Discover Rivera: Nature and History

Valle del Lunarejo: Landscape and Wildlife

Valle del Lunarejo showcases Rivera’s striking landscapes. The protected landscape area encompasses grasslands, hills and ravines with steep-sided native forest. It also features caves, sheer cliffs and waterfalls amid lush subtropical vegetation. More than 250 species of amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals have been recorded in Valle del Lunarejo.

Getting Your Bearings on Route 30

The visitor center for the protected landscape area is on Route 30 at kilometer 237. The kilometer marker provides a specific reference point for getting there. Check Route 30 conditions before setting out.

Historical Traces in Rivera

The area around Masoller, near Valle del Lunarejo, was the site of the 1904 battle that brought Uruguay’s civil wars to an end. General Aparicio Saravia was fatally wounded there. Well-preserved stone buildings can still be seen in Valle del Lunarejo; they played an important role in historical conflicts in the region. Masoller thus marks a specific event in 1904, while the stone buildings preserve architectural traces of regional conflicts.

Parque Gran Bretaña in Rivera was declared a national historic monument in 1981. The Cuñapirú hydroelectric dam was inaugurated in 1882 and was also declared a national historic monument. During a tour of Minas de Corrales, the dam was visited and described as the first hydroelectric dam in the Americas. The three dates provide a timeline: 1882 marks the dam’s inauguration, 1904 the Battle of Masoller, and 1981 the park’s designation. The Ruinas de Santa Ernestina are part of the Ruta del Oro, which also includes Minas de Corrales.

Activities at Miradores del Valle

A 2024 guide lists camping for RVs and tents, hiking, vehicle excursions and horseback riding at Miradores del Valle. Options include agrotourism rides and horseback rides as far as Arroyo Lunarejo. Activities range from camping to outings on foot, by vehicle or on horseback. Confirm that your preferred option is available before your trip.

Uruguay: Geology and Urban Heritage

At another destination in Uruguay, Grutas del Palacio offers a glimpse into geology. The caves were formed by water erosion. A roof about 70 centimeters thick is supported by reddish, hardened sandstone columns averaging two meters in height. As the geopark’s most emblematic site, the caves gave it its name. Colonia del Sacramento offers a different focus: the Portuguese founded the city in 1680 on the Río de la Plata; it was strategically important in resisting the Spanish. In the Historic Quarter, narrow cobbled streets and mostly single-story houses shape the cityscape; two-story houses are rare. Its street plan is the only example in the region that does not follow the rigid grid pattern prescribed by Spain under the “Leyes de Indias.”

Discover more destinations: Minas De Corrales, Guaviyú, Rivera, Tacuarembó, Florida, Entre Ríos, Treinta Y Tres, Montevideo.

For the main travel overview: Uruguay.