Cueva de las Manos Voyage Tips and guide

Cueva de las Manos, Spanish for cave of the hands, is a natural and cultural monument in Patagonia, of southwest Argentina, in the province of Santa Cruz. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999 and contains the most famous cave paintings of southern South America.

The cave discovered by a monk in 1941 is located in the canyon of the Río Pinturas, about 80 km (50 mi) south of the small town of Perito Moreno.

The paintings date from 7000 to 1000 BC, according to other sources there are also some from up to 13000 BC. There is controversy about the dates, because if the older dates are correct, this could overturn the Clovis theory, which is widespread in the scientific community. According to it the whole of America was colonized from Alaska. Other sites from the region and southern Chile, some of which even go as far as approx. 30000 BC. BC (especially Monte Verde) would be significantly older than the oldest finds in North America, which would rather indicate a separate settlement of South America from Polynesia, for example.

Cueva de las Manos was repeatedly occupied by mobile hunter-gatherer communities for more than eight millennia. Archaeological evidence indicates that people were using the Río Pinturas canyon by about 9,300 years before present, with the last known occupation of the site occurring around AD 700. These communities lived in small family groups and moved seasonally across the Patagonian steppe in search of water, fuel, plants and game, especially guanacos. Excavations have uncovered hearths, stone points, scrapers and knives, together with the remains of guanacos, pumas, foxes and other animals.

The paintings were created at different times and frequently overlap, forming a long artistic sequence. The earliest works include dynamic hunting scenes showing groups of hunters surrounding, chasing or ambushing guanacos. Later artists added animals, human figures, geometric designs and the hand stencils that gave the site its name. Many stencils were produced by placing a hand against the rock and blowing pigment around it, leaving a negative outline. The artists used natural minerals including iron oxides for red and purple, kaolin for white, natrojarosite for yellow and manganese oxide for black.

The paintings may have been created by ancestors of the hunter-gatherer peoples who later inhabited Patagonia, although archaeologists cannot identify their makers with certainty. The importance of the site lies not only in the age of individual paintings but also in the continuity of artistic activity across thousands of years, recorded through changing styles, colours and superimposed images.

Travellers and explorers crossed the Río Pinturas region during the 19th and early 20th centuries, but the paintings did not become widely known until the priest and explorer Alberto María de Agostini reached and photographed them in 1941. He later published photographs in his 1950 book Los Andes. Early scientific studies followed, while sustained archaeological research began after Carlos Gradin visited the site in 1964. From 1973, Gradin, Carlos Aschero and Ana Aguerre conducted more than two decades of excavation, documentation and analysis.

Cueva de las Manos was declared an Argentine National Historic Monument in 1993. A national programme for documenting and preserving rock art began conservation work there in 1995, followed by the preparation of its World Heritage nomination. UNESCO inscribed Cueva de las Manos, Río Pinturas on the World Heritage List on 4 December 1999, recognizing it as exceptional evidence of some of South America’s earliest hunter-gatherer societies. The core protected area later became part of Cueva de las Manos Provincial Park, while broader protections were extended across the Río Pinturas cultural landscape.

The canyon is one of the most spectacular in Patagonia. The Río Pinturas cuts through multi-colored rocks and flows about 60-100 m below the Meseta. It forms a narrow, bushy green strip that contrasts with the reddish-ocher-yellow bare rocks.

Flora is limited to simple bushes and grasses due to the drought. Guanacos, rheas, foxes, hares, armadillos, pumas (very rare and very shy) and snakes live here, though.

Overall the area is cold-climate. The summers are mild and sunny (20–25°C during the day), the winters a bit cloudy and quite cold (around 0–5°C). Snow does occur, but is quite rare because of the drought.

It sits 30-40 km off Ruta 40 (RN40).

The best way to get there is via the small town of Perito Moreno. This is connected to the LADE flight network and the bus network (good connections to Comodoro Rivadavia, the nearest major airport). Organized tours can be booked from Perito Moreno.

A tour from El Calafate is also possible, but this means a journey of approx. 500 km (310 mi) via the graveled Ruta 40, public transport is not available.

It is open all year. Tours at each full hour between 09:00 and 19:00.

The access roads to the cave are not paved. There is one from Bajo Caracoles, a tiny town 30 km west of the cave, and one directly from Perito Moreno.

Access to the cave is only permitted with a guide. There are several trails in the area that can be hiked.

Depending on the style, the paintings are divided into three groups, which are labeled with the letters A, B, and C.

Although the Cueva de las Manos is the most important site, there are also comparable paintings in other caves and on rock faces in the gorge. The color of the paintings consists of plaster of paris and iron.

Do not go at 11:00 or 12:00 during summer, when the first paintings are exposed to the sun and barely visible.

Group A is the one with the highest artistic level. It mainly consists of hunting scenes in which guanacos and people are depicted, the people being painted smaller than the guanacos. The human figures are shown in several poses, which reveal a remarkable ability to represent agility. The paintings in this group are in black, yellow ocher, light red and purple.

In group B there are mainly static human figures with small heads, representations of guanacos, prints of hands and various abstract representations such as circles, spirals, rows of dots, serpentine lines and rectangles. The paintings are black and purple in color.

Group C consists of representations of hands in a negative form, i.e. the outline of the hand was represented by painting over it, as well as relatively large human figures. The hand representations of this type are only known to this day in this cave. Red tones dominate.

• Hiking and climbing in the Río Pinturas Canyon
• Riding tours in the area

There is a visitor center, where souvenirs and sundries can be bought. Otherwise supplies are available in Perito Moreno or Bajo Caracoles.

Perito Moreno has a few restaurants, none are in Bajo Caracoles.

