Picunches: Caves, Riverbanks and Dinosaur Discoveries

Picunches appeals to travelers who want to make natural and cultural heritage the focus of their trip. Its defining features include the Cuchillo Curá cave system, the discoveries in Las Lajas and the riverside landscape of the Río Agrio. These places offer a tangible point of interest for a range of interests—from geological and archaeological traces to paths along the water.

Nearby, the Pino Hachado border crossing connects the Argentine town of Las Lajas with Liucura in Chile’s Araucanía Region.

Cuchillo Curá Cave System and Protected Area

The Cuchillo Curá cave system is considered a natural and scientific heritage site of great value. Its four main caves are Cueva de los Cabritos, Del Arenal, Del Templo and Del Gendarme. They contain branching galleries and various bodies of water; altogether, the underground complex extends for more than five kilometers of interconnected galleries, walkways and chambers. The protected area was established in 2003, primarily to protect this system. It also protects more than 20 endemic troglobitic animal species.

Access to the cave system is currently prohibited because visitor safety cannot be guaranteed. The area above ground can preferably be explored on foot; experienced visitors can ride through it by mountain bike. This makes it easy to distinguish between outdoor activities and the underground heritage when planning a visit.

Archaeological and Paleontological Finds

The cultural heritage also includes archaeological finds from the cave area. Scrapers of various shapes, arrowheads and flakes have been discovered there; ceramic fragments probably came from vessels or pots. One cave contains reddish rock art, probably created by Tehuelche people from the region. The Museo Municipal de Las Lajas currently displays many of the artifacts found in Cuchillo Curá. The museum also houses historical objects, geological finds and dinosaur replicas.

Paleontology is also part of Las Lajas: remains of Pilmatueia faundezi, a new species of four-legged, plant-eating sauropod, were found there. The find is among the oldest Early Cretaceous dinosaur discoveries in the Neuquén Basin and among the oldest in South America. This comparison places the find within both the basin’s geological context and the broader South American context.

Río Agrio and Quili Malal

The Costanera along the Río Agrio in Las Lajas stretches for one kilometer and includes three viewpoints, a bike path and a walking path. Inaugurated in 2023, the riverside promenade was intended to showcase the town’s natural spaces and tourist attractions. The walking and bike paths make two different ways of experiencing the riverbank an explicit part of the site.

Quili Malal, in Picunches Department, has several access points to the banks of the Río Agrio. The town lies where the Río Agrio meets the Río Neuquén; geological formations of exceptional scenic beauty also characterize the landscape. Quili Malal can be reached via Provincial Routes 14 and 10. Check road conditions before setting out.

Birdwatching also offers a regional point of interest for nature lovers: in 2020, Picunches Department was among the best-represented areas in Neuquén on eBird.

Discover more destinations: Pino Hachado, Lácar Department, Confluencia Department, Aluminé Department, Loncopué Department, Añelo Department, Chos Malal Department, Ñorquín Department

For the regional travel overview: Neuquén.