It was established on July 19, 1979, and is also the largest protected area in Argentina dedicated to conserving subtropical evergreen mountain rainforests known as Southern Andean Yungas.

Located at the Ledesma Department on the eastern slopes of the Calilegua hills, with an area of 76,306 ha (763.06 km2; 294.62 sq mi), It is the largest national park in the Argentine Northwest.

[2] Originally, the area of Calilegua National Park was occupied by native groups whose settlements were located in the lower knoll near farming grasslands.

Calilegua National Park and nearby towns offer tours related to ecotourism, this is in addition to the area's strong cultural imprint, as any interested tourists may visit several towns where they can experience local customs, language, tradition, and more.The park has a subtropical climate with a dry winter season,[4] with mean temperatures fluctuate between 17 °C (62.6 °F) in winter and 28 °C (82.4 °F) in summer.

[4] The park receives on average 1,800 mm (71 in) of precipitation per year with most of it falling between November and April.