A 2,500-meter trail through Quebrada de las Higueritas, a school with adobe walls, and wood and stone crafts reveal the different sides of Ayacucho Department. Nature observation, historic sites and regional craft traditions each offer their own highlights.
Nature and Birdwatching Around Luján
Quebrada de las Higueritas near Luján is traversed by a river of the same name. Its vegetation is considered typical of a temperate, humid climate. A 2,500-meter trail is suitable for trekking and birdwatching; observation shelters in Reserva Natural Quebrada de las Higueritas make it possible to watch animals, especially birds, without disturbing them. The quebrada provides shelter for more than 220 bird species.
The reserva has marked trekking trails, including Sendero de los Miradores and Sendero de los Abuelos. Two routes through the quebrada have interpretive signage. After severe storms, a temporary closure of the reserva was reported in March 2026. Check the latest access information before visiting.
Another natural site near Luján is the Piedra Blanca area, with cave and rock-shelter paintings. Geometric and zoomorphic figures point to the former presence of Indigenous peoples. El Zapallar, meanwhile, is a natural pool in a lush mountain landscape and a starting point for a walk. It is about seven kilometers from the center of Quines.
Historic Sites and Crafts
In San Francisco del Monte de Oro, Iglesia San Francisco de Asís combines religious heritage with a long written record: its records are more than 200 years old. The church is part of the province of San Luis’s major cultural heritage routes.
The cultural route in the southern part of town includes Escuela Rancho. It is considered the first school founded by Domingo Faustino Sarmiento, in 1826, when he was 15. The school building has adobe walls and a roof of straw and mud resting on wooden beams. A simple corridor is supported by rustic tree trunks. The materials and unadorned construction give this historic site a distinctive architectural character.
In Quines, Centro de Artesanos offers workshops and courses, as well as a space for exhibiting and selling wood and stone crafts. These include carvings, paintings and textiles. Artisans in Quines work with algarrobo wood, weave on looms, spin by hand, work and braid leather, and create wood-burned designs.
Quines’s industrial history is also visible: La Chimenea was built in 1948 or 1949 to serve the emerging Aserradero Santa María sawmill, and still stands today. The structure is considered a distinctive photo spot. Candelaria also offers tours of murals and forms of urban art.
Festivals and Waterside Recreation
Candelaria was officially founded on July 9, 1870, when its chapel was blessed under the patronage of Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria. Festivities in honor of the Virgen de la Candelaria take place in the last days of January and the first days of February. In Luján, October’s patron saint festivities bring residents and visitors together for Masses, processions, music and folk dancing.
Balneario Municipal in Candelaria has swimming pools, a campground, quinchos and recreation areas. At Dique Las Palmeras, three-dimensional name letters have been installed on the public beach as a visual and photographic attraction. Two interactive three-dimensional maps show geographic attractions in the surrounding area and include QR codes for more information.
A 2026 notice listed hiking, fishing and rowing boats as permitted activities at Dique Las Palmeras and along its shore; motorized boating was prohibited there. As regulations may change, check the latest information before your visit.
Discover Destinations
Discover more destinations: Carpintería, San Francisco Del Monte De Oro, Leandro N. Alem, Ayacucho.
Discover more destinations: Departamento Libertador General San Martín, Departamento Junín, Chacabuco Department, Departamento Coronel Pringles.
Back to the regional travel overview: San Luis.
