|
There are two entrances to the park. Approaching from Buenos Aires or Sierra de la Ventana, the first of these is around 22km from Sierra de la Ventana village, on the right-hand side of the RP76. This is where you'll find the Centro de Visitantes , with a good display of photos of the region's flora and fauna: on request slide shows can sometimes be organized. From the Centro de Visitantes you can also visit the Reserva Natural Integral , a strictly controlled sector of the park where herds of wild horses can be seen, and a number of caves can be explored. Visits to the reserve are made in your own vehicle, accompanied by a guide and generally leave around 3pm. Most of the park's treks are made from the other entrance, around 5km to the west, where there is a helpful guardaparques ' post which can provide you with a sketchy map to the park's main attractions, as well as indications of distance, direction and estimated duration of the walks. A $1 entrance fee is charged for hikes from this entrance. A well-marked trail to the summit of Cerro de la Ventana leads northeast from the guardaparques ' post. Access is not permitted after noon to avoid walkers who get into difficulties getting stuck after nightfall, or during bad weather. For this reason, it's best to allow yourself a few days in the sierras to be sure of being able to scale the Cerro. Though the climb to the summit (5hr return trip; access 8am-noon), undertaken by some 70,000 people a year, is not difficult, conditions can change dramatically and you'd be well-advised to follow the guidelines imposed. There are a couple of short walks worth trying around the same area: to the Piletones or rock pools, to the northwest of the guardaparques ' post (2hr; access 8am-4pm), and to the Garganta Olvidada , a small waterfall closed in on three sides by jagged shelves of pinkish-grey rock which lies to the northeast (1hr; access 8am-5pm). More dramatic is the Garganta del Diablo , a gorge reached on a five-hour guided trek (Sat & Sun 9.30am from the guardaparques ' post). Campamento Base (tel & fax 0291/4910067), a few minutes' walk west of the guardaparques ' post, and recognizable from the road by its iron gate, is the best place to stay if you want to start out early for the park; as well as a shady campsite ($5 per person), the site provides dormitory accommodation ($8 per person) and some cabins for up to six people with wood-burning stoves and tables and chairs. You'll need to bring sleeping bags for all accommodation options. Cooking facilities and showers are provided and there is a small shop, though you're best off buying more substantial provisions in either Sierra de la Ventana village or Tornquist. For more luxurious accommodation, head for Hotel El Mirador (tel 0291/4941338; $45-60, with breakfast; half and full board also available), just beyond Campamento Base on the way to Tornquist; it has some pleasant rooms overlooking the sierra as well as attractive and well-equipped wooden cabins with TV, telephone, fans and cooking facilities where you can do your own cooking. The cabins hold from four to eight people and start at $93 for four people with breakfast. The hotel also has a good restaurant and swimming pool. A few kilometres west along the RP76, towards Tornquist, good home cooking is on offer at the Ich-Hutu restaurant whose specialities include pasta, and rabbit with peppers and onions in escabeche, a delicious sour-sweet vinaigrette.
Your Tip for Parque Provincial Ernesto Tornquist
Help other backpackers! Write your own guides and backpacking tips to Parque Provincial Ernesto Tornquist - they will appear instantly on this page - Please only write a tip/guide to Parque Provincial Ernesto Tornquist - visit the main Parque Provincial Ernesto Tornquist forum to ask a question!
Please do not post links to your site here (they won't work) - please use the Parque Provincial Ernesto Tornquist webguide section below! Thanks.
|
