In Tunuyán Department, several paths lead into the region’s history and landscape: a biographical San Martín route tells the story of General José de San Martín’s return to Argentina in 1823. There are also museums, Andean excursions, and wine experiences—topics you can prioritize according to your interests when planning your trip.
San Martín History and Museums
The biographical route at Parque Temático Sanmartiniano focuses on the return in 1823. The visitor area is open to the public free of charge; the park is located at Manzano Histórico on Provincial Route 94. The park is also home to the educational program “Viaje por la historia y naturaleza de los Chacayes.” It has been run in Tunuyán Department since 2019 and welcomes hundreds of children, teachers, mothers, and fathers each year. In this way, the site combines historical storytelling with a program for different age groups.
The Museo Municipal Retorno a la Patria has four themed halls. You can take a guided or self-guided tour. The Museo Arqueológico y de Ciencias Naturales offers a different thematic perspective: it explores the Indigenous past as well as native flora and fauna. The Monumento Retorno a la Patria is also an important memorial site: on November 13, 2019, Decree 769/2019 declared it a National Historic Monument.
Andean Routes and Activities
Visitors interested in outdoor activities can choose from different kinds of excursions. The Andes can be crossed via Paso Portillo Piuquenes on horseback or on foot. Alpine-style climbing takes place in Cajón de Arenales, while Cerro Punta Negra is used for trekking. These examples represent different focuses—crossing, climbing, and hiking—without implying that they offer the same experience or have the same requirements.
The geographical scale is also important when understanding Portillo de Piuquenes: it lies between Tunuyán, Tupungato, and San Carlos Departments and covers an area of 314,600 hectares. The area described therefore extends beyond a single department. When planning your trip, it is worth keeping the name of the pass and the specific activity in mind rather than treating them as one single place.
Wine and a February Festival
In Los Sauces, Bodega Enzo Bianchi offers a vineyard tour, a winery tour, and a wine tasting. Tours are available Thursday through Monday and on public holidays, with a confirmed reservation made in advance. As operational details may change, check the information before your visit.
The La Tonada National Festival is a separate cultural event on the calendar. It takes place every year in February at Lombardia Park on the Río Tunuyán. The festival brings together thousands of people to celebrate folk music. This means the department offers both individually bookable wine experiences and a recurring community event.
Mendoza in a Broader Context
Beyond the department, Mendoza offers further points of reference as a travel destination. The province is divided into five major wine regions: Primera Zona, Valle de Uco, Oasis Este, Oasis Centro-Norte, and Oasis Sur. More than 200 wineries in the province are open to visitors; activities on offer include tastings, seasonal menus paired with wine, picnics, and pruning competitions.
The province-level information about nature also reflects a different scale from the individual destinations in the department. Cerro Aconcagua is in Mendoza Province, stands 6,962 meters high, and is considered the highest peak in the Americas. Parque Provincial Aconcagua was designated a provincial park in 1983 and covers 71,000 hectares. Across Mendoza Province as a whole, 19 accessible protected natural areas are listed, covering 12 percent of its area.
Discover more destinations: Vista Flores, Colonia Las Rosas, Los Sauces, Estancia La Pampa, San Martín Department, San Carlos Department, Guaymallén, Tupungato Department.
For the broader travel overview: Mendoza.
