Route to Las Leñas and Valle Hermoso

Information

The Provincial Route 222 that leads to Las Leñas and Valle Hermoso is an excellent route to do in summer (December to March), since it has many tourist attractions to visit. It can also be done in spring or autumn months (like November or April), as long as the road is in good conditions and has no snow or ice.

To get to this road by car from Malargüe, you drive 30 kilometres north on Route 40. If you come from San Rafael, it is 73 kilometres along Route 144 and then 82 kilometres south on Route 40.

The route is asphalted up to Las Leñas. After that, it is gravel and winding, with steep and rocky stretches, so it is recommended only for tall vehicles and those suitable for steep climbs.

If we take as kilometre 0 (zero) the beginning of this road (Provincial Route 222) on National Highway 40, we will see the following attractions along the way:
- Laguna de la Niña Encantada: it is at kilometre 22. It is a green/turquoise laguna (like a lake) surrounded by volcanic material.
- Pozo de las Ánimas: at the 36th kilometre. It is what is called a 'doline' (like a sinkhole), where you can see an enormous hole with a water mirror at the bottom.
- Las Leñas: at the 48th kilometre. You can see all the infrastructure that works as a ski centre in winter.
- Valle Hermoso: at km 73. A unique mountain landscape, where there is a laguna surrounded by mountains.

As additional information, the road runs parallel to the Salado River between kilometres 0 and 41, and then continues along a stretch parallel to the Las Leñas Stream (a tributary of the Salado River).