Malargüe

A small gateway town to the wilderness of southern Mendoza, the starting point for the black volcanic fields of La Payunia, the Caverna de las Brujas and the Las Leñas ski resort.

Malargüe lies in the far south of Mendoza Province, Argentina, on the high, wild plateau along Ruta 40 at the eastern foot of the Andes, at about 1,400 m. Built on livestock and oil, the small town is now the base for adventure tourism in southern Mendoza. The town itself is small, with a church, restaurants and tour agencies around the main square; to the north are the striking Malargüe Planetarium and the visitor centre of the Pierre Auger cosmic-ray observatory, and the night skies here are exceptionally clear. The surrounding sights lie in three directions. To the south is the La Payunia reserve, where hundreds of volcanic cones, black lava fields and free-roaming guanacos create a lunar landscape; it is visited on a day trip by 4x4 tour, which can take in the Malacara volcano, the Manqui Malal waterfall and the Caverna de las Brujas (Witches' Cave) along the way. To the northwest, along the mountain road to Las Leñas, are the Pozo de las Ánimas and Laguna de la Niña Encantada, and in winter Las Leñas is a renowned South American ski resort. To the west on the outskirts is the Castillos de Pincheira rock formation, and to the southeast the Llancanelo lagoon, a haven for migratory birds. Getting there: about 4.5–5 hours' drive (about 420 km) from the city of Mendoza, with long-distance buses; in the ski season there are charter flights and shuttles straight to Las Leñas. November–April is dry and pleasant, best for volcano and cave tours; June–September is for skiing, but some backcountry routes may be closed by snow. On the plateau, UV is intense and temperatures swing widely between day and night; backcountry routes are mostly gravel with no services, so join a tour or carry plenty of fuel and water. Allow 3–4 days.

Top sights

• La Payunia Reserve – One of the places with the highest density of volcanic cones in the world. Black lava fields, coloured volcanoes and herds of guanacos make…
• Caverna de las Brujas – A limestone cave reserve about 70 km south of Malargüe, where you wear a headlamp and crawl and climb among stalactites and stalagmites.
• Las Leñas – One of South America's most famous ski resorts, known for its steep high-altitude off-piste runs and dry powder snow that attracts skiers f…
• Castillos de Pincheira – Volcanic tuff rock formations about 27 km west of Malargüe that look like medieval castles. Legend says they were the hideout of the Pinche…
• Laguna de Llancanelo – A Ramsar-listed wetland of international importance, where shallow lakes in the desert host flamingos, black-necked swans, and more than a…
• Pozo de las Ánimas – Two huge sinkholes by the road to Las Leñas, about 80 meters deep, with water at the bottom. They are named after the wind that moans throu…
• Malacara Volcano – A colorful volcano on the northern edge of Payunia, where you can explore lava tubes and red, yellow, and black volcanic rock layers with a…
• Laguna de la Niña Encantada – A clear spring-fed lake in the Los Molles valley, with brilliant green water and a legend of an Indigenous chieftain's daughter who became…
• Pierre Auger Observatory Visitor Center – The headquarters and visitor center of the world's largest cosmic ray observatory, with detector arrays spread across roughly 3,000 square…
• Malargüe Planetarium – A modern planetarium in the shape of a pyramid, where dome shows and stargazing sessions take advantage of Malargüe's clear high-altitude s…
• Hotel Termas El Sosneado Ruins – The abandoned 1930s hot-spring hotel in a deep Andean valley. Its surviving hot pools are still open for soaking, and it is also the starti…
• Manqui Malal Waterfall – A canyon waterfall about 30 km south of Malargüe that drops from the cliff face into a green pool. It is often visited together with the Wi…

Where to eat

• La Faustina – One of Malargüe's top-rated restaurants, praised by travelers for its lasagna, braises, and wine cellar.
• La Posta – A long-established downtown restaurant serving charcoal-grilled kid goat, trout, and house-made pasta, with generous po…
• El Nido del Jabalí – An estancia-style grill house beside Route 40, known for unlimited grilled meats with kid goat and a salad bar.