Argentina Tours & Travel | Calilegua National Park
This 188,550-acre park is located on the western slope of the Calilegua mountain range in southeast Jujuy Province. Established in 1979 to preserve the rare ecosystem of the subtropical las yungas cloud forests that stretch to the Bolivian border, it also protects an important river basin that supplies water to the population and agricultural lands of the valley below.
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The park was donated by the Ledesma Sugar Company that had previously cultivated the land and altered the area's transitional jungle for the growing of its crop. Of Argentina's national parks that protect the yungas, Calilegua is the most accessible to visitors on Argentina tours.
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The terrain of the park includes mountainous areas with peaks up to 9,090 feet, deep canyons, high grasslands and transitional forest in addition to its subtropical jungle. The yungas forest is one of the last reserves protecting the endangered jaguar and also contains tapirs, otters, bats and different species of deer, guaranteeing you'll have a unique experience when you travel to Argentina. Among its 260 species of birds are the toucan and several different hummingbirds and woodpeckers.
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Originally inhabited by the San Francisco tribe, the area became part of the Inca Empire, and today the Koya people make their home here. The park contains some pre-Inca artifacts.
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Winters are dry and mild. Summers are hot with a rainy season lasting from November to April. There are marked trails for hiking and many nature walks. Camping is allowed in the park for those who wish to stay the night there on their Argentina tours. The closest town is Liberator General San Martin.
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For more information about visiting Calilegua National Park when you travel to Argentina, email calilegua@apn.gov.ar