The Limited Times

Now you can see non-English news...

How is the amazing circuit through the tunnels of the Traslasierra Valley of Córdoba

2021-07-26T09:45:47.357Z


In the west of Córdoba, the Taninga Tunnels offer viewpoints with panoramic views and sightings of condors.


Diana Pazos

07/26/2021 6:20 AM

  • Clarín.com

  • Travels

Updated 07/26/2021 6:20 AM

Vertigo, panoramic views and chivito on

the grill.

In Córdoba, the

Traslasierra Valley

is the scene of a car adventure that few travelers know about: the

Taninga Tunnels

.

And it is a different journey, to go without haste: between green abysses and viewpoints,

you can stop

to enjoy the landscapes, take photos and even see a condor with its wings spread.

They say in the area that the ideal is to start this walk in the middle of the morning, without forgetting to make an initial stop at the restaurant of the parador located before the first tunnel to order the typical chivito dish and other specialties of the region.

A circuit with good views: the Taninga Tunnels.

Photo Tourism Córdoba

So yes, with lunch assured, travelers will embark at the Los Túneles junction - that's what the people of Cordoba call them - on Provincial Route 28, towards the west of the province.

The best thing to do is to drive from Mina Clavero or from Villa Cura Brochero, which is located about 52 kilometers from Taninga, to appreciate this curious work of road engineering that joins some gravel roads with five dark passageways built in the mountains.

What stories will shelter these vaulted ceilings in the rock?

How can we not be tempted to travel these 18 chained kilometers, at the height of the jotes and the condors?

In the Taninga Tunnels you can see condors.

Photo Tourism Córdoba

Between steep curves, on the

Quebrada de Mermela

, between the towns of Taninga and Chancaní -close to Salsacate-, this work has its origin in the 1930s to improve the connection of the west of Córdoba with La Rioja.

Its builder was Don Juan Breggia, an Italian immigrant who was a specialist in dynamite demolition.

The result?

In the Taninga Tunnels, tourists can enjoy the magical symbiosis between the beauty of nature and the power of the hand of man.

But in the past, the construction of these tunnels did not contemplate the mountain views, the perfumes of the plants, the local flavors and the songs of the birds, which today gratify the senses of the visitors.

The Taninga Tunnels, in the Traslasierra Valley.

Photo Visenix

The journey begins in Taninga, along

Provincial Route 28

, to cross the passages below the mountain on the old National Route 20. Soon the path invites you to slow down and prepare your gaze: here you will find, perhaps, the panoramic view most imposing in the

department of Pocho

.

And when you get to this point you access the tunnels.

From some viewpoints, at the top, you can see the imposing Quebrada de la Mermela, and the

Velo de la novia waterfall

, with several waterfalls with falls of 180 meters.

At the foot of the mountains, extensive forests mark the provincial limit.

Once on this path, there are

five tunnels

that give this attraction its name, each of which exhibits different artistic expressions on its walls.

The colorful paintings contrast with the hues of the rocks and vegetation, with the clouds forming large figures in the celestial sky.

There are five Taninga Tunnels.

Photo Tourism Córdoba

Many travelers honk their horns, others scream to hear the echoes of their voices, and some make a wish.

The openings in the rock are crossed in the blink of an eye, in a sigh: you can barely spy the landscape from the inner darkness until you reach the luminous exit.

Between tunnel and tunnel, and curves and counter curves, the viewpoints have

spaces to park

, rest in the middle of nature, have a few mates and take long breaths of fresh air.

But there are also paradores, such as the one located right at the beginning of the route, where an office provides assistance for tourists and you can access a path that leads to a viewpoint.

Regarding the state of the road, drivers should bear in mind that the road that goes from Taninga to Los Túneles is paved, which makes the visit easily accessible.

The Taninga Tunnels, in the Traslasierra Valley.

Photo Tourism Córdoba

But be careful: the

section that is still gravel

is the one that goes down from the tunnels to the Chancaní Natural Reserve.

That is why they advise in the area to get to this point that drivers make sure they have enough fuel and check the conditions of the vehicle.

