Malargüe

Information

It is a locality in the south of Mendoza. It is an excellent destination to stay and to take as a base to visit the nearby places.

The town has services for the visitor such as hotels, restaurants, supermarkets, ATM and petrol station. There is a tourist information office on National Route 40, and next to it there is a museum with a paleontology room and a regional history room.

A characteristic feature of this area is the possibility of being in natural Patagonian environments. There are different attractions that can be accessed by car, or by hiring excursions in agencies located in the locality:
- Castillos de Pincheira (Pincheira Castles): it is located about 23 kilometres away. They are geological forms formed by erosion.
- Caverna de las Brujas (Witches' Cavern): it is about 72 km away. There is a huge cavern with stalagmites and stalactites.
- Las Leñas: in winter (June to August) it is a ski centre of international prestige.
- Route to Las Leñas and Valle Hermoso in summer: it is the Provincial Route 222, whose access is 30 km away. There are many attractions to visit along the way, such as the Pozo de las Ánimas, the Laguna de la Niña Encantada (like a lake) and Valle Hermoso.

To the south is La Payunia, which is a large protected area with hundreds of volcanic cones. To visit it you have to go with an authorized guide, as there is a risk of getting lost.

The time of the year to go to Malargüe will depend exclusively on the activities you want to do:
- If you want to do skiing or snow activities, you should go in winter (June to August), when temperatures are low and the mountains area is covered in white.
- On the other hand, if you want to visit caves, geological forms and lagunas (like lakes), the recommended season is summer (mainly December to March). In these months the weather is warm or mild, and the different roads are generally passable to access the sites.
- In some spring or autumn months (such as November or April), you can do the same activities as in summer, as long as the roads are in good condition and free of snow and ice.

To get to Malargüe:
- By bus: it has a bus terminal where public transport arrives directly from the cities of Mendoza and San Rafael. Once a week there is a bus to Talca (Chile).
- By car from Argentina: as Malargüe is located on the National Route 40, it can be reached by asphalt intercepting this route from different places in Argentina. It is 188 km from San Rafael, 320 km from Mendoza and 1170 km from Buenos Aires.
- By car from Chile: 300 km from the city of Talca through the Pehuenche border crossing. It is advisable to check if this pass is enabled due to weather conditions, consulting the websites of the Argentinean gendarmerie or the Chilean border crossings.
- By plane: although there is an airport in the outskirts of Malargüe, you should check if flights are arriving. The most common option is to take a plane to San Rafael airport, and from there a bus to Malargüe.