Getting to the Moon Valley

There are no regular transportation services that take you right to the entrance of National Park Ischigualasto.
So the most recommendable option is to book a guided tour with a travel agency either in Buenos Aires, La Rioja or San Juan. They will not only provide you with all the expert information you need to fully enjoy the Moon Valley experience, but will also take care of transportation to and from the park.

If you prefer to make the journey on your on, it probably makes the most sense to organize a trip that combines a visit to National Park Talampaya and to National Park Ischigualasto.

Although the Ischigualasto Park is located in the province San Juan, it is geographically closer to the city of La Rioja and to the Talampaya National Park.
Thus, you need to first get to the city of La Rioja, capital of the province with the same name, and from there take a bus to Villa Union, the closest town to the Talampaya National Park.
Here you have 2 options: since the bus drives up to the park entrance, you can get out of the bus and visit the park before getting to Villa Union. Simply let the bus driver know in advance. Otherwise, you can drive straight to your hotel in Villa Union, get settled and then catch a shuttle bus or book an excursion to the park.
From Villa Union you can take a regular bus to San Juan del Valle Fertil, the closest town to the Ischigualasto National Park and, from there, catch a shuttle bus –or book an excursion- to the Park.

Buenos Aires-La Rioja

By Plane
Aerolineas Argentinas and Austral operate daily flights to La Rioja. If you are willing to plan your trip in advance, you can achieve significant savings, by buying the ticket before leaving your country. (Show Details)

By Bus
The drive between Buenos Aires and La Rioja takes approximately 17 hours. Even thought that might not sound too appealing, modern buses offer a very comfortable ride, with totally reclinable seats, music, videoscreen, as well as bar and catering service. As far as we know, bus companies do not have special prices for foreigners, so it is probably the best to buy your ticket once you are in Buenos Aires. All respectable bus companies have a sales stand at the Retiro bus terminal in Buenos Aires (Avenida Ramos Mejía 1680) [ ] ; you can buy your ticket there, by telephone or by internet at the bus company’s website.

Some of the companies driving to La Rioja are:
NUEVA CHEVALLIER S.A. 40005255 67/DEP.11
GENERAL URQUIZA S.R.L. 4000-5222 / 5252 64/DEP.30
SIERRAS DE CORDOBA S.A. 4000-5222 / 5252 84/DEP.30

By Train
There is currently no service between Buenos Aires and La Rioja.

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