude of 1,500 meters above sea level. Its purpose is to protect important archaeological and palaeontological sites found in the area. It has landscapes of great beauty, with flora and fauna typical of the mountain biome.

The park is situated in a basin between the Cerro Los Colorados to the west and the Sierra de Sañagasta to the east. The landscape is the result of erosion by water and wind in a desert climate, with large ranges in temperature - high heat by day and low temperatures at night, with torrential rain in summer and strong winds in spring.

Interesting features of the park:

• The dry bed of the Talampaya River, where dinosaurs lived millions of years ago - fossilshave been found here
• The Talampaya gorge and its rock formations with walls up to 143 meters high, narrowing to 80 meters at one point
• The remains of indigenous peoples' settlements, such as the petroglyphs of the Puerta del Cañón
• A botanical garden of the local flora at the narrow point of the canyon
• Regional fauna, including guanacos, hares, maras, foxes, and condors

In 2000, UNESCO declared the park a World Heritage Site.

JOURNEYS trips that include Talampaya National Park:

Information based on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talampaya