Cabra Corral Reservoir

Cabra Corral, officially the Embalse General Belgrano, is one of the largest reservoirs in northern Argentina, formed where the Juramento river was dammed in the 1970s among dry hills of thorn scrub and cactus. Its long arms of blue water and low shores have made it the summer escape for Salta: sailing and windsurfing on the open reaches, kayaks in the quieter inlets, and fishing for dorado and pejerrey. Below the dam the river runs on through a canyon where rafting trips take beginners on gentle water, and the dam wall itself is used for bungee jumping. Around the shoreline are small resorts, campsites and lakeside restaurants that fill on hot weekends and empty completely in winter.

What you actually see

• The open water - long blue reaches used for sailing and windsurfing.
• The fishing - dorado and pejerrey in the reservoir and the river below.
• The rafting canyon - the Juramento river gorge below the dam wall.
• The lakeside resorts - campsites, cabins and restaurants along the shore.

When to go

October to April, the warm months, when the water is inviting and boats are running; the shoulder weeks are quieter and cheaper. January and February weekends are crowded with visitors from Salta. Winter is cold, windy and largely shut.

Honest expectations

This is a recreational lake rather than a scenic wonder, and the surrounding hills are dry scrub, not mountains. Water levels drop noticeably in dry years, leaving muddy margins. Facilities vary widely in quality, and services thin out sharply outside summer.

Nearby

Coronel Moldes is the nearest town; the Quebrada de las Conchas lies south on the road to Cafayate.