Argentina Travel: Valle de la Luna & Ischigualasto

Argentina's northwest is the most indigenous region, it is here you will notice the influence from the country's Andean neighbors, rather than the European vibe of the urban areas. Near the border of Chile, in the province of San Juan, is a can't miss destination.

Parque Provincial Ishigualasto, popularly known as the Valle de la Luna (Valley of the Moon), is a protected 62,000 hectare desert. Many visitors to Argentina skip the magnificent desert landforms at this paleontological site, for larger cities like Buenos Aires and Mendoza. Be smarter than them, as this immense basin has many fascinating shapes of rock dotted throughout the park's other worldly terrain. The views of the park are mind-blowing.  The park, named after a Huarpe Indian chief, has an average altitude of 1200 m and is set between the scarlet red Barrancas Coloradas to the east and the green, black, and grey rocks of Los Rastros to the west. The basin is full of sandstone and mustones, and the vegetation is arid bushes. While visiting, you may be lucky enough to see guanacos, vizcachas, Patagonian hares, red foxes and rheas.

However, the parks true appeal lies in the 250 million years of strata that is visible where fossils from all the geological periods have been found. The Late Triassic (Carnian) deposits of the Ischigualasto Formation contain some of the oldest known dinosaur remains, with the world's best in quality, number, and importance of finds. Among the fossils is the famous Eoraptor, a 225 million year old dinosaur. If this fascinates you, the nearby Museo de Ciencias Naturales in San Juan has excellent exhibits.

$8 will allow you entrance to the park and a three-hour tour of the most interesting sites. It can be crowded during the holidays, as well as January, July, and Easter. You can camp near the ranger station in the park, which has a small museum, and a confitería.