L'incredibile Treno alle Nuvole e una delle tre ferrovie più alte del mondo.

Il treno più straordinario del mondo raggiunge un'altezza di 4.200 metri in un viaggio di 434 km.

Il treno più incredibile del mondo, quello che arriva fino alle nuvole, sale a 4.200 metri di altezza in un viaggio di 434 km (andata e ritorno).

Il Treno alle Nuvole è una delle tre ferrovie più alte del mondo.

È una delle tre ferrovie più alte del mondo, che attraversa le vertiginose montagne della Cordigliera delle Ande tra paesaggi spettacolari. Parte dalla città di Salta, attraversa la valle di Lerma, entra nella Quebrada del Toro e raggiunge la Puna. 

Viene chiamata il "Treno delle Nuvole" perché, a causa della sua grande altezza, spesso si possono vedere nuvole sotto i ponti o sui pendii. 

Il numero di curve, viadotti, gallerie e altri tornanti che il treno attraversa è dovuto al fatto che l'autore del progetto, l'ingegnere americano Richard Maury, si schierò tenendo conto del principio di aderenza delle ruote del treno ai binari e delle leggi della fisica, abbandonando il sistema meccanico a cremagliera comunemente utilizzato, in modo che le formazioni ferroviarie potessero salire in quota con facilità.

Un treno che non utilizza ruote dentate.

Non utilizza ruote dentate, nemmeno nei tratti più ripidi della salita, perché i binari sono disposti in modo particolare, seguendo un sistema di zigzag e spirali.

Il treno parte dalla stazione di General Belgrano, nella città di Salta, a 1.187 metri sul livello del mare, e termina al viadotto. Durante l'intero percorso, sono previste due fermate: una alla stazione di San Antonio de los Cobres e l'altra al viadotto di La Polvorilla. Parte dalla città di Salta, il punto più basso, e da lì inizia la salita fino al punto finale del viaggio, il viadotto di La Polvorilla, il più alto dell'intera linea del convoglio. Nelle diverse stazioni, gli abitanti dei paesi allestiscono pittoresche bancarelle con artigianato, abbigliamento e prodotti regionali da acquistare come souvenir di questo interessante viaggio.

Il treno offre servizi quali carrozza ristorante, ambulatorio medico, guide audio, video e bilingue.

Tour.

Si tratta di un viaggio unico e speciale che combina i suoi servizi in due tratte: la Strada Nazionale N°51, con soste fotografiche nei punti panoramici, e l'imbarco sulla magica esperienza del Treno delle Nuvole, che si manifesta in tutto il suo splendore all'arrivo all'imponente viadotto. 

Non solo paesaggi e sensazioni si fondono, ma anche storie ed esperienze che portano a rivivere l'epopea della costruzione ferroviaria, iniziata nel 1920 dall'ingegnere Richard Fontain Maury, anima del progetto. 

Questo tour permette inoltre di ammirare paesi fermi nel tempo, in armoniosa convivenza con la montagna.

Quijano.

Unisce tradizione, paesaggio e terra di gauchos. Si trova a 30 km dalla città di Salta, all'inizio del percorso naturale che conduce alla regione della Puna. Questa città, conosciuta come la "Porta delle Ande", accoglie i visitatori con la prima discesa dell'escursione, un riferimento storico all'opera ingegneristica più emblematica di Salta: la linea ferroviaria C-14. 

L'Alfarcito.

Si trova a 2.800 metri sul livello del mare. È possibile visitare la pittoresca cappella, il cui santo patrono è San Cayetano. Le famiglie vivono di artigianato e hanno un'economia di sussistenza basata sull'agricoltura e sull'allevamento di capre e pecore, lepri, guanachi, vizcacha, asini e cavalli. 

Da diversi anni è attivo un Centro Ecclesiastico di formazione, produzione, turismo e artigianato, promosso dal missionario Sigfrido "Chifri" Moroder, che insieme a un team di persone ha cercato di promuovere lo sviluppo degli abitanti delle colline del dipartimento di Rosario de Lerma, come valida opzione di fronte alla cronica emigrazione verso i quartieri poveri delle città. In questo luogo, viene offerto un servizio di colazione rurale con prodotti locali realizzati dalle comunità della zona. 

San Antonio de los Cobres.

Questo è il punto di trasferimento per questa esperienza; lì, il contingente si sposta alla stazione ferroviaria, dove i viaggiatori salgono sul Treno delle Nuvole che li porta al Viadotto di La Polvorilla. 

