Valle del Lunarejo

The Valle del Lunarejo cuts into the basalt plateau of northern Uruguay, a system of steep ravines and quebradas holding subtropical woodland that survives here because the slopes were too steep to clear. It is part of the national protected areas system, and the species list includes plants and animals found nowhere else in the country, carried down from Brazil along the ravines. Farms in the valley take walkers and run guided routes. The area was declared a protected landscape in 2009, and the farms inside it have kept working while opening routes to walkers, which is how most of the valley is seen.

What you actually see

• The quebradas - steep ravines holding subtropical woodland.
• The subtropical species - plants and animals reaching their southern limit here.
• The basalt plateau - the tableland the valley is cut into.
• The farm lodgings - working estancias in the valley taking walkers.

When to go

March to November is best for walking. Summer is hot and the ravines humid. Gravel roads are difficult after rain.

Honest expectations

Access roads are unsurfaced and slow. Most of the valley is private land and walking needs arrangement with the farms. There is no marked trail network.

Nearby

Tranqueras is south, and Rivera is northeast.