Historical Villages Tour in Mendoza River Valley, Mendoza

Just outside the city of Mendoza are untamed landscapes and historic sites. This tour follows the Mendoza River and passes a number of beautiful natural landmarks, including the Cordón del Plata mountain range, a subset of the Andes that is a popular trekking destination. One of the first stops is at Uspallata, a pre-Hispanic indigenous settlement which at one point was the southernmost territory of the Inca Empire. There are archeological remains here, including the Bóvedas de Uspallata, a series of conical-shaped smelting furnaces built by the Jesuits in the 17th century. 

The tour then passes through the villages of Picheuta, Polvaredas, Punta de Vacas, and the Los Penitentes ski resort, where a chairlift carries visitors to a summit featuring panoramic views of the area. After that, it's a drive by the Puente del Inca, a natural arch that forms a bridge over the Las Cuevas River, and an ascent of 2,750 meters (9,022 feet) above sea level to a viewpoint at Cerro Aconcagua. At 6,962 meters (22,841 feet), this is the highest mountain in the Americas. 

The final destination on the day's adventure is the European-style village of Las Cuevas, located just before the Chilean border. Between Las Cuevas and the international tunnel to Chile, there is a path that leads to Christ the Redeemer of the Andes. This monument sits at 3,832 meters (12,572 feet) above sea level and symbolizes the union between Argentina and Chile.