Fiambalá

Fiambalá is a small town of vineyards and adobe in the dry west of Catamarca, and its two attractions pull in opposite directions. Above it, in a narrow gorge some fifteen kilometres up the mountain, thermal springs feed a series of stone pools that step down the slope, each a few degrees cooler than the one above, so bathers can choose their temperature while looking out over the desert. Below, on the edge of town, the Duna Mágica and the wider dune fields rise in pale ridges used for sandboarding and, in some seasons, rally raid events. The town is also the last real base before the Ruta de los Seismiles climbs west past 6,000 metre volcanoes toward the Paso San Francisco and Chile.

What to look for

• The terraced thermal pools - stone pools stepping down the gorge at different temperatures.
• The dunes - pale sand ridges beside the town, used for sandboarding.
• The vineyards - high-altitude wine grown in the desert oasis.
• The road west - the start of the Seismiles route toward the Chilean border.

When to go

April to November is the most comfortable window; summer days here exceed forty degrees, though the springs are pleasant in the cool of the morning or evening. The pools are busiest on weekends and in winter holidays.

Good to know

The thermal complex is a developed site with concrete pools rather than wild springs, and it can be crowded. The road up the gorge is narrow. In summer the heat is genuinely dangerous for walking on the dunes in the middle of the day.

Nearby

The Ruta del Adobe runs south toward Tinogasta; the Seismiles route climbs west.