reserva provincial la payunia

We took a 12hr 4wd tour of this stunning national park from Malargue with Choique tours. La Payunia is a otherworldly volcanic park -the drive there takes around 2 hrs. Our guide, Johnny, was fantastic. He drove skillfully and safely throughout. He spoke slowly and clearly in Spanish for us and helped by correcting our errors here and there-his inner teacher showing;his former profession. Johnny made a fantastic day even better. He was patient, allowing us to stop at leisure for photos, knowledeable, telling us lots about volcanos and wildlife too.The landscapes became ever more dramatic. Our first stop was at a remote estancia where Choique had built up a relationship for some years- we chatted to the owner, ate fresh tortas fritas with Johnny,s homemade Jam(marmelada) with coffee and were able to use toilet facilities .On we drove through distorted rocks from collapsed lava tubes and volcanic bombs and between the cones of extinct volcanos. We stopped for a good lunch (includes beer!) (one plea-pan integral as a choice?)at the same place as other tour companies and saw that our lunch was the best. We were able to get to places that the minibuses couldn't. The visit goes to the so called "black pampa"- a desert landscape virtually bare of vegetation after thousands of years. We were delivered back to our hotel (Cabanas los renuevos-an excellent place to stay) at around 8.30pm.PS earlier we had tried to book with Karen Travel but after taking our name their tour was postponed-not enough bookings! If you are in Malargue for only a day or two you could be left with nothing! Use any other company if you cant get booked on Choique

We spent a day on a tour of this amazing area, neither words nor photos do justice to the awe-inspiring vistas - lava fields with snow-capped mountains in the back, red calderas, it can't be described. We also saw wild guanacos, armadillos, choiques and cui, it was unbelievable. We were two adults and two kids aged 10 and 14 - I would say that for anyone younger this would not be a good idea as it is a very long day over often very bumpy roads.We went with Karen Travel (our guide was Santiago) and while he knew alot about the area I have concerns about recommending him. He arrived 45 minutes late to collect us, and then picked up 3 other people, making it 8 people in a 7seater car. When I mentioned this meant not everyone had a seatbelt he shrugged it off, my 2 kids were squeezed in next to a stranger in the third row (so 3 people in 2 seats) which was uncomfortable all round. Adults and kids were the same price, but in effect the 10 year old had no seat. As soon as we stopped at our first destination I changed seats with the 3rd person, but the low side headroom meant that every time the car went over a bump I got a nasty hit on the side of the head from the handle. This got very tiring over the many hours. I know that in Argentina they can be quite lax with seatbelts/amount of people in cars - but this is a paid tour and unacceptable. While the croissants for morning tea were good, lunch was a warm ham cheese and mayonnaise roll, unappetising and a bit suspect. All the apples had holes. I would bring my own food and drinks. On the way back, he drove at about 180km/hour over unsealed roads. It was a long drive back to town and we all felt unsafe. It was also supposed to finish at 8:30pm, it finished 2 hours before that but given what a long day it was and the scary drive I was glad that it did. The cost was 950 pesos per person, I'm not sure if this was the standard rate or not. In short, I would unreservedly recommend the place, but see what other operators can take you there.

La Payunia Reserve (Volcano area) which is located to the South near Malargüe was Highly Recommended for ME to visit!I took the trip with Karen Travel and Santiago Cara the owner was nice enough to offer me his very fine excursion.Our trip was led by Denis Velazquez, our driver and Antonio Cara ¨Cacho de Malargue¨, our guide who both have a lot of knowledge of the area.We saw a very unique landscape with desert features where the force of large beds of lava give rise to basaltic formations that make up a moon-like landscape.Furthermore, the force of volcanoes flooded with large beds of lava vast territories which gave rise to basaltic formations that make up a moon-like landscape.La Payunia, Payún or Payen is an area of suggestive beauty and recreates the feeling of attending what was the land in its´ origins. Through the slag of the volcano Santa María, las Pampas Negras or around that perfect volcano which is the Payún Liso are experiences that impact. Lonco cow is a fantastic experience. Landscape supply and the diversity of life that exists in this place is amazing. It has been declared a protected area in 1988 with the Declaration of Total reservation which reaches an area of 450,000 hectares".Payunia reserve - Volcanic slag - Malargüe (Malargüe) this geography is characterized as an area of transition between the phytogeography of del monte and Patagonia. The landscape is marked by the traits of what was an intense volcanic activity. The relief is extremely harsh and difficult in the vicinity of the Payún Matru. To the South, between the Payún Matru and the rio Grande are a series of smaller volcanoes. Here, the highly fragmented lava has formed an attractive black arenal which is known as Pampas Negras. The ground is littered with volcanic bombs which are pieces of lava that fell in liquid or Pasty and when it cools, took curious shapes. Volcanoes that stand out most are Payún Matru (beard or gauge face) and the Payún Liso. The latter is, 3680 meters in height, the highest in the region. Its crater is 400 meters in diameter and 90 depth.Payunia - black Pampas - Malargüe (Malargüe) (Malargüe) the flora of La Payunia is represented by thickets, grasslands and del Monte and Patagonia's species: colimalil (yellow firings) coiron, melosa, black solupe, retamillo, pichanillo, cacho de cabra, carob trees (between 500 and 1300 metres), pataguilla, molle and jarillas (between 1800 and 2850 meters).As for the fauna, of the 70 species recorded in La Payunia, 37 are considered with high probability of sighting. Some examples are the four-eyed Frog, Brown matuasto, piche tail lizard, cream yarara, the pony Rhea, the Eagle, the vulture red head, Cabezón Plover, the Patagonian Mockingbird, the place, grey Fox, the Patagonian picho and guanaco whose population in the reserve at present round the 10,000 copies. At the same time, the approach is controlled considered them very vulnerable species.The La Payunia can be visited throughout the year.I want to thank everyone at Karen Travel for making this trip possible and a success for me!

