Atuel Canyon

Information

It is a canyon over the Atuel River of more than 30 km long. It extends almost from the El Nihuil dam to the Valle Grande reservoir.

It is a unique landscape, formed by the erosion of the river and the wind over thousands or millions of years. You can appreciate striking geological forms that have been given different names such as Museo de Cera (Wax Museum), Jardines Colgantes (Hanging Gardens), Los Alfajores, etc.

Its waters constitute one of the main places in Argentina for rafting. There are many agencies in San Rafael that offer this activity, which is a classic for tourists visiting the region.

To get there from the centre of San Rafael, take Ingeniero Julio Balloffet Avenue southwards for 6 kilometres. There the road bends to the left, and after 400 metres the Provincial Route 173 comes out to the right. It is about 52 kilometres along this route to the beginning of the canyon.