Il viaggio dura un'ora fino al viadotto, a 4.200 metri sul livello del mare, dove si attraversa l'opera ingegneristica più imponente del secolo scorso. 

Dopo 30 minuti, il viaggio di ritorno riprende verso San Antonio de los Cobres, dove i passeggeri salgono sugli autobus per tornare a Salta. 

Santa Rosa de Tastil.

Durante il ritorno, si fa un'ultima tappa a Santa Rosa de Tastil, zona di influenza Qhapaq Ñan nella provincia di Salta e capoluogo della Quebrada del Toro. 

Qui, potrete visitare il Museo del Sito, che espone reperti e oggetti appartenenti al sito archeologico situato in cima alla collina, molto vicino all'attuale centro abitato. 

Il sito archeologico è uno dei più grandi del nostro Paese e si stima che un tempo ospitasse circa 3.000 persone. Potrete anche acquistare vari prodotti artigianali e locali presso il Centro Artigianale della comunità. 

Dopo la visita, proseguirete per il capoluogo di Salta.  

 

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Viaggio attraverso i Parchi Nazionali dell'Argentina: El Rey.

Created in 1948 with the aim of conserving a sector of the "cloud forest" or the "yungas" and the environments of transition between it and the mountain chaco, this protected area contains on its 44,162 hectares a very diverse biodiversity that is dispersed among its different environments, which are between 750 and 2,000 meters above sea level.

It has a tropical climate with average temperatures ranging between 22 and 25 ° C. Rainfall reaches 2000 mm annually.

El Rey National Park variety as an attraction.

The visitor will be able to find and contemplate five marked levels of different vegetation.

From below, specimens of horco quebracho, cochucho, atamisque and cardones, which assert the presence of the Chaco mountain forest, will be observed.

Above, the transition jungle with tipas and pacaraés marks the beginning of what will later become the montane jungle, which will exhibit specimens of cedar, tarco, tipa and walnut.

Already in the 800 meters, the jungle of the so-called mirtáceas is developed, where you will find the muddy stick, the alpamato, the mato, the chal-chal, and the güili.

Finally over 1,500 meters the pine communities of the hill, alder and queñoas are presented.

As the climate is warm and rainy, the mountains are covered by dense jungle.

The visitor will be able to find and contemplate five marked levels of different vegetation.

From below, specimens of horco quebracho, cochucho, atamisque and cardones, which assert the presence of the Chaco mountain forest, will be observed.

Above, the transition jungle with tipas and pacaraés marks the beginning of what will later become the montane jungle, which will exhibit specimens of cedar, tarco, tipa and walnut.

Already in the 800 meters, the jungle of the so-called mirtáceas is developed, where you will find the muddy stick, the alpamato, the mato, the chal-chal, and the güili. Finally over 1,500 meters the pine communities of the hill, alder and queñoas are presented.

There will also be a great profusion of different epiphytes, these are those plants that use another as a support, such as the tank bromeliad, the carnations of the air, and different species of orchids.

Diversity of flora and fauna.

The diversity of flora also makes possible a wide variety of animal species, since they are two ecoregions such as the Yungas and also chaco species characteristic of the latter, such as the red-legged chuña, the charata and the common woodpecker, and also brown corzuelas, peccaries and tapirs.

The lipped peccary mainly inhabits the abrupt gorges that present a dense low vegetation.

The brown roe deer is more easily found in the transition forest, while its close relative: the red roe deer is distributed along the jungle slopes to the high alder forests.

In the water courses you can see the river wolf and less frequently the mayuato.

We also find animals such as the fox and the elusive puma, the largest predator in the region. The fish fauna is represented by the native dorado, bogas, catfish and shad.

The tapir, also called "anta" is the emblem of the National Park.

This land mammal is considered the largest in South America, weighing up to 300 kg. It prefers aquatic environments where it feeds on aquatic plants and spends long hours immersed to protect itself from insects.

It is an excellent place for the interpretation of nature, highlighting the great variety of birds, mammals and insects within the framework offered by the great diversity of the Yungas jungle.

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Viaggio attraverso i Parchi Nazionali dell'Argentina: Baritu.

We continue with our itinerant tour through the National Parks of Argentina.

We had started with our first installment on the Calilegua National Park in the province of Jujuy.

