Are you up for a road trip filled with breathtaking views and spots that look like they’ve been taken out of a sci-fi movie location? Then you can’t miss crossing the Atuel canyon. You can explore it using your own vehicle or by joining a local tour. Personally, I find self-guided tours always the best option – you get to enjoy the scenery at your own pace, stopping for as long (or as little) as you fancy.

Let’s drive into the canyon – more precisely onto the winding cliffside road that runs alongside it. I must warn you though, if you’re scared of heights, you might find parts of it rather challenging. Just follow my advice: don’t walk too close to the edge when you jump out of the car to marvel at the views and you’ll be just fine. Trust me, the canyon’s jaw dropping views completely make up for any uneasiness you might or (might not) feel.

Atuel River and winding route 173 through Atuel Canyon (Author’s image)

Atuel Canyon Facts

Let’s start with the facts – which is always a solid first approach. The Atuel canyon was born much like his cousin canyons by the continuous efforts of the river carving its way through the sedimentary rock over millions of years gradually wearing it away and transporting debris along with the water flow thus creating the masterpiece we see today. As for size this natural wonder keeps it relatively humble stretching along just about 60 kilometres. During it’s course the river falls from 1.250 metres high to 700 metres above sea level, height difference that is taken advantage by the Nihuil hydroelectric power stations, there are four of them along the way. Not as deep as its more famous relatives like the Grand Canyon but then – who needs to be such a show off? With an average depth of 260 metres it would be enough for it to swallow the Eiffel Tower almost whole!

This hidden gem is located near the Andes at the Southwest of Mendoza near the city of San Rafael and is part of the larger region of the Atuel river valley. Turquoise waters, dramatic cliffs and unworldly scenery are sights you won’t forget.

Sign featuring hydroelectric powerstations (image by author)

Fiction?

         As you drive deeper into the canyon, you start to wonder if your eyes might be playing tricks on you. The whole place feels like it has been taken right out of a Star Wars movie. Are you still on earth or have we landed on Tatooine? The following image completely makes us doubt. Are we approaching a geological wonder or a remote Tatooine settlement? What’s that ray of light coming down from the sky? Could it be a spacecraft that just landed somewhere behind the cliff?

Atuel Canyon mysterious rock formations (Author’s image)

Just a few turns of the winding road and yet another imagination defying scene. What could those small caves be? Have they been shaped by erosion or have they been built by some mysterious tiny inhabitants? And what about those vertical markings carved on the rock? Perhaps a message from outer space?

Atuel Canyon mysterious caves (Author’s image)

Following the winding road, you get to the Valle Grande reservoir that features yet another mysterious presence: the submarine. Is it another working of nature’s sculptor or a huge abandoned alien submarine or even the petrified remains of a relative of the Loch-Ness monster?

I’m at a loss but I can’t answer any of these questions, or even show you anymore images, but what I can say is that visiting the Atuel Canyon is an experience you’ll never forget.

Valle Grande reservoir and “submarine” seen from the cliffside road (Author’s image)