La Calera: Historic Routes and Regional Highlights

Historic crossings through the Sierra de Guasayán are recorded for La Calera. Nature, culture, and festival highlights in the wider travel region complement this local connection and broaden the perspective for planning a trip.

Historic Routes near La Calera

One historic crossing led from La Calera through the Quebrada de la Puerta del Jardín into the Sierra de Guasayán. Another route ran from La Calera through the Sierra and via Guampacha and Las Juntas to the town of Guasayán. The first account highlights the passage through the Quebrada, while the second names a sequence of stops leading to Guasayán. This brings two distinct geographical focuses into view: the crossing into the Sierra and the route described further on to the named town. For those interested in cultural history, the place names offer specific points of reference for the history of these routes.

Nature in the Wider Travel Region

Further afield in the Departamento Guasayán, Villa La Punta and its provincial nature reserve in the Sierras de Guasayán are located 52 kilometers from La Calera. The nature reserve offers hiking and horseback riding. The Sierra de Guasayán is a multiple-use reserve in the province of Santiago del Estero and an important area for bird conservation in Argentina. The specific activity location and the broader protected-area designation thus sit side by side; hiking and horseback riding are offered at the nature reserve.

A total of 179 bird species from 17 orders and 39 families have been recorded in the Sierra de Guasayán. Later studies may expand these figures. This count adds a specific overview of the recorded diversity of birds to the protected-area perspective.

In the Departamento Guasayán, the holotype of Odontophrynus lavillai was collected at Arroyo Casa del Tigre in the Sierra de Guasayán; the site is two kilometers from Villa La Punta. This scientific reference adds a specific location to the region's nature-related highlights.

Cultural Heritage and Festival in the Departamento Guasayán

The Capilla Virgen del Tránsito in Villa Guasayán is designated as cultural, religious, and tourist heritage in the Departamento Guasayán.

A 2023 report states that the patron saint festival in honor of Saint Peter in San Pedro de Guasayán is celebrated annually on June 29 and mentions participants from the surrounding areas. At the 2024 celebration, pilgrims carried the image of the Virgen de las Canteras down from the mountains; a solemn procession through the town also took place. Food stalls were set up around the main square during the celebration. June 29 is the date given for the annual festival, while the procession and food stalls are specific details from 2024. If you would like to travel around the time of the festival, check the current festival dates and program.

Rural Tourism

Rural tourism is also among the regional highlights in the Departamento Guasayán. The Asociación Abriendo Caminos worked with women producers from Villa Guasayán in this area. From its base in Villa Guasayán, the Asociación is working on a rural tourism circuit. The collaboration with women producers and the work on the circuit show two aspects of the topic: local participants and the development of a tourism route format.

Discover more destinations: Termas De Río Hondo, Loreto, El Aibal.

Return to the main travel overview: Santiago Del Estero.