The Andean region of the province of San Juan includes the west of the province.
Regions
Overall, the region is quite uniform. However, volcanoes dominate the north and south of the region, while the massif in the south consists almost entirely of pure folding mountains.
places
As expected, the region is very sparsely populated.
- San José de Jáchal, 25,000 inhabitants, in the northwest of the city of San Juan, quiet valley town
- El Barreal, 5,000 inhabitants, small tourist town in the west of San Juan with extremely attractive mountain landscapes
- Calingasta near Barreal, 2,500 inhabitants, mountain town
- Iglesia, 3,500 inhabitants, in the same name Valle de Iglesia, agricultural mountain village
Other goals
- 1 El Leoncito National Park
(El Leoncito National Park). 
The park, which was only founded in 2002, protects a desert to steppe-like terrain in the east of the Calingasta Valley, 34 km south of El Barreal. There are also two important observatories and excavations that are part of the Inca Way.
background
With a few exceptions, the Andean region of San Juan is not yet one of the country's tourist destinations. You can still find good infrastructure, especially in the valleys of Calingasta and Iglesia, where the provincial residents spend their holidays.
language
getting there
The cities are the starting point for trips to the region with airports Mendoza and San Juan, north of it the smaller ones Villa Unión and Tinogastawhich are easily accessible by bus and car.
mobility
There are only buses between the most important localities, many lonely and attractive areas can only be reached with your own vehicle. Most roads are unpaved, so an all-terrain vehicle is recommended for self-drive.
The road between San Juan and El Barreal is a one-way street. In the morning it is only passable from bottom to top, in the evening from top to bottom.
Tourist Attractions
- Cerros pintados. Multicolored mountains at El Barreal.
activities
Hikers and mountaineers get their money's worth in the region, as do winter sports enthusiasts. Almost unknown, however, is the area of El Barreal near the city of the same name, a paradise for sand yachts. It is a huge, smooth, dried-out mud surface.
kitchen
nightlife
There are few options for going out, even if every small town has a pub or disco bar.
security
There is a particular danger in the event of earthquakes and sudden weather changes during mountain tours.
climate
The climate of the central Andes is dry and depends on the altitude. Only from 4,500 to 5,000 m is there permanent snow.
trips
A worthwhile excursion leads into the Ischigualasto National Park (UNESCO World Natural Heritage), a desert landscape with bizarre rock formations in the Sierra de Valle Fértil east of the region.
