The World Heritage Sites visited in Argentina 2009-2011

 

Site No. 1116 Quebrada de Humahuaca
In 2003 this area was inscribed on the World Heritage List, because of its significance as a major trade route between the indigenous communities in the North and the South. Today there are not a lot of historic sites to visit; this might be developed in the future. We enjoyed mostly the beautiful landscape of sandstone formations. For the cultural aspect it does not seem to be worth the long way from the South or the poor connection to the North.		Impression:  Accessibility:  Crowded:  Pricing:
Site No. 995 Jesuit Block and Estancias of Córdoba
To learn more about the first Jesuit settlements in South America was very teachfully. In the 17th century the block was part of the Jesuit Province of Paraguay and the administrative centre for five estancias around. The buildings we could visit gave us a very good impression of the way of living and the structure of society provided by the monks. The material remains proof of an economic experiment that was quite successful. If you are in the area, you can also find other interesting traces of Argentin history.		Impression:  Accessibility:  Crowded:  Pricing:
Site No. 937 Península Valdés
We visited this awesome place twice and stayed over more than two weeks in October and November. Unbelievable, how close from the beach you can observe whales. Without making a whale-watching trip and sharing a noisy engine with hundreds of screaming people, there is a place with quietness, the whales and you. You can also see southern elephant seals and southern sea lions, magellanic penguins or Orcas. The scientific explanations in the NP are poor. If you have the time, the possibility and a sense for nature, go there. And please dont be noisy.		Impression:  Accessibility:  Crowded:  Pricing:
Site No. 145 Los Glaciares NP
This National Park left a deep impression in our heart. It is very huge and has unnumbered possibilities to offer. A little hard to reach in its location. In the centre you can watch the Perito Moreno Glacier, when he is advancing into the lake; the South has beautiful soft mountain ranges. In the Northern part with Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre as a main theme there is a lot of hiking to do. Only for the glacier you have to pay a entrance fee, which is quite high for foreigners. The rest of the park is free to explore. We really enjoyed the tranquillity and the exceptional nature. Lot of Maggellanic woodpeckers to see also.		Impression:  Accessibility:  Crowded:  Pricing:
Site No. 936 Cueva de las Manos, Río Pinturas
The "Cave of the hands" and the "Painted river" let you expect a lot. The reality is satisfactorily beautiful. The Canyon with the river is a beauty for itself, but the negative prints of the hands alongside the steep walls are awesome, too. It is very interesting to learn about the different cycles, where artists painted in different colours and styles. Dating back between 9.500 and 13.000 years, it is a matter of fact, that the immigration into the American continent not only started by crossing the Bering Street. Being in the middle of nowhere, it is a long drive...		Impression:  Accessibility:  Crowded:  Pricing:
Site No. 303 Iguazu National Park Argentinian side
The Tupi-Guaranies called this area Iguazú - which means "Big Water". Big in every aspect: A 2.7 Kilometres long edge of stone lets the river fall down 80 Metres, one of the most impressive waterfalls in the world. The huge area hosts over 2,000 species of plants and typical wildlife of the subtropical rainforest, like howler monkeys, tapirs and giant anteaters. Impressive is also the amount of visitors and the entrance fee. You can visit the falls in Brazil and Argentina, where the Argentinian side provides more paths, is better organized and therefore you can get away from the main traffic more easily. The devil´s fall as the main attraction really is awesome and we were very lucky to see howler monkeys because we did not take the train. Jump directly to Brasil		Impression:  Accessibility:  Crowded:  Pricing:
Site No. 275bis Jesuit Missions of the Guaranis Argentinian sites
We visited all the different sites of San Ignacio Mini, Santa Ana, Nuestra Señora de Loreto and Santa Maria Mayor, which were built in an area of the Guaranis during the 17th and 18th centuries. The tropical forest took back a lot of the remaining structures, today you can hardly imagine the prosperous time of the past. Walking through the forest, all the ruins are in very bad constitution, only San Ignacio Mini has well preserved parts, as the main entrance to the central church. There you can also visit a museum that tells you details about the history. We did like the Missions in Paraguay and Bolivia more, where you can feel the heartbeat of the past and not a constant flow of tourist groups disturbs the peace.		Impression:  Accessibility:  Crowded:  Pricing:
Site No. 966 Ischigualasto / Talampaya Natural Parks
275,000 ha in the Argentinean desert burry the most complete fossil record on earth from the Triassic (which was 245-208 million years ago). The only place on earth to follow a period of 45 million years in a huge range of details, from vertebrate to plant fossils, from the ancestor of mammals to amphibians and fish. Beside this, there are aboriginal traces that can be followed, but these fields are not so well studied until now. The history presented is unbelievable. The reality for visitors is different: Beautiful sandstone formations are offered to the public, nice to explore, but not the only ones in the area. The museum explanations of the scientific background are basic in Ischigualasto, Talampaya we did not visit (50,- US$ for two persons seemed not to be worth the trip). We only drove through their bombastic entrance. They only offer an expensive tour in a bus with a few stops - for us in no relation to the high pricing.		Impression:  Accessibility:  Crowded:  Pricing: