Capayán Department offers a range of ways to explore nature, festival culture and history: the Los Capayanes Municipal Nature Reserve, the National Mandarin Festival in Chumbicha and the Church of San Pablo. The planned Arrayanes de Concepción protected area and a winding route from Miraflores to Los Ángeles are also among the region’s highlights. To plan your trip, first decide whether nature trails, a festival or historic architecture will be your main focus.
Nature and Landscape
Los Capayanes Municipal Nature Reserve is a nature reserve in Capayán Department. Its landscape includes mountain ranges and native flora and fauna. Hiking trails offer a practical way to experience nature tourism. Those interested in this side of the department will find both the landscape and the trails at the heart of the experience.
The planned Arrayanes de Concepción protected area is a distinct nature-focused highlight. It includes southern remnants of Yungas montane forests and cloud grasslands. Around 200 bird species occur in the area, including migratory birds. Representative mammals include the guanaco, taruca, collared peccary, red fox, oncilla, honey bear and small armadillo. The approximate number of bird species and the illustrative list of mammals offer different insights into the area’s wildlife.
Thermal springs are also among the tourist attractions in the area of the planned Arrayanes de Concepción National Park and Reserve. The planned park and reserve area also contains archaeological remains of the Aguada culture, dating to approximately 600–900 AD.
Route to Bosque de Arrayanes
The route is an important part of planning a visit to Bosque de Arrayanes. From the town of Concepción, it can be reached on foot or on horseback via an 11 km moderately difficult route, accompanied by an authorized provider or guide. The approach runs between two ravines, alongside the Pampichuela River and the Arroyo del Bosque stream.
The distance and moderate difficulty rating help you distinguish this outing from the hiking trails at Los Capayanes Municipal Nature Reserve. For the route to Bosque de Arrayanes, accompaniment by an authorized provider or guide is specifically required. Since river conditions can change seasonally, check conditions before setting out.
Culture and History
The Church of San Pablo in Capayán Department is designated a Provincial Historic Monument. The church is built in an Italianate style, and its construction is dated to approximately the end of the 19th century. This place of interest combines a clearly defined heritage status with an architectural reference whose date is deliberately approximate.
The National Mandarin Festival has been held annually in Chumbicha since 1974 and was declared a National Festival. It celebrates the rural work associated with mandarin cultivation. Its program includes craft fairs and stalls selling regional products. A courtyard serving regional dishes invites visitors to sample the area’s typical flavors. If you are planning a trip specifically for the festival, check the dates of that year’s edition in advance.
Getting Around by Road
National Route 60 leads to Chumbicha and is part of a corridor connecting Cuyo with Argentina’s Northwest. Check current road conditions before setting out. A separate route begins in Miraflores and winds through the mountains to the small town of Los Ángeles. These two details offer different points of reference: RN60 leads to Chumbicha, while the route from Miraflores describes a mountainous journey with Los Ángeles as its destination.
Discover more destinations: Huillapima, Valle Viejo Department, Ancasti Department, Andalgalá Department, Paclín Department, El Alto Department, Ambato Department, Belén Department.
For the broader travel overview: Catamarca.
