Talampaya National Park, La Rioja province, Argentina

© Gonzalo Azumendi/Getty Image

Feeling 'sedimental'?. Talampaya National Park, Argentina

Today, Talampaya National Park invites us to venture into Argentina's ancient heart. Situated in La Rioja province, this 830-square-mile park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here, towering red rock formations, reaching skyward at 143 metres, are etched with the secrets of prehistoric life. The park is home to some of the oldest dinosaur remains ever found. Talampaya is also a canvas for ancient art. The park's cliffs and caves feature petroglyphs created by the Ciénaga, Diaguita and other Indigenous cultures that inhabited the area between the 3rd and 9th centuries CE. Moreover, nature's beauty is shown in the local flora, like xeric shrubs and cacti, and fauna. Guanacos, hares and foxes roam free, while condors, white-throated cacholotes and Sandy gallitos grace the skies. So, if the spirit of adventure beckons, heed its call.