At just three hours south of Mendoza, the small city of San Rafael offers its own wine region and unique natural beauty worth the detour.
A visit to its scenic drive through Valle Grande and the Atuel Canyon is a popular day trip from Mendoza but I promise you that you won’t regret spending a few days in San Rafael.
We have family in San Rafael but always make time also visit the region’s beautiful vineyards and drive along the Atuel each time we visit.
This guide will help you plan your trip to San Rafael with all the logistics you need – what to do, where to stay, and how to get there.
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Things to do in San Rafael, Argentina
Wine and river, just about everything you need to know about the best things to do in San Rafael revolve around these two things.
With historic vineyards, adventure sports along the rapids of the Atuel River, and scenic drives to rugged lakes your time spent in San Rafael will be well rewarded for your effort.
Here is a breakdown on what to do in San Rafael.
Hit the Rapids (& more) in the Cañon del Atuel
The rapids of the Atuel River are a haven for adventure sports like white water rafting, kayaking, and something they called “cool river” (which was tubing and looked like a whole lot of fun).
As you drive through the canyon you’ll pass one rafting outfit after another, usually handing out flyers to passing cars trying to get your business. So you’ll have no hard time finding someone to take you out on the water.
Since we were in San Rafael to visit family, we didn’t have time to hit the rapids but I took notes of agencies as we drove through and looked into them find the best. Here are some options for your Atuel adventures:
- Taccu Aventura – The highest rated company on TripAdvisor by a long shot, offering rafting, zip line, and more.
- Kintun Expediciones – Number 2 on TripAdvisor, I remember seeing them back in 2014 and again in 2024, they’ve been a solid option throughout the years
- ANC – Aventuras No Convencionales – Their branding seemed interesting so I made a note to look into them later, they advertise themselves as promoting unique experiences and going beyond the normal tourist experience. They have rafting, boat tours on the lake, stand up paddle, and more.
- Mono Modo Bike Rentals – We saw signs for them all over the canyon and in town. If you want to rent a bike on your own or with a guide, they are the biggest presence in San Rafael.
- Cabalgatas El Alazan – Horseback rides in the the Atuel Canyon
Drive Scenic Route 173
Ruta 173 starts in San Rafael and weaves through the Cañon del Atuel (see above activities) for 85 kilometers to the reservoirs (and dams) of Valle Grande and El Nihuil.
The route through the canyon is paved but once you pass the dam of the Valle Grande Reservoir the route is unpaved but in good enough condition. “Good enough” meaning you do not need an SUV or 4×4 but you’ll need to slow your speed to navigate the rocks and the bumps.
You’ll drive along cliffs overlooking the reservoirs below and at times alongside 250 meter walls of rock towering overhead. It is a really beautiful drive.
I recommend having the entire day to explore the area so you don’t feel rushed. There are restaurants on the cliffs of the Embalse Valle Grande like La Barra if you want to eat with a view. Otherwise, pack a picnic to eat anywhere along the route.
Once you get to El Nihuil there is a (very) small town with a couple restaurants and more adventure outfits (like kite surfing and sand dunes excursions).
Parque Las Tinajas
Parque Las Tinajas is an archeological park just outside of San Rafael on the way to the Atuel Canyon.
There are guided hikes and cave paintings but the park was closed during our recent visit. I can’t find information about it opening again, perhaps it is seasonal (if you visit and it’s open, comment and let me know!).
Here is their Instagram page with some basic information from last year. If open during your visit, it looks worthwhile and was something I was hoping to visit.
Visit the Best Wineries in San Rafael
Mendoza is great (ok, it’s paradise) but San Rafael is also home to its own respectable wine region dating back to the late 19th century.
As prices rise in Mendoza, wine tours and winery lunches in San Rafael remain affordable.
Tours are easy, we didn’t reserve but just walked in for our tours at Bianchi and La Abeja but we visited in low season. Prior reservations are always a good idea when traveling in peak summer travel months (January-February).
We drove ourselves but you can also rent a bike (Modo Mono bikes has bodega tours).
On our recent visit we toured La Abeja and then had lunch at Espacio Funckenhausen and I would recommend both.
La Abeja is the oldest winery in San Rafael founded by Rodolfo Iselin. A French immigrant, Iselin and his winery are really the reason for San Rafael’s existence.
