This natural reserve is located in the South of Mendoza Province, 470 kilometers from Mendoza city and 65 kilometers East of Malargue. It was created in 1980 and protects an area of 40,000 hectares covering the whole of the lake.

The word Llancanello derives from the Indian word “Yanca” meaning the quartz tribes used for making arrow tips, and “Nelo”, meaning green-blue color, and it is believed the name makes reference to the triangular shape of the lake, which, if seen from above, looks like arrow tips natives used for hunting.

The fundamental reason for the creation of the reserve was the abundance of aquatic birds, this being an important nesting, feeding and migration site. It is considered to be one of the most important marshes in South America. The park keeper’s outpost is called Carilauquen.

As opposed to the Andes’ elevation, some sectors close to the mountains show depressions such as the Depresión de los Huarpes. The reserve is situated to the South of this depression in the area called Lower Llancanello.

Landscape 

The lake borders the Payunia region to the South and East where the ancient volcano known as Cerro Carapacho can be seen. This volcano has a very wide base and is not too high for the lava forming it was extremely fluid as it was mixed with waters (hydro-clastic). There are two other volcanoes in the area, Volcán El Trapal and El Coral.

The lake has an extension of about 50 kilometers from North to South and 10 to 12 kilometers from East to West and its depth is less than 1 meter almost all round. Rainfall is very scarce but the lake is constantly being fed by permanent and semi-permanent streams.