Rosario Vera Peñaloza Department is defined by historical remembrance in Chepes, local festival and handicraft traditions, and the vast landscape of the Pampa de las Salinas. Other aspects of this destination include a weekend hike in San Isidro and the Doble Chepes cycling race. When looking for a vacation rental, you can start by considering whether you are more interested in history, culture, or landscapes.
Chepes and the history of the caudillos
Chepes Viejo was home to the local authorities and institutions until the second decade of the 20th century. After the railway bypassed the old settlement, they moved to Chepes. This sequence links the history of Chepes Viejo with the later location of the authorities and institutions in Chepes.
Villa Chepes is home to the Museo de los Caudillos. It preserves and shares the memory of the 19th-century caudillos of La Rioja and is part of the Ruta de los Caudillos tourist route. Every year, the museum hosts the Vigilia Peñaloziana in honor of Chacho Peñaloza. The route, the museum’s mission, and the recurring commemorative event each offer a distinct perspective on the historical theme.
Festivals, handicrafts, and cycling
Chepes’s cultural calendar includes the Fiesta Provincial del Carrero and the Festival del Caudillo Riojano. At craft markets in Chepes, local artisans display and sell textiles, wood carvings, and ceramics. Alongside the events, these works of local craftsmanship are also a focus of the area’s culture.
One sporting highlight is the Doble Chepes cycling race, which connects the provinces of La Rioja and San Juan. The range of topics mentioned thus extends from museum and festival culture to cycling.
Pampa de las Salinas: horizon and wildlife
The Pampa de las Salinas extends across the provinces of La Rioja, San Luis, and San Juan, as well as the San Martín and Rosario Vera Peñaloza Departments in La Rioja. The salt flat offers an unobstructed view to the horizon in every direction. Native and migratory species live there, including flamingos. The landscape and wildlife thus offer two distinct perspectives on the area.
In 2023, the Rosario Vera Peñaloza municipality designated the Pampa de las Salinas a municipal protected area under Ordinance 1388/2023.
Other places in the department
In San Isidro, visitors can hike to a river on weekends, a destination chosen by families for outings. San Isidro is also home to a historic chapel considered the oldest in the province. The hike to the river and the chapel appeal to different interests: a weekend nature destination and a historic building.
Villa Chepes is also home to the Hugo L. Miranda municipal swimming pool and camping grounds. The location is explicitly Villa Chepes; this facility adds another named place in the department to the museum, culture, and landscape themes mentioned above.
La Rioja as a broader destination
The broader destination of La Rioja also offers other distinctive natural and cultural sites. Talampaya National Park is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site in La Rioja Province; its red sandstone cliffs reach up to 200 meters. Laguna Brava Provincial Reserve is a Ramsar wetland in the province’s Andes, near the Chilean border.
At El Chiflón Provincial Park, guided tours include the geological formation El Hongo. Cuesta de Miranda runs along a 114-kilometer stretch of Route 40, connecting Chilecito with General Felipe Varela. Viewpoints along the Cuesta offer opportunities to observe geological features, as well as flora and fauna. These examples highlight other natural and geological themes in La Rioja.
Archaeological visits are another option in the broader destination: Centro de Interpretación Tamberia del Inca offers guided tours of the archaeological site. At Hualco, interpretive hikes bring together landscapes, archaeology, and cultural heritage. The two experiences focus on different aspects of exploring archaeological sites.
Discover more destinations: Arauco Department, Famatina Department, Chilecito Department, General Lamadrid Department, Capital Department, General Juan Facundo Quiroga Department, Coronel Felipe Varela, San Blas De Los Sauces Department.
View the broader travel guide: La Rioja.