Protected areas

Once the experience of going through the tunnels is behind us, when descending the slope another landscape begins.

Here the region houses part of the native forest of Córdoba, so large areas with native species are protected.

These are two nearby flora and fauna sanctuaries, since they are the habitat of more than 160 different birds, 25 species of mammals and about 30 of reptiles: the Chancaní Natural Reserve and the Traslasierra National Park.

The Tunnels, in the Traslasierra Valley, allow you to stop.

Photo Tourism Córdoba

The

Chancaní Natural Reserve

treasures 5 thousand hectares that serve as a refuge for one of the most important remnants of the Chaco forest.

It conserves a great quantity of quebrachos, molles and carob trees, where condors and hawks fly over.

Pumas, wildcats and collared peccaries roam these lands.


With impressive views, the Quebrada de la Mermela joins the path of the Taninga Tunnels, forming an unmissable combo to contemplate nature.

Here the lampalaguas live in balance with the land turtles, the red iguanas, the skunks and the mountain partridges, together with the hawks and the woodpeckers.


Traslasierra National Park, Córdoba.

Photo Malena Srur

For this reason,

bird watching and environmental interpretation tours

through the

Pampa de Pocho

are unique activities to enjoy.


Although it still does not receive visitors, the

Translasierra National Park

 was created in 2018 and preserves 44 thousand hectares of the Chaco Seco Serrano ecoregion.

The Guasapampa and Pocho mountains extend into the protected area, dominating the landscape.

The forests are home to carob trees, quebrachos, pitches, cardones and chañares;

other natural environments are composed of shrubs, grasslands and saline sectors.

The quebracho de la sierra forms forests on the mountain slopes and, although this tree loses its green foliage during the winter, when it sprouts again in the spring, its leaves are red and stand out among the hues of the vegetation.

The Park protects this species because the exploitation of its wood in the past led to a situation of threat.

Traslasierra National Park, in Córdoba.

Photo Pablo Rodríguez Merkel

Several species of the Park belong to some category of risk at the national level, such as the tortoise, the crowned eagle, the yellow cardinal, the black woodpecker, the honey bear and the Cordovan tucu-tucu.

Recently a species was discovered that had not been detected before in Córdoba and that is cataloged

in danger of extinction

at a global level: the Chaco peccary or quimilero pig.

In addition, the place protects one of the last populations of guanacos in the province, boas, lampalaguas and other snakes.

.What other charms will Córdoba enclose between its mountains and streams?

It will be a matter of being encouraged to go out on the road and discover them.


MINI GUIDE

How to get.

The Aerolineas Argentinas ticket to Córdoba capital costs from $ 11,500 with taxes.

From the city of Córdoba, take the Camino de las Altas Cumbres to Mina Clavero.

Then continue to Taninga, crossing Villa Cura Brochero and Panholma.

The Taninga Tunnels are located on Provincial Route 28.

Where to stay.

In Villa Cura Brochero and Mina Clavero there are cabins for 4 people, which cost from $ 3,600 to $ 5,500.

There are also categorized hotels and the room for 2 people, from $ 3,200 to $ 4,000.

Hostels for 2, between $ 1,800 and $ 2,700.

The campground costs $ 350 per person.

Where to eat.

In the Las Águilas dining room, the free fork-style menu costs $ 1,300 per person, including goat.

Dessert and drink are paid separately: large soda, $ 300;

wine, $ 600;

desserts, $ 250. Take away, a dozen empanadas, $ 600. It is recommended to make a reservation before touring Los Túneles to ensure a table.

Where to find out: 

cordobaturismo.gov.ar

Look also

Winter holidays 2021: how much does it cost to travel to Córdoba

Animal patrols, monitoring and rescues: a day in the life of a park ranger

Source: clarin

All life articles on 2021-07-26

You may like

News/Politics 2024-03-11T07:09:08.598Z

Trends 24h

Latest

© Communities 2019 - Privacy

The information on this site is from external sources that are not under our control.
The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.