Ischigualasto / Talampaya Natural Parks
Travel Guide > South America > Argentina > Ischigualasto / Talampaya Natural Parks
In this Article
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Introduction
Ischigualasto and Talampaya National Parks are two national parks bordering each other in north western Argentina near the Chile border. While both parks are made up of the same geological formation and belong in the same biome there division across provincial boundaries makes them into separate parks. They lie between the Cerro Los Colorados to the west and the Sierra de Sanagasta to the east and this area is primarily a desert environment home to desert animals and plants.
Ischigualasto National Park
Located in San Juan province, Ischigualasto National Park covers an area of 603.7 km² at an average alititude of 1,300 m. The park is home to Late Triassic deposits, which are around 230 million years old. This means some of the oldest dinosaur remains can be found in this park. It is also the only place in the world where almost the entire Triassic area can be seen undisturbed in the series of rock deposits. This makes it a crucial area for the study of the difference between dinosaurs and ancient mammals.
Talampaya National Park
Talampaya National Park was founded as a provincial reserve in 1975, then the area was upgraded to a national park in 1997. In 2000 it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site. The park covers an area of 2,150 km² at an average altitude of 1,500 m in La Rioja Province. The main goal of the park is to protect archaeological and paleontological sites within the area. Another amazing site is the Talampaya Gorge which is a 143 m high and 80 m narrow at one point.
Sights and Activities
Ischigualasto National Park
- Fossils can be found here, mainly from the Triassic period. Although only 6% of the fossils here belong to dinosaurs it is still a great place to see an ancient time.
Talampaya National Park
- Talampaya Gorge is an amazing gorge worth checking out.
- Petroglyphs were left by the Puerta del Canon people and have been protected by the dry climate.
- Botanical Garden is located at a narrow point in the canyon.
- Fossils, although not as impressive as the neighboring Ischigualasto National Park, can be found here also.
Getting There
By Train
Ischigualasto National Park
Talampaya National Park
By Car
Ischigualasto National Park
Talampaya National Park
By Bus
Ischigualasto National Park
Talampaya National Park
Sleep
Budget
Ischigualasto National Park
Talampaya National Park
Mid-Range
Ischigualasto National Park
Talampaya National Park
Upscale
Ischigualasto National Park
Talampaya National Park
This is version 3. Last edited at 13:15 on Aug 6, 09 by Utrecht (+18). 3 articles link to this page.
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