After the San Juan Marathon: Valle Fértil and Ischigualasto

The Route: San Juan → San Agustín de Valle Fértil → Ischigualasto → San Agustín de Valle Fértil → San Juan Logistics: About 250 km each way by coach or hire car. The park lies about 75 km beyond the village. Marathon Month: July Duration: 2 nights

San Juan ──(about 250 km)──> San Agustín de Valle Fértil ──(about 75 km)──> Ischigualasto
    ▲                                   │                                         │
    └────────(return road)──────────────┴◄──────────(return to village)───────────┘

Ischigualasto is a UNESCO World Heritage site, a basin of eroded Triassic rock that locals call the Valle de la Luna. It sits a long way from the marathon finish, and the trip only works if the two nights are used honestly: one to arrive, one to recover.

July in Valle Fértil: Winter is the season the park adapts its hours for. From 21 March the traditional circuit runs from 09:00 to 16:00, with tours leaving every hour, and no entry is allowed after 17:00. The schedule is set by the light and designed for cooler weather, so a July visit avoids the heat that makes summer tours uncomfortable. Nights are cold, and days are short. Layers matter more than sun protection, though the sun still burns.

The coach from San Juan's bus terminal takes roughly four hours on past timetables. Check the current operator and departures. The road is long, and travelling on the Monday after the marathon means sitting through it with sore quads. Hire a car if a driver is willing to share, or ask the hotel about a transfer.

Night One: San Agustín de Valle Fértil

The village is the main gateway to the department and holds most of the tourist services. The flat walk is the plaza and the streets around it. A short, easy loop of the centre takes about 20 minutes on level pavement.

A few metres from the main plaza stands the Cristo de la Hermandad, a 14-metre sculpture by the Chilean artist Luis Sudara, with panoramic views over the valley. Check the climb before going if the legs are stiff. The San Agustín reservoir is nearby, and the surrounding Parque Natural Valle Fértil is home to more than 200 species of bird, which makes the reservoir edge a pleasant place for a slow morning.

Accommodation ranges from hotels to cabins and family lodgings; the village is small, and rooms for Monday night in July are easy to book but best reserved. Ask for a heated room.

Day Two: Ischigualasto

The park lies about 75 km from the village, and visits are by guided circuit. Entry for foreign visitors was ARS 62,000 at the last published tariff (about £31), and ARS 43,000 for Argentine residents; prices change, so check the park's current tariff. Allow most of the day, because the drive each way and the circuit together fill it. Book a guide or a transfer from the village the day before.

The formations carry their own names: El Hongo, El Gusano, La Esfinge and La Cancha de Bochas. The Barrancas Coloradas are red walls up to 200 metres high that hold fossils of Triassic plants and animals. Most of the circuit is done from stops, with short walks at each one, so it suits tired legs well. There is no long continuous walking on the standard route.

Bring water, a windproof layer and sunglasses. Toilets and food on site should be checked before travel.

Night Two: Valle Fértil

Return to the village for the second night. This is a deliberate buffer: a day in the park followed by four hours on a coach is a poor combination for anyone who ran a marathon three days earlier. Eat early and sleep.

Getting Home

On the third day, return to San Juan by coach or car, about 250 km. San Juan's airport is UAQ (Domingo Faustino Sarmiento). Allow a full day, leave a buffer if a flight is booked the same day, and consider one more night in San Juan.