San Juan

It is a province in western Argentina, part of the so-called Cuyo region. It is surrounded by Mendoza, San Luis and La Rioja, and has an international border with Chile to the west, where the Agua Negra border crossing is used to pass from one country to the other.

Regarding the relief, in the west runs the Andes Mountains, where the Cerro Mercedario with its 6720 metres above sea level is the fourth highest mountain in America. As we move towards the east we find the Precordilleta, valleys enclosed by mountains and finally it ends in a flat area with some hills belonging to the Sierras Pampeanas (a mountain chain).

The climate is dry and with a wide thermal amplitude between the cold winter (June to September) and the warm summer (December to March). Another characteristic is the presence of the zonda wind, which is felt with different intensity depending on the place and the time of the year.

It has tourist sites scattered all over the province, with a variety of attractions to visit:
- In its capital, the city of San Juan, you can visit the museum Casa Natal de Domingo Faustino Sarmiento, who was president of Argentina in the 19th century. In the outskirts of the city, being a wine producing area, you can visit some of the wineries that allow guided tours. You can also visit the Quebrada de la Zonda (a ravine) and the reservoir of the Ullum dam.
- To the west, in the Andean zone, the Cerro Mercedario (a mountain) is a popular destination for experienced mountaineers. The mountain range can be explored along the route that leads to the Agua Negra border crossing that communicates with Chile.
- On the western edge of the Precordillera, in a valley is the Pampa del Leoncito with its striking flat extension, and then the El Leoncito National Park with its trails and observatories. Near the locality of Barreal you can appreciate the ruins of Hilario (former mineral smelter) and the geological forms of the Cerro Alcazar (a hill).
- Towards the centre-north of the province appears the Cuesta del Viento dam with its geoforms. This is the source of the Jáchal River, which can be seen further on as it flows through a deep canyon.
- Near the border with the Province of La Rioja is the unmissable Ischigualasto Provincial Park, known as Valle de la Luna (Valley of the Moon) due to its 'lunar' type landscapes, attractive to tourists who come to visit it.