Los Cardones National park by Luchonda
Los Cardones National Park is located in the central western part of the Salta Province, between the designated Calchaquíes Valleys, occupying a surface of more than 130,000 acres. The terrain consists of the typical sierras and dry gorges between 2700 and 5000 m (8856 and 16,400 ft) above sea level, where bushes and "cardones" or thistles (Trichocereus pasacana) make up the abundant vegetation that grows there.