Parque Nacional Copo preserves more than 118,000 hectares of the Chaco Seco ecoregion in the province of Santiago del Estero. The national park is a striking natural feature in a region whose experiences are also shaped by thermal waters, cultural collections and the Río Dulce.
Nature in Parque Nacional Copo
April to November is considered the best time to visit Parque Nacional Copo. In summer, from December to March, high temperatures and rain can make access difficult. So if you plan to include the national park in your trip, it is worth keeping this seasonal guidance in mind. Beyond the park, the province also offers striking landscape contrasts: the Salinas de Ambargasta are characterized by white ground that stands out against the dark green vegetation of Santiago del Estero.
Thermal waters and activities at the reservoir
The Termas de Río Hondo have 14 mesothermal groundwater horizons. Their thermal waters are associated with relaxation and relief from ailments. The Dique Frontal and the Río Hondo reservoir offer a different connection to the water, with water sports and fishing available there. Thermal waters and activities at the reservoir thus present distinct aspects of the travel experience.
Culture and history in Santiago del Estero
In the provincial capital, Santiago del Estero, the Centro Cultural del Bicentenario brings together several museums in the former government house. These include the Museo Histórico Dr. Orestes Di Lullo, the Museo de Bellas Artes Ramón Gómez Cornet and the Museo de Ciencias Antropológicas y Naturales Emilio y Duncan Wagner. The historical museum presents the history of Santiago del Estero chronologically. Its exhibits include religious carvings, crucifixes, coins, portraits, historical furnishings and a replica of a 19th-century post station. The Museo Emilio y Duncan Wagner preserves archaeological, anthropological, ethnographic, paleontological, botanical, zoological and mineralogical heritage.
You can find religious art from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, as well as Franciscan relics, at the Museo de Arte Sacro San Francisco Solano. The Iglesia Catedral is also part of the city’s history: on July 28, 1953, Decree No. 13723 declared it a National Historic Monument. Casa Museo Don Andrés Chazarreta, at Mitre 127, is also a National Historic Monument. It displays personal belongings of folklorist Andrés Chazarreta, including his first guitar, his poncho and his first record.
Chacarera is a popular dance and musical form in the province, and part of its cultural heritage. This can be considered alongside the capital’s collections without reducing the music to a museum visit: Casa Museo preserves a folklorist’s personal belongings, while chacarera is described as a living part of regional culture.
Río Dulce, regional cuisine and folklore
Parque Aguirre extends to the new riverside promenade along the Río Dulce. Also on the river is Plaza Añoranzas, a modern amphitheater with a capacity of 7,000 people. The publicly accessible Quincho of Indio Froilán is another place in Santiago del Estero to enjoy regional food, music and folk dances.
A few kilometers from the provincial capital lies the Feria de Upianita. Traditional dishes, handicrafts and live music are offered there, along with horseback rides and sulky rides. Regional cuisine and folklore can therefore be experienced both in the capital and nearby, but at different locations and in different formats.
Getting to the province
Santiago del Estero can be reached by air via Aeropuerto Vicecomodoro Ángel de la Paz Aragonés in the city of Santiago del Estero. Buses run to the provincial capital, and several national and provincial roads also connect the province. Depending on what you want to focus on, your discoveries can range from the capital’s cultural collections to the landscapes and water experiences of the wider region.
Discover more destinations: La Calera, El Aibal, Termas De Río Hondo, Departamento Choya, Departamento Moreno, Loreto, Departamento Guasayán, Departamento Capital, La Banda, Robles, Río Hondo.
View the broader travel overview: Argentina.
