The majestic Hills of Córdoba consists of three valleys going through the province southwards: Calamuchita Valley, Traslasierra Valley and Punilla Valley.
When to get there:
Because of its many rivers, lakes and dams, it is recommended to visit the mountains, mainly during the summer months in order to exploit its spas. Moreover, for those wishing to climb the mountains and hills, they were also advised to travel during the summer, autumn or spring.
Weather:
The Córdoba hills –either Calamuchita Valley, Punilla or Traslasierra- have a dry and continental kind of weather. In summer, days are warm and nights are cool with an average temperature of 22ºC. The average record in winter is 12ºC.
How to get there:
By air: Córdoba capital city has an international airport, where flights from all over the country arrive. Once there, you can do whatever tour by car or by bus. By land: It is easy to gain access to Córdoba province due to its location in the mid-west area of the country. There is a good route design to take you anywhere by car and you will also find bus stations scattered all over the province.
The majestic Hills of Córdoba consists of three valleys going through the province southwards: Calamuchita Valley, Traslasierra Valley and Punilla Valley.
Calamuchita Valley
It is located in the middle of the
province, bordered by the Small Hills (Sierras Chicas) to the east and the Large Hills (Sierras Grandes) to the west –they are also known as Comechingones´Hills-. On account of the several rivers coming down from these hills, this is an area full of dams. There are countless creeks and lakes as well.
Calamuchita stand-outs
It is settled by the Santa Rosa River, 96kms from Córdoba capital city. It offers a wide range of hotels, cabins, houses to rent and camp sites, especially chosen by tourists from all over the country, coming down attracted by the water resorts in the area.
This is a picturesque town built in a central-European style by immigrants of German, Swiss and Austrian origin, who reproduced a truly Alpine village. Among its outstanding attractions, bars and cafés are worth mentioning, ideal to taste home-brewed beer and European dishes. There are three national festivals: the Viennese Pastry Festival, The Alpine Chocolate and the Beer festivals.
Located among the Big Hills, it is the highest mountain range in the province (2,884mts). Tourists can take a climbing tour to the top from where the astonishing Calamuchita and Punilla hills can be observed, together with their lakes and forests.
This is a mountain village, ideal to walk around all day long, since you will find a wide variety of tours. It has picturesque wood buildings, winding paths, cafés and crafts shops; besides you can visit the cemetery –where its founders rest- and fabulous falls. There is also an important number of hotels.
The area is full of rivers, lakes, dams and creeks, ideal for swimming in crystal clear waters or doing nautical sports. Among the most important places, you can visit El Durazno, Los Molinos Dike and Río Tercero Dam –the largest artificial dam in the province that offers several camp sites and clubs-.
Punilla Valley
It is surrounded by the Small Hills to the east, the Copacabana Hills to the north, Pampa de Achala Hills to the southwest and the Big Hills to the west –through which it remains apart from Traslasierra Valley-. It offers several tourist attractions, like cities such as Villa Carlos Paz, La Cumbre, La Falda, Capilla del Monte and Cosquín; Pan de Azúcar and Uritorco Hills; the San Roque Lake and Cosquín River.
A must in Punilla
Located 94km to the northwest of Córdoba capital city, this beautiful town frequently receives thousands of tourists. Some of its attractions are San Roque Chapel –the oldest one around-, the Cristo Redentor –a 7mts high sculpture from where you can get an outstanding view- and the Cuchi Corral viewpoint –a natural balcony used as a launch pad by hang-gliders and paragliders.
Located at the bottom of the Uritorco Hill, this place contains several buildings which date back to XIX Century. The street with a roof is one of the most amazing attractions; it goes through the city centre and it is one of its kind in all South America. Built in 1964, it is surrounded by a great numberof cafés and restaurants.
The National Folklore Festival –one of the most important musical celebrations in Argentina- takes place there. Every January, stars and up-and-coming talents come up on the stage of Próspero Molina Park to sing in front of thousands of people.
One of the main attractions in town is the Eden Hotel, which opened in 1898 and has received important celebrities from all over the world like the poet Rubén Darío, the scientist Albert Einstein and Charles, Prince of Wales.
Traslasierra Valley
In this region, you will find an endless number of rivers and creeks, which make the place ideal for doing water sports and fishing. Mina Clavero is a touristy city per se; other important names are Cura Brochero, Nono and Villa Dolores.
A must in Traslasierra
Due to its infrastructure and the picturesque streets, it is the most important tourist destination in the valley. This is why thousands of visitors go there. It is also widely known because of its lively night life, with a great number of bars and discos.
It stands as the most beautiful access route to the valley with winding paths going up to almost 2,000mts. Because of its panoramic view, it is a must for tourists.
Located 8km away from Mina Clavero, this small hill town is the oldest village in the whole valley. Los Sauces and Chico de Nono rivers run across the area, which offers several camp sites and cabins, ideal for tourists searching for peace.
It was created in 1996 to protect the source of river basins and the Andean condor. It stretches over 40,000has. across Pampa de Achala and the bordering ravines along the Sierras Grandes (Big Hills) central range. You can get guided tours to El Condorito, Sur, Corralejo and Yatán. From the National Park´s viewpoints, you can watch the Andean condor gliding.
