Traveled in a landscape for the riverbanks of the river The Ducks, with possibility of stopping in umbrosos corners, to carry out walks for hills and to enjoy extraordinary panoramas of the valley of Calingasta , framed by the long cords of the precordillera and the snowy mountain range.

Circuit of 74 round trip km from Barreal, for a paved road. Walk for a minimum day. You will find combustible in Calingasta. Take bathroom suit and repellent for insects. Have caution with the bathrooms in the river Los Patos will be able to eat lunch in the hotel Calingasta, about the RP406, and picnic possibilities beside the rivers.

Leave Barreal for the RP412 toward the north traveling cultivated lands, where you release trenches of poplars they divide medic fields. rosemary, tarragon, lavender and anisette. Final AI of the oasis the view opens up to the enormous one it fences calingastino, closed by the precordillera to the east and the monumental mountain range to the west.

In the km 18, to the right, will see the polichrome formations of the Colored hills, with strata of incredible reddish, greenish and whitish ranges You consents for the print and it is usual to visit him to pick up lands of colors that they stay, for layers, in small flasks like memory. These hills are locations of sodium bentonita, mineral used industrially for clarification of wine and it dilutes, and as component of foods balanced for birds. It has also given origin to a local constructive modality the crushed stone it is used as covered with roofs, since when being wet dog the rain expands and it forms a pastón impermeabilizante.

In the km 22 to the east of the route, there is a print enripiada of 1 km that takes to the Fortress it is an interesting loamy hill of 1.650 m of altitude, with capricious you form erosionadas that look like a castle, The summit, easily accessible, it is an excellent natural mirador of the valley. While it travels the mysterious labyrinths, evoke their history: toward the year 1630 refuge of Huaziul and their hosts who rebelled against the Spanish domain were. This last amta huarpe of the region was died by the captain Diego Salinas of Heredia, correspondent from Chile . who received like recompense lands, commends and Master's of Field appointment.

Returning to the route, 1 km toward the west of the road will find the ruins of Hilario, remains of an establishment of foundry of the Company Beneficiadora of Hilario, created in 1868 during Domingo's presidency Faustino Sarmiento, when it occurred great impulse to the provincial mining.

The activity had begun especially with the Jesuit in the XVII century who fused gold, silver and copper of the Tontal, of the Tall Carmen's mine.

Continue 12 km through the stony landscape until arriving at The Island. There will see small mining companies that exploit aluminum sulfate. get paid and manganese.

After 4 km it will arrive at the river The Ducks, with leafy sallows that believe ambient pleasant to camp, to take a bath and to fish.

Hardly crusader the bridge will arrive to Calingasta.

It is located in an uneven topography, where the river Calingasta ends in that of The Ducks From the small hills The one Lived and The Calvarlo will be able to appreciate beautiful panoramic views. It is a small city, but the most important in the department and bill with regulating equipment for the traveler

Their current activity economic tour around the mining, although among the years 1935 65 sustained their wealth in the production manzanera. In 1929, Aldo Cantoni brought from Australia the variety of apples Net Delicious, with excellent results. The plantations were increased until reaching, in 1944, a thousand hectares cultivated in the whole valley. Visionary as Cantoni, Tinto and Alleva opened drying room, fruit packers in fresh, sidreras and the Cooperative The Cordillerana. The cycle lasted until ends of the decade of the 70, when the economic activity decayed, partly for the strong competition of other areas manzaneras like the valley of the Black river , being eradicated 60% of the plantations.

Enter to the village for Av. Argentina , a central boulevard that forks in a small hill takes to the right for street Aniceto Tinto to find the entrance of the Municipal Camping site and Polideportivo, with pileta, spits. courts and generous shade.

Continuing toward the north, to 500 m of the bifurcation, it will arrive at the chapel of Our Mrs. of the Carmen, belonging to the order Jesuit. This began to evangelize the territory at the beginning of the XVII century. The simple temple, later to that it tosses, it belongs the one nurtured group of small rural churches of adobe that spread for the northwest with few variants and Whose until last century. In honor to the Carmen's Virgin name was given also to the mines of the Tontal.

In front of the church is the former establishment sidrero The Chapel, today Opposite Cellar Nevada that testifies the last peak manzanero.

An interesting alternative for a rural camping site is to overcome the river Calingasta, where there are fresh forests that extend until The Alumbrera, 30 km for the mountain range.

Continue the Walk connecting with the RP406 and circulate toward the south for the western riverside of the river The Ducks. After 13 km , to the right, the accumulation of rocks blancuzcas and toasts it indicates bentonita locations in exploitation. This dry landscape changes 1 km later on to watered fields, where it is cultivated lavender and rosemary.

The motors Diesel that provide electric power to all department of Calingasta mark the entrance in the km 20, to Tamberías

This picturesque town administrative center of the department has narrow streets, skirted by trees and canals. It had origin in a primitive tambería on the one on the way to the Inca that arrived until Uspallata (Mendoza).

In 1866 it was founded as Villa Maipú and, in 1917, it changed their name for that of General Sarmiento. It didn't prosper, persisting the indigenous toponym.

The town. eminently agricultural. it conserves orchards, cultivations of tomatoes with a plant trituradora to the exit of the village and an excellent production of medic seeds in the stays The Narrow lace edging and The Totoral. to the south of the river Ansilta.

This thaw torrent, of fluctuating flow, brings in summer considerable muddy correntada and, together with other numerous courses originated in the mountain range of Ansilta it feeds to the river The Ducks that it has an extensive channel in this tract.

In the km 33. the route crosses the river The Ducks for a long gangplank in whose oriental end Sorocayense is summoned, where the vestiges of a plant of foundry of the time sarmientina lie. The place takes the gentile of its first resident, natural of the mining town of Zorocayo , in the Andean highland.

From Sorocayense the RP412 recaptures, to finish the turn Walk in Barreal.