There are no public bars at the archaeological site. The information centre at the Portal Cueva de las Manos sells coffee, tea and simple sandwiches, while the country store at La Señalada offers drinks, hot water for mate and a limited selection of regional products. Availability should not be relied upon late in the day or outside the main visitor season.

Bring sufficient drinking water for the drive and any planned hike. Water at Camping Cañadón Caracoles is intended for washing utensils and is explicitly described as non-potable; some of the more isolated campsites have no water supply at all. Treat water from rivers, streams or campsite taps unless staff confirm that it is safe to drink.

La Posta de los Toldos has a restaurant serving its guests and may provide beverages with meals. Carry extra water in the vehicle because the region is remote, exposed and subject to strong winds and sudden temperature changes.

Accommodation immediately around Cueva de las Manos is limited but now includes a hostería, several designated campsites, motorhome facilities and simple yurt-style shelters. Visitors seeking a larger selection of hotels, hostels, cabins and municipal campsites generally stay in Perito Moreno or Los Antiguos and visit the cave on a day trip. The Argentine tourism authority confirms that accommodation and a restaurant are available at La Posta de los Toldos, while additional lodging is found in those nearby towns.

Because mobile connectivity is weak and accommodation capacity is limited, reserve before travelling and inform the property of the expected arrival time. Parque Patagonia asks overnight visitors to enter the park before 8PM whenever possible.

La Posta de los Toldos is the principal lodging option near the canyon, within the Portal Cañadón Pinturas. Formerly described more generally as the hostería at Estancia Los Toldos, it has nine double, triple and quadruple rooms with private bathrooms, shared sitting areas and a restaurant specializing in homemade regional food. Guided wildlife excursions and visits to Cueva de las Manos and Alero Charcamata can be arranged from the property.

Simple Patagonian yurts are available at Camping La Señalada. Each sleeps up to four people in single beds, with bedding or sleeping bags available according to the booking arrangement. Meals are not included, although a small country store sells basic food and supplies.

Perito Moreno is the most practical town for fuel, groceries, cash machines and other logistical needs. Los Antiguos, beside Lake Buenos Aires, has a broader holiday atmosphere and a substantial range of hotels, cabins, hostels and campsites, but it is farther from the archaeological site.

Several designated campsites operate in the wider Parque Patagonia–Cañadón Pinturas area:

• Camping El Mollar — A paid campground administered by La Posta de los Toldos. It has six sheltered private plots suitable for tents or motorhomes, fireplaces, electricity, toilets, hot showers and a heated communal building with a sitting room and washing area.
• Camping La Señalada — A paid campground with twelve wind-protected tent sites, bathrooms, showers, a shared fire area, outdoor tables and a small country store. It is a convenient base for hiking toward Cueva de las Manos.
• Camping Al Río — A free, simple campground in the Río Pinturas valley, with toilets and four tent platforms sheltered by poplar trees.
• Camping La Confluencia — A free walk-in campground at the meeting of two canyons. It has toilets and six individual tent platforms but is accessible only on foot.
• Camping Cañadón Caracoles — A basic campground at the Portal Cueva de las Manos, with ten tent platforms, picnic tables, a communal fire area and dry toilets. It has no showers, and the available washing water is not drinkable.

Some free campsites operate on a first-come basis, but reservations about 15 days in advance are recommended. Conditions and fire rules can change with weather and wildfire danger, so confirm whether stoves or campfires are permitted before arrival.

The surrounding canyons contain more than 50 km of walking routes, including long and demanding trails to remote camps. La Confluencia is reached only on foot, while the routes to Cueva de las Manos and Bajada de los Toldos are officially graded as difficult despite their relatively short distances.

Use the established campgrounds rather than pitching a tent beside the archaeological site or on an unapproved canyon floor. Register where required, obtain current trail information and carry all necessary food, drinking water, navigation equipment and weather protection. Pack out all rubbish and use only established fireplaces when fires are authorized.

The site is remote, with limited mobile reception and long distances to fuel, mechanical assistance and medical care. Fill the tank and obtain supplies in Perito Moreno before entering the area. Tell someone where you are going, carry an offline map and avoid arriving late without confirmed accommodation.

The final approach includes gravel roads whose condition can deteriorate after rain, mud or snowfall. Provincial tourism guidance recommends checking road conditions in Perito Moreno, particularly during winter, when a 4×4 may be needed. Drive slowly, keep headlights on, carry a spare tyre and watch for guanacos and other animals crossing the road.

Strong Patagonian winds, intense sun and rapid temperature changes are normal. Bring a windproof jacket, warm layers, sun protection, sturdy footwear and water even on a short visit. Summer afternoons can feel hot and exposed, while nights and shaded canyon sections may be cold.

The archaeological tour passes beneath unstable canyon walls. Small natural rockfalls caused by weather and wind have led authorities to require protective helmets during visits. Wear the equipment provided, remain with the guide and do not cross barriers or linger beneath visibly fractured rock.

Do not touch the paintings, lean against the decorated rock, remove stones or use flash equipment when guides prohibit it. UNESCO has identified touching, graffiti, dust and the removal of painted fragments as past threats to the site, and visitor controls are essential to its preservation.

Trails into the Río Pinturas canyon can be steep, loose and exposed. Allow more time than the stated walking duration, avoid cliff edges and do not attempt a canyon crossing during severe weather or when the river is unusually high. The archaeological site itself is visited in controlled groups accompanied by a site guide; follow all instructions and verify current tour times before making the journey.

There are numerous other caves in the area, some of which contain other paintings. Before you visit, you have to make arrangements with the local population - there are no organized tours and the access routes are not obvious. With a little luck you can find a driver to accompany you on the tour, for a fee.