Hiking and Cycling in the Los Toldos, Argentina

Few places in Argentina stand out on the map as much as Los Toldos. Mainly because it doesn’t even appear to be in the country. The tiny Argentine enclave is only accessible via neighboring Bolivia, due to the fact that most of the land surrounding it is made up of protected national parks with no roads in them.

How to Get There

The community of Los Toldos is part of the Salta province in the north of the country. The easiest way to get there is by traveling overland from Tarija in the south of Bolivia. A bus or shared taxi service will take you to La Mamora, and you then need to look for a local service to take you over a rather rickety-looking bridge and deep into the forest. It’s a fairly complicated journey and may test your communication skills to the limit.

Generally speaking, learning English is a good way of being able to communicate in Argentina or elsewhere through the lingua franca that people all over the world understand. Taking 1-to-1 English lessons online for beginners will get you started with introductions, your name, family, and so on. Pointing and using signs is generally accepted with a smile in this part of the world when you can’t get your message across.

If you plan to speak Spanish and have heard the typical Argentine accent you may be surprised to find that the accent here is softer and the people are more reserved than in the big cities. You probably won’t speak to many people since the community is so small, but it is important that you understand a few basic words of Spanish to be able to speak to the park rangers and guides.

Those travelers heading up to Los Toldos from Argentina need to undertake the curious route of leaving Argentina at Aguas Blancas. They cross into Bolivia, traveling to La Mamora and then crossing the bridge mentioned earlier to get back into Argentina again. It should be noted that there is usually no type of border control when you enter or leave Argentina via Los Toldos, so it’s easier than many border crossings in South America.

What’s It Like?

The vast but sparsely-populated region is filled with wildlife but very few shops and no hotels. As such, taking supplies with you is recommended. Some places offer rental cabins, or you could ask for permission to camp in one of the authorized areas.

This is a great place for connecting with nature by hiking through the park, but you should check in with the park rangers first of all and ask for a suggested route. With so little infrastructure and few signs of life, you feel as though you left the world behind just a few minutes into the hike. It’s a world away from bustling San Telmo in Buenos Aires.

The most central natural reserve is called Reserva Natural Los Nogales (Walnut Tree Reserve). It has a densely wooded area with a river that is filled with huge rocks and can be visited all year round, although it is occasionally closed due to climatic issues such as flash floods. A little further out of town is a warm-water river that is ideal for swimming.

Baritú is a much larger park that covers some 72,000 hectares and has an amazing variety of plants and animal life to look out for. Hiking here is interesting, but hiring a local guide is recommended. In any case, you need to consult the Intendencia de Parques Nacionales in the center of Los Toldos if you plan to go there.

Cycling is a wonderful option, but you’ll need to take your own bike with you. This will give you the freedom to explore the vast natural space and get some breathtaking views. It’s a rough and exhilarating ride, as not many cyclists come here and the trails aren’t particularly well-maintained for this type of transport.

It’s a completely different experience from cycling Circuito Chico in Bariloche but if you handled the Death Road route in Bolivia before coming here then you will be ready for anything. If you want to get genuinely off the beaten track and feel the freedom of cycling and hiking in the wilderness, Los Toldos is a bold choice you won’t regret.