Río Hondo, Holy waters' City

Santiago del Estero, the City that gives the name to the province, grew around the oldest population of the country. It is attested like that by the multiple memories of the colonization years. Its warm and mild climate, even in winter, allow to enjoy the thermal complex along the whole year. Nowadays it is one of the most important tourist centers. It has become the pillar of the Province. The "Termas de Río Hondo" are located on the Route nº 9 to 1120 Km from Buenos Aires Capital City and to 85 Km from Santiago del Estero City. It is a tourist center that has become, by the passing of time, the most important thermal spa in the American Continent.

Río Hondo, is a small city, that may be enjoyed by people of all ages, where the fatigue and the stress of the big urban centers, disappear, due to its atmosphere and to the natural frankness, and happiness of its inhabitants. They produce the miracle. On the other hand, it is the only city from the country that is placed on 14 copes of thermal-mineral-medicinal waters. This characteristic causes that all those buildings that are placed within a radius of 15 Km can enjoy the privilege of its healing and preventive power.

Something about history…

The healing waters are known from the most remote antiquity with the name of "the sun's waters"; it was the same than saying "God's Waters", because the sun was the Inca's divinity, and it was like that, for all the indigenous tribes under their domain, such as those of the Argentinean northwest.

They regarded that the waters were from divine origin, due to their healing effects, that they found as magic ones. They made a route that came to an end where Termas de Río Hondo City is placed today. The route began in Cuzco, the Empire's Capital City, and it went along 2000 Km till Río Hondo. The Water springs and wells are spread along a big area that, by that time, was called Atacama. It means "Country of slopes". That name is kept even nowadays in some areas of Río Hondo District. It is placed within a radius of 60 Km from Termas de Río Hondo City. In general, the water hot springs are dispersed along the wide territory, and if wells are sunk, it is necessary to dig about 200 meters depth to reach the first cope, that is the most lukewarm one. On the other hand, in the city's subsoil, that is the lowest area because of the Dulce River flowing, the copes are concentrated forming 14 levels. The temperature increases as the perforation is deepened. The first cope is about 25º C (77º F) and the deepest one is 65º C (149 F).

The water extraction is made by pumps, and it is taken by pipes to the hotel bathrooms or houses where it is poured out into bath tubes or special pools. The tourist takes the thermal baths at the lodgings without having to go out, at any time of the day, obtaining a bigger therapeutic effectiveness.

Recommended Links

http://www.termasriohondo.com/

Entre Ríos, several options along the whole Province

The thermal tourism is becoming very important in Entre Ríos due to the different alternatives offered by the different thermal complexes. They are placed in different towns and they are one of the tourist supports of the Province. These thermal centers are appreciated because of their therapeutic properties. They allow the arrival of visitors, not only in winter but along the whole year.

One of them is located in "Federación", "The Garden City". It is placed to 532 Km from Buenos Aires. It is the first thermal complex from the Mesopotamia. The tourist-therapeutic area, is equipped with high scientific level equipment. It has a relax area, fitted with sauna, hidrojet pools, with temperatures from 37º C (98,6 F) to 41º C (105,8 F), acclimatized covered swimming pools, spa with hydrical circuit, mesotherapy, mud therapy, facial treatments, cleaning, nutrition, hydrate and collagen.

Another important thermal center is located in "Colón", it has beautiful natural beaches, and a historical testimony too. It has 10 swimming pools with different temperatures, from 33º C (91,4º F) to 40ª c (104º F) with a perforation depth of 1500 meters. The water analysis reveals the presence of sodium, chloride potassium and phosphate which characteristics can be summarized as mesothermal sodium bicarbonated ones.

On the other hand, Concordia is a natural privileged area, full of rivers, streams, a very big lake and natural attractiveness for the tourist rest and stillness.

Villa Elisa has six thermal pools of 41º C (105,8 F). Its therapeutic attributes are excellent ones. It is the nearest thermal tourist center from Buenos Aires City, it is placed to 360 Km from Buenos Aires and to 220 Km from Paraná, the Province's Capital City.

Very soon Entre Ríos will have new thermal complexes, such as:
"María Grande", that is located in Paraná Campaña District, to 60 Km to the northeast of the Province's Capital City.
"La Paz" located to 144 Km to the northwest of the province's capital city.
"Villaguay" located in the middle of the Province to 155 Km from the province's capital city.

Recommended Links

http://www.termasdefederacion.com.ar/
http://www.elisanet.com.ar/
http://www.turismoentrerios.com/termas.htm

Caviahue-Copahue, health in the mountains

The small villages Caviahue and Copahue are placed next to an active volcano in Neuquen Province. They offer a combination of healthy thermal baths, different propositions of active tourism, and a beautiful landscape. The trip to Copahue begins at Neuquén's City Airport, going to the northwest along the National Route nº 22. The route goes along several locations of black gold, and the cities of Cutral-Có, Plaza Huincul and Zapala, the highest city of the province. Suddenly the mountains appear, and there, it is the Copahue Provincial Park.

Behind a hill it is possible to see the Caviahue Lake, that in mapuche language means "meeting place", with its changing colors. The route skirts the lake, and after crossing a bridge you arrive in Caviahue Village, which is placed next to the Copahue volcano, "hot waters" in Mapuche language. Copahue is located to 19 Km from Caviahue, but 400 meters upwards, about 1900 meters over the sea level, close to the volcano, where the external center is located. It is open the whole year and its average temperature is 40º C (104º F). There are two areas, the external baths and the "Balneoterapia" Complex. They have several pools. One of them, called "Laguna de los Vapores" has 60º C (140 F) temperature, so, it is impossible to take a bath there.

Another one, called "de los chanchos" is made of sulfated waters and highly mineralized muds. The Verde Lagoon should be taken into account due to its mineralized waters and algae. The "Agua de Vichy" Lagoon has the same attributes, and the "de los Callos" Lagoon is special for the treatment of the hardness in the feet.

Inside the External Baths area, there are vapor rooms, to treat all the illnesses connected with the breathing apparatus. asthmas, allergies, bronchitis, etc. There are also thermal baths of sulfurous waters, ideal for the treatment of dyspepsias, and ferruginosas waters, to treat anemias and digestive problems.

In the "Balneoterapia" Vichy Complex, the waters are combined with a hydro-pulses system. In general, the thermal baths are ideal to treat skin illnesses such as psoriasis, and "osteoarticulares" ones such as arthrosis and rheumatism. It is necessary to clarify that in all the cases, the baths can't last more than 15 minutes per day. Later on, they are supplemented with massages sessions and relax moments. The muds can be added to all these treatments, they may be-dark gray, light gray, white, etc. They are applied on the face and on the body.

Recommended Links

http://www.termasdecopahue.com.ar/
http://www.caviahue-copahue.com.ar/