Baritú National Park, National park in Santa Victoria Department, Salta Province, Argentina
Baritú National Park is a protected forest area in the mountains of Salta that spans steep terrain with elevations between 1,500 and 2,500 meters. The landscape is covered in thick cloud forest that clings to the mountainsides and stays damp and misty year-round.
Argentina established this protected area in 1974 to safeguard the region's cloud forests and endangered wildlife. The creation marked a commitment to preserving this rare forest ecosystem from further disturbance.
Indigenous Kichwa and Quechua communities have long gathered medicinal plants from the forest for healing and ceremonial purposes. Their knowledge and presence remain woven into the landscape and daily rhythms of the region today.
The park sits in a remote mountain location near the Bolivian border, making a visit require careful planning and coordination across country lines. Access is challenging, so visitors should research routes and conditions ahead of time to arrive well prepared.
This protected area is Argentina's only tropical national park, where jaguars, tapirs, and Andean bears roam within their forest habitat. This rare forest type now exists in very few places, making this one of the last strongholds where these animals can thrive.
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