The history on the tour about Iselin’s successful but tragic life made the whole tour worth it (so I won’t spoil it here). And at just $2 for a tour and tasting at the most historic vineyard in town, why wouldn’t you go?
We also visited Espacio Funckenhausen for lunch, definitely reserve in advance. We skipped the tour because we were there with our kids and didn’t want to put them through too many “boring” tours but after seeing the space, I regret it.
Located in the desert well outside of town, it really feels like you are in the middle of nowhere… and you are. The only real structure is in a remodeled container and we ate in the shade outside.
The wines were unique (I took home a bottle of a Malbec co-fermented with Riesling, for example) and excellent from the youngest line to aged reserves.
We had lunch (pizza and 6 empanadas), 2 wine tastings, and I bought a bottle to take home and we spent just $50 US (to give you an idea of how affordable wineries in San Rafael still are).
On a previous visit, we toured Bianchi. A high production power house in San Rafael, they have regular tours. If you want to visit a large vineyard and a famous name in the area, this is the one.
Laberinto Borges
22 kilometers outside of San Rafael is this 8700 square meter garden labyrinth (a.k.a. hedge maze). Get lost in it and then observe it from above from the 22 meter tall watch tower.
There is a lot to do on the property with restaurants, a playground, a forest and lagoon, a museum, and more.
Reach out to them via WhatsApp for the schedule and to plan your visit.
For a planned tour, this literary themed excursion is excellent – you’ll spend an hour and a half biking through the vineyard at Bianchi before visiting the Laberinto Borges for a literary themed afternoon.
Where to stay in San Rafael
When deciding on where to stay in San Rafael, first you need to decide on your priorities.
Do you want to be closer to town and its vineyards? Or do you want to be in the Atuel Canyon, closer to nature? Staying in one does not exclude enjoying the other, but you will need to drive 20-30 minutes to reach it.
There are cabins on the river’s shore and luxury hotels on the vineyards (and plenty in between).
- Algodon Wine Estates | $$$ | For a luxury (yet very affordable compared to comparable properties in Argentina), Algodon Wine Estates is a fail safe excellent property in San Rafael. With a 9-hole golf course, 7 tennis courts, and obviously, vineyards, you’ll be busy and happy here.
- Cabañas Rio Soñado | $$$ | Modern and luxurious cabins on the Rio Atuel in Valle Grande. With a pool for hot afternoons, this property is ideal for both couples and families.
- La Bodega Apart Hotel | $$ | We stayed here for 3 nights and really loved it. The apartments are located in repurposed wine tanks. The apartments were modern and comfortable but the space was a historic bodega. It was closer to the wineries and about 20 minutes from the Atuel Canyon.
- El Nido Hostel | $ | El Nido is ideally located downtown, making it an easy location for backpackers looking to get around on public transport or with fellow travelers.
How to get to San Rafael, Mendoza
To get to San Rafael, the obvious solution is to fly. San Rafael does have an airport but with only one daily flight from Buenos Aires to San Rafael versus the tens of flights to Mendoza, the cost to fly directly into San Rafael is expectedly higher.
I recommend comparing flights and rental cars in Mendoza and San Rafael to decide which is most convenient for your trip.
With cheaper flights and rental cars, we typically fly into Mendoza and drive the distance to San Rafael. This is always convenient for us and worth the money saved, since we’ve had the time and the desire to also spend some time in the Mendoza area.
The drive from Mendoza to San Rafael is completely on Ruta 40. It is paved and an easy drive.
You can also travel by bus, of course, from either Buenos Aires or Mendoza. Check Busbud for routes. Overnight buses are very comfortable with lie flat seating (get the full cama 180 degree seats).
How to get around San Rafael, Mendoza
Having your own car will make getting around San Rafael much easier, things are spread out and far between here.
You can check rental car rates here for your dates.
The Cañon del Atuel is about 20 minutes from the city and then there are plenty to see on the scenic drive to Valle Grande and El Nihuil lake.
Most wineries are near town, but some are further out (like my favorite lunch at Expacio Funckenhausen). And of course, having a car allows you to create an epic road trip including Potrerillos, Mendoza’s wineries, and all the best things to do in Mendoza.
Getting around San Rafael by bus is also possible if you’d prefer public transportation. Iselin is the local bus company and you can check routes here.
