Cueva de las Manos

The cave art is located in the Cañón de Río Pinturas, a deep gorge with a river running centrally and archaeological sites on either side. These sites evidence pre European settlements of hunters since the tenth millennium BP, meaning they are of great importance for understanding prehistoric human habitats and the earliest settlements in South America.

Detailed archaeological research of the area began in the late 1960s and has continued since. It has established that hunter ancestors used the canyon for protection and sustenance, and that the artwork represents original evidence about the hunters' culture and practices. Marking its significance, UNESCO declared World Heritage status of the caves in 1999.

Revealing the artistic traditions of the Patagonian hunters, the handprints are thought to have been created by liquid pigment being blown around a hand, whereby a hollow bone was used as a tube. This may be why most of the handprints are of left hands; the artists spraying paint with their right. As you travel the remote roads to the caves, you'll see the native animals such as guanacos and rheas depicted in the paintings, still common in the area today.

In terms of composition, the vibrant colours were achieved by use of mineral pigments and the Calafate berry as ink, mixed with some kind of binder. To preserve the paintings, both guanaco fat and urine were applied as a sealant. As to why so many hands in particular were the 'subject' of the art, the answer to this invites the visitor to ponder...

Making the trip to the Cueva de Los Manos is somewhat of a detour from the Ruta 40, and the drive involves navigating a remote, gravel track no matter where you're coming from. The beauty of the surroundings and the wildlife sightings keep the anticipation high, though.

You'll have to pay an entrance fee (equivalent to approx USD $10, paid in cash only) to explore the caves, which includes the price of the mandated Spanish/English-speaking guide. Tours last for one hour and are bookable year-round. The area can also be visited all year due to its temperate weather, but if you're taking a specific hiking route to the caves this may be time-specific, and we also recommend you ensure local accommodation is open.

There is no accommodation at the Cueva de las Manos – the original estancia has been bought by the Patagonia Park and the accommodation closed. The nearest accommodation is Hotel Kelem in Perito Moreno (2 hrs, 110 km away), Hosteria Antigua Patagonia, Los Antiguos (2.5 hrs, 170 km away), Rio Tarde Casa Patagonica, Lago Posadas (2.75 hrs, 120 km away), and Estancia La Angostura near Gobernador Gregors (3.25 hrs, 240 km away).