Córdoba: Villa Carlos Paz & San Roque Dam Day Trip

The Hundred Curves Road to Argentina's Lake Town

You're picked up from your Córdoba hotel and driven east through La Calera to the San Roque Dam, then follow the winding lakefront road to Villa Carlos Paz, where you visit the Cuckoo Clock, taste alfajores, and optionally ride the chairlift. The return route passes military and aerospace landmarks before dropping you back downtown. Hotel pickup, guide, and all admissions are included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Córdoba to Villa Carlos Paz tour

• Pick up passengers from Córdoba hotels
• Visit El Diquecito near La Calera
• Depart Córdoba via La Calera
• Visit Diquecito, La Usina, and San Roque Dam viewpoint
• Drive the Camino de las Cien Curvas
• Visit Villa Carlos Paz cuckoo clock
• Explore chairlift, Magic Mountain, and mall complex
• Return to Córdoba via Air Force and Military plane factory
• Drop off passengers at Córdoba hotels

The experience

The moment the van pulls onto RP E-55 heading east, the landscape shifts: suddenly you're out of the city grid and into something wider. La Calera appears first, a small town tucked near the river, and then the road starts to climb toward the San Roque Dam, the oldest hydroelectric plant in Córdoba province. Your guide points out the concrete wall rising above the water, explains how it feeds the region, and you realize this isn't just a scenic drive. There's actual infrastructure and history holding this place together. The dam sits there, solid and deliberate, and the view across the reservoir changes how you see the whole valley.

Then comes the Camino de las Cien Curvas, the Road of a Hundred Curves, and it's not an exaggeration. The road winds tight along the lakefront, dropping and rising, and you stop at the Mirador del Dique San Roque to take in the full panorama. After that, Villa Carlos Paz announces itself as the main tourist hub of the province, and the pace shifts. You walk through the shopping center, past residential neighborhoods built into the hillside, and then there's the Cu–Cu clock. A traditional cuckoo mechanism that's been marking time here for decades. An alfajores factory lets you taste the local dulce de leche pastries, and if you want, the Aerosilla chairlift takes you up Magic Mountain for views back over the town and the water below. It's optional, but most people do it.

The return route goes through the Justiniano Allende Posse Highway, and on the way back you pass the Argentine Air Force installations and the military planes factory. A reminder that this region has layers beyond tourism. Hotel drop-off happens in downtown Córdoba, usually by late afternoon. The whole day runs about eight to nine hours, and it's paced so you're not rushing between stops or sitting idle. Your guide speaks Spanish or English depending on what you choose when you book, and they handle the admissions at each point, so you're not fumbling with tickets or figuring out opening hours.

What’s included

• Your day includes hotel pickup and drop-off from downtown Córdoba, a Spanish or English-speaking guide, and admissions to the San Roque Dam viewpoint, the Cuckoo Clock, and the alfajores factory.
• The chairlift at Magic Mountain is optional and costs extra.
• You'll have free time in Villa Carlos Paz to explore the shopping center and neighborhoods at your own pace.

Options for this experience

2 options

Tour with a guide in Spanish09:00 and 14:30Includes pickup

Tour with a guide in English09:00 and 14:30Includes pickup

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Information

Lasts 4h, runs every day at 09:00 and 14:30, from US$ 72 per person, with a live guide in English and Spanish, in groups of up to 10 and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 09:00 and 14:30

GroupUp to 10

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 35 pickup points.

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (11 and older) · Child (4 to 10 years) · Infant (under 4): free

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effort

Operated by Gray Line Argentina

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to see the lake region and main tourist sites around Córdoba without arranging transport or figuring out which stops matter. The fixed itinerary handles the route and timing, leaving you to focus on the views and the town itself.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 10 years); Infant (under 4): free.

How long is the drive from Córdoba to Villa Carlos Paz?

The full day trip runs about 8–9 hours total, including stops and time in Villa Carlos Paz itself.

What is the Camino de las Cien Curvas?

A scenic mountain road that winds along the lakefront with tight curves, connecting La Calera to Villa Carlos Paz.

Is the chairlift included in the price?

No, the Aerosilla chairlift is listed as an optional promotion and costs extra if you choose to ride it.

Do I need to be fit for this tour?

It's suitable for all physical fitness levels. Most of the day is spent in the van or walking short distances around town.

What's included in the price?

Hotel pickup and drop-off in downtown Córdoba, the guide, and admissions to the attractions visited.

Can I skip the alfajores factory or Cuckoo Clock?

The itinerary includes visits to both, but you have free time in Villa Carlos Paz to choose how you spend it.