Neuquén, in the last 15 years, has acquired great significance at a paleontological level due to its numerous and important findings and fossil sites; for this reason, today it is known as "Land of Dinosaurs". Not surprisingly, since the remains of the largest carnivorous dinosaur and herbivorous dinosaur in the world were found in continental Cretaceous rocks. One of the most important fossil deposits in Neuquén is the so-called Dino Project, where the facilities of the Lago Barreales Paleontological Center (CePaLB) dependent on the Comahue National University are currently located. This site has a large number of fossil remains from the Cretaceous period: fish, plants, turtles, crocodiles, pterosaurs, herbivorous dinosaurs of various groups, and carnivorous dinosaurs such as Unenlagia paynemili and Megaraptor namunhuaiquii. In short, we are facing an almost complete ecosystem from a moment in the Mesozoic Era. All these materials come from the Portezuelo Formation of the Neuquén Group. This formation together with the Plottier Formation, which overlies it, were generated in fluvial environments of low to medium energy. Geology, paleontology and geomorphology come together on this site to provide tourists with a chapter from the book of history, where the interpretation and reading is carried out by professionals and the knowledge obtained is shared with the visitor.
Location: 40 mi (65 km) West of Nuequen Map
Tel. (0299) 154 048614
Open: 9am- 4pm daily
Entrance Fee: AR$40
It is the only Upper Cretaceous Terrestrial Ecosystem in South America
and is considered a hole in Geological time to see the past. There on
the ground, the public can see the work on a 90-million-year-old
ecosystem of fossils, from the excavation of a dinosaur to when it is
mounted in a museum.
At the paleontological site, around 1,100
vertebrate fossils have been recovered, and around 300 plant remains and
other freshwater bivalve molluscs.
Visiting hours are Tuesday through Sunday. Guided tours take place at
10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. they last about 3 hours. There is also a
Geotourism Experience service for one or two days (see at
http://www.proyectodino.com/vivencia-geoturisitica/)
The
circuit lasts from two and a half to three hours, and has a fee that
varies between $300 for the general public, $200 for retirees and
children between 5 and 10 years of age, and $800 for foreigners. It
includes a guide that will take you into the world of Geology to explain
what types of rocks the fossils are found in, then in an external
circuit it will be explained how a living organism can become a fossil.
The external circuit includes exhibitors with fossil remains of
animals, plants, a visit to the Futalognko Excavation where
rescued
hundreds of fossil pieces and which is considered a paleoecosystem from
a time of the Cretaceous (90 million years ago); the circuit includes
some reproductions in life of animals, reproduction of dinosaur
footprints and geological explanations of formation of geodes and
concretions. We then visit the Babylonian Excavation where technicians
are discovering a herbivorous dinosaur in the middle of the fence. The
circuit continues with a visit to the fossil preparation laboratory and
finally access to the Museum of Geology and Paleontology to observe
original material and replicas of the findings made.
This
Geo-Paleontological Park includes not only a guided visit (it is not
accessible without a guide) to a Museum of Paleontology but also to know
and learn how paleontological work is.
The complex does not have
a service for the sale and sale of food and food. It is suggested to
bring food to have lunch in the place.
The Lago Barreales
Paleontological Site is located in the Central-East region of the
province of Neuquén, in the Loma de la Lata area, on the north coast of
the artificial lake that gives its name to this center. The location of
the Paleontological Center is located within an almost unaltered natural
environment, with paradisiacal landscapes.
The Lago Barreales Paleontological Site is
located in the Central-East region of the province of Neuquén, in
the area of Loma de la Lata, on the north shore of the artificial
lake that gives its name to this center. The location of the
Paleontological Center is nestled within an almost unaltered natural
environment, with paradisiacal landscapes.
Dino Project –
Provincial Route 51 – km 65. Neuquén.
Contact:
Tel: 0299
156741597
Email: projectdino@yahoo.com.ar
Website:
www.projectodino.com