Throughout the journey, the scenery was breathtaking. We passed through Uspallata, a quaint little mountain town that was the base camp for the movie Seven Days in Tibet. Along the way, we noticed little shacks spotting the landscape about every 10 minutes. On closer inspection, we realized that we were driving along the tracks of the currently defunct Transandine Railway. Construction on the railway started in 1887 and was completed in 1910. It ran until 1980, when road traffic took over. The good news for train lovers and historians is that the Chilean and Argentine governments are planning on rehabilitating it, and it should be open again in 5 – 10 years. The little shacks we noticed were coal shacks from the early days, when trains only had enough coal to last about 10 km before they had to refuel.
On our way to Aconcagua Provincial Park, we crossed part of the Inca Trail at Puenta del Inca( Bridge of the Incas), where the natural hot springs created a land bridge over the water. It is believed to have been an important stop along the Inca Trail, where Incas would revitalize in the natural hot springs. It was amazing that the Incas had developed this route centuries ago, connecting both sides of the Andes and running for thousands of kilometres on both sides of the mountains, all the way from Ecuador to Chile / Argentina. It is a beautiful site, and there is an outdoor market where you can see local artists work, and get some truly Argentine gifts.
We travelled the last 5 km to our final destination, Aconcagua Provincial Park, at an elevation of 3,000 m. The air is thinner, the sky bluer, and the sun stronger. We were thankful we brought our hats and sunscreen. We trekked up a simple hiking trail with interpretative markers on the way to the lookout. It is about a 2 km walk, but worth every step when you reach the top. Once at the lookout, it is hard to find words for the vast scene in front of you. Glaciers on the mountain that look about 30 m thick are actually 300 m thick, and the snow gleaming off the peak is a complete contrast to the 30 ° C it is
( from the top:) Puenta del Inca on the Inca Trail; barbeque at the top of the world( photos by Mike Muirhead)
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