Map

Copahue Provincial Protected Area See map

The protected area contains within it two of the most important tourist destinations of the province of Neuquén, Copahue and Caviahue.

Copahue landscape. Photo courtesy of Marina Vivaldi from www.patagonia.com.ar photo album

Created for the conservation of species and habitat care in this area you can enjoy the snow, streams, waterfalls, forests of araucarias and the famous for its healing properties, thermal baths.

First was created Los Copahues National Reserve in 1937, then gave the reserve to the province of Neuquén and finally February 28, 1963 is established a Copahue Provincial Protected Area by Decree Provincial Law 387/63.

The protected area is located in the Copahue volcano area where there are world-famous thermal resources, and these are other objectives for its creation: the protection and conservation of thermal and mineral exploration in the basement of the region.

The volcano is centered on the hill Copahue, is the only active volcano in Argentina and is surrounded by rivers Agrio and Trolope.

The area of ​​the protected area was known as a region of intense volcanic activity. Witness to this are rock formations that surround the area. For these reasons the volcano was named Copahue that means "place of sulfur".

You can do several activities while you visit the area, including the visit to Copahue volcano of where you can not go without taking a few thermal baths. Copahue hot springs have valuable properties that made them famous worldwide and gave them the endorsement of the World Health Organization.

Copahue volcano erupting. Photo album www.patagonia.com.ar

The average annual temperature varies between 3 ° C and 4 º C and in summer there is a large temperature range. Rainfall exceeds 2000 mm annually, which occur mainly between April and October and falls mostly as snow.

Flora and fauna

The protected area focuses on preserving its goals. The Araucaria or monkey puzzle are ancient plants that grow in Patagonia, such as in Copahue that there are ñires and Araucaria forests on hillsides and rocks. These are very important as equity because there are species that grow in this area and nowhere else in the world.

The reservation does not have large animals, but you can find pumas and red foxes. The protected area is important for the conservation of some species, such as the "tuco tuco del Maule," a rodent highly specialized to live underground and several species of lizards and goats, a characteristic species. Among the birds can name the condors, eagles, bgulls, geese, ducks, woodpeckers, among several others.

Directions

It is located in the Department Ñorquinco. It is reached from Loncopué through Provincial Route No. 26 after traveling 52 km, or from El Huecú by the Provincial Routes No. 21 and No. 27, after traveling about 67 km to the southwest.

Both in Copahue and Caviahue there hosting services as hotels, campgrounds and cabins. Both locations have stunning scenery and varied proposals to relax and enjoy the mountain, knowing the wildlife of the protected area.

In the place can be made natural circuits to know streams such as Blanco or Agrio, or head up to the lookout points, which can be reached on foot, horseback or vehicle, for a dazzling view of the place. During the winter visitors can enjoy Nordic or alpine skiing and if you prefer you can do snowshoeing or riding the ski lifts.