Almafuerte on Lake Piedras Moras

Almafuerte lies on the shore of Lake Piedras Moras. Water activities, trails through the landscape and a museum showcasing regional history reveal different sides of the town: you can experience the lake by pedal boat or kayak, explore trails along the shore and learn about the region’s past. When planning your trip, it’s worth considering in advance whether you’d like your days to focus more on water activities, nature watching or cultural discoveries.

Experience the Lake and River from the Water

Pedal boat rides are available on Lake Piedras Moras. Personalized intensive windsurfing courses are also offered there. If you’d rather explore Almafuerte by kayak on a guided tour, there are descriptions of two different routes: the Casa de Piedra route follows the southern shore of the Piedras Moras Dam to the former Casa de Piedra power plant. The guided Desembocadura Arroyo Soconcho route follows the lake’s northern shore to the mouth of the Arroyo Soconcho, passing submerged forests along the way.

A remarkable part of the town’s history also lies beneath the water’s surface: diving in the Piedras Moras Dam takes you to the submerged village of El Salto. The La Cascada power plant is a submerged, three-story building with typical English architecture, dating from 1914. These historic sites differ from the kayak routes, whose descriptions focus on shorelines, the river mouth and submerged forests.

Shoreline Trails, Walks and Wildlife Watching

Aguada de Pájaros is a 1.91-kilometer loop along the Río Ctalamochita in Almafuerte’s balneario (riverfront recreation area). Another hike, Casa de Piedra + Acueducto, connects old paths with new trails. Its highlights include stream crossings, the former Casa de Piedra power plant, the Piedras Moras Dam, the river mouth and the Canal Molina aqueduct, which is over 130 years old. This gives you a clearly measured shoreline loop as well as a route with several historic and scenic stops to explore.

The Circuito Barrancas follows the eastern beaches of Lake Piedras Moras and offers opportunities to spot otters, turtles and birds. Birdwatching is considered an inclusive ecotourism activity and can be enjoyed in almost any part of Almafuerte. For exploring the town on cycling routes, the municipality makes ten bicycles available to tourists through its “Mejor en Bici” program. The options therefore include trips on the water, trails, wildlife watching and a way to explore cycling routes.

Regional History at the Museum

The Museo Antropológico Regional Camiare is housed in Almafuerte’s former railway station and presents ten thousand years of history in three galleries. Exhibits include megafauna specimens, mostly glyptodonts, as well as tools used by the region’s early cultures. A dedicated room, “Nuevos Pobladores,” focuses on objects from the railway era: it displays telephones, telegraphs, signaling systems, staff block equipment and railway lamps. The exhibits span everything from earlier cultures and megafauna to railway-era technology and communications.

The Casa del Fundador is also part of Almafuerte’s history: according to the municipal government, it forms part of the town’s historic and cultural heritage. Together with the museum, it offers another cultural point of interest alongside activities on the lake and trails in the surrounding area.

Which Vacation Rental Fits Your Travel Plans?

If you’re looking for a vacation rental in Almafuerte, your preferred focus for the trip can help guide your choice. Water activities take center stage if you’re planning days with pedal boats, windsurfing lessons or kayaking; if you’d rather explore on foot, you can choose between the 1.91-kilometer loop and the route featuring the aqueduct and other stops. Wildlife watching, cycling routes and regional history add to these options. The experiences described offer a range of reasons to choose Almafuerte as your destination, without limiting your plans to just one activity.

To explore further, you can also visit the pages for Río Tercero and Las Perdices.

For the broader travel overview: Tercero Arriba Department.