Calilegua National Park

The Calilegua National Park is a national park of Argentina, located at the southeast of the province of Jujuy (Argentine Northwest), at the Ledesma Department, on the eastern slopes of the Calilegua hills.

The park was created in 1979 to preserve a representative part of the Southern Andean Yungas ecoregion, one of the environments with the greatest amount of biodiversity in Argentina), and to protect the mouths of the rivers of the Calileguas. With an area of 295 m², it is the largest national park of this region of the country.

This area was occupied a long time ago by native groups. Their settlements were located in the lower knoll, near the farming grasslands. The archaeological pieces and sites found in the park, such as pottery and polished stone axes, are related to the communities that inhabited the Yungas region. From the 15th century on, this territory was occupied by the Incas. At present, this region is inhabited by Kolla communities.

The park has a beautiful landscape, which you can see when transiting the Provincial Route 83 that runs through it. Along the route, you see three different environments: the jungle foothills, mountain forest and mountain woods, each with their own characteristic vegetation. It is also possible to see certain species of birds and mammals in particular, which makes this site an ideal place to observe wildlife, especially birds, about 270 species were identified and its estimated that 230 more could inhabit the area, which makes Calilegua the home of 50% of all bird species in the country and a paradise for birdwatching. Regarding mammals, the presence of the largest predator of America, the jaguar, also known as “Tiger” along with other cats like the jaguarundi, ocelot, puma and cat of grasslands inhabit these forests. The tapir or “anta” is the largest of all mammals in the Yungas and you could see their footprints in the mud of the riverbanks and lakes.

Calilegua National Park and nearby towns offer a wide range of activities, with varying degrees of difficulty. The tours relate to ecotourism and active tourism, but the area offers a strong cultural imprint and you may visit several towns where the local contact is a highly valued experience for those interested in ethnic diversity and the discovery of local cultures

Source

• Administración de Parques Nacionales (Argentine National Parks Administration, in Spanish and English)

External links

• Calilegua.com (Tourism information about Calilegua area in Spanish and English)