Barreal

Barreal sits in the Calingasta valley between two mountain walls: the Precordillera to the east and, to the west, the main Andean chain with Mercedario, at nearly 6,800 metres, and the peaks of the Cordón de la Ramada. The village itself is small and green, an oasis of poplars, irrigation channels and low adobe houses, with a laid-back pace and clear skies almost year-round. It is the base for two very different pursuits: the Pampa El Leoncito dry lakebed just south, where wind cars race across the flat, and the high mountains west, where trekking and horse-riding trips run into the Andes. The dryness and altitude also make this one of the clearest skies in the country, which is why observatories were built nearby.

What you actually see

• The oasis village - poplars, irrigation channels and adobe houses.
• The Andean wall - Mercedario and the high peaks west of the valley.
• The night sky - exceptionally clear stars, with observatories nearby.
• The valley approach - the gorge road from Calingasta with river and rock.

When to go

March to November for stable weather; summer brings heat and occasional storms, though nights stay cool. Winds are strongest in spring, which suits the wind-car season on the dry lake. Nights are cold year-round.

Honest expectations

Barreal is genuinely sleepy, with limited restaurants and shops and little nightlife. The approach roads include long gravel sections that are slow and dusty. Travellers wanting facilities and choice will prefer San Juan city.

Nearby

Pampa El Leoncito lies just south; the El Leoncito park and observatories are beyond it.