Today we will visit another natural park, in this case in the neighboring province of Salta: the Baritú National Park.

Baritú National Park is a protected natural area located in the Santa Victoria department of the province of Salta.

And, like the Calilegua National Park, it is one of the integral areas of the Yungas biosphere reserve.

The Yungas Biosphere Reserve is part of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves promoted by the UNESCO Man and Biosphere Program (MAB).

Currently the condition of the park is in danger, due to the exotic of the species that coexist there that are constantly stalked by the poachers of the region, who day after day, are caught or killed some species. Likewise, there is another problem within the vicinity of the Baritú National Park and this has to do with illegal logging for the extraction of wood in the area.

It is through that country that you enter the National Park, through the Pan-American route N ° 1 until you reach the Los Toldos junction. What does Baritú mean? The name comes from Quechua and means "small population".

Here the water courses of the Lipeo, Porongal and Pescado rivers run; on whose banks you can find silly birds and different bushes.

In this framework, one of the most visited attractions in the area are the water wells, which house shads, river lions and the washed bear, with its characteristic black mask and ringed tail.

The best time to visit the park is from June to October. It is traveled on foot or on horseback, always accompanied by a guide due to the complexity of the circuit.

Due to the abundant humidity and high temperatures that characterize this corner of northern Argentina, it is important that visitors wear light waterproof clothing

The reserve is also characterized by the importance of its cultural heritage, made up of various indigenous peoples; in the reserve and its area of ​​influence reside some three hundred and sixteen communities of native peoples (aymara, quechua, wichí, toba, chané, ocloya) who preserve their customs (worldview, way of life, festivities, crafts, etc.) by culture peasant and by descendants of Spaniards, reflecting a multiple, strong and particular identity of the territory.

Everyone's great dream -including the park ranger- is the jaguar. I have only seen them in the filming of the camera traps installed in the Park. The tracks are the only direct evidence that one usually has of the American big cat.

Not only scientists, botanists, and naturalists come. There are also adventurers who like to know almost virgin spaces and passionate about birds.

The truck climbs to 1,800 meters above sea level and then drops again to 1,500 meters above sea level. Even Baritú is only 44 km, but it takes us a few hours. We stop to take photos, it rains, the sun rises, a dense fog falls, it is discovered and it allows us to see amazing yellow lapachos, walnut trees, bushes (of the myrtle family), cedars and tree ferns.

Drizzle, mist, dripping leaves, rays of light from some elusive and persistent reflection of the sun. It is a deep and undulating hillside full of epiphytes - plants that grow on others - that create a magical halo. From time to time, we feel that we have entered a parallel universe more similar to that of the movie Avatar than ours.

The tree community gathers a number of species which vary according to altitude levels, from the valleys to the ridges of the mountainous areas. In the lower levels, forestry such as jacaranda, peteribí, viraró and quina develop.

A unique species due to its behavior is the maroma, whose seed germinates on the branch of a tree, expands and lengthens its roots to the ground, and then develops its trunk and branches by wrapping and even drowning the specimen that gave it support.

In the intermediate levels of the slopes, up to around 1400 m.a.s.l, imposing Salta cedars, yellow lapacho, horco-molle, Creole walnut and others live.

Above this level, the jungle loses biodiversity and acquires the character of a forest, in which the coniferous pine of the hill, the alder and the walnut stand out.

As for the fauna that inhabits the Park, its composition and variety make it a resource of singular importance among the conservation objectives.

This is emphasized in the case of species such as the caí monkey, the river wolf, the ocelot or ounce cat, the tapir, the yaguareté, which not only integrate our native fauna but also appear in the lists of endangered species , made by specialists in the subject.

In better conditions are other mammals, such as the cougar, the ferret, the lipped peccary, the mayuato or washing bear, the corzuela, the tapir, on the banks of watercourses the capybara and many others

An animal that is very curious about its way of life is aí-aí or lazy. Thanks to its strong hooked nails, it lives and moves hanging from the branches.

Their movements are of an imperceptible slowness reason why it is very difficult to discover it; for the better, chlorophytic algae develop in the hairs (honeycomb hairs) on the belly and sides that give it a greenish hue that blends in with the environment.

A special mention should be made for the friendly and elusive squirrel, whose image is the center of attention in the Park's logo.

A particular chapter is that of birdlife, whose biodiversity and exclusivity stands out over the same characters of the birds of other parks that house sectors of the Yungas (P.N. Calilegua and P. N. El Rey).

