Antofagasta de la Sierra, Mining municipality in Catamarca Province, Argentina.
Located at an elevation of 3,320 meters, Antofagasta de la Sierra contains numerous mineral deposits within its volcanic terrain and mountainous landscape.
Archaeological discoveries show that hunter-gatherer communities inhabited this region 8,000 years ago, sustaining themselves through hunting wild camelids and consuming amaranth grains.
The population of 667 residents maintains traditions from their Diaguitas and Atacameños ancestors through yearly ceremonies and festivals.
Visitors need to arrange transportation with four-wheel-drive vehicles and bring necessary supplies, as amenities and public transport options remain limited.
The surrounding volcanic field contains over 200 volcanoes, including Galán, which features the largest explosive caldera formation on Earth.
Location: Antofagasta de la Sierra Department
Elevation above the sea: 3,320 m
GPS coordinates: -26.05944,-67.40639
Latest update: March 3, 2025 03:56
Argentina extends across multiple climate zones and contains numerous geological formations. The country encompasses high mountain ranges in the Andes, salt flats in the northwest, rock formations in Patagonia, and extensive grasslands. These areas display the region's geological history and the adaptation of human settlements to different environments. The sites include volcanic craters, thermal springs, canyons, and historic villages. Many of these locations lie away from main routes and require several hours of travel. The regions document pre-Columbian cultures, colonial history, and traditional ways of life that continue today.
The Argentine landscape offers far more than its well-known urban centers. In the northwest, geological formations like Quebrada de las Conchas with its red sandstone cliffs and Talampaya National Park with its eroded canyons draw visitors. Quebrada de Humahuaca displays layers from millions of years of geological history, while Purmamarca sits at the base of the multicolored Cerro de los Siete Colores. Further north, Antofagasta de la Sierra allows access to high-altitude deserts and salt lakes. The Andes shape western Argentina with varied landscapes. The Uspallata Valley serves as a passage between Mendoza and Chile. In Patagonia, the granite spires of Monte Fitz Roy rise above glaciated valleys, while Los Alerces National Park protects ancient alerce trees and crystalline lakes. Villa Traful and Nahuel Huapi National Park show the Patagonian lake district with forested shores and volcanic peaks. Archaeological sites and nature reserves complete these remote destinations. Cueva de las Manos preserves prehistoric rock art from more than 9,000 years ago. The Ruinas de Quilmes mark a pre-Columbian settlement in the Andes. Bosques Petrificados de Jaramillo contains fossilized araucaria trees from the Jurassic period. The Esteros del Iberá form one of South America's largest wetlands, home to caimans, capybaras and over 350 bird species. La Cumbrecita offers hiking trails through alpine forests in the Sierras de Córdoba, while Gaiman preserves the Welsh colonial history of Patagonia.
Northwest Argentina combines desert areas, wine regions and Andean valleys. The region includes salt flats, geological formations, pre-Columbian sites and traditional mountain villages.
Ruins of Quilmes
143.8 km
Campo de Piedra Pómez
67.7 km
Galán
50.6 km
Quebrada de las Flechas
132.6 km
Incahuasi
140 km
Cerro Blanco
84.7 km
Robledo
85.1 km
Antofalla
72.9 km
Antofagasta de la Sierra
7.7 km
Sierra Nevada de Lagunas Bravas
127.4 km
Cerro El Cóndor
114.6 km
Nevado San Francisco
128.2 km
Cerro Bayo Complex
138 km
Cordón del Azufre
138.1 km
Vine and Wine Museum
143.1 km
Falso Azufre
126.1 km
Our Lady of Rosary Cathedral, Cafayate
142.9 km
Peinado
94.5 km
Cerro Colorado
98.3 km
El Ermitaño
143.9 km
Las Parinas
84.7 km
Pucará de La Alumbrera
6.2 km
Los Colorados
91.4 km
Museo Rural Comunitario Barranca Larga
123 km
Salar de Piedra Parada
137.3 km
Iglesia San Pedro Nolasco de los Molinos
131.4 km
Areas del Pueblo de Molinos
131.4 km
Mirador Monumento Natural Angastaco
132.4 kmReviews
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