A Ride Across Punilla

The strategic geographic location of Villa Carlos Paz enables visitors to travel the Valleys of Punilla, Traslasierra or Calamuchita in one day and discover the history and sceneries of this tourist destinations which make up a large part of the Province of Córdoba.

We started a new adventure as we toured the first of these valleys. We resolved that the best option would be to hire a guided excursion in order to appreciate this environment in a relaxed way. At the same time, we would obtain nourishing information about the places, their stories and their people.

It was a cloudless morning. The clear sky and the bright sunshine could not have been a better omen for the day which was just starting. Very punctually, Walter picked us up on a shuttle at the hotel where we were staying. Virginia, who was to be our guide, and Mariano, the photographer hired by the tourist agency to take pictures of the excursion, were already on the van, along with eight more people who were eager to cross the well-known Valley of Punilla.

In the blink of an eye, we left Villa Carlos Paz along National Route 38 towards the North. After the picturesque village of Bialet Massé, we passed by the towns of Santa María de Punilla and Cosquín. We stopped there to watch how the local dancers rehearse on the stage located on Próspero Molina Square, where the famous festival of Argentinian folklore is celebrated.

We continued along Route 38 as we watched the wonderful mountains of Córdoba, teeming with quebracho trees, molles and chañares, which give the scenery a greenish shade that strongly contrasts the blue sky. Afterwards, we passed by the districts of Valle Hermoso, La Falda, Huerta Grande and Villa Giardino, which is known as “the garden of Punilla” due to the large flower pots with flowers of various species ornamenting its sidewalks.

We continued our way through the districts of La Cumbre and Los Cocos, up to Capilla del Monte, where we made our first stop.

As we entered the town, the old houses built in the late XIX century with well-defined European ornaments caught our attention. Besides, we saw the only roofed street in South America, where a complete commercial center operates.

In the background of this mountain village, we could appreciate the impressive silhouette of mythical Mount Uritorco, where some unexplainable events have taken place, such as lights moving on its top, the presence of UFOs, energetic fields, hidden cities or gates to a different dimension, and which have completely changed life on its hillsides.

The truth is that after listening to Virginia telling some of these stories, we did not hesistate to wish to visit its base and go for a walk around the area.

Thousands of tourists, experts on metaphisics and enthusiasts from all over the world visit this enigmatic mount every year. In addition to the beautiful Calabalumba River banks, which is a favorite place for hiking, gems of different value, based on quartz, feldspathoid, mica, amethyst, calcite, garnet or epidote may be acquired in the area.

We walked towards the “little fig tree”, considered an energetic point on the base of the mount because it is located perpendicular to the top. After remaining silent for a few minutes and trying to feel some kind of special “vibration” on the mount, we thought that it was best to have a swim in the river and enjoy the wonderful scenery before us.

From the base of Mount Uritorco, we left towards Paseo los Mogotes, a pic-nic and camping area located in the North of Capilla del Monte. After lunch, we visited “Paso del Indio”, a narrow 50-centimeter-wide crack between two rocks, meters away from the Dolores River, in order to appreciate the image of a native face carved on the rock by the action of the wind and the water erossion. Climbing up the large rocks is both a singular and unforgettable experience. We crossed the wild scenery in a row until we got to the face of the native.

Back in the shuttle, we returned to the district of La Falda. Then we took a detour to the West along a rubble road. We crossed the Grande de Punilla River and got deep into the Pampa de Olae, in the Piedras Grandes area, which would be dwelled by the comechingones Indians 400 years ago. We visited what used to be the home of these “cave dwellers”, with their mortars at one of the gates. With these tools, the women of the tribe used to mill the seeds of the algarrobo negro to make a kind of flour that was later used to make a sweet and crispy cookie.

The best part of the excursion was when Virginia proposed a mud-therapy session on one of the creeks located in the surroundings. All of us were covered in mud and enjoyed the experience with laughter and a relaxing mood.

With sunset on our shoulders, we returned to Villa Carlos Paz. We retraced our steps along winding Route 38 and, before I fell asleep on the shuttle seat, I made myself the promise to come back. There is still much to discover in this beautiful Valley of Punilla.