The condor and the red-headed jote and the black-headed jote are prominent birds.

The large toucan, a variety of hummingbirds, parrots and the magpie are characteristic.

In the Park area, species such as the peregrine falcon, the widow eagle and the green macaw find safety, the possibility of survival outside of the protected areas is critical.

Among the reptiles, the variety of lizards, snakes and some poisonous form (yaraba chica) is notorious.

Around or in water sources, various species of toads can be observed, the notable marsupial frog and an endemic climbing frog. Among native fish, the mojarras, the old water, the shad, the catfish and the dorados are common.

Of the numerous water courses that cross it, the most important are the Lipeo river in the north, and the Porongal and Pescado rivers, which drain into the Bermejo river and in a small section form the northeast limit of the Park.

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Viaggio attraverso i Parchi Nazionali dell'Argentina: Los Cardones.

Continuing with our tour through the National Parks of Argentina, today we stop to visit Los Cardones National Park in the province of Salta.

Salta is the province with the most national parks. We have already referred to the El Rey National Park enclosed by mountain ranges that gradually descend to the central valley, forming an immense amphitheater of singular beauty and to the Baritú National Parkdedicated to preserving a sector of Cloud Forest that has remained practically virgin due to its inaccessibility and its relief, since the rugged landscape made logging difficult.

Los Cardones National Park.

Its beautiful and high cardonal stands on the slopes of the hills.

They tell the legends of the ancient settlers, who are indigenous people who watch over the valleys and mountains in the presence of strangers.

Precisely these specimens of Cardones (Trichocereus pasacana), beautiful desert lookouts, give the National Park its name.

The cardon.

A route winds between cardons and amancay flowers. It is the path that anticipates the rugged simplicity of the Los Cardones National Park, in the Calchaquí Valleys.

There, erect cardons guard the roads of the ancient Inca Empire and the unique Enchanted Valley, which keep the vestiges of its rich past.

The predominant plant species in the area, and which gives its name to the park, has adult specimens that can reach 3 meters in length, between 250 and 300 years old.

They were in danger of extinction due to the irrational exploitation that was made of their wood, now the National Park Law protects them, since 1996, in this magnificent area that encompasses four different natural environments.

Flora and fauna.

The flora and fauna show characteristics as unique and rugged as the landscape that shelters them. In addition to touring the desert beauty of the National Park along a route in good condition, you can take photographs, go hiking, hike and observe flora and fauna.

The cardons in their arid silence, impress with their firm bearing on the ground.

hey will always be there, to delight the view in a different landscape. Although its felling is prohibited, it is possible to have a souvenir of its wood, because the park guards collect the dried specimens and give them to the artisans in the area, so they can make real works of art.

A diverse and austere flora can be seen throughout the Los Cardones Park, distributed in four distinct environments.

The first environment of the reserve is that of the Puna, whose height of between 3500 and 4500 meters above sea level distinguishes it with almost zero humidity and temperatures that make it shiver with cold at night.

The typical species are tola, añagua, rica-rica, cortdera, muña-muña and grasses. In the prepuna the heights drop to 2200, here the churquis reign, forming small forests known as "El Churcal".

The third of the environments is the western forest, where the cardons abound, the jarillas -of great importance, since the cardons are born and grow under the protection of this shrub until reaching a suitable size- and the yellow flowers of the amancay, which onl.

They grow in rainy seasons and cluster at the foot of the slopes of the Tin Tin hill and the Quebrada de Cajoncillo. In more open and desert sectors are the typical breas and we challenge, which are bushes that do not exceed one meter in height, with green stems and yellow flowers.

Guanacos, red foxes, gray foxes, chinchillones, pumas, Andean pericotes and the small quirquinchos walk through the vast territory.

Owners of the desolately beautiful environment of Los Cardones, birds such as the Andean gull and the cardon woodpecker also live in this extensive region, but the first mention is taken by the condor, whose sighting at first sight provides pleasure and admiration.

Los Cardones with its clearly arid climate, with precipitations that do not exceed 200 millimeters a year and average temperatures of 11 ° in winter and 18 ° in summer, protect endangered species such as vicuña and taruca or huemul from the north.

They say that if you remain silent in the middle of the cardonal and wait for a few moments for the wind to blow, you can listen to music, or at least a piping sound like a deep, eternal whistle, which floods the space and reaches the sky.

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