Argentina has 55 protected areas52 in continental territory and three marinas, divided by regions: Northwest, Northeast, Center, Patagonia, Southern Patagonia and Argentine Sea. Some present the free entryothers allow access motorhomes and, just as there are some that offer the possibility of to camp and there are others that offer accommodation.
According to APNthe months of January, February and March of 2022 and 2023 counted 1.5 million tourists. While, at an annual level, in 2022 there were 4,056,599 visitors and, so far this year, there have been more than 3 million -not counting September to December. “Surely this year there will be more than 4 million”they advanced.
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APN
After these promising figures, expectations for the summer are high. In that sense, Francisco Taboasvowel of NPC Directory for him Ministry of Tourism and Sports of the Nationhe assured in dialogue with Ámbito that “National Parks reaffirm their position as a pocket-friendly tourist optionbecause they are free and offer the possibility for the visitor to bring your own food”.
“They also house and protect some of the most beautiful and emblematic places in our countrylike the Iguazu Falls or the Perito Moreno Glacier; offer the possibility of a close encounter with fauna and flora; and they are open-air environmental education classrooms”he added.
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APN
For the summer holidays, which National Park can I visit?
In case you want to know any national protected area, Taboas He listed the destinations according to whether you are traveling as a family, as a couple, with friends or alone; and depending on the activity you want to do. “Luckily there are many National Parks and many ways to enjoy them”he expressed.
Trekking
For those who like to do trekking or climb small hills, there are many options. “Obviously in all the Parks there are walking trailsbut there are some that present biggest challenges“, clarified the interviewee and then detailed:
- He PN Lihué Calel in The Pampa It is ideal to get started in the activity.
- He Sierra de las Quijadas National Park It also has beautiful hikes combined with incredible landscapes.
- He Quebrada del Condorito National Park -for some of its trails- it requires being accompanied by guides, but the experience is unforgettable.
- The National Parks of Andean Patagonia They offer a variety of trails of varying difficulty and length. From small tours to stretches of the Andean footprint of several days of walking.
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APN
Flora and fauna watching
- For wildlife observationespecially birdshe Iguazú NP It has new viewpoints along the route 101a place that offers the possibility of getting to know the heart of the Misiones jungle and seeing some of the most sought-after birds such as the blue dancer, the yeruvá or the yacutinga.
- Also in Missionsthe new Campo San Juan Federal Park It is one of the favorite destinations for bird watchers, as it is home to a large number of rare or endangered species such as the tachurí coludo, the black-winged atajacaminos or the ocellated burrito.
- He Iberá National Park and the Mburucuyá National Park They ensure close encounters with capybaras, corzuelas, swamp deer and a large number of birds.
- He Calilegua PN It is one of the best places in the country to observe birds throughout all the strata of the Yungas jungle.
- In the Patagoniahe Lago Puelo National Park It is ideal to get to know many of the forest birds.
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APN
Cycle tourism, nautical activities and beach
- For cycle tourismhe Chaco PN and the Talampaya NP They offer challenges of varying difficulty and length.
- For those who like the beach or nautical activities, the Nahuel Huapi and Lanín Parks They offer a wide range of activities and authorized providers.
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APN
The Parks offer comfortable camping areasaccompanied by showers and grills. At the same time, they allow the visitor to take their Own food. “The visiting experience is enriched by hiring enabled guidesdespite the fact that most areas have self-guided trails that can be done autonomously,” he said. Taboas.
In case it is your first visit, the specialist said that “there are many that are ideal for these situations, mainly those that offer day use areas to make picnics either low difficulty trails”: Mburucuyá NP (Currents), El Leoncito National Park (San Juan), Laguna Blanca National Park (Neuquén) and Pre Delta (Between rivers).
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APN
National Parks near CABA
If the plan is to carry out a getaway or “have a picnic” just 70 km from the City of Buenos Airesthe ideal option is the Swamp Deer NP. On the other hand, if you are looking to make a weekend tripthe PN Pre Delta and the Palm grove offer very comfortable camping areas or the possibility of accommodation in nearby cities, in addition to “being excellent for getting up close and personal with capybaras, alligators and many other species“, said Taboas.
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APN
How much do tickets to the National Parks cost?
“You only have to pay entry to a few National Parks, most are free”he clarified Taboas. In those where access is paid, for Argentine residents, the cost varies between $2,500 (Iguazú NP and Los Glaciares NP) and the $1,500 (El Palmar NP, Lago Puelo, Los Alerces, Arrayanes, Tierra del Fuego, Talampaya and some sectors of the Lanín and Nahuel Huapi NPs).
In all cases, it is worth mentioning that local residents do not payjust like the retiredthe under five years oldthe People with disabilities and his companions. There’s also “special” prices for residents from the province, students and minors 6 to 16 years.
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APN
Motorhomes
Many Argentines decide to embark on a motorhome adventure. In those cases, and luckily for travelers, there are many P.N. that receive these mobile homes.
According to Taboashe Mburucuyá NP in Currents and the Monte León National Park in Santa Cruz They are some of the most visited lately by this type of public. “The latter is also located on the Route 3 through which you can visit other areas of the province, such as the Jaramillo Petrified Forests NPhe Makenke Interjurisdictional Marine Park in San Julián and the Penguin Island Interjurisdictional Marine Park in Puerto Deseado”he added.
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APN
Summer in National Parks: what to take into account when planning the trip?
The member of the Board of Directors stated that “Planning when visiting a natural area is essential”. The main points to keep in mind are the climate: both general time of year and forecast for the day or week. “Summer in the Northwest is the rainy season and some roads are usually cut off due to river flooding,” he exemplified.
He also emphasized “know the indications for each case”because in areas with paid entry it is “important to take them out with anticipation through the website of National Parks”. At the same time, it must be taken into account that there are many P.N. with mandatory registration before trekking.
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APN
In this context, he advised “reviewing the website of National Parks and the page The Natural Route of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports. Both have a lot of useful information and recommendations to make the trip more enjoyable.”
Another point is to follow the instructions regarding making firesince “there are many areas of the country that are going through extreme droughts and it may be prohibited to do so”, and it is extremely important “Take the garbage or deposit it in the indicated places”in addition to respect maximum speeds established.
Finally, Taboas recalled that “we are in wild places where there are risks inherent to natural areaslike animals, rivers, among others.”
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APN
Benefits of visiting a National Park
Finally, Taboas mentioned the reasons why you have to visit the National Parks. On the one hand, the areas “house and protect some of the most beautiful and emblematic places in our country, in addition to the fact that there are many lesser-known landscapes waiting to be discovered by visitors.” Furthermore, they offer the possibility of a “close encounter with fauna and flora”.
“Today it is proven importance of contact with nature for physical and mental healthnot to mention that they are places where there are tranquility and shade”, he justified.
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APN
“They are also open-air environmental education classrooms where you can learn many things related to climate changehe environmental care and the importance of protected areas”, he concluded.
Source: Ambito
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
