Travesía lies on the Camino de la Costa, the tourist corridor between Merlo (San Luis) and Mina Clavero. The Virgen de Lourdes Chapel is in town, and you can stroll around the town square. The forests of La Travesía add a diverse Monte flora to the local landscape. To find your way, consider both the town’s location among regional destinations and the directions from Mina Clavero.
Location and Directions
Travesía lies between La Población and Luyaba; La Paz is twelve kilometers away. The town is also located on the Camino de la Costa, between two endpoints: Merlo in the province of San Luis and Mina Clavero. To travel from Mina Clavero to Travesía, take RP 14 via Yacanto and La Población. The corridor description places Travesía in a broader tourist context, while the route provides specific directions from Mina Clavero.
Cabañas «La Travesía» are located on Ruta 14 at kilometer 151, between La Población and Luyaba. The cabins are 200 meters from the shelter and the access road to the town of Travesía.
Chapel, Town Square, and Monte Flora
The Virgen de Lourdes Chapel is a local cultural landmark. The town square offers another way to experience Travesía: you can stroll here. Native species such as chañar, mistol, algarroba, tuna, tala, quiscaludo, ucle, ulúa, tala churqui, albarillo, mburucuyá, and piquillín grow in the forests of La Travesía. There are also mushrooms, wild chili peppers, and mountain herbs. Mentioning algarroba, tuna, and piquillín connects the forests’ plant diversity with the local tradition of gathering edible fruits.
Monte Fruits and Local Practices
Viva el Monte is a business in La Travesía (Luyaba) that gathers, stores, and processes Monte fruits into food products. As a community project, it aims to revive traditional ways of gathering and preparing food and to promote land management that respects nature and people.
An individual example complements this community approach: a person living in Travesía began gathering edible Monte fruits for personal consumption, first algarroba and later tuna and piquillín as well. These represent two different approaches: community processing of fruits and harvesting for one’s own household.
Culture and Nature in the Department of San Javier
In the Department of San Javier, San Javier y Yacanto and La Población each offer their own cultural and nature-related attractions. In San Javier y Yacanto, a historical cultural tour leads to notable sites, cultural spaces, and buildings in a range of architectural styles. The Catholic Iglesia San Francisco Javier was inaugurated in 1922. Pulpería La Merced preserves the character of the general stores of the past.
In La Población, the Taller de Rafael Barragán showcases unique goldsmithing work with simple lines. Visitors can also tour a lavender plantation, learn about lavender, and sample lavender blends with various local herbs. If you plan to visit the workshop or plantation, check the current visiting arrangements in advance.
Wine enthusiasts can visit three wineries in San Javier y Yacanto, where they can sample wines made from the wineries’ grape varieties. Studios and shops sell sculptures, paintings, ceramics, handwoven clothing, wood crafts, and silver jewelry. In La Población, the Sendero Aguas Amarillas trail has a low technical difficulty, a moderate effort level, and an approximate duration of two hours and twenty minutes. Trail conditions can change, so check them before setting out on a hike.
Discover more destinations: Los Manantiales, Villa Dolores, Yacanto, Pueblito, La Población, Las Tapias.
For the main travel overview: Department of San Javier.
