Calderilla is best explored through its patron saint festivals: since 1986, the festival in honor of María Auxiliadora has been celebrated every year on May 25. There are also celebrations for San Roque and a SAETA route that passes through La Calderilla. For planning your trip, the festival date and the specific connection are therefore the main things to consider.
The Festival of María Auxiliadora
The fixed date of May 25 provides a clear reference point if you want to plan your stay around the patron saint festival. A municipal description dated May 26, 2022, recounts the opening at the entrance to Capilla San Roque: a traditional chocolate drink was served there to residents and government representatives. After Mass, the procession carrying images of the Virgen María Auxiliadora followed Ruta Nacional 9 south toward La Calderilla.
A 2023 report names a shared locro meal at Pedro Lira School in La Calderilla as the conclusion of the celebration.
San Roque: Parade and Procession
The patron saint festival in honor of San Roque follows its own program and ends with a parade in front of Capilla San Roque. During one reported procession, gauchos from various local fortines accompanied the images of the saint and came to La Calderilla for the occasion. A 2023 report describes the traditional procession of images of San Roque through La Calderilla along Ruta Nacional 9.
If you choose to travel for the celebrations, it is best to distinguish between the two patron saint festivals by date and dedication: María Auxiliadora is celebrated on May 25; the San Roque festival has the parade in front of Capilla San Roque as a notable finale. If you plan to attend a specific festival, it is worth checking the latest dates before your trip.
SAETA and Getting Around Town
SAETA Corredor 6 passes through La Calderilla. In SAETA’s listing for Corredor 6, Pileta La Calderilla is listed as a general and tourist point of interest. This provides an additional reference point for planning, but it is not a timetable: check the current route and departure times for your journey.
When looking for a hotel in Calderilla, you can plan around the festival dates and the journeys you want to make without treating these as the same consideration. The patron saint festival date is a fixed point each year; for the specific journey, what matters is the connection on your chosen travel date. This keeps the occasion and transportation as two separate, practical decisions you can check.
The Wider Setting: Departamento La Caldera
Departamento La Caldera also offers its own regional context. The Siancas Valley runs through La Caldera parallel to Ruta 9; the Río La Caldera crosses the department from north to south. The town of La Caldera lies in a transition zone between Chaco Serrano and Yungas. These landscape features belong to Departamento La Caldera and should be distinguished from the festivals in La Calderilla as part of a broader geographical context.
Dique Campo Alegre lies north of the Río La Caldera. Embalse Campo Alegre “Ing. Alfonso Peralta” was built in the early 1970s and is located four kilometers north of the town of La Caldera. The access road follows a winding mountain route alongside the Río La Caldera along Ruta Nacional 9 in the direction of Jujuy; road conditions can change. Plan this regional detour as a separate journey and check conditions before setting off.
Sailing, sport fishing, hiking, and horseback riding are offered at Dique Campo Alegre and in its surroundings. The protected area also provides conditions for birdwatching, thanks to its varied forest and jungle habitats. Those interested in culture and history can visit Iglesia Nuestra Señora del Rosario in the town of La Caldera, built by Jesuits in the 17th century. It stands beside the former Camino del Inca. These examples add regional context but do not replace specific planning for a stay in Calderilla.
Discover more destinations: La Caldera, Vaqueros.
Back to the main travel overview: Departamento La Caldera.
