Caracoles de Villavicencio & Calingasta Valley — Mendoza toCalingasta.
Distance
330 km
Duration
2 days
Climb
2,600 m
Caracoles de Villavicencio & Calingasta Valley — Mendoza to Calingasta.
Two days linking two of the Andes most scenic mountain roads. Day one climbs the famous Caracoles de Villavicencio — 365 curves — over the Paramillos to overnight in Uspallata. Day two follows Ruta 149 north through the Calingasta valley, past the Barreal del Leoncito dry lakebed under 6,770m Cerro Mercedario, to the wine town of Calingasta.
Quick facts
SurfaceMixed
Distance330 km
Days2
Total climb2,600 m
DifficultyModerate
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2 days, 2 moods.
A suggested split across 2 days with 7 waypoints to discover along the way.
MendozaStart · Argentina wine capital. Fuel up and head northwest on RP52 toward the Villavicencio reserve.
Gran Hotel VillavicencioScenic Point · The 1940 Norman-alpine spa hotel at 1,750m, famous from the mineral-water label. The 365-curve caracoles begin just above it.
Cruz de Paramillos (3,200m)Mountain Pass · Top of the caracoles amid old Jesuit silver mines. Huge views back over the switchbacks to the Precordillera.
UspallataOvernight · Mountain crossroads town with hotels and fuel — gateway to Aconcagua. Overnight here.
Barreal del LeoncitoPhoto Spot · A perfectly flat dry lakebed used for land-sailing (carrovelismo), with 6,770m Cerro Mercedario on the skyline. Surreal and silent.
BarrealRestaurant · Poplar-shaded oasis town on the Rio de los Patos. Lunch and fuel before the last stretch.
CalingastaEnd · End at the green confluence of the Los Patos and Calingasta rivers — vineyards and orchards after two days of mountain riding.
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