Researchers from the CONICET are conducting a survey in different areas of the Andes Mountain Range with the aim of identifying and protecting archaeological sites within the framework of the Andes Long-Distance Trail, an initiative by the Ente Mendoza Turismo (Emetur) that seeks to connect the northern and southern ends of the province over more than 500 kilometers of Andean landscapes.
The project integrates nature, heritage, and history and involves the participation of public and private organizations.
In this first stage, which will continue in 2026, dozens of unprecedented sites were documented, and recommendations for their conservation were developed. The journey was planned by the group of mountaineers “Los libertadores” and had the collaboration of park rangers, mountain clubs, and Army personnel. The involvement of researchers provides a scientific perspective on decisions related to tourism development in territories of high heritage value.
Two institutes in action
The scientific campaign was requested by the Mendoza Heritage Directorate and coordinated through CONICET’s linkage tools. Two executing units are participating: the Institute of Evolution, Historical Ecology, and Environment (IDEVEA, CONICET-UTN), responsible for the survey from the south of the Laguna del Diamante to the south of Mendoza, and the Interdisciplinary Institute of Basic Sciences (ICB, CONICET-UNCUYO), which covers the sections to the north up to Punta de Vacas, on the border with Chile.
In the southern section, IDEVEA recorded eleven archaeological sites over a route of about 200 kilometers. The work included georeferencing and characterization of each site, which will provide information on technologies used, exchange networks, and mobility circuits of the human groups that inhabited the mountain range.
Findings of great relevance
“Some of the sites found are of great relevance, given that very little is known about the way of life of human groups in environments above 2,200 meters above sea level,” explained Nuria Sugrañes, a CONICET researcher at IDEVEA. One of the sites includes housing structures, a type of settlement little documented in that region.
When archaeological sites coincide with the planned route for the trail, researchers propose adjusting the route to avoid affecting them. In cases where it is considered viable to incorporate them as part of the tourist attraction, more detailed studies and management plans are developed to ensure their preservation.
The northern section and Inca heritage
The ICB campaigns in the northern section allowed for the identification of new sites and precise recording of various human interventions in the high mountain landscape. “The recognition of new spaces of occupation and transit through the mountain range provides knowledge about regional prehistory and the construction of the landscape in prehistoric times, while enriching the cultural value of the trail,” noted María Sol Zárate, a CONICET postdoctoral fellow at ICB.
During the journey, ancient camps, cairns, conditioned shelters, Inca-origin structures, and historical constructions linked to the Army were surveyed. One of the most significant sectors is the Diamante caldera, with evidence of occupation dating back 2,600 years and more than forty structures linked to the Tawantinsuyu (Inca Empire), including a ceremonial platform (ushnu).
Science applied to sustainable tourism
“The archaeological survey of the trail represented a great challenge as the demarcation campaign was conducted simultaneously with the archaeological research expedition. Nevertheless, an initial diagnosis of the trail’s heritage potential was made, and management, conservation, and dissemination actions were planned,” detailed Alejandra Gasco, a CONICET researcher at ICB.
The president of Emetur, Gabriela Testa, highlighted the importance of working with scientific organizations: “CONICET provides an objective and methodical perspective, which adds a fundamental added value in the development of a tourist product or in the enhancement of an attraction.” She also recalled that the province has universities and research centers of international prestige, ensuring solid foundations for sustainable tourism development in the mountains.
Conclusion
The joint work between CONICET, Emetur, and other actors generates essential data for the protection of archaeological heritage and strengthens cultural management. The information recovered has already led to reports on the trail’s potential, possible conservation issues, and recommendations for management and dissemination policies.
The second stage of the project, scheduled for 2026, will deepen these studies and expand knowledge about the human past in the Mendoza mountain range, consolidating the integration between science, tourism, and conservation.
