← A Pampa Traviesa Marathon·2 nights

Lihué Calel: Granite Hills in the South-West

A national park of low granite hills about 230 km south-west of Santa Rosa, reached by hired car or booked excursion, with short visitor-centre walks in place of summit climbs.

Duration2 nights
TransitRoad, about 230 km from Santa Rosa by hired vehicle or booked excursion
DepartsSanta Rosa

After the A Pampa Traviesa Marathon: Lihué Calel

The Route: Santa Rosa → Lihué Calel National Park → Santa Rosa Logistics: A long drive on regional roads, about 230 km each way. National tourism recommends a car or a booked excursion. Marathon Month: April Duration: 2 nights

Santa Rosa ──(about 230 km by road, hired car or booked excursion)──> Lihué Calel National Park
     ▲                                                                          │
     └──────────────────────(same route back, next day)──────────────────────────┘

Lihué Calel is a long way from anywhere, and that is most of its appeal. The park lies about 230 km from Santa Rosa, in the semi-arid south-west of La Pampa, where a chain of low granite hills rises abruptly from flat scrub. The name comes from a Mapuche phrase usually translated as "sierra of life", a reference to the way the hills hold shade and water in dry country. The rocks have a pinkish cast, and some of the slopes carry rock art made by Indigenous peoples.

Get there with the legs in mind. A marathon runner should treat the first day as a travel day and nothing more. The drive is long, and a rested driver is more use than a sightseeing plan.

April in Lihué Calel: April is autumn, and days are usually milder than in the summer months. In most years the weather can still change quickly, and the park offers little shade away from the hills. Water must be carried in. National tourism says drinking water must be carried in, so bring more than you expect to need.

Getting There

National tourism recommends reaching the park by car or by a booked excursion. No public bus with a reliable schedule is published, so the practical options are a hired vehicle, a driver arranged through your hotel or a tour operator. Ask the operator for the total travel time, fuel and tolls before you commit. Whether you drive or ride, leave Santa Rosa early on the day after the race, once checkout has been dealt with, and agree the return time in advance.

Nights One and Two: In and Around the Park

The confirmed overnight option inside the park is camping. National tourism says camping requires advance reservation, so book it before you leave home, and take warm layers for the evening. A tent after a marathon is not a comfortable choice for everyone. Ask the park office or your vehicle supplier about rooms close to the park. If nothing suits, a base in Santa Rosa with a very early start is a poor substitute for staying near the hills, and it is better to shorten the trip.

Spend the first afternoon around the visitor-centre area, on short, level paths. Skip the 15.4 km guided trail and any summit climb. The hills are rough, steps and loose stones are common, and a post-marathon quad muscle will not appreciate the descent. The second day can be longer, but only if your legs agree.

Bring all food with you. Services near the park may be limited, and a long drive back on an empty stomach is no fun.

Getting Home

Return to Santa Rosa on the second afternoon with time in hand. Santa Rosa airport (RSA) is on RN35 at km 330, about 4.5 km from the city centre. If you fly out the same evening, leave the park by midday, because the long road home runs through open country with few places to stop. Many travellers will find it simpler to spend a final night in Santa Rosa before flying.