Caminata hasta la Virgen de El Rodeo, Catamarca, Argentina

This time we took a hike we'd long wanted to take, connecting two points of great importance to the population of El Rodeo, Ambato Department, Catamarca Province, Argentina. We climbed the trail that coincides with the Calvary that leads to the Christ located on the western slope of the Sierra del Colorado and took advantage of this horseshoe slope to reach the summit of the mountain range. Once at the top, we hiked south along the ridge or ridge of the mountain as we ascended to the Virgen del Valle, located at 1,660 meters above sea level. This is a 52-meter-high construction designed by a private individual, a private project that included the construction of a hollow structure in the shape of the Virgen del Valle with internal stairs. The "Camino de la Fe" (Way of Faith), as the project is called, has a hall for religious celebrations and an area with large windows inside, as well as a bar for breakfast and snacks. To enter, you must register and pay the entrance fee at the base located on Provincial Route 4, south of the town of El Rodeo. There, you'll be charged the entrance fee, and if you wish, you'll also have to pay for the van that takes you up (and then down) the 6 km private route that ascends from 1,300 meters above sea level to 1,660 meters above sea level. However, if you wish, you can only pay for access to the Virgin and hike the route there. We chose another option: hiking along the summit and accessing and registering directly at the top. Don't miss the video, which combines our style of being in touch with nature with the geographical recognition of places, points in the geographic space that arise from the needs of the population, or part of it. Thus, in addition to arriving and exploring the location of the Virgin, we offer you an account of the different perceptions that arise while walking through the Sierra del Colorado during a clear day in the middle of winter (held on July 6, 2025). The walk began at 8:30 a.m., we arrived at the Virgin at 11:30 a.m., and then took the van back to Route 4. From there, we walked again to where we left the vehicle at the base of the Christ (we arrived at 3:00 p.m.). BLOG: More about the geography of this place on my blog, Geografía de Catamarca https://geografiacatamarca.blogspot.com ----------------------------- OUR MUSIC: Since June 2023, our audiovisual productions are set to our own music. The composition of the pieces for this video features wind sounds produced from panpipes, strings from an acoustic guitar, a charango, and a digital piano, and the percussion is also achieved digitally. In this video, you'll hear the following songs: 1- "Enjoying the Landscape" 2- "Our Land" 3- "Immense Nature" 4- "Walking in the Forest" 5- "Walking through Las Lajas" 6- "Starting the Journey" 7- "Natural Experience" 8- "An Imposing Place" 9- "That's Where We're Going" 10- "We're Happy Here" 11- "We'll Return" 12- "We Had a Great Time" ---------------------------- KEY MOMENTS: 0:00 Presentation 1:31 Start of hike 3:38 Christ of El Rodeo 4:38 Summit of the Sierra del Colorado 11:49 Balcony overlooking the Virgin 14:27 Path of Faith (Virgin of the El Rodeo Valley) 17:40 We climb inside the structure 20:45 We wait for the van to return 22:12 We return 22:56 Summary, closing, and some gems. ----------------------------- MERCADO PAGO: Support the channel with your voluntary donation through MercadoPago: Alias: STS.CTC.DAN CVU: 0000003100068943918747 ----------------------------- INSTAGRAM:   / stefansauzuk     / dani26.84   ---------------------------- PRODUCTION: Stefan Sauzuk, Daniela Cardozo Galia. Catamarca, Argentina, July 6, 2025. ------------------------- © Bernardo Stefan Sauzuk.