We visited this park during a long (12 hours) excursion, with Aires Libertad, with Hermann as the perfect guide.What a beautiful place, we visited a lot of countries all over the world and saw many beautiful places, we can without a doubt add this very special park to the top ones.Magic landscapes, vulcanos, colors, you have to go and see it!!This was our third trip to Argentina and we had never heard of this park before, we still wonder why.Park entrance is free, but we would defenitely recommend to take a tour, roads are poorly signposted, and the guide's information is great.

La reserva es un lugar increíble. Es única la cantidad de volcanes de todo tipo. Se aprende mucho de geología a la vez que se disfruta de un paisaje extraño y pocas veces visto. LLanuras y volcanes totalmente negros. Otras partes con colores rojizos y hasta azulinos. Es muy impactante. Es recomendable concurrir con expertos para aprovechar de verdad el lugar

Más de 800 volcanes en 15000 km cuadrados! Es un lugar increible que toda persona que va a Malargüe, Mendoza, debería conocer. Al lugar se va con guías contratados. No conviene ir en auto, porque el camino está muy malo en varios lugares. Lo mejo es contratar una excursión.

Es una zona increible de unos 800 volcanes que algunas vez estuvieron activos dejando campos de lava volcánica y restos se piedras volcánicas por donde uno mire. Contrastes de paisajes increibles! Es como estar caminando en otro planeta que uno ni se imagina que existiese! Lo único que hay que soportar un viaje largo por ripio pero el paisaje es hermoso!!! Algo para no perderse

Después de un largo viaje en combi desde Malargüe, llegamos a éste lugar increíble, rodeado de volcanes, de varios tipos. Es el paraíso de los vulcanólogos porque éste parque alberga 5 tipos de volcanes. se puede hacer un poco de trekking entre las ricas volcánicas. Colores alucinantes: negro, amarillo, algunos verdes y colorados.

Es un lugar único en la Tierra. 890 volcanes, de todos los tipos que existen en un solo lugar.Se recorre si o si con guía y por los senderos habilitados para no erosionar nada.Campos de bombas, coladas de lavaLa ultima erupción data de 300 años.Imperdible.

Es la zona con mayor concentración de volcanes sin actividad del mundo.Es combo muy bueno para hacerlo con la laguna de Llancanelo.Es para varias horas, tenés que llevar bebidas y picnic.Recomendable

si bien la distancia a recorrer en la excursion es mucha (total 709 km) salimos a las 7 de la mañana y regresamos a las 23 hs, el paisaje volcanico es unico, con tonalidades de negros, amarillos y rojos, realmente la recomiendo con la gente de Receptivo Malargue los guias Aldo y Miguel, una onda excelente.

Un lugar para conocer, paisajisticamente uno de los mejores lugares que he visitado, imponente, rodeado por volcanes, generan un paisaje único. falta infraestructura turistica,lugar sin contaminacion.

Uno se siente minúsculo ante tanta belleza. Es una serie de volcanes y los accidentes naturales que ellos han ocasionado en su momento. Pese a ser un sendero agotador, merece la pena

muy buena excursiòn y servicio a cargo de la empresa que contratamos..muy buena las explicaciones del guìa...maravilloso el lugar..

Es un lugar increíble, único, es dificil describirlo ya que recorrer un paisaje lleno de volcanes parecería que fuera todo igual, pero no es asi, son lugares diferentes, con diversidad de colores, los volcanes son distintos, se recorre un desierto negro por la lava volcánica y el mas lindo es el volcan Morado al que llegamos al crater caminando..Durante el trayecto nos encontramos con varios animales propios de la region. La excursion es de todo el dia, nosotros contratamos en la agencia Choique, cumplio con lo prometido, la guia Alicia muy buena, amable y clara en sus explicaciones. Hay mucho para comentar es una experiencia que vale la pena realizar, almorzar disfrutando de la natuarleza en medio de volcanes no se hace todos los dias..Muy recomendable la excursion, no es barata, pero vale la pena.